Thirsty Day Camp Parent Handbook
“But those who drink the water that I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” -John 4:14
Camp Administration: David Ford – Minister to Children Krystal Frink – Accounts Director Amanda Frye – Lexington Director Phaedra Vereen – White Knoll Director
Why Thirsty Day Camp? At Thirsty, we are passionate about providing a fun, caring and safe Christian environment for your children. We will teach your children that God dearly loves them and to show them how to love others. By offering a variety of activities, we seek to provide an exciting and rewarding experience for each child.
Our Staff and Facility Our Thirsty Camps are led by David Ford, Minister to Children at Northside. Staff members are hand selected and submit to background checks. Each child is considered important by all our staff and special attention is given to quality and safety. The majority of camp activities take place in the main facility and the surrounding outdoor areas.
Our Mission We are dedicated to following Christ’s example of ministry through faithful discipleship, Christian fellowship, and spiritual worship.
What does this mean? Your child will experience the love of Christ as they are surrounding by the love of God, songs of praise, and Christian Leadership in a safe environment. It is our hope that every child will one day come to know Jesus Christ as their personal savior and will grow in their relationship with Him.
Basic Camp Information We are a Christian led Day Camp that provides children with an amazing summer experience. Featuring a wellrounded variety of activities and entertainment that is fun, recreational, educational, and spiritual. The children will hear of God’s love, the message of Jesus Christ, and Christian values through age-appropriate lessons and activities. We are a camp that wants each child to feel loved and special as they grow in their relationship with God as a result of attending camp.
Our Camp:
Summer Day Camp (June 6, 2015 – August 12, 2015) Serving kids entering Kindergarten through completed sixth grade. Camp hours are 7:30-6:00. *Campers cannot be dropped off prior to 7:30*
Camp Address:
Lexington Campus Northside Baptist Church 4347 Sunset Blvd. Lexington, SC 29072 White Knoll Campus 742 Kittiwake Drive West Columbia, SC 29170
Phone Number:
803-520-5668
What is THIRSTY? Truthful Humble Inspiring Respectful Servant Thoughtful Yielding These are the qualities that our staff strives to show campers and encourage campers to display. At the end of each week a camper is chosen from each group to win the THIRSTY award. Campers who win the THIRSTY award have exhibited those qualities and been an example for the other campers in their group.
Camp Fees and Payment Information Registration Fees: $100.00 per camper with early bird savings available Weekly Fees: $120.00 per camper with sibling discounts available. Registration: All campers must be registered through the website https://thirsty.campmanagement.com/enroll prior to attending camp. This website will provide you with a dashboard to update information about your family/camper, make payments, and get updates from Thirsty. Please make sure that you only sign up for the weeks that your camper will attend camp. If you register for a week and do not notify the campus director in writing by the Monday prior that your camper will not be attending the next week, you will be charged a fee of $50.00. Please complete a form on the website or in person to notify the director. Payments: It is our desire that you will use the online system to manage your camp finances. If you are unable to do so you must contact Krystal Frink to make arrangements prior to your camper attending. Accepted Methods of Payment: Credit Card – Visa, Discover, and Master Card Check Money Order *We no longer accept cash payments. Late Payments: There will be a $25.00 fee for any late payments. Insufficient Funds Fee: There will be a $35.00 fee for any returned checks plus any charges by your bank. Additional Items for Purchase: You can purchase swimming lessons and thirsty camp gear through the website. You select the items and pay for them online and then pick them up from your campus.
Policies and Procedures: o Arrival: Campers cannot be dropped off prior to 7:30 am. Families will be unable to enter the facility until 7:30. Campers can be dropped off any time after 7:30 with the exception of Pool Days and Field Trip Days. Since all staff and campers will be off campus during these times, campers cannot be dropped off at the main facility but will have to be brought to the off campus location. Campers can be dropped off after 1:00 on Pool and Field Trip days since everyone will be back on campus at that time.
o Pick Up: Campers must be picked up by 6:00pm each day. Campers can be picked up anytime throughout the camp day. Families must use the security card and/or present a valid ID to pick up a camper. Campers must be checked in and signed out each day they are at camp. Please note that on Pool and Field Trip days all campers and staff will be off campus during the morning so campers would have to be picked up from the location of the field trip.
o Late Pick Up: Thirsty closes at 6:00pm each night. If a camper remains at camp after
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6:00pm there will be a fee of $5.00 per 5 minutes that the camper remains. This is to cover the cost of paying staff to remain on site. Please call if there is an emergency that may cause a late pick up. Medication: If your camper requires medication that must be taken during the camp day, you must fill out an online medication form as well as a liability release form. Medication must be in the original bottle with the camper’s name, dosage, and frequency clearly labeled.
o Lost and Found: Please be sure to label your camper’s belongings clearly. If items are misplaced, they are first checked for a name and returned if possible. All items that are not labeled will be placed in the Thirsty Lost and Found. Should your camper find that they have lost something, please check with a staff member to check the lost and found. All items not claimed at the end of the summer will be donated.
o Lunch : All campers eat lunch between 12:00 and 1:00 each day. Lunch is provided to each camper Monday through Friday with the exception of weeks 9 and 10. Bagged lunches, provided by Lexington School District One, are served Monday through Thursday. A special lunch is provided on Fridays, please check the newsletter for the next week’s Friday Lunch. Should you choose to send in a lunch for your camper please note that Northside is a peanut free facility and no peanut products are allowed on campus.
o Snack: Snack is served twice a day, once in the morning at 8:45 and once in the afternoon at o
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4:00. Morning snack includes a poptart and 100% juice. Afternoon snack is served by Lexington School District One and includes various snacks along with fat free milk or 100% juice. Peanut Free Facility: Northside Baptist is a peanut free facility. No peanut products will be served within the Thirsty day camp program. All meals and snacks (including Cooking) will be peanut free. Please be sure that if you send in lunch or snack for your camper there are no peanut products included.
Discipline: Campers are expected to follow all camp rules. Campers are expected to follow
directions that are given by any camp staff member. We ask that families encourage this by supporting the rules that are put into place. Fighting, bullying, or disrespect towards another camper will not be tolerated. Campers are to respect the staff, each other, and one another’s possessions at all times. They are also expected to use appropriate language and behavior at all times while in our care. Should a camper choose to not to follow the rules and/or directions given, there will be consequences. Staff members are trained to follow the following steps in discipline for campers: First they will talk with the camper regarding the situation. Second, a staff member may take a camper away from the group or desired activity. Finally, a staff member will complete a discipline report with details about the incident which will be brought, along with the camper to the director. When a camper is brought to a director they may have to sit out of their group for a period of time for first and second offenses. On a camper’s third offense expulsion from Thirsty Day Camp can be considered. No refunds are given if a camper is expelled from camp. Directors may choose to skip steps in this process depending on the severity of the offense. o Sick Campers: Please notify your director if your child is sick and unable to attend Thirsty. Should a camper get sick while at camp his/her parents will be notified. If a camper has a fever or is vomiting, the camper must be picked up immediately. Campers cannot return to Thirsty until they have been fever free for 24 hours without medication. o Participation in Camp Activities: We ask that all campers participate in all activities. Campers are provided a choice in afternoon activities but must participate in group activities during the morning. Campers cannot be properly supervised if they are away from the group. If there is a physical concern that prohibits your camper from participating in camp activities on a certain day, the campus director must be notified.
Frequently Asked Questions: o What should my camper wear each day? o All clothing must be modest. Campers may wear jeans, short, and t-shirts. Campers should wear tennis shoes each day. Campers may want to bring a light jacket in case they get cold. Girls may wear shorts/skirts that are fingertip length. Campers should wear their camp shirts on Fridays for our field trips.
o What should my camper wear to the pool? o Campers should come dressed in bathing suit with clothes over it on pool days. Girls must wear a one piece bathing suit. Campers may wear flip flops or water shoes on pool days only. Campers should also come with sunscreen already applied. Campers should bring a change of clothes for when we return to camp.
o What should my camper bring to camp each day? o Campers do not have to bring anything to camp each day. Campers may choose to bring a pillow or blanket for quiet time. Campers may also choose to bring a book for quiet time. Please make sure that all personal belongings are labeled clearly with your camper’s name.
o Is there anything that my camper cannot bring to camp? o Campers may not bring any toys or electronics to camp. o Campers may not bring any type of trading cards. o Campers may not bring items that will cause distress if they are lost.
Thirsty Day Camp Bullying Policy Thirsty Day Camp has a strict policy on “bullying”. We believe that every child has the right to attend camp in a secure, nurturing environment. Leaders seek to develop a positive camp identity and an atmosphere of cooperation and helpfulness, rather than one of competition. Leaders discuss in detail with the children what types of conduct are appropriate and the effects of unkind words or actions. Bullying can include, but is not limited to, insults, name calling, threats, teasing, intimidating, pushing, shoving, kicking, spreading rumors, destroying someone’s belongings, ignoring or excluding someone, writing any negative or threatening comments to or about another person. We acknowledge that this policy cannot eliminate all bullying instances. However, with the cooperative effort of the Thirsty Day Camp staff, the children, and their parents, we hope to make our camp a safe environment where learning and fun can take place. Consequences for bullying: 1st offense: o Children who are bullying will be spoken with and given a warning, as well as parents informed at pick-up. nd 2 offense: o Parents are called immediately to pick up child from camp. Child will have to stay out of camp for remainder of the day. rd 3 offense: o The parents of the child will be called immediately to come get their child and the child will have to stay out of camp for one week. We encourage campers to report any issues to staff members and explain the difference between reporting an issue and “tattling”. Campers are encouraged to report if the incident occurs and they feel that they have been hurt either emotionally or physically by another camper. Please be sure to inform the campus director if your child is experiencing any issues while at camp. These issues can be monitored only if we are aware of what is happening. On the following page is the definition of Bullying as stated on www.stopbullying.gov which is a government initiated website to prevent children from being bullied.
What is Bullying? Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. In order to be considered bullying, the behavior must be aggressive and include:
An Imbalance of Power: Kids who bully use their power—such as physical strength, access to embarrassing information, or popularity—to control or harm others. Power imbalances can change over time and in different situations, even if they involve the same people. Repetition: Bullying behaviors happen more than once or have the potential to happen more than once. Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose. Types of Bullying There are three types of bullying:
Verbal bullying is saying or writing mean things. Verbal bullying includes:
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Teasing Name-calling Inappropriate sexual comments Taunting
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Threatening to cause harm Social bullying, sometimes referred to as relational bullying, involves hurting someone’s reputation or relationships. Social bullying includes:
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Leaving someone out on purpose Telling other children not to be friends with someone Spreading rumors about someone Embarrassing someone in public Physical bullying involves hurting a person’s body or possessions. Physical bullying includes:
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Hitting/kicking/pinching Spitting Tripping/pushing Taking or breaking someone’s things Making mean or rude hand gestures
Thirsty 2016 Weekly Themes Week 1: June 6-10 Theme: Superhero Adventure Week 2: June 13-17 Theme: Inside Out Week 3: June 20-24 Theme: Walk this Way (Northside VBS) Week 4: June 27- July 1 Theme: Lost in the Jungle Week 5: July 4-8 Theme: Great American Road Trip Week 6: July 11-15 Theme: Wild and Wacky Water Week 7: July 18-22 Theme: Get Up and Move Week 8: July 25-29 Theme: Mad Science Week 9: August 1-5 Theme: Rock the River Week 10: August 8-12 Theme: Jump!
Northside Baptist Church Thirsty Day Camp Parent Handbook Acknowledgement Please complete this form and return to the Northside Thirsty Day Camp staff on or before your child(ren)’s first attendance date. This handbook has been prepared for your information and understanding of the policies, procedures, and philosophy of our camps. PLEASE READ IT CAREFULLY. Upon completion of your review of this handbook, please sign the statement below and return it to your Thirsty Day Camp Campus Director. I have received and read a copy of the Parent Handbook, which outlines the policies, procedures, philosophy, and expectations of Northside Baptist Church Thirsty Day Camp which will be my child’s care provider for the 2016 camp season. I have familiarized myself with the contents of this handbook. By signing below I acknowledge, understand, accept, and agree to comply with the information contained in the Parent Handbook provided to me. I understand this handbook is not intended to cover every situation which may arise during Day Camp but is simply a general guide to the policies, procedures, philosophy, and expectations of Northside Baptist Church Thirsty Day Camps.
Signature: __________________________ Date:____________ _