BEST SUMMER EVER!

Friendship, Accomplishment, Belonging

2015 PARENT

HANDBOOK

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WELCOME TO DAY CAMP! Thank you for choosing the YMCA of Southern Nevada for your child’s summer day camp

experience! You’ve given your child a wonderful gift - the opportunity to learn new skills, develop meaningful friendships and rediscover themselves. We’re looking forward to a safe

and fun summer that instills confidence in your child and creates wonderful memories. We’re committed to teaching the Y core values - respect, responsibility, honesty and caring,

and creating a nurturing community that supports what your kids are learning at home. Safety and supervision are essential components of our program. We carefully select our

counselors from a vigorously screened group and train them extensively. Their training hours are spent on CPR and First Aid, character development, age appropriate activities, bully prevention and a variety of other topics to ensure your child has the best

summer ever!

At Y Summer Camp, we are guided by the mission of the YMCA of Southern Nevada: To put Christian principles into practice through programs that build a healthy spirit, mind and body for all.

Please don’t hesitate to let us know how we can ensure that your child’s summer camp

experience is exceptional! Keep in touch with our camp staff through our camp hotline and email.

We look forward to meeting your child this summer!

- Erica Stegall, Association Youth & Family Director

Handbook Contents

…………………………………………………………………

Welcome Letter 2

Camp Basics 4

Registration Packet 4

Clothing, Sunscreen, Nutrition 5

Schedule & Weekly Themes 5

Parent Communication 5

Field Trips, Transportation 6

Health Check, Illness & Injury 6

Emergency Medical Attention 6

……………………………………………………………………

Medication Administration 7

Americans with Disabilities Act 7

Camper Drop-Off & Pick-Up 7

Late Pick Up 7

Lost & Found 7

Parent Input 7

Payment Information 8

Cancelation & Refunds 8

Tax Identification Number 8

Camp Q’s & A’s 9

THE BASICS...

Daily Camp Checklist

Gym shoes (closed toe/heel required)

Backpack for camp gear & sunscreen

Weather appropriate clothing (t-shirt, hat, shorts, etc. that can get dirty)

Sunscreen applied & extra packed

Refillable water bottle

Lunch, drink and 2 snacks

Note: Refrigeration & microwave not available. To avoid allergies, please do

not send peanut products.

Swim suit, swim shirt, towel, flip flops

and yes, more sunscreen!

Campers tend to misplace items.

Please label everything and check

our Lost & Found often as unclaimed

items are donated to charity.

THE Y IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR LOST OR MISSING ITEMS.

Camp is about the experiences

you create at the Y!

So, let’s leave these items at home:

Items with monetary/sentimental value

All electronics (iPods, cell phones, etc.)

Toys and trading cards

Absolutely no weapons! (including toys)

Registration Packet

The 2015 Youth and Family Registration Packet must be filled out in its entirety and sub-

mitted prior to camp registration. Only the parent/guardian who originally registers the camper may alter the registration form (Example: change emergency contact, adults authorized to pick up camper, medication dosage, etc.). Please see the Camp Secretary, Camp Supervisor, or

Youth & Family Director to make these changes. For the safety of our campers, NO EXCEP-TIONS will be made to this policy. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation!

Y Camp is filled with...

Swimming & Water Play at Y Pools

Character Development & Leadership

Team Building and Group Games

Physical Activity & Nutrition by CATCH (see CATCH details in Camp Program Guide)

Education, Exploration and Literacy

Arts & Humanities

Traditional Camp Songs & Experiences

Field Trips and Specialty Camps

Weekly Themes & Assemblies

Friendship, Accomplishment,

Belonging!

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Clothing Campers should wear simple, non-restrictive clothing that's in good taste and you don’t mind get-ting dirty, muddy, wet, or stained. A simple t-shirt, shorts, jeans and a hat are a good choice. Athletic shoes are required to keep up with an action packed day of fun (closed toe/heel; no

Healy's). Teens must lead by example and follow the dress code by wearing modest and appropriate clothing as well. To minimize the chance of misplaced clothing, please clearly label all of your camper’s belongings.

Sunscreen Please apply sunscreen to your camper before arriving each day. In addition, pack extra as your camper will have frequent opportunities throughout the day to re-apply and stay protected. By signing the 2015 Youth and Family Registration Form, you are giving YMCA staff the permission to

apply spray sunscreen to your camper.

Weekly Themes

Week 1: June 8 - June 12 Character Counts

Week 2: June 15 - June 19 Backyard Bonanza

Week 3: June 22 - June 26

Disney

Week 4: June 29 - July 3 USA!USA!USA!

Week 5: July 6 - July 10 Catch the Spirit

Schedules & Weekly Themes Please help your camper prepare for weekly themes and special events. Participation involves dress up days, special games, assemblies and theme-centered projects. Join the fun by attending our weekly assemblies when themes come to life!

DETAILS, DETAILS, DETAILS...

Camper Nutrition Snack, lunch and loads of water are a part of your camper’s day. A healthy mid-morning and late-afternoon snack fuels the body before physical activity that follows. A packed lunch full of healthy options goes great with the Y’s nutrition standards. Please send a reusable water bottle so we can

stay hydrated in the summer heat. Some Y’s provide a free cold lunch as part of the Summer Food Service Program. Your camper is not obligated to eat this lunch, however, it’s healthy and saves busy parents time and money.

Weekly Themes

Week 6: July 13 - July 17 Tropical Adventure

Week 7: July 20 - July 24 Ocean Commotion

Week 8: July 27 - July 31

Holiday Celebration

Week 9: August 3 - August 7 Super Heroes

Week 10: August 10 - August 14 Minute to Win IT!

Week 11: August 17 - August 21

Turn Back Time

Parent Communication Parent feedback led us to expand our methods of communication, stay connected through our:

Camp Email - Send all camp questions, concerns and registration communication to your Y’s camp email. Camp Hotline - Skip the front desk, call our camp cell during camp hours for a quicker response! Weekly E-Newsletter - Wrap up the week with a re-cap of all the wonderful experiences shared amongst campers. Remind! - Text messaging service to keep parents up to date on all camp events.

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Field Trips Field trips will be offered throughout summer at an additional cost. A complete schedule of these events is listed on our website and in our Camp Program Guide. Campers registered for a field trip MUST arrive no later than 8:15 AM on the field trip day. Unfortunately, we cannot wait for

late campers, and you will not be refunded or credited for a missed field trip. For the safety of our campers, please send your child to camp in their Camp T-shirt on ALL off-site field trips and excursions.

Health Check Your camper’s health is important to us. We informally check camper’s health status daily and if your camper shows signs or symptoms of illness, rash, high temperature, diarrhea, infection, lice or any contagious diseases, the parent/guardian or authorized person will be called and required

to pick up the camper within one hour. Please be respectful of other camp families and call us immediately if your camper contracts anything that may be contagious. Your name will be kept confidential as we inform other parents of exposure. If your camper has head lice, his/her hair

needs to be shampooed according to directions given by your physician. All nits must be removed following treatment before your camper is allowed to return to the program with a minimum of

two days away from camp and without any signs of nits.

Illness and Injury Parents will be notified by camp staff if their camper has not been feeling well and needs to be picked up. The Camp Supervisor will monitor the camper’s condition until pick-up. If parents can-not be reached, the emergency contact person listed in the camper’s registration packet will be

contacted. Parents must make arrangements for their camper to be picked up within one hour of the phone call. There will be a $1 per minute late fee applied beyond that hour timeframe as Y staff are not equipped to care for ill campers.

Should a minor injury occur at camp or while on a field trip, Y staff will treat the camper and docu-

ment the injury on an Ouch and/or Incident Report. You will be notified of minor injuries by the Ouch Report provided upon pick-up. In the event of a serious injury requiring immediate medical treatment, the Camp Supervisor or Y staff will call 911 and the parent immediately. Emergency

personnel will be responsible for transportation to local medical facilities. A YMCA staff person will follow the ambulance and remain with the camper until a parent/authorized adult arrives.

Transportation Parents/Guardians must have signed the 2015 Youth and Family Registration Forms to authorize the YMCA of Southern Nevada to transport their child for field trips, off-site excursions and emer-gency care. The YMCA of Southern Nevada uses a third party bussing company for all off-site field

trips.

Medical Attention Emergency personnel will transport your child to the following hospitals if emergency care is need-ed. Under certain circumstances, emergency personnel may advise for the child to be transported to a specific hospital based on the emergency care needed. Emergency transportation may be to

the nearest hospital while on off-site field trips.

Centennial Hills YMCA: Centennial Hills Hospital Durango Hills YMCA: Mountain View Hospital Heinrich YMCA: UMC Hospital

SkyView YMCA: Centennial Hills Hospital

AND MORE DETAILS...

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Camper Drop-Off & Pick-Up Y Campers must be signed in and out of camp daily. Our Parent Table is staffed from 7 AM-9:30 AM and 3:30 PM-6 PM. Late arrivals and early departures must wait for camp staff to assist with Sign In/Out. An authorized parent or adult guardian (16 years old or older) MUST present valid state

issued or military photo ID at the time of pick-up. Campers will not be released to persons not listed on the Registration Packet. NO EXCEPTIONS! We will not accept phone authorizations, so please plan ahead. Whether we already know you or this is your first camp experience, please don’t

be offended when our camp staff ask for you Photo ID every day. This procedure is to ensure the safety of your camper!

Late Pick-Up Camp officially closes at 6:00 pm. Any parent/guardian arriving after that time will be charged $1.00 per minute for every minute thereafter. This late fee is due at the time of pickup and must be paid before your camper may return to camp. If you know you are going to be late, please

contact the Welcome Desk or the Camp Hotline so the message can be given to your camper and the camp staff. This gives us the opportunity to reassure your camper that you are on your way. Any camper that has not been picked up by 6:30 pm will be considered abandoned, and the appro-

priate authorities will be called.

Americans With Disabilities Act The YMCA is committed to enforce and implement all required provisions of the Americans With Disability Act, in both policy and practice. If your camper needs a reasonable accommodation to participate in our camp, your request may be made to the Association Youth & Family Director.

Upon reasonable notice, efforts will be made to accommodate your request.

We Value Your Input! We do our best to help each camper have an enjoyable experience. In order to do this, we want to know of any problems so we may correct the inconvenience. Please do not wait until the end of the session; we would like to correct the situation as soon as possible. We rely on your input to have

the highest quality program. Let us know about our successes, as well as, what we need to im-prove. Please be sure to provide us with your most current email address as we send out program surveys and rewards via email. Don’t forget to check out our camp newsletter for up-to-date camp

information!

Medication Administration Parents/Guardians must have a signed Medication Authorization Form on file in order for day camp staff to administer medication. This includes inhalers, epipens, prescription and non-prescription medication. The Medication Authorization Form can be obtained online at lasvegasymca.org or at

the Welcome Desk. All prescription and over the counter medication MUST come in the original pharmacy container and placed in a zip lock bag with campers full name clearly listed, the physi-cian’s name, name of the medication, correct daily dosage and correct time of day the medication is

to be administered. Medications must be handed to the Camp Coordinator at the time of drop-off/pick-up. All medications must be picked up on the last day of camp, the Y is not responsible for

storing medication after camp ends.

DETAILS CONTINUED...

Lost & Found We will make every effort to keep your camper’s belongings with them. However, our Lost & Found boxes tend to overflow as summer unfolds. Please check daily for misplaced items and remember not to bring anything of value to camp – this includes sentimental value. We are not responsible for

any lost or missing items. All unclaimed items will be donated to charity.

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Payment of Fees The YMCA has created convenient payment options with you in mind. Those that plan ahead get added perks, too. During Early Bird Registration (April 1 - April 30, 2015) a $10 per week/per camper deposit is collected at the time of registration and holds your child’s spot. Deposits increase

to $25 per week/per camper thereafter. Deposits are non-refundable and non-transferable. Camp balances are due the Wednesday prior to the camp start date. The cost of camp

automatically increases by $10 after Wednesday without exception. For your convenience, we provide an auto-draft payment option which keeps you current and helps avoid long lines. You

may also visit lasvegasymca.org to submit your payment online. Keep in mind, the YMCA does not send out billing statements – it is the parent’s responsibility to submit payments in a timely man-ner. The YMCA of Southern Nevada retains the right to refuse admittance if payment has not been

made and will bill you for remaining balance.

Cancellations and Refunds We strive to make all camper’s experience a pleasant one. Should there be an issue, please inform us immediately so we can work toward a resolution. If you decide to withdraw from camp, you can do so by speaking with the Camp Supervisor or Camp Secretary. Keep in mind, deposits are non-

refundable and non-transferable. We know that campers get sick and emergencies happen from time to time, so please notify the

Camp Supervisor or the Youth & Family Director. Refunds and/or credits are not given for missed days within the camp week. There will be no refunds or credits for campers who are dismissed from camp for inappropriate behavior. Refer to Camper Code of Conduct in the Camp Program Guide for

details.

Tax Identification Number Our Federal Tax Identification Number is #88-0059266. Please keep a file for your camp payments

for your taxes. This includes any payments over phone or done by auto-draft. The YMCA of South-ern Nevada will not provide tax statements for camp.

PAYMENT INFORMATION

Payment Dates

Week# Payment Due Camp Begins

1 June 3 June 8

2 June 10 June 15

3 June 17 June 22

4 June 24 June 29

5 July 1 July 6

6 July 8 July 13

7 July 15 July 20

8 July 22 July 27

9 July 29 August 3

10 August 5 August 10

11 August 12 August 17

Payment Options

Full Pay - Avoid late fees and skip the lines by paying for camp in full.

Auto Draft - Secure your child’s spot in

camp with a deposit and take advantage of this convenient payment option. Auto draft will charge your bank or credit card each

Wednesday prior to camp.

Weekly Deposits - Reserve your child’s

spot in one of our amazing camps then pay your balance by the Wednesday before camp starts. *Camp price increases by $10

after Wednesday.

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CAMP Q & A What is included in camp counselor training?

All camp staff go through an application and thorough interview process that in-

cludes reference checks, fingerprints and a drug test. Once hired, staff take a Child Abuse Prevention course and are

required to attend a minimum of 24 hours of training before working. All staff are First Aid and CPR certified.

What if my camper doesn’t want to swim or forgets his/her swimsuit?

Usually 80% of our campers want to swim while the other 20% engage in alternate camp activities.

If a swimsuit is forgotten, the camper will not swim.

What is the camp’s bathroom

procedure?

No camper is ever allowed into a bath-

room until it is inspected for safety by camp staff. No camper is ever alone with a staff person in the bathroom. All camp-

ers take bathroom breaks with the entire camp or in small groups accompanied by camp staff.

The camp I want to register for is already full.

Now what?

We have a wait list for each week of camp, including specialty camps and

weekly fieldtrips. When a camp fills up, the front desk staff begins a wait list. All parents are contacted as space becomes

available and the first to register gets the spot. The first person on the list does not hold registration rights over the second

or twenty-second person on the list.

Who do I email with camp questions?

Centennial Hills - chcamp@lasvegasymca.org

Durango Hills - dhcamp@lasvegasymca.org

Heinrich - hcamp@lasvegasymca.org

Sky View - svcamp@lasvegasymca.org

Y&F Director - estegall@lasvegasymca.org

What if my camper can’t swim?

Please inform your Camp Director if your

camper is a non-swimmer. Campers who cannot swim will be provided with a life jacket. All campers wishing to swim in the

deep end, use the diving boards or waterslides are required to pass a swim test. Campers who pass the swim test will be

issued a green wristband; we encourage that this band be kept on for the entire week of camp. Campers who do not pass or wish

not to take the swim test will be issued a lifejacket and are required to stay in shallow water. Camp Counselors are strategically

placed throughout the pool areas for added supervision. YMCA Certified Lifeguards supervise every camp swim.

Note: The YMCA is the leader of swim les-sons in the US. Please consider adding les-sons to your child’s camp day.

Who does what?

Camp Secretary handles all registration,

payments, transfers.

Camp Supervisor leads counselors, handles camper behavior, etc.

Association Youth & Family Director oversees entire camp operation.

When will my phone call be returned?

We work very hard to make sure your

phone calls are returned within 24 business hours. If you have an issue that requires immediate attention, please call our

Camp Hotline.

Heinrich Y (702) 756-3270

Durango Hills Y (702) 945-3901

Centennial Hills Y (702) 249-7504

SkyView Y (702) 326-2075