Castleton Kids
2016
CAMP
Dear Parents and/or Guardians,
Welcome to Camp Castleton Kids! We are looking forward to a safe summer filled with a lot of fun an excitement.
This program is in session from 7:30am – 5:45pm, Monday through Friday and operates June 27 – August 26.
This camp manual is designed to acquaint parents with the policies under which Camp Castleton Kids operates. This manual was devised to inform parents of the program and parent responsibilities. Please refer back to this manual throughout the summer.
In order to operate we are required by the New York State Department of Health to have a permit and be inspected twice a year. The inspection reports are on file with the Rensselaer County Department of Health, Troy Office Building.
You and your children are invited to our camp orientation on Monday, June 20th from 6:00pm – 6:45pm. Here you will have the opportunity to meet your children’s counselors and campmates, as well as receive answers to any questions that you may have. Please speak to Scott if you are unable to attend. You are responsible for the information you may miss.
Due to budget restrictions Camp Castleton Kids will only be able to accept 40 children per week this summer. The earlier you sign up the better the likelihood you will get the weeks you need.
If you have any additional questions, comments or suggestions throughout the summer please do not hesitate to contact us. We are interested in your feedback and input. After all, this camp is for you and your children.
We look forward to seeing all of you and anticipate a wonderful summer!
Scott Mocerine and the Camp Counselors.
Camp Castleton Kids theme weeks are designed for you and your camper to know what activities will be taking place at camp each week. Most themes are the same for older and younger campers but activities within their groups will be age appropriate. There are a few weeks that themes are different for each group and those are designated below. If you have any questions regarding any of our themes or you would like to know which day we may be doing a particular activity mentioned in the theme description please do not hesitate to ask.
Week 1 (June 27 – July 1) – Amusement Week
Expect anything during this crazy amusement week. Campers will become contestants on various game shows. What team will your camper be assigned to during our wild and wacky Summer Camp Survivor competition? Campers will compete against each other in our messy olympics and participate in Camp Color Wars.
Field Trip – Wednesday, June 29th – Taghkanic State Park – (10:00am – 3:30pm)
Week 2 (July 4 – July 8) – Globetrotters Week
Pack your bags and grab your passports. We are off on a new adventure learning about different cultures and countries. Campers will learn through playing games, listening to music, creating crafts and trying new foods. Each day will highlight a new culture and we will end the week with a talent show.
Field Trip – Wednesday, July 6th - Moreau State Park - (10:00am – 3:30pm)
Week 3 (July 11 – July 15) – Splish-Splash Week
Break out all the water reserves during splish-splash week. We will participate in a pirate battle, and have some fun sprinkler activities. Campers will be divided and compete in our water Color Wars. Finally it will be hard to find anyone that is dry during our crazy water balloon activities. Bring your suit everyday as it promises to be a very wet and crazy week.
Field Trip – Wednesday, July 13th – Bousquet Mountain - (10:00am – 3:30pm)
Optional Field Trip #1 – Friday, July 15th – Splashdown Beach Water Park - $40 additional fee – (8:30am – 5:30pm)
Week 4 (July 18 – July 22) – Disney Week (Younger Group)
Campers will work together to create their own theme parks each day. We will be doing some crafts to go along with some Disney classics and will be singing karaoke with our favorite Disney songs. Finally we will prepare spaghetti and meatballs for Lady and the Tramp and order some Chinese food for Mulan.
Field Trip – Wednesday, July 20th – Saratoga State Park - (10:00am – 3:30pm)
Week 4 (July 18 – July 22) - CK Store Week (Older Group)
Campers will become entrepreneurs this week. They will buy products, set their own prices, learn how to advertise their products, and finally will sell to younger campers and also campers from Schodack Day Camp. At the end of the week campers will be able to choose what to spend their profits on!
Field Trip – Wednesday, July 20th – Saratoga State Park - (10:00am – 3:30pm)
Week 5 (July 25 – July 29) – Cooking Week
Get in touch with your inner Rachel Ray during this exciting week of cooking. We will make breakfast specialties on Monday and appetizers on Tuesday. Thursday we will be our fiesta day. Campers will have an “Iron Chef” competition and create different taco combinations. On Friday the older kids will host the younger campers at a dessert social. Campers will also learn how to properly set a table and some aspects of running a restaurant.
Field Trip – Wednesday, July 27th – Minekill State Park - (9:30am – 4:00pm)
Week 6 (August 1 – August 5) – Spy Kids: Mission Impossible (younger group)
It is your mission if you choose to accept it…..campers will make and analyze finger prints, decipher codes and participate in scavenger hunts. They will also attempt to solve various CK mysteries.
Field Trip – Wednesday, August 3rd –Million Dollar Beach State Park – (10:00am – 3:30pm)
Week 6 (August 1 – August 5) – Shark Tank Week (Older Group)
Do you have what it takes to invent a new craze? We will begin the week by examining some crazy As seen on TV products while we gather ideas for our own creations. Campers will present their inventions to our very own panel of Shark judges on the last day of the
Field Trip – Wednesday, August 3rd – Million Dollar Beach State Park – (10:00am – 3:30pm)
Week 7 (August 8 – August 12) - Wet-n-Wild Week
This week we will get a visit from a local fire company who will teach us about fire safety and let us run under the fire hose. Play some wild and wacky water sports, run through the camp sprinklers and make up some new water games to play. Bring your suit everyday as it promises to be a very wet and crazy week.
Field Trip – Wednesday, August 10th – Zoom Flume Water Park – (8:30am – 5:00pm)
Optional Field Trip #2– Friday, August 12th – Great Escape – Amusement park, water park and lunch - $50 additional fee (8:30am – 6:00pm)
Week 8 (August 15 – August 19) – Family Week
All week is about Family! Whether it is your family at home, out of town family or our very own CK family. Campers will put together a fun and exciting “family night” for their families. We will have backwards/staff switch day which will include a camp picnic. We will do some family scrap booking, indoor camping, movie/pajama day and we will wrap up the week with a visit from the ice cream man.
Field Trip – Wednesday, August 17th – Taghkanic State Park – (10:00am – 3:30pm)
CAMP FAMILY NIGHT – Monday, August 15th – Schodack Island State Park – 6pm – 8pm
Week 9 (August 22 – August 26) – Finish Line
Gear up for school with some make your own sundaes, wear your favorite jersey on sports day, and compete for prizes on wacky relay day. Spike your hair on crazy hair day and dress up on super hero day. We will also compete in some fun minute to win it games as we say farewell to the best summer ever…….
Field Trip – Wednesday, August 24th – Saratoga State Park – (10:00am – 3:30pm)
CAMP PHILOSOPHY
Camp Castleton Kids dedicates itself to providing quality care, at affordable rates, to school age children (entering Kindergarten through entering 7th grade) during times which parents must work. We provide exciting and stimulating summer experiences. We strive to provide a safe, fun and educational atmosphere in which staff, children and parents treat one another with respect and fairness.
All of the children in the program are encouraged to expand and perfect their social and recreational skills. Daily interaction within group situations emphasizes the importance of sharing, problem solving and decision making. Campers are provided with opportunities that promote fun through play and exercise, as well as opportunities to expand their horizons as they take part in new activities. Camp Castleton Kids strives to give each child a positive self-image. Individual expression of feelings and concerns are always encouraged throughout the day.
CAMP OBJECTIVE
Camp Castleton Kids’ objective is to make parents feel comfortable that their children’s summer vacation is being used constructively in an environment of stimulation, learning and positive role modeling.
SUMMER HOURS
Camp Castleton Kids is in session from June 27th through August 26th (9 weeks).
Camp will open at 7:30am and close at 5:45pm.
All scheduled camp activities will officially begin at 9:00am and will end at 4:00pm.
Camp will be CLOSED on Monday, July 4th.
DROP OFF AND PICK UP
All children must be dropped off and picked up from the Castleton Elementary School. When arriving to camp parents must escort their children into CES and sign them into camp outside room #237. To pick up, parents must park in the back bus loop then enter the back door (facing Scott Avenue, back right corner of school building). Parents must then sign their child/ren out outside room #237.
If you are late picking up your child/ren (after 5:45pm) parents will be charged the year round rate of $1.00 per minute for each child. The fee is necessary to cover additional expenses incurred by the program.
If someone else is picking up your child and they are not listed on the authorization form we must be given a written note stating who will be picking up the child and at what time.
CAMP ACTIVITIES
Children will be split into 2 separate groups based on the grade they’re entering in the fall.
· Pre-Kindergarten through entering grade 2 – Room #232
· Entering grade 3 through entering grade 7 – Room #237
These units of camp offer your child/ren a variety of social contacts, a sharing of experience with peers, and a chance to be self-sufficient and independent. These two units of camp are fun filled programs designed to meet the varied age levels and interests of the children by presenting a diverse and well-rounded camping program.
DAILY:
Camp activities will begin at 9:00am with a large group meeting in the gym. At this meeting we will discuss details of any large camp activities that will be taking place including where and when they will be held. Children will then split into groups based on their entering grade levels (as listed above). Attendance will be taken and then the day’s events will begin. The remainder of the camp day will vary according to the age group and daily/weekly theme. At each site a complete day-to-day schedule of activities will be posted. Such activities will include arts and crafts, sports, nature, and field trips. Pre-Kindergarten and first grade children will also be allowed time for a rest period each day.
WEEKLY:
Field Trips – Every Wednesday (unless otherwise noted) we will be going on a special field trip (please see the field trip list later in this packet). Cost of these field trips are included in the weekly tuition. Transportation will be provided by Yankee Trails World Travel.
Optional Field Trips – This year we will be taking 2 extra field trips during the summer. These field trips will be an additional cost per child and are optional. If you choose not to send your child/ren on these field trips your child will remain at camp and participate in other camp activities. These field trips are also subject to cancellation if we do not get enough children to cover our costs.
Friday, July 15th – Splashdown Beach Water Park – COST: $40/child
The children will have all day use of the entire water park throughout the day. Your cost covers park entrance and transportation costs. Children will need to bring their lunches.
Bus leaves at 8:30am and returns at 5:30pm.
Friday, August 12th – Great Escape – COST: $50/child
The children will use of the entire amusement park and water park. Your cost will cover park entrance, transportation costs and a lunch voucher to have lunch at the park. The bus leaves at 8:30am and will return at 6:00pm.
Mr. Ding-A-Ling – Mr. Ding-a-Ling will come to camp four Friday’s and the children will have their choice of their favorite ice-cream. The Fridays that Mr. Ding-a-ling will be visiting camp will be 7/8, 7/22, 8/5 and 8/19. There is no need to send in money as this service will be used as the camper’s afternoon snack.
Pizza Fridays – Each Friday campers will have an opportunity to bring in $8 for lunch. If campers take advantage of this opportunity then they will receive 2 pieces of pizza, bag of chips, juice box and small dessert for lunch. Money can just be given to a staff member each Friday morning.
CAMP COUNSELORS:
Each site is under the direction of site supervisors(Older group – Scott Monuteaux and Younger Group – Kylie Lill, Bobbisue Garvansites, and Kayla Adams). The Program Director and Assistant Program Director oversee the sites. Our counselors and specialists are mature, warm, experienced young men and women whose compassion makes Camp Castleton Kids a special place. The staff members are selected for their ability to understand the special needs of children. All staff receives pre-camp training as well as on-going supervision.