ABOUT PRESCHOOL DAY CAMP The Y’s value-based approach to early learning will help your young child develop essential social, physical, and intellectual building blocks. Our state-licensed preschool day camp provides a developmentally appropriate curriculum designed to support the cognitive, social, emotional, and physical growth of your children. Children are encouraged to use their creativity, develop new skills, work and play with peers, and build positive relationships with adult role models. Together we can provide a safe and enriching space for your child to grow and thrive. Our child care programs are licensed through the State Department of Human Services, and we participate in the Keystone S.T.A.R.S. quality enhancement program. We accept Child Care Works funding and offer financial assistance to families that qualify. For more information about Preschool Day Camp, contact Amee Kuzniarski, Child Care Director at 412-741-9622 ext. 133 or akuzniarski@sewickleyymca.org.
SESSION DATES
Session 1, June 10 - 14 Session 2, June 17 - 21 Session 3, June 24 - 28
CAMP FEES & HOURS
Preschool camp is held at our off-site location, Edgeworth Elementary School in Sewickley. All camp fees are for one-week sessions. Preschool Half Day, 9 - 12 p.m. Member $140 Non-Member $165
Session 4, July 1 - 5
Preschool Full Day, 9 - 3 p.m. Member $185 Non-Member $210
Session 5, July 8 - 12
Preschool Exteneded Day, 7 - 9 a.m. Member $65 Non-Member $90
Camp will be closed on July 4
Session 6, July 15 - 19 Session 7, July 22 - 26 Session 8, July 29 - August 2 Session 9, August 5 - 9
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
Financial assistance is available to those who qualify. A sliding-fee scale is used to determine appropriate levels of assistance based off of low-income guidelines. The maximum assistance awarded for Preschool Day Camp is 50%. The Sewickley Valley YMCA accepts payments from Child Care Works, CCW.
PRESCHOOL DAY CAMP
Preschool Day Camp caters to children requiring part-day or part-time care exclusively. If your child is currently enrolled in full-day care or requires full-time care, we kindly ask you to continue with your current program. This unique camp program is designed to provide both physical growth and socialization through funfilled early childhood activities. Our experienced staff design camp days that balance physical and creative activities with structured and imaginative play. Campers will enjoy swim lessons, arts & crafts, sports fitness, STEAM activities, outdoor play, water activities, special events and more! Preschool Day Campers are placed in age-appropriate groups. Preschool Day Camp does not offer a designated nap time. The drop-off and pick-up location will be in the Edgeworth Elementary cafeteria.
WHAT TO BRING TO CAMP
Please send your preschooler to camp with the following: water bottle, backpack or shoulder bag, lunch (brown bag or cooler-style), sunscreen, and athletic shoes; no open-toe shoes permitted. Campers should dress in play clothes. Suggested dress for cold and rainy days should include a sweatshirt, jacket or a raincoat. All campers must be potty-trained; pull-ups, diapers or training pants will not be permitted.
A TYPICAL PRESCHOOL CAMP DAY
Exact schedules may vary. Summer Camp activity rotations may include outdoor education, arts and crafts, swimming, S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math), team building, physical activity, and group games. All children will go outside daily unless we are experiencing severe weather – defined as a heat index of 90 degrees or higher. When the heat index is 90 degrees or higher, campers will participate in camp activities in the air-conditioned facilities at Edgeworth Elementary. This means the temperature is or feels like 90 degrees. 7-8:45 a.m.
Preschool Extended Care
9-9:30 a.m.
Opening ceremony including games and songs to energize campers
9:30-11:30 a.m.
Activity rotations include sports, songs, crafts, games and themes and snack
12 - 12:30 p.m.
Lunch / Half day rotations
12:30-2:30 p.m.
Activity rotations: students rotate between the gym/outside, classroom activities, and art in the cafeteria.
2:30 - 3 p.m.
Closing Activities, located in the cafeteria
AQUATIC SAFETY
Campers will be bussed to the Sewickley Valley YMCA each Friday to swim in the Warm Water pool for 30 minutes between 10 and 12 p.m. Please send your camper with a swimsuit and towel every Friday. Fun is part of the YMCA, but so is safety. Where there are YMCA day campers and pools, there are YMCA lifeguards and counselors. Lifeguards are on the pool deck, and camp staff swim, splash, and play games with the campers. Our YMCA pools are staffed with lifeguards who meet national lifeguard certification standards, participate in regular in-service training and are audited regularly to ensure they are always rescue-ready and responsive. The camp staff camper ratio is 1:5. All students will be placed in a swim trainer, water back float, or lifejacket, regardless of their swim level and ability.
ENROLLMENT
Enrollment forms must be completed online on the Friday prior to your child’s first day of camp. All registrations must occur three days before the start of the session(s) your child wants to attend. The full fee is required for the first session of camp enrolled. Multiple session registrations require the full fee for the first session and a $25 non-refundable deposit for each subsequent session(s). All balances owed after the first session that have not been paid in full must be paid by the dates listed below. • • • • • • • • •
Session 1 Session 2 Session 3 Session 4 Session 5 Session 6 Session 7 Session 8 Session 9
Paid in full at registration Friday, June 14 Friday, June 21 Friday, June 28 Friday, July 5 Friday, July 12 Friday, July 19 Friday, July 26 Friday, August 2
LATE ENROLLMENT & CANCELLATION POLICY
The following dates will be the last opportunity for a participant to register for Camp without a late registration fee of $25 or cancel camp registration. If cancellation of a camp occurs by the dates below, all non-refundable deposits will be forfeited. After the dates listed below, payment must be paid in full regardless of the participant’s attendance. All cancellations must be made in writing or by phone to the Child Care Director at 412-7419622 ext. 133. Cancellations of registration by the parent/guardian must occur by the following date. • • • • • • • • •
Session 1 Session 2 Session 3 Session 4 Session 5 Session 6 Session 7 Session 8 Session 9
REFUNDS
Thursday, June 6 Thursday, June 13 Thursday, June 20 Thursday, June 27 Wednesday, July 3 Thursday, July 11 Thursday, July 18 Thursday, July 25 Thursday, August 1
Refunds will not be given. No adjustments will be made for missed or partially attended weeks. When you enroll, you reserve the time, space, staffing and provisions for your child, whether or not he or she attends.
DROP-OFF & AUTHORIZATION FOR PICK-UP
You may drop off your camper no earlier than 8:55 a.m. There must be a counselor present when your child is dropped off. Everyone who picks up a child from the summer day camp must be on the authorization list provided by the parent(s)/ guardian. Anyone not on the authorization list will not be permitted to pick up a child. Parents, please remember to add yourself to the authorization list.
PHOTO ID
A photo I.D. must be shown by anyone who will be picking up children from the YMCA. Anyone who does not have a photo I.D. will not be allowed to pick up a child. Thank you for your cooperation in helping to keep our children safe. All individuals listed on your authorization list must be 16 years or older and have a valid photo I.D.
LATE PICK-UP
If a parent/guardian will be late for pick-up, please call 412-660-4147. The camper may be removed from the camp program if late pick-ups occur. Please respect the pick-up times for staff/safety concerns.
MEDICAL CONSIDERATIONS
Please be sure to inform the Child Care Director of any food allergies your child may have. If any medical consideration(s) should arise with your child during the summer, please immediately notify the Child Care Director. Medication should be sent in the original prescription bottle with only the dosage allotted for that day. Any variations of this will not be accepted.
INJURIES
The camp staff will administer first aid if a child is mildly injured during the daily activities. If the injury requires outside medical attention, the child will be taken to the emergency room by ambulance and accompanied by the Child Care Director or Head Counselor. The parent will be called and should meet the child in the emergency room. An incident report will be completed for all injuries for the YMCA records.
TSS / CAMP AID INFORMATION
All campers who require a TSS or Aid to accompany them throughout a school day must have the TSS or Aid in Preschool Day Camp. All parties must speak with the Child Care Director 412-741-9622 ext. 133 two weeks prior to the beginning date of camp with completed forms (Act 33 & 34 clearances along with his or her company’s liability insurance). Please remember the TSS or aid must accompany the child for the entire session.
BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT
Basic rules include respecting each other, the property of others, the YMCA facility, the child’s safety, and the group’s security. Behavior management is accomplished through a positive approach and redirection, which will respect the child as an individual. Discipline procedures are handled individually, with a mild consequence associated with the particular infraction. No child shall be subjected to punishment that subjects a child to verbal abuse, ridicule, humiliation, or denial of food, rest, or bathroom facilities. There is no punishment for soiling, wetting or not using the toilet, and no punishment related to eating or not eating food.
TERMINATION AND SUSPENSION
The Sewickley Valley YMCA reserves the right to suspend and/or terminate services with a one-day advance notice to families. When the health, welfare and safety of other children are at stake. The YMCA reserves the right to terminate the services immediately. Possible reasons for suspension and/or termination of a child from day camp include inappropriate behavior considered harmful to your child, staff, or others, overdue fees, and parent/guardian behavior, as determined and discussed with the Child Care Director.
RELEASE OF A CHILD TO IMPAIRED PERSON POLICY
An impaired condition specifically related to alcohol, mind-altering chemicals or other medical conditions that render a person unable to operate a motor vehicle and thereby endanger the safety of a child who would be transported by the impaired person. If in the judgment of the responsible personnel at the Preschool Camp, a parent or designated person appears to be unable to transport a child safely, the camp personnel will ask the parent or designated person to arrange such transportation. If the person is unwilling to provide such alternate transportation, the matter will be referred to the police before the child is released for transportation. Hopefully, the necessity to implement this policy will not arise, but should it, the parent/the designated person must be apprised of the policy.
PROCEDURE FOR REPORTING SUSPECTED CHILD ABUSE
Our YMCA has a zero-tolerance policy for abuse. As a YMCA program, we are mandated by PA state law to report all incidents of suspected child abuse or imminent risk to authorities via the child hotline. The state law requires reporting of suspected adultto-child abuse and peer-to-peer abuse. All staff and volunteers in the preschool camp program will be trained on child abuse prevention and reporting procedures mandated by state law. For more information on this law, visit:keepkidssafe.pa.gov