Family Handbook

Thank you for choosing to be part of the Peddie Summer Youth Camp Family. We are so excited to provide a safe and fun camp experience for your children. We want to extend a warm welcome to all our new families and a great welcome back to all our returning campers. 

By making the decision to send your child to camp you are providing them with a special summer experience that will have a lasting impact.  At Peddie Youth Camp, our goal is to provide opportunities for all campers to experience personal growth and try new things while making new friends along the way. 

We take pride in providing an excellent camp experience, while promoting our core values and making each camper feel valued and known. While they are in our care, the safety of our campers is our top priority, and we take it very seriously. Our staff are thoroughly screened, and all staff are CPR/First Aid certified prior to the start of the summer camp season.

This Family Handbook has been created as a reference guide for both parents and children. It contains important information and policies about our summer camp. Please take the time to read and review the entire handbook prior to the start of camp. If you have any questions or comments please feel free to contact us.

Yours in summer fun, 

Ethan Kibrick, Youth Camp Director
Jim Truslow, Director of External Programs

The beautiful Peddie campus is the landscape for our Youth Camp and has some of the finest facilities in the area. Campers will benefit from the use of our athletic fields, air conditioned dining hall, and our state of the art aquatic center. Peddie provides the perfect setting for a memorable summer camp experience!

Each day our mature and highly trained staff will  guide campers in the development of skills in athletics, art, music and dance, STEM, and swimming. We aim to create positive memories with our campers every day in a safe and caring environment!

Administration:

Our camp administrators are year-round employees of The Peddie School and work to create a great summer camp experience for every camper. 

Camp Director: Ethan Kibrick, 609-944-7537

Director of External Programs: Jim Truslow 609.944.7570

Camp Staff:

Adult Area Supervisors: Our adult area supervisors will oversee each specialty area of camp; Art, Athletics, Dance/Music, STEM, and Aquatics. Adult area supervisors are seasonal employees who are hired due to their experience and expertise in their specialty area. They will guide campers through activities each day, with the support of group counselors. 

Counselors: Our counselors are seasonal employees who have diverse backgrounds in sports, arts, and community service interests. Each hired counselor has a passion to work with young campers and desire to help create a fun and memorable experience. 

Our groups maintain at least three counselors and CITs per group, we will never have more than 20 campers per group. 

In alignment with The Peddie School's mission, Peddie Youth Camp seeks to provide our campers with intellectual, social and moral growth in a safe and exciting camp environment.

Please dress your camper appropriately for the weather. We will be outdoors for most activities and ask that you plan accordingly. On cold mornings/days sweatshirts or light jackets might be necessary. Closed toed shoes are required for all campers.

We suggest labeling all clothing and belongings that are brought to camp.

• Drop off is between 8:15-8:30 a.m. each day. Parents will follow the highlighted route to drop off your camper at Longstreet hall each morning. Counselors will meet campers at drop off and direct them to their groups. 
• Pick up is between 3:30-3:45 p.m. each day. Parents will pick up their camper(s) at Longstreet Hall. 
• PLEASE HAVE YOUR NAME PLACARD ON THE DASHBOARD OR SUN VISOR FOR EASY IDENTIFICATION. 
• On the first day of camp please have your photo identification ready.

General Safety and Parking Lot Reminders

• The speed limit on Peddie’s campus is 5 MPH
• Please DRIVE WITH CAUTION throughout campus
• DO NOT Leave children unattended in your car at any time
• If you must park DO NOT leave your car running
• Please only park in designated parking spots and observe all posted signage (handicaped parking) 

Alternate Pick Up 

• If you anticipate that at any time during the camp season, your camper may need to be picked up by someone other than the legal parent/guardian, the name of these individuals must be listed on your family account. Contact the camp office to have them added to your account. 
• Please inform the alternate pick-up to bring a valid photo identification with them at pick-up time.

Day camp hours are 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. 

Extended care is available for additional fees. Before care drop off starts at 7:30 a.m. and after care runs until 5:00 p.m. To register for extended care please contact the camp office.

Summer camp pick up ends at 3:45 p.m. each day. If your child is not picked up by 3:45 p.m., a fee of $15.00 will be assessed for the first 10 minutes, and $1.00 per minute thereafter.

If you are running late, please contact the camp office immediately at 609-944-7537.

If your child will be absent from camp, please inform camp as soon as possible. Parents should email daycamp@peddie.org to report your child absent. Please include the following in your email:

• Your child’s full name.
• The group your child is in.
• The date of their absence.

No refunds or credits are issued for absences.

The aquatics program at Peddie Youth Day Camp includes both instructional and recreational swim, which take place in our heated indoor pool.

The program is run by Red Cross certified swim staff, who are all trained as WSI swim instructors or Lifeguards, and in First Aid/CPR/AED.

Please be sure to send your camper with a bathing suit, towel, and deck shoes (flip flops or water shoes) each day.

• The first half of swimming will be dedicated to instructional swim, led by our WSI swim instructors. They will guide campers through basic stroke introductions and water safety. Campers are tested on their first day at camp to determine their current skill level. Instruction takes place based on the level of each child. As a camper demonstrates the specific skills of one level, that camper can be tested to advance to the next level.
• The second half of swim time is recreational swim. This is a fun time when campers can play games in the water, swim with their friends and interact with their counselors in the pool. Each camper is only allowed access to the area of the pool up to and including their designated skill level. Non-swimmers will wear US coast guard life jackets, emerging swimmers will wear a bubble swim aid, and strong swimmers will be allowed to swim without swim aids.

Counseling/verbal warning

• When a discipline incident occurs, the camper will be counseled and given a description of the behavior change required. This should be done by the counselors first, and can escalate to an activity leader or the camp director. 
• Campers can be encouraged to “rehearse and redo” , have them think about their actions and try again with the appropriate behavior. 

Time-out/second warning

• If subsequent incidents occur the camper may be asked to take a "Time Out". A "Time Out" is approximately one minute per year of age that the camper spends quietly reflecting on the incident. The child then rejoins the group or activity. 
• Debrief the time out with a camper when they are returning to the group. Use positive reinforcement to encourage behavior change rather than harping on the negative actions. 

Parent contact

•  If a series of discipline situations occur, the camper’s parent or guardian will be contacted. This is to be done by the camp director. 

Suspension

• A camper who continually exhibits unacceptable behaviors and makes no effort to correct their behaviors will be suspended for 1 day. The parent/guardian will be advised. 

Termination

• If the camper’s behavior remains unacceptable then the parent or guardian will be informed and the camper will be dropped from the program. 

We will document all unacceptable camper behavior in the camper report notebook. We will document the type of behavior, what provoked the behavior, what the staff did to modify the behavior. 

Examples of unacceptable behaviors: 

• Being disruptive
• Running away from camp/counselors
• Endangering the health or safety of children or staff
• Continuous refusal to follow rules
• Habitual use of profanity, obscenity or racially directed language
• Theft or damage of private property
• Leaving the site or premises without permission
• Inappropriate sexual comments
• Verbal harassment
• Possession of any weapons
• Possession or use of illegal substances, medications or drug paraphernalia 
• Requiring consistent one-on-one care due to unacceptable behaviors. 

Camera/Video Policy

• Cameras, video recorders, or other visual recording devices are prohibited at Peddie Youth Camp without the consent of Peddie Administration. 
• The Peddie Youth Camp will prosecute, to the fullest extent of the law, anyone caught taking inappropriate pictures of another individual. 

 Release of personal information

• Peddie Youth Camp will not release, or share any personal information on any child or family. 
• Parents will be asked to sign a photo release form (upon registration) to authorize Peddie Youth Camp to use photos of campers for marketing purposes. 
• Photo Opt-out is available upon request. Please contact the camp office for the opt-out form. 

Peddie Youth Camp will always have a certified Health Director on camp each day. The Health Director is charged with the health and welfare of each camper on our campus. In addition all our counselors and Adult Supervisors are certified in First Aid/CPR/AED, including our entire aquatics staff who are certified lifeguards. 

• In the event that a child is injured or becomes ill at camp, the parent will be notified immediately.  A daily log of injuries and illnesses are kept in our health office, in addition, accident reports are completed when warranted. 
• Any medication that a child needs to take must be given to the Health Director by the parent. In addition, the Camper Health Authorization Form (all campers) and Camper Treatment Form (if the child is taking medication)must be on file in the Camp Office.
• Only our Health Director/Asst. Health Director can administer medication. Do not send any medication to camp with your camper. In the event your camper needs to take medication at camp at any time during the camp season, the following must be observed:
  • Medication must be given directly to Camp Health Director/Asst. Director.
  • The medication must be prescribed in the child’s name.
  • The original medicine container, including the patient’s name, name of drug, and dosage must be sent to the Health Director.
  • Camper Health Authorization Form must be on file with Camp Office.
  • Camper Treatment form outlining the detailed nature of the child’s illness/condition and the recommended schedule of administration of the medicine. This form must be signed by the legal parent/guardian of the camper. This form must be on file for both prescription and over the counter medications.
• Please note that The Peddie Youth Camp and Summer at Peddie strive to keep our entire community safe at all times. COVID policies update and change frequently. We are working diligently to monitor changes in the COVID landscape and will draft policies that are in line with industry standards. We will post our policies for Summer 2023 as soon as possible. 

All campers will receive lunch each day. 

• Lunches are provided by our Peddie Food Service and the menu will be available on our website. Please note the main entree is subject to change, but all other options will be accessible. 
• Afternoon snacks will be provided for all full day campers. The snack will include a fresh fruit option, as well as another selection that changes on a weekly basis. 
• All campers must bring their own water bottle to camp. We will provide water filling stations during lunch, snack and throughout their day. 
• If your camper has dietary restrictions of any kind including food allergies, please make sure this information is recorded on your family account and your health form. Please inform your child’s counselor as well.

Please note- we are not a nut-free facility. However, we do provide daily snacks that are nut-free and always offer nut-free options in the lunchroom. 

• During the off-season parent communication will be through our website and email newsletters. We encourage you to make sure that your account has a current email address so you do not miss any important information. 
• During the camp season we will update our website and use Omnialert texts for urgent changes (i.e. inclement weather pickup or drop off). For less urgent matters we will continue to utilize the website and send parent emails. 
• In the event of an emergency with your camper you will be contacted via phone. We encourage you to make sure your account is updated with accurate phone numbers for all parents/ guardians and emergency contacts. 
• If you need to contact our camp staff you can email daycamp@peddie.org or call the camp office at 609-944-7537.