Summer Day Camps

2012

HANDBOOK

Please keep this book as it provides reference

for all your camp questions.

guelph.ca/camp

Welcome to the City of Guelph Recreation Department

Summer Day Camps!

We are pleased that you have chosen to spend your summer with us!

On your child's first day of camp, you will receive a parent newsletter that will give you

more details about the week’s activities and special events.

This handbook is intended to help you prepare your child for camp.

We hope you will find this information helpful and get you excited about camp!

Your child's safety is our priority. Therefore, we have many safety procedures in place for

all of our camps, such as: sign-in/sign-out procedures, low child to staff ratios, group

forms and more all described in this handout and implemented at each site.

All Staff are certified in Standard First Aid & CPR C and emergency procedures. All

locations have a first aid kit and access to a telephone. In the unlikely event of a serious

injury, emergency services will be contacted. One of our senior staff will contact you

immediately regarding the incident. Please ensure that you have given us current

emergency contact information so we can reach you if needed.

Please complete the Camper Emergency Information and Arrival/Departure forms on guelph.ca/camp to be given to the camp’s supervisor on the first day of camp.

Also, if you need staff to dispense medication to your child, we require the original

medical container and a signed consent form (please obtain this form on the first day if

applicable). All medicine will be in the Programmers office, unless it’s required on the

body (Epi-Pen)

Please note: Forms need to be completed for each child and at each camp

your child will be attending. You can save time by printing them off on the web and coming with them filled out on the first day of camp.

Hours of Camp: All camps operate from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm with a supervised drop

off from 8:00-9:00am and with a supervised pick up from 4:00 to 5:00pm. Children

must be picked up by 5:00pm sharp!

Late Fee Policy: If your child is not picked up on time, our staff are required to

stay beyond their scheduled shift. If you are late picking up your child you will be

charged a late fee of $5 for the first 15 minutes late and $3.00 for every 5 minutes

thereafter, payable at pick up. We appreciate your cooperation in picking up your

child on time after a long day at camp.

Refund Policy: Requests for refunds or credits based on withdrawal must be received

5 business days prior to camp start. All refunds are subject to a $10.00 administration

charge calculated per person, per program. Pro-rated refunds will be issued for medical

reasons only, no later than halfway through the program, providing that a doctors note

is provided.

Staff and Ratios Our Camp Staff have been hired for their experience and skills working with children.

All staff are certified in Standard First Aid & CPR. All staff have gone through an

extensive pre-camp training program and have been police screened. We hold the

highest expectations of programming and safety at our camps.

Ratios designated for camps are a minimum of 1 camp counsellor to 13 children at all

times, plus a Camp Team Leader on site. Most Camps have a 1:10 ratio, Kiddie Camp is

1:8. Swimming ratios are 1:2 or 1:3 (with one child in a life jacket).

Sign-in/Sign-Out Procedures Parents/Care-givers must sign their children in when they drop them off and out when

they pick their children up. Always inform the counsellors when someone else will be

picking up your child. The name of this person(s) must be filled out on the Program

Arrival/Departure form in order for our staff to release your child from camp.

Please remember to sign your child in and out of camp each day.

The sign in/out system is in place to ensure the safety of your child.

Camp Locations and Phone Numbers For inquiries regarding camp and registration, please call 519-837-5699

or visit us at guelph.ca/camp

Kiddie Camp ♣ Daily Discoveries ♣ Girl’s Week West End Community Centre, 21 Imperial Rd S

Ph. 519-837-5657

Swim Adventure Camp ♣, Leadership Development,

Victoria Rd Recreation Centre & Pool Leader-in-Training I & II 519-837-5621 Victoria Rd Recreation Centre,

Sports n Play Camp ♣ 151 Victoria Rd

Guelph Sports Dome Ph. 519-837-5621

550 Imperial Rd N

Ph. 821-5422

Sherwood Forest Camp ♣ Tairy Fales Camp Barber Scout Camp, 733 Stone Rd E Guelph Youth Music Centre,

Ph. 519-836-1810 75 Cardigan St PH. 837-1119

Pottery Week Guelph Community Pottery Centre,

50 Municipal St PH. 822-1260 x 2706

Call these phone numbers during camp time only in case of an emergency.

Phones may not be monitored. Look for the Maple leaf icon for programs eligible for the Children’s Fitness Tax Credit. ♣= maple leaf

The City of Guelph wants to increase physical activity amongst all residents of Guelph! To achieve this, we are implementing the “In Motion” campaign in our programs and services. In motion includes a public awareness campaign on the importance of physical activity, but it is much more than that. At summer camps, we are given many opportunities to enhance a child’s active recreation and social experiences. Promoting these positive experiences also includes increasing levels of physical activity. Our camps promote and celebrate physical activity!

Recreation Program Coordinators

PH. 822-1260 x 2732 (M-F) x 2704 (Tue, Wed, Fri) Camp Program Facilitator

Volunteer and Inclusion Facilitators

PH. 822-1260 x 2707 (May-September)

Preparing for Camp Please ensure that you have read this booklet carefully prior to camp. On your child’s

first day, please complete and submit all necessary forms, including the CAMPER

EMERGENCY INFORMATION, and PROGRAM ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE PERMISSION FORMS. You

will receive a Weekly Camp Newsletter on the first day, which will include more details

about the week’s events, special event information (if applicable) and other pertinent

information.

What to Bring to Camp (please label your belongings) Nutritious lunch and drinks (lots of water to rehydrate)

Additional snacks for morning and afternoon

Comfortable running or hiking shoes– NO open toe shoes, sandals or CROCS

Hat (wide brimmed) and Sunscreen (paba-free & SPF 15 minimum) for re-application

Appropriate attire for rainy days and outdoor activities

Bathing suit & towel on swim days

Change of clothes/clothes that can get dirty

Lunch and Snacks

Lunch is a very important meal. Please bring a HEALTHY lunch daily. We suggest that you

pack extra snacks and drink or a refillable water bottle as we will be active all day.

Snack breaks are incorporated into the program. Please make sure your child can open

containers. Try to reduce waste and send lunch in reusable containers. Send an ice pack

as well, as we do not have refrigeration for lunches

Some examples of healthy lunch choices for are:

Grapes, apples, orange slices, strawberries, blueberries, bananas etc.

Cereal bars, whole grain oatmeal bars, cut up cheese and crackers,

Cut up veggies with dip (hummus/cream cheeses)

Sandwiches or tortilla wraps (toppings can be: meat/mayo/mustard/lettuce/tuna/jam/

cheese/salsa etc)

NO NUT PRODUCTS PLEASE We discourage peanut & nut products for snacks and

lunch, however please note that the City facilities are NOT nut-free. We will send a note

in the weekly newsletter requesting nut-free snacks and lunch if we are alerted of a

participant attending that week that has a peanut or nut allergy.

Fun in the Sun Due to the concern with the ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun, we would like to

work with you in protecting your children from these harmful rays.

As a parent, please help out by doing the following:

Have your child wear a hat with a broad brim on it

Wear light coloured clothing

Apply waterproof sunscreen SPF 15 or higher no more than 30 minutes before camp starts.

Please keep a labelled bottle in their bag so we can have them reapply as needed.

Our staff minimize the time spent in the direct sun between 11am and 3pm

when sun’s rays are strongest.

Inclement Weather All camps take advantage of as much outdoor time as possible. On rainy or smog days, we will

minimize outdoor time as necessary. In case of extremely hot weather, precautions will be taken

to keep campers hydrated and in cool or air conditioned areas where possible. We follow the heat/

smog alerts sent out by the Environment Canada through the City of Guelph.

What to Wear Campers should wear comfortable clothing and shoes

Closed toed shoes are a must (no sandals, Crocs or open toed footwear)

Sun protective wear ie. Hat, light long-sleeved shirts, sunscreen

Rainy day apparel, as needed

Lost and Found Each site has their own lost and found. Articles will only be kept until the final Friday of the camp

running at that site. Any unclaimed items will go to the West End Community Centre lost and found

located near the pool area until early September or as soon as we are unable to house the items

any longer. We ask all campers not to bring valuable items to camp. Please label all your child’s items and check the camp and facility lost and found when items go missing. Please also check at home to see if other campers items came home with your child by mistake.

BEHAVIOUR MANAGEMENT AT SUMMER CAMPS

It is our intent to build on the success we have had in previous summers and ensure the highest level of

fun and safety all our camps. We wish to maintain a mutual respect between families, campers, campers

and staff and campers and volunteers. A participant behaviour model has been developed in order to

achieve this through our participant discipline procedure. For a sample of this, please ask your camp

counsellor or camp team leader. Your thoughts and feedback are helpful, if you would like to discuss this

process or have suggestions, please contact the Camp Facilitator.

PARTICIPANT DISCIPLINE PROCEDURE

STEP 1

Explanation given to the camper the infraction and reason for the rule.

STEP 2

Time out for 2-5 minutes (age dependant). Staff will sit with the camper if possible to work out causes

of and solutions to problems and inform the camper that the next step will be to complete a Behaviour

Checklist Form.

STEP 3

If behaviour persists, a Behaviour Checklist Form will be completed

If the behaviour continues counsellors will consult with the Camp Team Leader and possibly the Camp

Facilitator.

STEP 4

In cooperation with the child’s parent/guardian, a Behaviour Contract will be completed. Possible

consultation with the Camp Volunteer Facilitator may be exercised for possible assistance or help if there

needs to be a placement of an One2One volunteer.

If the inappropriate behaviour persists, the Camp Team Leader will contact the Camp Facilitator for

immediate action. In consultation with the Recreation Program Coordinator, the child may be withdrawn

from the camp.

Parents/guardians will be informed of any behavioural concerns at camp.

PROGRAM READINESS GUIDELINES

Are you CAMP READY??

In order to support the success and safety of all individuals at camp, it is important that

participants attending these programs are “Camp Ready.”

To assist in determining if a participant is “Camp Ready”, it is important to recognize if the

participant:

is able to take direction and instruction from a staff person

is comfortable in and able to interact in a group environment

is able to participate in the program. Participation, interaction and inclusion of children in

programs is based on the child’s individual needs.

is able to interact and participate in the program in a manner that is safe for themselves

and others

Participants that are attending camp and who are not demonstrating that they are “Camp

Ready” may be withdrawn from the camp at the discretion of the Camp Facilitator or

Recreation Program Coordinator. Behaviour management procedures are in place at camp to

ensure the safety of all participants.

One2One Support and Inclusion Services Some participants may require additional support to assist them in being successful at camp.

Staff are available to discuss accommodation needs and support options for your child.

Provision of support for children is limited and must be arranged in advance. Every effort is

made to find appropriate support for program participants who require it, however one2One

volunteer matches depend on the availability of suitable volunteers. If a match is unavailable,

participant registration will be delayed and parents/caregivers will be required to arrange for

external support if they wish to move forward with registration. One2One volunteers cannot be

responsible for toileting or diapering of camp participants. Please contact the Accessibility and

Inclusion Coordinator, 519.822-1260 x 2706 prior to May or the Camp Volunteer and Inclusion

Facilitator, 519.822-1260 x 2707 (May-Sept). Support must be in place prior to camp

commencement.

Volunteering at Camp

If you know a teen 14 years or older who is interested in

volunteering at camp, please call the Camp Volunteer Facilitator

at 822-1260 ext. 2707