Day Camp ACCEPTANCE Page: IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Please review the information on this page carefully to ensure that you are fully prepared for the MCC Experience. Please click on any of the green links below to jump to that section of the text. Importantly, NO REFUNDS WILL BE GIVEN AFTER JUNE 1. 

Don't forget your required camper forms!

SECTION LINKS

Important health information

Prepare for Camp

registration

Arrival, Programs, staff, Meals

Special programs, concerns, missing items, candlelight

IMPORTANT Health Information

HEALTH FORMS

Complete the Health History and Examination form. This health form must be completed every year by the Parent/Guardian and the Health Care Provider. A copy of a physical preformed less than two years ago and a current immunization form may be attached. Complete the last page of the Health Form entitled “Authorization for the Administration of Medications”. If the camper takes any prescription medications – copies may be made of this page.

To ensure a smooth and quick transition into camp on opening day please make sure that all health forms have been sent to camp TWO WEEKS prior to the start of your session. In conjunction with Connecticut State Law, no camper will be allowed into camp without a current health form signed by a physician. The physical must be current within the last two years. Medications will not be administered without a physician's order. On Opening Day all Parent/Guardians and campers will see the Camp Nurse for a basic health screening. This will include reviewing/updating the Health Form, verifying allergy and diet information, collecting medications, and to identify evidence of illness, injury or communicable disease.

MEDICATIONS

All medications (prescription, over-the-counter, and medicated creams) will be kept in the Health Center. The only exceptions are rescue inhalers for asthma and Epi-pens for severe allergic reactions.

PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS

All Prescriptions must be in their original container and labeled with the child's name and correct physician's order. If your child carries a rescue inhaler, please provide the Health Office with an extra inhaler. If your child needs to carry medication with them at all times please include a physicians order for them to do so. Please remember to pick up leftover medications before you leave. Any medication left at camp will be destroyed after one week.

OVER THE COUNTER MEDICATIONS

Page three of the Health Form lists the over the counter medications stocked in the Health Center. They will be dispensed upon request, as deemed necessary and provided there is a signed consent. If your child routinely takes an over the counter medication we do not stock, please supply it to the Health Office in its original container labeled with your child's name (please don't forget a physicians order.) Please make sure that all medications and medicated creams are brought to the Health Center.

CAMPER HEALTH PROBLEMS AND INJURIES TREATMENT

Under the guidance of our Camp Physician we evaluate all health problems and injuries. Most health problems are treated in our Health Center, but others may be treated at the Middlesex Clinic in Marlborough or at Middlesex Hospital in Middletown. If your child is treated at the Health Center or by a physician you will be notified as soon as possible. You may take your child to their own physician for non-emergency health matter.

GOOD HYGIENE

Please reinforce good hygiene and health habits with your child. Discuss the importance of frequent hand washing, proper diet, keeping hydrated, using bug repellent and sunscreen, checking frequently for ticks, changing out of wet or dirty clothes, and dressing appropriately for the weather. These will also be reinforced at camp by the Counselors and Camp Nurse. We look forward to a healthy and safe camping season. Please feel free to call the camp at 860- 873-2294 with any questions or to make us aware of any special medical or emotional needs.

Registration

DIRECTIONS TO CAMP

REGISTRATION

You may come the Sunday before your first day of camp to complete the registration process. Registration staff are available between 3:00-4:00 PM. This is when the resident campers arrive, so there may be a line. The line usually slows down around 3:45 pm. Otherwise you may complete the registration process on Monday morning when you arrive. Be prepared to spend about 10 minutes with us that first morning to assure that all your paperwork is complete. When you arrive at camp, registration staff will be located under the trees to the right of the camp office. 

Arrival, Staff, Programs, Meals, Sign Out

Arrival at camp

Each day when you arrive at camp, between 7:00 am and 8:30 am you will need to personally sign your child in with the administrative staff at the table where you registered. If someone other than the parent will be signing the child in, please make sure that the person’s name is on your release form. Again this is for the safety of your child. If you arrive after 8:00 am you will need to check in with the administrative personnel in the dining hall. If you arrive after 8:45 am please sign your child in at the office.

ABSENCES

If your child is going to be absent please call and let us know. You can call the main camp number: 860-873-2294. The director is available to take calls as of 7:00 am. If you need to call before that time please leave a message.

WHERE DO DAY CAMPERS KEEP THEIR THINGS?

Each day the day campers bring their things up to the Morton Building. There are hooks on the wall where they hang their backpacks. When it is time for swim lessons or free swim, they go up to the Morton Building get their backpack and change in the bathhouse. When swim is over they change again and bring their things back to the Morton Building.

STAFFING

Day Camp staff are dedicated to the day camp program. Each day your child attends camp they will be greeted by the same day camp counselors. The counselors rotate by week so if your child comes for 2 different weeks they may not have the same counselors both weeks. If you have any questions or concerns or information that you think would be helpful for your child’s counselors to have please feel free to speak with them.

SWIM TEST

Each camper MUST take a simple swim test, which will be conducted after the children are dropped off. This test is MANDATORY to determine the level/depth of the pool your child may swim in.

PROGRAM SELECTION

When you sit with your child to select programs. Please be sure that your child has input. It is difficult to make a camp experience fun if your child is not involved in programs they like. We always try to give each child their first two choices. Beyond that we try to get as close to their choices as we can. We schedule for up to 130 children per day so scheduling can get pretty crazy. If there are extenuating circumstances and your child needs to be with a sibling or friend, please call the camp prior to the camper’s day camp week and speak to the program director or camp director. Writing the information on the registration form alone is not enough. Children will have the opportunity to spend time together during meals and general activity times. As a rule we do not guarantee that your child will be with a friend during core activity periods. Your child will be given their activity schedule on the morning you register. It would be helpful if you go over it with them then. Questions should be directed to the program director in the camp office at that time. It is much easier to fix a problem on the Monday than it is later in the week. If you want your child to have swim lessons, this needs to be one of your top two choices for them. If you have paid for the adventure core , mosaics, woodcraft , or rocketry, they will automatically be put in these cores. Please number these cores as 1 and the others in sequence according to preference (i.e. 2,3,4)

FREE SWIM

Every afternoon your child will have the opportunity to participate in free swim. All campers participating in the swimming lessons or free swim will be given a basic swim test on Monday morning. This will determine the level of the pool the camper will be able to swim in. If they do not like to swim there will be a supervised activity available for them.

MEALS

If you arrive before 8:00 am your child is welcome to join us for breakfast. We also provide day campers with lunch. Each meal is planned ahead of time and is reviewed by a registered dietician. We always offer a peanut butter options and a salad bar for those who do not care for the main meal. Meals are served family style, with the exception for the salad bar and peanut butter table. Each afternoon campers are provided with a nutritious snack. Water is available continuously throughout the day. If you have a concern with your child’s eating habits, please let their day camp counselor know.

DAILY SIGN OUT

Each afternoon the campers will be ready for you to sign them out between 5:00 and 6:00 pm. Administrative personnel will be at the sign in area to sign out your camper. The day campers are asked to bring their things to designated sign out area so that they are ready when you arrive. This year the campers will be involved in electives in the afternoon until 5:00 pm. At 5:00 we will ask that all day campers come to the designated sign out area in anticipation of your arrival. If you plan to arrive early, please let us know in the morning or call ahead of time so that we can help speed up the process. 

Special Programs, Missing Items, Concerns, Candlelight

SPECIAL PROGRAMS

Each week we have a dance. This year we will probably be having the dance on Thursday evenings. If your day camper would like to stay for the dance, they may have dinner with the overnight campers and you will need to pick them up by 8:45pm. When you pick them up, please sign them out with administrative personnel. On Friday evenings we have a closing program at 6:30pm. Again your camper is welcome to have dinner with the overnight campers and you can join us at the amphitheater at 6:30pm for our closing program. In the case inclement weather you may want to come at your usual pick up time. Whenever your day camper stays for one or both of these programs they will be supervised by the regular day camp staff.

TRYING OUT OVERNIGHT CAMP

If you are interested in having your child try out overnight camp for a night or two, we can sometimes accommodate this. We prorate the overnight cost per night. This can only be done in sessions where our overnight camp is not full. Please contact the director if you would like more information.

CONCERNS

If you ever have questions or concerns, please see the director. If the director is not at the sign-in table, try the office. It is very important to us that your child has a positive camp experience, so let us know if there is something we can do to help process. It is important that the director have this information. 

MISSING THINGS

It is not unusual for young children to forget things. Please feel free to check in the Morton Building if your child is missing something. We will also check there daily. Lost and found is located in the front of the camp office. This is another reason to label everything. If we find a name in something we will bring it to the child.

EMERGENCIES

If you ever have an emergency and are going to be late picking your child up, please call us and ask to speak to the director or the assistant director. They will make sure that your child and your child’s counselor know.

Health Care

We have a Registered Nurse available 24 hours a day during camp sessions.

CAMP STORE

The camp store will be open on Sunday during registration and Friday after the Candlelight Closing Ceremony for the purchase of camp souvenirs and T-shirts. CAMPERS ARE NOT TO HAVE MONEY OR VALUABLES IN THEIR CABINS. 

CANDLELIGHT CLOSING CEREMONY

You are invited to attend the Candlelight Closing Ceremony beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Friday evening. This is our way of sharing with parents a small part of what we do at Camp. The ceremony will last about 1 hour. At the end you will pick up your child’s luggage, sign your camper out, and make any last minute purchases at the camp store. In order to make the camp experience complete, we ask that parents not arrive early to pick up campers. If Friday has inclement weather the closing ceremony will not be held and campers are to be signed out at their cabin. All medications are to be picked up at the Health Center.