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POLICIES / PROCEDURES
SUMMER ENRICHMENT CAMP AT THE Y
CHILDREN ENTERING 1ST - 6TH GRADE
The Summer Enrichment Camp is a state licensed summer camp housed at the YMCA in Middletown. The camp offers children and parents an additional option for a quality summer experience. The Summer Enrichment Camp is a theme based summer program developed with hands on learning in mind. Our goal is to offer children an opportunity to explore their interest, build their knowledge and skills, and use their creative spirit during the summer months. Our intention is to enrich each child’s summer vacation with a variety of fun activities. The School Age Childcare Department supervises the enrichment program.
SUMMER ENRICHMENT PROGRAM STAFF INFO
Camp Director: Amalia Cardella (860) 343-6211
Alternate Camp Director: Benjamin Carlson (860) 343-6247
Administrative Support (Billing, Open Doors & Registration): Rachel Johnson (860) 343-6245
Camp Phone: (860) 343-6224
YMCA Phone: (860) 347-6907
OPERATING POLICY
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Regular camp hours are 8:00 am to 6:00 pm. There is an option to register for before careopening at 7:00 am.
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Children must be signed in and out each day by a parent/guardian. Children can only beremoved from the program by a parent/guardian and adults (18 years or older) whose name hasbeen given in writing, in advance, to the program staff. All people picking up children will beasked to show identification unless they are known by the staff member.
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Please be advised that any person picking up a child that appears to be under the influence ofdrugs or alcohol will not be permitted to remove the child and will be asked to contact anotheradult to remove the child. If another adult is not available a taxi will be called. Any time an adultcomes to pick up a child and appears under the influence a DCF report is made.
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The YMCA staff are mandated reporters and obligated by law to report suspected abuse andneglect of children to the Department of Children and Families hotline.
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Children who need to take medication while in our program must have a completed medicationform signed by a physician. Medication must be in the original container and the written orderand the directions on the bottle must be consistent. It is the parent’s responsibility to providethis or the child will not be accepted into the program. (Forms can be found on our website atwww.midymca.org/summer-enrichment). This includes epi-pens and inhalers.
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Children will be given free swim time Monday through Friday (except for Field Trip Days). Pleasepack a bathing suit and towel each day for you child.
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A child must be able to fully participate in the activities of the day, which include outdoor time,free swim, walking and off site field trips.
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Children who are ill cannot attend the Summer Enrichment Camp.
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Parents/guardians will be contacted if a child is ill and is unable to participate in activities,and/or has a fever greater then 100, and/or is vomiting/diarrhea. If a parent/guardian cannot bereached, the emergency contact will be called. Ill children must be picked up as soon aspossible, but no later than one hour from the time they are first contacted. If a parent refuses topick up a sick child in a timely manner they will not be permitted to return to the program. Achild must be fever free for 24 hours before returning to the program.
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The YMCA will not allow children to bring in toys or electronic devices from home. Toys, gamesystems, phones, kindles, and other electronic devices cannot be brought into the program.
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Parents who would like to participate in the breakfast and lunch program must sign up oneweek prior to their child attending camp.
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If you have not signed your child up for the breakfast and lunch program: children MUST pack a cold lunch each day that will be kept in their backpacks. We are not able to refrigerate any lunches or heat them in the microwave.
PARENT DROP OFF & PICK UP PROCEDURES
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At DROP OFF:
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Parents will walk their child through the main entrance of the YMCA and down the stairs towards the family center. (If parent cannot use the stairs an accommodation can be made, please contact the Camp Director.)
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Parents will check in at the parent table for any daily and/or weekly camp communication updates.
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At check in, parents will sign their child in for the day on the sign in/out sheet.
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Parents and children will then walk to their camp room to drop their child off to their camp counselor
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At PICK UP:
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Parents will enter through the main entrance of the YMCA and down the stairs towards the family center.
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Parents will check in at the parent table for any daily and/or weekly camp communication updates.
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At pick up, parents will sign their child out for the day on the sign in/out sheet. Please be prepared to show your ID every time you pick up your child as our closing camp staff may vary.
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Parents will then walk to their child’s camp room to pick up their child and check in with camp counselor for any updates.
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LATE PICK UPS
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Summer Enrichment’s licensed program hours end at 6:00 PM and all children are required to be picked up promptly at or before closing. Continuous late pick-ups put our program at risk and cannot be tolerated. If there are unforeseen circumstances that prevent a parent/guardian from picking up on time, it is the parent/guardian’s responsibility to let the program know by calling the site phone and/or arranging alternate pick up.
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Summer Enrichment staff will start reaching out after 6:05 PM if they have not received notice a child is being picked up late. Two YMCA staff over the age of eighteen will remain with the child until a parent is located or alternative arrangements are made. If pick up has not been arranged or Summer Enrichment staff have not heard from an authorized pick up by 6:30 PM staff will notify the police and the Department of Children and Families.
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Late pick-ups for Summer Enrichment are subject to our late fees. Summer Enrichment’s late fee is $1.00 per minute for each child. For each late pick up parent will sign our Late Pick-Up Form which restates our policy, notes the time picked up, and states our fees.
*Families will be terminated from the Summer Enrichment Program for repeated late pick-ups.*
LUNCHES
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All children will be required to bring a cold lunch from home. We will NOT be able to heat upANY food. Lunches will be kept in your child’s backpack or cubby during the day. All lunchesshould have an icepack to keep foods cold. We will NOT have access to refrigerators to storelunches. Please make sure you pack any utensils that your child may need to use to eat their lunch.
SWIMMING
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Children will participate in free swim four times per week with their group for 45 minutes.
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Children will be swim tested on the first day of each week and staff will record if a life vest isneeded during the free swim time.
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Children will be supervised at all times by the lifeguard on duty as well as the camp counselorsduring free swim.
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Children should come to camp each day with a towel and bathing suit to change into.
PARENT COMMUNICATION
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A staff member will serve as the sign in and out person and will be available to answer any of your questions. For any extended conversations, we ask that parents contact one of the program supervisors to discuss in further detail. The program supervisor is:
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Amalia Cardella: (860) 343-6211 or acardella@midymca.org
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A weekly newsletter will be available for parents at the sign in/out area at the end of each week. The newsletter will provide parents with information about the topics of the week. We also provide lots of information and pictures via our Kids’ Korner Facebook page. We encourage all families to “like” our Facebook page!
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The staff team uses a communication log book to share information with each other from day to day. If you have information for a staff member please give it to the sign out staff member and they will place it in the communication log book for all staff working that day to view.
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Please inform staff if your child has any concerns, medical issues, special needs, or special interests. A special needs form will be sent to you to help us plan for your child’s needs while in our care.
PAYMENTS
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A $25 deposit is due at the time of registration for each week of the program you wish to register your child for. This deposit is applied to the total cost for the week of registration. Deposits are non-refundable. However, as long as a two week notice is given, you will receive a refund for any remaining balances paid toward any camp weeks.
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Payments are automatically withdrawn on the Friday before your child is scheduled to attend using the credit card on file. For any parents that requested not to have automatic payments, must log onto their account to make the payment the Friday before or contact Rachel Johnson at (860) 343-6245 to make a payment.
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The YMCA reserves the right to cancel enrollment when payment is not made. Families will be responsible for full payment of all camp fees regardless of attendance including collection of delinquent fees.
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The Y accepts Care4Kids Certificates. Families must apply for YMCA Open Doors Assistance and pay according to our sliding fee scale until Care4Kids payment is received.
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All Families that qualify for YMCA Open Doors Financial Assistance must also apply for Care4Kids.
CANCELLATIONS
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All cancellations require a two week written notice. A full refund excluding the deposit will be given only if the Y receives a two week written notice. An email to our Camp Director and/or our Financial Manager suffices as notice. Payment in full is required when a camper is registered but does not attend. No refunds are given for vacations or absences from the program.
HEALTH REPORTS
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This camp is licensed by the State of Connecticut Office of Early Childhood. All children who attend must have a Youth Camp Health Form on file that has been completed within the past three years. Children cannot be accepted into the program without a valid health form on or before the date they arrive at the program.
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You may find a blank copy of the health report HERE or your doctor may fill out the form that is used by the schools as well.
ILLNESS / EXCLUSION POLICY
Children should be excluded from childcare if they exhibit one or more of the following symptoms:
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Fever greater than 100 degrees or has had one during the previous 24 hours
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Undiagnosed rash
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Vomiting
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Diarrhea
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Serious pain
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Green or yellow discharge from eyes
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Severe nasal congestion and a cough that interferes with daily activities
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Obvious signs of communicable illness such as head lice, chicken pox, conjunctivitis (pinkeye) etc.Other o
If a child becomes ill while at the center, he or she will be provided with a comfortable place to rest. The parent and emergency contacts will be contacted and asked to pick up their child as soon as possible, but no later than one hour after being contacted.
MEDICAL EMERGENCY
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In case of medical emergency a CPR/First Aid certified staff person will attend to the injured child while another staff person calls 911 and then contacts the parent/guardian. If the injury is not life threatening and the child is not in great pain, the parents will be contacted prior to calling for an ambulance. Children will be transported to Middlesex Hospital or the closest emergency room available.
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The YMCA does not cover the cost of emergency medical care; it is expected that such cost will be covered by the parent/guardian.
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All minor injuries will be reported to the parent/guardian and an accident form will be completed for parent/guardians to read and sign.
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If a child has an illness, accident, injury, or procedure that requires them to be treated in an emergency department or to be admitted into a hospital the YMCA requires a doctor’s note and clearance before the child can return to our program. The doctor’s note should include the date the child is allowed to return to our care and any limitations the child has due to their illness/injury (if applicable).
MEDICATIONS
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The program will follow OEC licensing regulations. Children with medication (prescription/over the counter) must be brought in by the parent in the original bottle with the prescription label and given to staff accompanied by a medication order PRIOR to the child attending the program. Staff cannot give the first dose of any medication.
HANDWASHING
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All staff and children must adhere to regular hand washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds as follows:
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Before and after eating;
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After sneezing, coughing or nose blowing.
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After using the rest room;
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Before handling food;
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After touching or cleaning surfaces that may be contaminated
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If soap and water are not available, we will use an alcohol based sanitizer. Adults should always supervise use of alcohol-based sanitizers. Likewise, all handwashing activities will be supervised by adults to verify that children are properly washing their hands for twenty seconds.
Requirement that all sick children and staff are to stay home:
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We are required to communicate to parents the importance of keeping children home when they are sick.
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We are required to communicate to staff the importance of being vigilant for symptoms and staying in touch with the Program Director if or when they start to feel sick.
CLEANING & DISINFECTION PROTOCOLS
All protocols for routine cleaning and disinfection of the child care center including the sanitization and disinfection of tables and equipment are in accordance with the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the State Department of Public Health guidelines as well as guidelines of Best Practice set forth the Office of Early Childhood (OEC).
All surfaces including tables, benches, chairs, and countertops will be sprayed or wiped down with disinfectant throughout the day.
DISCIPLINE POLICY
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The YMCA Kids’ Korner Program promotes the belief that discipline provides children with the structure, support, encouragement, and problem-solving skills they need to make responsible decisions. Positive discipline focuses on social emotional life skills to build safe spaces of mutual respect and open communication. In the Kids’ Korner Program staff are trained to use reminders, redirection, problems solving, restorative justice practices, and logical and natural consequences to help children learn to communicate their needs respectfully, self-regulate, and behave safely in the classroom. Children are given clear expectations of behavior and staff members are expected to be consistent and firm in their approach to behavior concerns. If a child is experiencing a behavior issue, they will continuously be monitored and supervised by staff during any disciplinary action. The YMCA prohibits abusive, neglectful, corporal, humiliating, or frightening punishment.
1. Children will be treated with respect and dignity.
2. Staff will set clear limits and expectations for behavior with children.
3. Children will assist staff in writing the rules for the program.
4. Program rules will be posted so both children and parents can see them.
5. Staff will review the rules as needed with the group and with individual children.
SUPERVISION AND PREVENTION POLICY
Many accidents can be avoided with good supervision and by following some simple safety steps. To avoid possible injuries staff must be familiar with the environment. Each day staff should check the condition of all spaces being used. Glass, broken playground equipment, paper on the ground, sharp items, and things that children can trip over must be taken care of. When equipment is damaged it should be removed.
DISMISSAL OF A CHILD
The YMCA will request the removal of a child from the program when:
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The child threatens the physical or emotional well-being of other children or staff members.
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Threatens the overall quality of the program such as repeated misconduct, running fromprogram grounds, demanding one to one attention and care.
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The staff within the limits of the program cannot meet the needs of the child.
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Repeated conduct reports for behaviors as stated above.
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A parent refuses to follow program policies, threatens or harasses program staff or other children, repeatedly disrespects staff with inappropriate and intimidating language and/or actions.
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If a special request for care is made that cannot be met with available resources or is not consistent with the policy and program philosophy of the YMCA. (For example, Program staff will not permit punishment of children during the program that is not consistent with our discipline plan. Children cannot be isolated from peers in our programs. Children cannot be forced to only attend to summer work while in our care; they must be permitted equal access to the full range of program activity.)
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When possible, a parent or guardian will be provided with a two-week notice to find alternative care arrangements. The YMCA, however, reserves the right to terminate without notice when the safety of children or staff is threatened by the behavior of a child. A child will be suspended immediately if the child is considered dangerous and unmanageable, or if the child threatens another child or staff with a weapon.
PAYMENT OF DAMAGES
Parents will be held responsible for paying for the replacement of, or repairs to, property that has been damaged by his/her child as a result of misconduct.