Camp Thunderbird

1. Camp Thunderbird 2013-2014

2. Why Camp Thunderbird? • All programs incorporate group goals and individual goals • Curriculum based instruction based on State Standards and Core Curriculum. • Students are engaged and kept active • Programs involve group dynamics, an essential skill for our year long development • The Camp is Safe. It is a YMCA camp and each instructor is certified and background checked

3. Why Now? • Our Day Group Adventures are directly linked to 4th grade standards. • As we continue our venture into 4th grade, we need team dynamics, collaboration, work ethic, goal setting, and inner strength that will last all year. We have found that addressing fun ways to build these skills, early in the year, using a variety of settings, helps students throughout the year. • Yes, seeing the lake in the Spring would be ideal, but those learning lessons will be short lived before the summer. • By engaging these activities in the fall, the teachers can apply those essential skills for a longer period of time.

4. Safety • We have 24 parent chaperones and 4 teachers joining us this year. • Chaperones are background checked, sign a form and must follow school chaperone guidelines and camp guidelines. • At no time are students left alone or visiting in other cabins. • There is a hospital within 5 minutes of the camp grounds. • Camp is monitored. • YMCA camp staff are certified and background checked.

5. What to Bring: • Take look at our ‘Suggested What to Bring List’. Copies are on the table. Teachers will post this on blogs and it will be e-mailed to you. • Students must be able carry their own belongings in one trip. • We are there for two full days and one night • Students need to bring a sack lunch /drink with them and a snack. Make sure the lunch is labeled. • All belongings must be labeled. • Bring a labeled re-fillable water bottle. • No electronics. Disposable cameras are okay, make sure a name is on it. • There is a Camp Store. We recommend no more than $20. Students are responsible for their own money handling.

6. Packing • Sleeping Bag, overnight bag (see what to bring list), lunch for the first day, small day bag for the bus. • All items except for the small day bag will be put in the lobby. Signs will be designated by teacher and a box will be there to place his/her lunch. • Small Day bag with a snack for the bus, book, etc. Students will bring his/her day bag to the classroom after dropping off sleeping bag, overnight bag and lunch in the lobby. • Make sure your child has a re-fillable, labeled water bottle! We are trying to be green and not use small water bottles!!!!!

7. Allergies and Medicine: • Medicine will ONLY be distributed by the child’s teacher. • Chaperones may only administer medicine to their own child. • All medicine must be placed in a zip-lock bag clearly labeled with dosage amount, dosage time and other important information (with or without food), etc. • If your child has. seasonal allergies or if your child only takes allergy medicines if their allergies kick in, that too needs to be clearly labeled with directions and dosage. • All allergy information is passed on to the chaperones

8. Departure: Wednesday, October 23rd • Students need to be at school at the regular school time. • Students need to enter through the Gym doors (Townes Street, Main Parking Lot), where pick up line usually is. • Please drop your child off , with hugs and kisses outside of the gym. Parents will not be able to come inside unless they are a chaperone. • Students will need to bring all their belongings the lobby. They will place their lunch in a designated box, their overnight bag and sleeping bag down, and head to class with their day back and snack. • Students can have a small ‘Day Bag’ which contains their snack, ‘Just Right’ book for the bus, and other day personal items. • The bus will leave at 9am.

9. Again, Be Here on Time! • Teachers have attendance to take attendance and attend to last minute details. Please have your child here on time, it helps us! • Chaperones will start loading the busses around 8:30. • 9am Departure (students can have snack on the bus) • 11ish Arrive at Camp (Students can have a small healthy snack on the bus) • Students will get their belongings and take to their Cabin • Noonish- We will all meet in the cafeteria with our sack lunches and an ‘all group’ Camp Meeting and Chaperone Camp Meeting • After the meetings and lunch, we are off for our first two learning adventures in small groups! • Cabin time, dinner time, Evening Activities with snack, Cabin Fun!

10. Our Second Day • Breakfast • Learning Adventure • Lunch • Learning Adventure • Snack just before departure • Departure will be at 3:00

11. Bulk Snacks • Each Student will get a snack during the evening activities • Each Student will get a snack just before loading the bus on the second day • There is a sign up list. Thank you  • All bulk snacks can be dropped off the morning in the lobby when we leave to sent to your child’s teacher on Monday before departure. • We will load them on the bus with our luggage. • We recommend apples (please prewash), pretzels, goldfish, etc. • NO PEANUT PRODUCTS PLEASE!!!!

12. Arrival • All students must ride the bus back to school. They may not ride with their parent chaperone. • We will return on Wednesday, October 23rd, around 5ish. • Please let your room mom know if you want an e-mail or text teachers will text the room mom when we are close to Greer. • The buses will pull up in front of the school (not the gym area) and parents will help us unload belongings on the Front Sidewalk. • You must check in with our child’s teacher before leaving. Please make sure you get all your child’s things. We always have mix ups, check names on bags, sleeping bags and the like. Thank You! • If someone else is picking up your child, your child’s teacher needs to have a note. • We do have school on Thursday, Regular times.

13. Scholarships • Currently, we are in a deficit for this trip. We can not deny any child this opportunity, not would we want too. • If you are in a position to provide a scholarship for this trip, or know of a business that would make donation, please let us know!