Greetings from International Ivy,
I hope you are doing well and staying healthy both physically and emotionally. I know that Coronavirus (COVID-19) has been at the forefront of everyone’s mind. I, too, continue to closely monitor the latest updates and developments. The health and safety of our campers, families, and staff is our top priority. We will take into consideration all the information and guidance we receive from the CDC, the Health Department, as well as the American Camp Association.
Last summer, we had the decision to operate only virtual camp and not our in-person camp. This summer, we are planning to to operate both virtual camp and in-person camp. It is during times of uncertainty that the value of camp is immeasurable. Now more than ever, our children, staff, and families need camp to foster connections to each other and the community! For in-person camp, we are have adopted additional protocols in order to better protect the health and safety of everyone.
What will in-person camp be like? How has operations changed from prior years?
Stay Home if your camper is not feeling well
We cannot stress strongly enough, that if your camper does not feel well in anyway, please do not send them to camp. This is the single most important thing you can do as a parent to insure the health and safety of your child and the rest of our camp community.
Again, because we want to do everything to keep camp operating in a safe manner, if your child is exhibiting symptoms of an illness of any kind, you cannot send your child to camp that day under any circumstances. Campers will be temperature scanned before exiting the car. Campers scanning a temperature higher than 100
degrees will not be permitted to come to camp and must be temperature free for 24 hours without medication.
Health Pre-Screening
We require that parents and guardians start completing our online pre-screening form every day starting on the Monday one week before their camper starts in-person camp. This form should be completed every day before attending in-person camp. LINK TO PRE-SCREENING FORM
Pick-Up and Drop-Off and Temperatures Taken
Campers will stay in the car until their temperatures are taken. Parents are not allowed to leave their cars nor enter the camp building in order to minimize exposure to Covid-19. Temperatures are also twice each day, upon entry and exit from camp.
Masks
All campers and staff will be required to wear a mask/face covering at all times except when they are eating and drinking during breaks and lunch. When campers are outside and are able to maintain appropriate personal spacing, they can take short breaks without their masks. We ask families to send campers to camp with surgical masks for face covering. Gaiters and face shields can be added as a secondary face covering.
Personal Spacing (aka Social Distancing)
Campers are expected to remain spaced 6 feet apart.
Hand Sanitizing
One of the biggest factors in preventing the spread of viruses are diligent hand cleaning procedures. Campers are asked to use hand sanitizers upon entry into camp and before snack and lunch.
Class Capacity
To support personal spacing, International Ivy has changed the class capacity of every class from 12 students to 8 students.
Breaks and Lunch
In prior years, breaks and lunch were taken together by campers across all classes. This summer, we will have each class stay together during breaks and not co-mingle with other students from other classes. To the extent possible, each class will take their breaks outside.
For campers who are staying full-day (e.g. taking an AM class and a PM class), they will have lunch in their AM classroom or outside (socially distanced from other students).
Cleaning
Desks, chairs, door knobs and other surfaces will be sanitized before each class. All materials/equipment used in an activity will be cleansed with bleach solution or sanitizing wipes. We have built in a 10-15 minute time at the end of each class as a cleaning and water break so campers will be hydrating as we are sanitizing camp for the next activity.
Refrain from in-person camp if you will be traveling before camp
If you are planning on taking a trip, or getting on an airplane during the camp season this may not be the summer to consider attending camp. Please be cautious with your family’s activities outside of camp.
Sick Procedures
In the event that your child begins to feel ill during the day, they will be brought to a separate area of the program office and you will be called to come to camp to
pick up your camper as soon as possible. Campers must be fever free for 24 hours without medication before they will be permitted to return to camp
What if in-person camp is cancelled?
Please do note that our campers’ safety is our most important priority so there is a chance that if the regulatory authorities or our management team deem that it is not safe to operate in-person camp this summer, then we will always offer our camp families the option of a full refund for any cancelled in-person camp classes or a transfer to virtual camp classes.
COMMON UNDERSTANDING
Before sending your child to International Ivy, we want to make sure you understand that in light of the current medical, legal and economic conditions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, and recognizing that these conditions are subject to abrupt change at any time, you are sending your child to camp under the following conditions.
1) While we wish that we could control every possible risk, and while we will use our best efforts to keep everyone from the COVID-19 virus, we want to make clear that we cannot promise or guarantee that this or any other pathogen will not enter camp, and that by the very nature of the personal interaction that takes place in the camp environment, there is always a risk of becoming ill with this or any other communicable disease.
2) Our efforts to keep you safe include minimizing contact with anyone outside of the camp community. We ask that you be aware of your interactions outside of camp and avoid situations where there are large numbers of people, lack of social distancing and lack of face coverings.
3) We are confident in our ability to safely open camp in 2021 and operate in accordance with the, requirements and recommendations of the Department of Health . We have consulted a number of authoritative sources including the CDC, The American Camp Association, health care professionals. If at any time during the camp day, your child
complains of a stomach ache, head ache, develops a fever higher than 100.4 or a skin rash of any kind, we will make your child comfortable in an isolated area of the camp office building (and supervised by our staff!) and call for a parent or guardian to come to camp to pick up the camper as soon as possible. Upon arrival at camp we will bring your child to you to sign out and take home. You must arrive within 30 minutes, after which we will contact your emergency contacts to pick-up your child. Any siblings at camp will be asked to go home early with the sick camper.
We look forward to a great summer! Please do reach out if you have any questions or comments.
Safe Regards,
Lily Wong
Program Director