BERKELEY DAY CAMP
Parent Packet 2020 Recreation Division
Contents BERKELEY DAY CAMP...... 1 Parent Packet 2020...... 1 Welcome to Berkeley Day Camp! ...... 3 About Berkeley Day Camp ...... 3 Tilden Park ...... 3 Berkeley Marina ...... 3 General Program Information ...... 4 Weekly Newsletters: ...... 4 Arts and Crafts: ...... 4 Cookout: ...... 4 Canoeing: ...... 4 Adventure Playground: ...... 4 Swimming: ...... 4 Special Events: ...... 5 Camp Communication ...... 5 Important Contact Information: ...... 5 Daily Communication ...... 5 Weekly Newsletter: ...... 6 Tilden Park Communication: ...... 6 Packing List: What to Bring ...... 6 Lost and Found ...... 6 Transportation/Busses ...... 7 Bus Stop Drop Off ...... 7 Bus Stop Locations for Summer 2020: ...... 7 Bus Stop Pick-Up ...... 7 Early Pick Ups: ...... 7 Bus Stop Changes ...... 8 Changes to Approved Pick-Up List: ...... 8 Medical & Emergency Procedures ...... 8 General Information...... 8 Emergency Phone Numbers: ...... 8 Medical and Emergency Policy and Procedures ...... 9 Camper Medication Policy: ...... 9 Sunscreen Policy: ...... 9 Behavior Policy ...... 10 Changes and Cancellations ...... 10 Morning & Afternoon Clubhouse (Extended Care) ...... 11 City of Berkeley Federal Tax ID Number: ...... 11 Thank You! ...... 11
Welcome to Berkeley Day Camp! We are so glad your children will be spending part of their summer with us! Berkeley Day Camp (BDC) staff are committed to ensuring that your child’s summer is safe, fun, and filled with memories and friendships that will last a lifetime. This Parent Packet will help ensure you, our parents, have all of the information you and your campers need for a great Berkeley Day Camp experience, including program details, Camp policies and procedures, travel and transportation information, communication and contact information, and more.
We are excited about all BDC has to offer this summer, and hope you and your campers are too! Whether this is your first season with us or you are a long-time returner that is familiar with our program, we want your campers to have the best experience possible. Please review this packet in its entirety as information changes year to year. If you have additional questions about our program after reading through this packet, please contact the City of Berkeley Recreation Administration Office at: (510) 981-5140 or e-mail [email protected]
About Berkeley Day Camp Our goal at BDC is to give campers an opportunity to have fun, make new friends, unplug from technology and develop an appreciation of the unique natural environments that surround us in the Bay Area. Berkeley Day Camp is a traveling camp, which allows us to take full advantage of a variety of beautiful and unique environments throughout the summer. Each week, we spend one or two days in Tilden Regional Park and three days at the Berkeley Marina. One day a week we visit local swimming area Lake Anza. Our participants get to appreciate these fun outdoor experiences in a safe, community atmosphere, guided by trained counselors and program staff.
Tilden Park Tilden Park is located in the Berkeley Hills. It is a wonderful lush forest with well-marked trails, lakes, ponds and a stream. The diverse landscape of the park allows campers to expand their appreciation of the natural beauty of the East Bay. While at Tilden Park, campers will enjoy hiking through eucalyptus forests, sweeping meadows and hills with breathtaking views.
Berkeley Marina The Berkeley Marina provides direct access to the San Francisco Bay, which allows campers to explore a waterfront environment, providing campers with a pier, dock and shoreline habitats to explore.
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General Program Information Weekly Newsletters: Every Monday afternoon, each camper will be sent home with a weekly newsletter. This newsletter will inform you and your child of their assigned group, planned activities for the week and will include what to bring for cookout among other reminders.
Arts and Crafts: Art projects vary from week to week, and offer activities such as candle- making, tie-dying, rain sticks, lanyards and friendship bracelets.
Cookout: Every week camper’s work together to prepare and cook a shared meal. Each child brings an ingredient to share for the meal. What to bring for cookout is indicated on the weekly newsletter sent home Monday afternoon. If your child chooses not to participate, they should inform their Group Leader and bring a bag lunch that day. You are welcome to pack extra snacks to supplement the cookout meal. We will make reasonable accommodations for food allergies that are indicated on the registration form. Typical meals include: Grilled Paninis, Pizza, Quesadillas, Pasta and include side vegetables and a dessert.
Canoeing: Parents must have checked “yes” on the original registration form for permission to participate. All children who participate in canoeing are required to wear a life jacket, provided by Berkeley Day Camp. Each canoe includes on-board adult supervision.
Adventure Playground: Located at the Berkeley Marina, Adventure Playground is the only one of its kind in Northern California. The Playground helps children build and create unique play areas that stimulate creativity, and provides hours of fun.
Swimming: One day a week Berkeley Day Campers go swimming at either Lake Anza in Tilden Regional Park or Crown Beach in Alameda. Please remember your child will need a swimsuit, a towel and sunscreen on swim days. ** Please note we do not use the snack bar at Lake Anza. Please do not send your camper with money for the snack bar.
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Special Events: Each week we have a special event for the entire camp, and costumes are always encouraged. Festivals, complete with carnival-type games where campers can earn tickets and trade them in for prizes, are a regular special activity. “Summer Halloween” and “Science Fair” are two popular special events. Please note that there is a strong possibility your child may get wet and/or dirty on special event days.
Camp Communication Important Contact Information: Because we are a traveling camp, it is important to know how to communicate with our staff and your campers once the day begins. Below you will find a list of the most common numbers you might need during your child’s time at camp. If you are unable to reach a City staff member please leave a message, please note that leaving a message at these numbers may not always ensure timely message delivery. Please note that cell phone reception is spotty in several of our program areas, particularly Tilden Regional Park.
Contact: Phone # Notes: Assistant Rec Coordinator (510) 542- Day Camp On-Site Program Coordinator Joseph Griffin 3535 (510) 981- General program and registration inquiries Recreation Admin Office 5150 (510) 981- Administrative Program Supervisor
Craig Veramay 6717 (510) 981- Recreation & Youth Services Manager Denise Brown 6707 (510) 981- AM & PM Care Willard Park Clubhouse: 6730
Daily Communication Each day, parents and guardians can check in with Bus Stop Leaders while dropping off or picking up their children. This is a good opportunity to quickly check-in, make sure brief messages are relayed, or share small updates about campers. Please note that the Bus Stop Leaders are responsible for checking in and out all of our campers, and are typically quite busy with this task. Extended conversations can be directed to our Recreation Leader or Day Camp Coordinator. While at Camp, staff communicate with one another using hand-held radios and cell phones. In the case of an emergency requiring immediate communication with your camper, contact Joseph Griffin, the On-Site Day Camp Coordinator at (510) 542-3535.
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Weekly Newsletter: A newsletter is sent home each Monday that outlines what group your child is in, the scheduled activities for that week and any extra items needed for specific days (i.e. Cookout item or swimsuit and towel for swimming).
Tilden Park Communication: Communication in Tilden Regional Park can be more challenging than other BDC locations because cell phone reception is very limited. On Tilden Days, if you need to contact your child due to an emergency, call the Day Camp Coordinator and leave a message. Each cell phone will be checked around Lunch and someone will call you back to facilitate contact with your child.
Packing List: What to Bring There are several things that Campers should pack on a daily basis to help ensure they have a great experience at camp. When packing before each day, please ensure that your children bring a lunch and a snack each day. Since we will be active and outdoors, a full water bottle will be important to start the day, as we are not always near a water fountain. Sturdy, closed-toe shoes with socks are required due to the unpredictable terrain. Since weather in the Bay Area at each of our different locations can change quickly and is very unpredictable, be sure to check the weather each day and dress your child appropriately. We strongly recommend dressing in layered clothing. Below is a list of required and recommended items to pack for each day:
Required Items Do NOT Bring: Backpack Hat Weapons Bag Lunch Sunscreen Money or Valuables Water Bottle & Water Closed-Toe Shoes Games or Toys (including Yugioh, Pokemon, and Shopkins) Snack Sweatshirt or Jacket Personal Electronics Please LABEL EVERYTHING (clothing, backpacks, water bottle, etc) with initial and last name to help minimize lost items.
Lost and Found Lost and Found items will be kept in the Berkeley Day Camp truck during the weeklong session. After each week they will be kept at the Willard Park Clubhouse. We do our best to keep track of lost and found items for as long as we can, but we have space limitations. At the end of the summer we will bring camp’s lost and found to a local donation center. Please remember that the City of Berkeley is not responsible for lost or stolen items.
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Transportation/Busses Because we are a traveling camp, transportation is a critical component of our program. And due to the amount of campers in our program, managing bus stop pick-ups and drop-offs can become complicated very easily. Because the safety of the campers is our number one priority, we pay extra special care and attention to the transportation process; we are asking for your help this year to make the bus stop process as smooth as possible.
Bus Stop Drop Off Sign-in starts at 9:00am and we cannot accept any campers before this time. Parents or legal guardians are required to sign-in children. If you need to sign your child/ children any earlier than 9:00 AM please register for AM Clubhouse care located at Willard Park Clubhouse. Children are not allowed to sign-in themselves unless you have selected this option on your original registration form. Please allow 15 minutes for the sign-in process. Busses must leave as soon as all of the children are signed in to get to camp on time.
Bus Stop Locations for Summer 2020: Cedar Rose Park: On Cedar Street between Juanita Way and Chestnut Street. Washington Elementary: Corner of McKinley Avenue and Bancroft Way, near Washington Elementary School. Willard Park: Corner of Hillegass Avenue and Derby Street Clubhouse: Extended AM and Extended PM Campers only. Willard Clubhouse 2720 Hillegass Ave.
Bus Stop Pick-Up Camper Pick-Up occurs between 3:15pm and 3:30pm. For the safety of your child, you must sign out on the bus stop list before taking your child home. When arriving at the end of the day staff will ask that parents wait until ALL children are off the bus and sitting in bus group lines before any child is signed out. We thank you in advance for your cooperation.
Parents using AM Clubhouse Care must sign-in their child at Willard Park Clubhouse between 7:30am and 9:00am. Parents using PM Clubhouse Care must sign-out their child at Willard Park Clubhouse between 3:30pm and 6:00pm. Parents can give their child permission to walk alone to and from camp, but this must be noted in the original registration form.
Early Pick Ups: Please do not plan appointments that require picking your child up early on Tilden days. Tilden days are set aside for all-day hikes and campers are spread out throughout the park. If it is absolutely necessary to pick your child up early on a Tilden day, please inform us as soon as possible in writing. Your child may be placed in another group for that day so they are easier to locate when you come to pick them up. Please remember that contacting children during camp time is for emergencies only.
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Bus Stop Changes If you wish to amend the bus stop information included in your original registration form, you must do so in writing at least 14 days prior to the start of the session. Requests are required in writing and must be submitted to the Recreation Office 14 days prior to the start of the session. This information must be given to the Recreation Office directly – and not given to a Day Camp staff member. We greatly appreciate your efforts in helping us keep track of our campers!
Please Note: Bus Stop Leaders will NOT, under any circumstance comply with verbal communications requesting changes to drop off/pick-up changes. NO EXCEPTIONS. It is Day Camp policy that families cannot change bus stops mid-week for any reason. Day camp staff will send your child to the bus stop indicated on your original registration form.
Changes to Approved Pick-Up List: Parents wishing to send their child home with another Day Camp parent or child care provider, not listed on the original registration form, must provide a written, signed note with the name of the person picking up the child. The note must be turned into the Recreation Office as early as possible, but no later than one week prior to the date of the pick-up. We also encourage you to tell your Bus Stop Leader in person that you are submitting this information to the office. Please note that valid photo identification will be reviewed upon sign-out, please make sure that whomever is picking up your child has photo identification. Medical & Emergency Procedures General Information Berkeley Day Camp Staff work diligently to limit injuries and accidents, however, occasional bumps, cuts and scrapes may occur in outdoor recreation settings. For minor injuries, such as bumps and scrapes, Berkeley Day Camp Staff will apply first aid as necessary, including washing wounds and applying Band-Aids or ice-packs. If warranted, we will contact the parent or guardian via phone call or in-person about the injury. When more serious injuries or medical emergencies occur, we will respond accordingly by calling 911 and informing parents or guardians immediately.
Emergency Phone Numbers: In the case of immediate threat to life or limb, CALL 911.
Contact: Phone # Notes: Joseph Griffin (510) 542-3535 Assistant Recreation Coordinator - Day Camp Recreation Admin Office (510) 981-5140 General program and registration inquiries Craig Veramay (510) 981-6717 Recreation Program Supervisor – Day Camp. Denise Brown (510) 981-6707 Recreation & Youth Services Manager Willard Park Clubhouse: (510) 981-6730 AM & PM Care
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All of our camp activities are outdoors, and campers should prepare accordingly. There is a potential for exposure to poison oak, ticks and yellow jackets. To help minimize risk of tick bites, children must wear closed-toe shoes with socks and long pants on the days when we will be hiking in Tilden.
In the event of a disaster or emergency during camp hours, groups will shelter in place. If this occurs and Day Camp is located in Tilden Park all campers and staff will meet at The Meadows, if Day Camp is located at the Berkeley Marina, we will meet at Shorebird Park in front of the Nature Center. Cell phone reception can be limited to day camp sites. Staff will begin contacting parents as soon as it is safe and feasible to do so. You may call the Recreation Office at (510) 981-5150 for information and instructions.
Medical and Emergency Policy and Procedures Camper Medication Policy: We understand that your campers may need to take medications during their time with us at Camp. Whenever possible, families should administer medications at home before arriving at Camp, or at the end of the day once Campers return home. The policy concerning medications during program hours are as follows:
Parents / Guardians must give written medication instructions to the camp staff. All medication needs to be current (not expired), and remain in the original container, with the original prescription label attached. We can only follow the instructions written on the label. Any deviations from those instructions must be accompanied by a note from the prescribing doctor. Over the counter medications must be in original packaging, and will be administered as recommended by the manufacturer unless accompanied by a doctor’s note stating otherwise. If your child has asthma and carries an inhaler, please inform the camp staff with a note. Under most circumstances, your child will be able to carry their inhaler with them throughout the day. If your child carries an Epi-Pen, please inform the camp staff with a note. Please make sure staff are aware of any special needs your child may have as a result of any medication (e.g. needs to stay out of sun or has dietary restrictions).
Sunscreen Policy: Day Camp requires the use of sunscreen by all participants because we are outside the entire day and precautions are necessary to protect participants from the harmful effects of the sun. Staff does not provide or apply sunscreen to participants as it is a medication and some participants may have allergies to some ingredients. Each participant needs to bring his or her own sunscreen. Participants should arrive at programs with a thick base coat of sunscreen already applied, especially in hard to reach areas, such as their backs. Staff will remind participants regularly to reapply sunscreen. We encourage campers to wear hats to protect their heads and faces.
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Behavior Policy The following consequences will occur if a camper is consistently disrespectful or behaves in an unsafe manner towards themselves or others: First, the camper will be asked to stop the behavior by the leader of the group. If the behavior continues, the group leader will try to resolve the situation with the parent by telephone or in person, if possible, at bus pick-up or drop off. If the behavior still continues, the Day Camp Coordinator will talk to the child and the parent and discuss possible solutions and or termination. If the behavior does not stop, the Day Camp Coordinator will terminate participation in the program. Please note that no refunds will be given if a participant(s) is terminated from the program on the basis of inappropriate behavior.
Please discuss consequences of inappropriate behavior with your child before your child attends camp. Any child who endangers the safety of another camper or staff will be terminated from the program. Changes and Cancellations All changes or cancellations must be made in writing by the parent / guardian of the registered particicant no less than 30 calendar days prior to the start of the session affected by the change or cancellation. Requests can be submitted by email, postal mail or hand delivered to the Recreation Office at:
2701 Telegraph Ave Berkeley, CA 94705.
All changes and cancellation requests must be made in writing (e-mail and fax are acceptable). Please include name on the registration form, current mailing address and phone number. For changes resulting in the cancellation of any portion of the reservation, a 25% administrative fee will be charged. All fees will be forfeited for changes or cancellations made less than 30 days prior to the start of the session. No changes to bus pick-up or drop off locations unless submitted at least 14 days prior to start of session. Adding Morning and/or Afternoon Clubhouse Extended Care (submitted with a written request and payment) will be accepted but may not be processed the same day. Please check with recreation administration. Please note that this is a safety issue. Leaders will NOT, under any circumstance comply with verbal or written communications requesting any changes to bus stops. NO EXCEPTIONS.
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Morning & Afternoon Clubhouse (Extended Care) Campers have the option to participate in an extended care program, before and after Berkeley Day Camp core program, for an additional fee. Campers are provided supervised games, arts and crafts, and an afternoon snack in a safe environment.
Morning Hours: 7:30-9:00am Afternoon Hours: 3:30-6:00pm
Clubhouse Location: Willard Park Clubhouse 2720 Hillegass Avenue, Berkeley Phone: (510) 981-6730
If a child attends Morning Clubhouse ONLY, designate a bus stop for 3:30 PM pick-up on the Berkeley Day Camp registration form. If a child attends Afternoon Clubhouse ONLY, designate a bus stop for 9:00 AM drop off on the Berkeley Day Camp registration form. If a child attends BOTH Morning and Afternoon Clubhouse, designate this on the Day Camp registration form and do not choose a core bus stop.
City of Berkeley Federal Tax ID Number: #94-6000-299
Thank You! Thank you for choosing the City of Berkeley Day Camp program! If you have additional questions, contact our Recreation Office at:
City of Berkeley Recreation Administation Office 2701 Telegraph Ave. Berkeley, CA 94705 [email protected] (510) 981-5140
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