Akeela Parent & Camper Newsletters, April 2023
Akeela Newsletter, February 2023
Akeela Newsletter, October 2022
Family Handbook — Everything you need to know about this summer at Akeela, including travel, packing list, communication, health care, policies and more!
Welcome New Families — An abbreviated version of our Family Handbook: lots of great information about what to expect from your first summer at Akeela.
Family Log In (Forms, summer news & photos from camp)
Important Spring Updates Sent By Email
(Sent 5/26/23)
Dear Akeela Families,With Memorial Day weekend upon us, summer is here and camp is just around the corner! We know that you may have questions. Please know that the answers to many of these questions can be found in our Family Handbook. If you have not yet read (and re-read) the Handbook, please do so as we believe you will find it very helpful. And, of course, we’re always happy to answer your questions. Below are the answers to some of the most common questions we have been fielding this week:
1. Travel Information: If you have not completed your forms yet, it is IMPERATIVE that we have your child’s travel form submitted ASAP. This information has an impact on the larger community.
2. COVID: We STRONGLY RECOMMEND that all campers coming to camp this summer be up-to-date with the most recent vaccinations and boosters per the CDC recommendations. We are also requiring all campers to take an at-home test the morning of their departure for camp. If a child tests positive, please contact contact us immediately. We will NOT be testing at camp unless our nursing team believes that the constellation of symptoms a child or staff member displays deems it necessary to do so.
4. Medication: ALL DAILY MEDICATIONS, VITAMINS and SUPPLEMENTS must get filled by PackMyRx. We cannot accept medications on opening day unless you have already spoken with us about a complication. Emergency medications such as epipens, inhalers and eye drops can be brought on opening day.
5. FORMS: Forms and final payments are now past-due. Please get those to us ASAP. Your child cannot come to camp without these items completed.
If you have any questions or concerns about anything listed above, or anything else, please give us a call or send an email.
P.S. Here is a fun sheet for you and your camper to see. It previews this summer’s special events and theme days. If your camper would like to bring some props or clothing to match a theme, we encourage them to do so. However, we are not asking you to buy anything new … whatever you have at home is fine!
(Sent 5/16/23)
Thank you to everyone who’s worked hard to get us their camper forms! If you’re still working on them, that’s ok – please do your best to get them to us ASAP.The most important task to complete TODAY, if you haven’t done so already, is to register your camper with PackMyRx. As a reminder, any camper who takes DAILY medications (including vitamins/minerals, OTC medications or RX medications) MUST be registered through PackMyRx. This is essential for the safety of our campers and is required for our VT-licensed nurses. Please call them directly with any questions. The deadline to register without late fees is approaching very quickly.
We’re very excited as we get close to the star of camp! Our staff is starting to arrive up in Vermont as early as next week! We can’t wait for your campers to join us. As always, feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns.
(Sent 5/9/23)
Good afternoon! It’s May 9th which means FORMS ARE DUE IN SIX DAYS!!! Please remember that although a lot of work (we know!), the information we gather is imperative for us to prepare for camp and to keep your camper safe once they arrive at Akeela. Please reach out with any questions or concerns. We’re always available to help. That is also true once camp starts. Please see the this page about communication during the summer.
(Sent 5/2/23)
Thank you for entrusting your children to our care this summer. Camp Akeela prides itself on providing top-notch support and training to our staff to ensure the best summer possible for our campers. Safety is always our number one priority.Our staff are carefully vetted through a process that includes background checks, reference checks, and interviews. We also wanted to make sure you know that, for the 2nd year in a row, we are using the CampSafe® training program.
CampSafe® is a proactive approach to child safety which will help support our zero tolerance policy for abuse of any kind – physical, emotional or sexual. The training will provide all of our staff with sexual abuse prevention training. Before arriving at camp, each staff member will be required to complete this online course. We will also reinforce the training, in person, as part of our staff orientation at camp in mid-June.
For more information, you can visit the KidSafe at www.kidsafefoundation.org. There you will find information on how to talk with your campers about personal safety before they head off to camp, how to recognize signs of sexual abuse, and how to respond helpfully to your child if you have any concerns.
In addition to this important conversation with your camper, we also encourage you to talk to them about what they can expect from living 24/7 in a communal (bunk) setting. For many of our campers, camp provides a new opportunity to learn how to respectfully share space with peers. Please help your child understand that living at camp means that there will be other people in the bunk changing (before/after a shower or swimming, into pajamas, etc.) It’s to be expected that they will see the naked body of a peer while at camp. You may want to preview this with your child, both to normalize it for them and to help them plan ways to dress and undress in a way that is respectful of other campers in their cabin.
We truly believe that going to camp is an amazing opportunity for children of all ages to learn how to live in a safe space in community. These are skills that will be helpful in college and beyond as well!
We are looking forward to a fabulous summer!
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