2023 SUMMER STEAM CAMPS
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
One LOCATION:
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- Grades K-8 at Bishop Diego School, 4000 La Colina Rd: June 12-August 4
Check your camp receipt received by email when you register. Your child’s camp time will be listed as either 9:00am-3:15pm (K-3rd gr.) or 9:00am-3:30pm (4-8th gr.). Morning drop off is between 8:20-8:55. Aftercare is available from 3:20-5:00pm Monday-Thursday and must be signed up for in advance. There is no aftercare on Fridays due to break down of current camps and set up of the next week’s camps.
CAMP DROP OFF & PICK UP PROCEDURES
- DROP-OFF of your child takes place in the SCHOOL parking lot. There will be signs and counselors to direct you. Drop off is between 8:20-8:55. Families must use the car drop-off line to maximize the efficiency of drop off and pick-up. A counselor will be there to assist your child out of the car and escort campers to our check-in desk and morning group activities. We encourage you to carpool with other families to cut down on the amount of car traffic. EXCEPTIONS are for special needs children or if walking or biking to camp.
- Drivers, please stay in your car. Once our staff gets your child or children out of the car, watch carefully for our staff to wave you forward to exit. We have 2 car lines, so be very alert and patient as the safety of every child is paramount.
- Please be on time so that the the Camp Day starts on time at 9am.
- No one is permitted with a temperature of 100 degrees or COVID related symptoms. If your child has allergies, ensure they take their allergy medication to prevent sneezing and coughing.
- PICK-UP of your child will be in the same location at the end of your child’s camp day. K-3 camps are dismissed at 3:20 and Grades 4-8 are dismissed at 3:30. Families must use the car line to maximize the efficiency of pick-up. A counselor will be there to assist your child into the car. If you are carpooling and/or have children with different ending times, please pick up at 3:30pm.
- If your child’s pick up is at 3:30, please do NOT arrive at 3:15, as that will block traffic. We will ask you to exit and come back at the designated time.
- Aftercare is available from 3:20-5:00 Monday-Thursday and must be signed up for in advance. There is no aftercare on Fridays due to break down and set up of camps.
- Campers not picked up on time will go to Aftercare and a fee will be charged.
To PICK-UP EARLY, please send an email on the day of the event. When you arrive, park in the lot and come to the check-in desk. We will call for your child when you arrive.
What to Bring to Camp:
Bring lunch, snack, and water bottle. Provide healthy snacks and lunches with NO sodas, high sugar desserts or candy. Wear closed-toe shoes! Please DO NOT bring phone or toys.
COVID Policies
We reserve the right to institute Mask Mandates or Covid Testing for the safety of campers and staff in the event of COVID Outbreaks
Cancellation Policy:
Our flexible cancellation policy allows you to make changes in your summer schedule or receive camp credit if your child cannot attend. For registrations prior to March 13th, a camp refund will be given minus a $35 reg fee through April 31st. For registrations as of March 14th, the cancellation fee is $70 through April 31st. Between May 1st-May 31st, if you need to cancel, no refunds will be issued. However, we will credit your full camp payment to ACTIVE account for future use. After June 1st, no refunds or credits will be issued. And, no refunds or credits are given if you remove your child from camp due to a mask mandate or COVID testing. If you need to change weeks and there is sufficient room in another camp, campers may transfer without charge with one exception: changes that occur within 7 days of the start of a camp, may incur a $35 fee to cover administration costs. Camp credit is good for 2 years only. If your child is sick for an extended period of time, we will credit your account or transfer them to a different week.
A TYPICAL CAMP DAY
8:20-8:55 Drop off – Outdoor Group Activities
Morning Activities 9:00am
Icebreakers/Tribes:10 min
Project Time: 1.5 hr. lesson/project
Break: 15 min snack//bathroom break
Project Time: 1 hr. lesson/project
Mid-day
45 min lunch break & outdoor play
Afternoon Activities
Icebreakers/Tribes:10 min
ProjectTime: 1.25 hr. lesson/project
Break: 15 min snack/bathroom break
Project Time: 1 hr. lesson/project
Finish up/clean-up :10 min. Move out to car lines
Why Choose Us for Your Child’s Camp This Summer?
Safety First:
We take physical safety and emotional safety very seriously. Children are supervised at all times, our staff are background checked, and we have a zero tolerance for bullying of any type. We respect and affirm EVERY child, parent, and teacher, and will not tolerate any form of prejudicial or demeaning comments, jokes or actions. Children like adults do have disagreements and our staff work to resolve those in a caring and responsible way. Our goal is to provide an environment where children feel accepted, are assisted to get to know each other, feel welcome, and involved in their own learning. We use Tribes Education to encourage that behavior. In the morning and afternoon, each classroom participates in activities that encourage inclusivity, build community, and develop social/emotional growth. Please let us know at any time if you have concerns.
We are NUT-FREE. For the health and safety of all our campers, please do not bring peanut butter sandwiches or other nut types.
Inclusivity:
We are a welcoming environment for ALL children regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or gender. We affirm every child’s right to the name or pronoun they wish to be called. Through community building activities we help children be inclusive, kind, and make new friends.
Staffing:
Our staff/child ratio is 1:12. Our male and female staff are comprised of teachers, professionals, graduate and undergraduate college students in the departments of science, engineering, medicine, education, computer science, math, and art. When hiring, our top priority is to have staff who LOVE working with kids, are smart, can communicate effectively with children and parents, and work together as a team. We have high expectations of our staff: warm, enthusiastic, engaging, a smile on their face, prepared for each day, and committed to making camp a wonderful experience for kids. We provide training to counselors in the curriculum they will teach, classroom management skills, safety rules, and Tribes education.
Cutting Edge Curriculum:
65 DIFFERENT Camps… the largest array of different camps in Santa Barbara County! We have created an unparalleled set of cutting edge programs designed for the young mind ages 5-14. Our philosophy is to develop a hands-on, minds-on, challenging STEAM program for girls and boys that lays the foundation for innovative minds, problem solvers and design thinkers of the future. Camp curriculum is inquiry based, developed by a team of professionals and “kid-tested” to ensure that camps are fun, full of learning concepts, and have a track record of being successful!
Select the Right Camp and Help Your Child Be Successful
Critical to a successful camp experience is that your child knows the content of the camp in which he/she is enrolled. Be sure that both you and your child have read the camp description and that it is a good fit. Encouraging your child to try something new is always a positive effort, but ensure your child knows what they are trying! If your child has never been to camp before, please go over the schedule of the day, talk with them about how you will drop them off and return, and remind them to go to their instructor with any questions or worries.
Drop off and pick up of all campers is done in car lines. Have your child’s lunch bag, water bottle and back pack (if needed) next to them. Our counselors come to your car and open the door. This is the time a parent says goodbye and we escort the child into the courtyard or classroom .We find it is easier for kids to “leave” their parent, rather than their parent “leaving them”. Stay super positive, check your own anxiety, and be clear with your child as to the procedure. 🙂 For the afternoon pick-up, the procedure is in reverse. Pull up in the car line, we will call for your child and escort them into your car.
Our camps are grouped by age levels and each week we have a selection of camps appropriate for Kindergarten-8th grade. Please do not enroll your child for a camp that requires a higher grade level than your child is entering. We try very hard to keep our camps and campers matched at the appropriate social maturity level, reading skill ability, and curriculum content. Enrolling your child in a camp where there is not an age appropriate fit makes it challenging not only for your child, but for the other campers and the instructor. Sometimes parents ask if they can enroll their younger child with an older sibling because they want to be together. Please let your child know they will see their sibling at recess, lunch and playtime, but will not be together in a specific camp. Let your children know that camp is a great opportunity to make new friends and they can come back year after year looking forward to the next level of camp! If you have questions, please email or call.
Behavior Expectations of All Children:
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- Talk with your child about being KIND in words and in action. Kids are often exuberant to be with other kids after these difficult COVID years. Have a conversation about how to make friends and appropriate behaviors.
- Please remind them to keep their hands to themselves and not wrestle, grab, roughhouse or get in another child’s face. Some children are averse to being touched and it is important to respect body boundaries.
- Some children try to get attention by using inappropriate language, jokes or bodily noises they think are funny. When a staff person becomes aware of this behavior, it will be stopped and parents notified.
- Encourage your child to come to camp with a positive attitude, be inclusive of other kids, and make new friends. We do our part through ice breaker activities and Tribes activities to help children learn about each other. If your child comes with friends, encourage them to include others and not isolate in a clique.
- Review what bullying means. Use this LINK to talk with your child.
- We have a ZERO tolerance for bullying. One warning, further negative behaviors will result in being sent home.
Communications
If you have questions or concerns about any aspect of our camps, our directors or instructors are available to talk with you. Our goal is always to have a positive atmosphere and experience for our campers, instructors and parents. Being respectful and modeling appropriate communications is critical for our kids to observe as well as to resolve any issues.
Administration of Medicine
If your child requires any medications during the time he/she is at the camp, please download this form and print it, fill in the required information, and bring it with the child on the first day of camp. Administration of Medicine Form (Click Link to Download Form)
Camp Evaluation Form
After your child returns home from Summer Camp, we ask that you fill out the online Camp Evaluation Form. Your input will greatly help us improve the camps and course offerings. We can’t wait to hear from you! Online Camp Evaluation Form.
