PARENT HANDBOOK

2018

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Welcome Letter……………………………..……….………….3

Contact Information……………………………………………4

Camp Dates………. ……………………………...…………….5

Camp Bag…………. …………………………..……………….6

The Birgle Team…….. ……………………….………………….7

Health & Safety..……………………………...…………………8

Medications...……………………………………………………9

The Camp Program...…………………………………………10

Meals ……………………………………………….……………11

Weekly Themes & Field Trips…………………………..…12-13

Swimming ………………………………………………………14

Policies & Procedures……………………..………………15-16

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WELCOME LETTER

Dear Parents,

We are excited to share the summer of 2018 with your family! Preparations have

been underway – from researching and marketing to our small peer audience,

to curriculum-building, hiring, t-shirt designing, and lots of fun stuff in between!

Our primary administrative team, youth counselors and on-call nurse join us in

welcoming you. We are all looking forward to greeting campers this summer on

our home property, and making this camp experience complete.

Our core values of Faith, Kindness, Confidence and Respect (for Self, Others &

Nature) are integral to our program philosophy and curriculum. We believe the

camp setting provides lots of opportunities to be active and creative, but also to

help one another become better people. At Camp Birgle we’ll strive to help

make this happen every day.

We would like to assist you in preparing for your opening day of camp by

providing this Parent Handbook. It contains Camp Birgle's procedures and

policies – designed to ensure a successful, safe and fun summer for all! Thank

you for entrusting us with this important responsibility!

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Sincerely,

Wes & Amie Martin

Camp Owners and Administrators

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CONTACT INFORMATION

Camp Birgle Day Camp

Scherer Parkway

Lee’s Summit, MO 64082

Phone: 816-645-3742

campbirgle@gmail.com

Website: www.campbirgle.com

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CAMP DATES

Week 1 - Tuesday, May 29th to Friday, June 1st

Week 2 – Monday, June 4th to Friday, June 8th

Week 3 - Monday, June 11th to Friday, June 15th

Week 4 - Monday, June 18th to Friday, June 22nd

Week 5 - Monday, June 25th to Friday, June 29th

~ Week of Independence Day (NO CAMP) ~

Week 6 - Monday, July 9th to Friday, July 13th

Week 7 - Monday, July 16th to Friday, July 20th

Week 8 - Monday, July 23th to Friday, July 27th

Week 9 - Monday, July 30th to Friday, August 3rd

Week 10 - Monday, August 6th to Friday, August 10th

OTHER DATES:

Informational Session: Sunday, February 18th

Camp Start Date: Tuesday, May 29th

Camp End Date: Friday, August 10th

Camper Medical Forms Due Date: Tuesday, May 22

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CAMP BAG Campers are asked to please bring a few, basic supplies with them each day.

They are welcome to leave bags overnight/over the weekend (if returning the

next week), or to take bags home each night and bring them each morning.

Please bring:

- Bottle of water

- Sunscreen

- Bug spray or lotion

- Small, washable throw blanket

- Book (campers will participate in quiet reading 3 times per week for

approx. 30 minutes; a variety of age-appropriate books will be available if

camper doesn’t bring own book)

- Collapsible camping chair

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THE BIRGLE TEAM

We are excited to introduce you to our small but dedicated Camp Team.

Owners/Directors Wes & Amie Martin (and their unpaid staff)

Youth Counselors

(Currently vetting qualified candidates!)

Camp Birgle carefully screens, interviews and hires qualified youth counselors.

Our ultimate goal is to provide an enjoyable, exciting summer experience that

motivates both staff and campers to approach the future with faith, courage,

confidence and a feeling of self-worth.

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HEALTH & SAFETY

We take the health of campers very seriously. Our staff is trained in First Aid and

CPR and has an auxiliary, on-call team member who is a Registered Nurse.

We ask that you partner with us in keeping every camper healthy. Please do not

send your camper to camp if they are not well enough to participate in camp

activities. All campers must be fever free for 24 hours before they can return to

camp.

We will contact you when: • A camper becomes ill with a fever and/or vomiting.

• A camper has a significant bump, bruise, or cuts.

• A camper has any head related injury.

• A camper complains of illness or injury multiple times in one day.

If we can't reach you we will call the emergency contact.

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MEDICATIONS

PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS All medications to be taken or held at camp must be accompanied by a note

from you and a prescription from the doctor. The note must include your child’s

name, name of the medication, dosage, time to be given, permission to

administer and your signature.

All medications should be given directly to the Camp Director (Wes Martin) or

Camp Administrator (Amie Martin).

Medications must be in the original prescription bottle with correct label.

NON-PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS Over the counter medications can only be administered if you and have signed

our “Non Prescription Drug Authorization” form.

State law mandates that any medication, over the counter or prescribed, epi-

pens, or inhalers, etc. will be administered by our camp staff only if the proper

documentation is on file.

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THE CAMP PROGRAM Wes and Amie wrote the Camp Birgle program to ensure campers experience

many of the daily comforts of home and new, fun adventures in a safe and

guided way. Camp Birgle provides a dynamic program in an environment that

fosters spiritual growth, appreciation for nature, and increased confidence in

every child.

MISSION STATEMENT

Camp Birgle's mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of campers

through faith-based learning, impactful relationships and fun experiences.

CORE VALUES

The core values of Faith, Kindness, Confidence and Respect are integral to the

Camp Birgle philosophy and program. Campers and staff promote these values

daily with team-building activities, daily devotions, field trips and creative play.

Primary Program Components to Aid in Mission:

- Daily Devotions – daily 30-minute class in

varying outdoor settings, tying weekly

themes to important spiritual lessons and

themes.

- Daily journaling – fostering the ability to

express one’s self through quiet writing and

drawing

- Daily theme-related activities - geared

toward nature, learning new things, building

self-confidence and having fun!

- Daily nature trail/quiet time – fostering an

increased appreciation for nature, the

ability to more closely examine things we

often take for granted, and the ability to

enjoy the quieter aspects of a busy life in

2018!

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MEALS Breakfast

Breakfast will be served daily from 7:30am until 8:30am. Campers arriving after

8:30am will not be served breakfast.

Breakfast will include:

- Milk or juice

- Ham or sausage

- Yogurt

- Fruit

- Cereal

- Bagels, muffins or toast

Lunch

Lunches and snacks will be peanut-free and served daily. Meal and Snack

Menu will be posted online. Check www.campbirgle.com soon!

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WEEKLY THEMES & FIELD TRIPS Real life experiences are great learning opportunities! See below for all

scheduled, theme-related field trips. Field trips will generally be taken on

Wednesdays.

Week 1 (5/29 - 6/1): GOIN' CAMPING

Campers will learn the basics of camping, gain hands-on experience through fun,

theme-related activities, enjoy making s'mores by a campfire, hike a trail

at Cave Springs Park, discuss how Jesus and his disciples camped many

times, and more!

Week 2 (6/4 - 6/8): WHAT'S COOKIN'?

Campers will "peel through" to the deeper layers of everyday foods, learn hands-on

cooking and food preparation techniques, make a basic meal, take a

field trip to Crown Center's Chip Chocolate Factory, discuss how food was

the centerpiece for many of Jesus's miracles & gatherings with disciples,

and more!

Week 3 (6/11 - 6/15): SYMPHONY OF SENSES

Campers' eyes will open to amazing opportunities to indulge their five senses in the

nature around us, deepen their appreciation for the gifts of nature "kid-

style," pick delicious berries at a local berry patch, discuss how God calls us

to use our senses to notice our everyday gifts, and more!

Week 4 (6/18-6/22): GOIN' GREEN

Campers will come to understand the vast reach (and limitations) of the earth's many

natural resources, practice recycling and up-cycling in ultra fun ways

through daily activities, take a field trip to The Children's Peace Pavilion,

discuss the many expressions of nature's power in biblical times, and more!

Week 5 (6/25 - 6/29): STORYTELLER'S DELIGHT

Campers will experience how stories help us communicate, practice telling stories to

others in honest and creative ways through daily activities, create a

group story at the Theater of the Imagination, discuss how stories play a

vital role in our Christian faith, and more!

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Week 6 (7/9 - 7/13): TREASURE HUNTERS

Campers will take their inner explorer to the next level while learning about the

mysteries of treasure-hunting, engage in a nature-focused scavenger hunt,

tour the historical Arabia Steamboat to learn about real, buried treasure,

discuss the spiritual gifts and temptations that accompany modern

treasure, and more!

Week 7 (7/16 - 7/20): MOVIN' AND GROOVIN'

Campers will have a blast engaging in active, spirited competitions with fellow

campers, learn fun, new ways to "move and groove" during daily

activities, visit Summer Waves for active fun in the sun, discuss how Jesus

performed miracles that allowed people to move and be active, and

more!

Week 8 (7/23 - 7/27): IMAGINARIUM

Campers will "push the on switch" to engage their inner inventor, practice teamwork

and leadership through group project-building and other daily activities,

visit Union Station's Discovery Center and be awed by the innovations of

3-D printing, discuss reasons God might have had for making humans

creative, and more!

Week 9 (7/30 - 8/3): LITTLE SUPERHEROES

Campers will flex their hearts and minds while learning about everyday examples of

heroism in their lives, practice being heroic in fun ways during daily

activities, take a field trip to a local fire station to meet real life heroes,

discuss how God, Jesus and Mary are our ultimate Superheroes, and

more!

Week 10 (8/6 - 8/10): MAD SCIENCE

Campers will discover how delightful the wackiness of science can be, conduct simple

experiments during daily activities, visit Crown Center's Sea Life Exhibit,

discuss how great a scientist God must have been to create our

beautiful and complex world, and more!

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SWIMMING – Week 10

The Camp Birgle experience does not include swimming with the exception of

Week 7, when campers will take a field trip to enjoy some active fun in the sun

at Summit Waves – the local water park. Campers will be assigned to camp

staff at all times; however, campers’ basic comfortability in and around water is

expected. If your child is enrolled that week, and you have concerns about this,

please contact Wes or Amie to discuss alternative options for your child that

day.

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POLICIES & PROCEDURES

GENERAL EXPECTATIONS Campers should expect a fun and safe environment while at camp. We know

that everyone is not always going to get along or agree about everything.

However, we expect that these disagreements will be handled in a kind and

respectful way. We want everyone at camp to feel that they are in a safe

environment where they are valued.

BULLYING POLICY Bullying is when one or more people exclude, tease, taunt, gossip, hit or put

down another person with the intent to hurt. At Camp Birgle we have a firm

policy against all types of bullying.

Every camper at Camp Birgle is accepted and we work together to ensure that

campers gain self-confidence, make new friends and return home with great

memories. Our leadership addresses any incident of bullying and trains staff to

promote communication so that information is openly provided.

CAMP PICTURES Our Camp Birgle staff will take and post pictures each

week. The photos may be featured in Facebook posts or

on the Camp Birgle Website (Birgle Blog).

CAMPER ABSENCES Please notify Camp Birgle at (816) 645-3742 if your

camper will not be attending camp. Texts preferred.

Messages can be left. During the summer our office staff is available beginning

at 5:00am. If your camper takes a bus to camp, the office will alert your bus

counselor. Please do not notify your bus counselor directly about camper

absences.

DRESS CODE Camp are asked to wear camp T-shirts daily. Shorts or pants should be

appropriate, consistent with typical school policies.

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ELECTRONICS & TECHNOLOGY Camp Birgle is led by real parents who know that kids are

growing up in an exciting “age of technology.” For these few

weeks, however, campers are encouraged to refrain from

electronics during the day as much as possible. An exception will be the Camp Birgle Weekly Movie. Kids will

have a couple of hours of “screen time” during a little weekly relaxation period

as they enjoy popcorn, candy and a theme-related weekly flick on Thursday

afternoons.

Cell phones or other devices should not be brought to camp. If found being

used, campers will be asked to place them in backpacks until pick up.

LOST & FOUND Campers at Camp Birgle are encouraged to be independent and care for their

personal items. Camp Birgle cannot be held responsible for loss of personal

items. Our counselors try hard to ensure that all belongings are properly cared

for. If you find something is missing, please notify Wes or Amie, giving any details

that will be helpful in locating the missing item. Placing labels or writing your

camper’s name on EVERY item will make it easier for us to return lost items.

RAINY DAYS Camp will be in session rain or shine. It is helpful to send your

camper to camp prepared for both rainy day and regular day

activities. Camp Birgle will maintain a regularly-scheduled day

as much as possible. Parents should know that campers may

watch a Rated G or PG movie outside of the normal daily

schedule depending on circumstances.

Discuss care of personal belongings with your camper before camp. Younger

campers especially need to be familiarized with his/her belongings.

SUNSCREEN Please apply sunscreen before your camper arrives at camp. We ask that you

send in an additional bottle of sunscreen (LABELED WITH YOUR CAMPER’S NAME)

for campers to apply during the day.

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