Summer Camp 2021 Covid Update
Apr 19, 2021
Dear Parents,
We are SO excited to greet your campers and welcome them to Woodcraft. Our summer together will be filled with joy, tons of outdoor activity, and amazing camp friends. We can’t wait to see campers back in action in their beautiful home away from home and to hear their conversations and laughter fill the air!
We thank you for your patience as we have been slow to roll out our usual specifics to help you prepare for camp. We have been (not as patiently!) waiting for news from the state with specific COVID19 protocols so we can cross check our own plans. New York State does not have those ready for us. yet. However, we do have information that will be helpful for you for now. Please read parts of our COVID19 safety plan attached.
Woodcraft is just uncovering itself from a surprise blanket of April snow. This weekend we picked up where we left off with building new high ropes course elements! With professional help, of course. In other news, we think we have ducks nesting by Trail Camp but are taking care to keep our distance so Sunny doesn’t scare them away. Our three children are discussing who will be first to jump in the lake and Doug & I are thinking we may just surprise them and jump in first ourselves! We’ll keep you posted.
As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Doug at 631-327-8943, or Christina at 631-327-8965, with your questions. We always look forward to helping you!
Sending best wishes from our family to yours,
Doug & Christina
Adirondack Woodcraft Camp COVID19 Safety Plan
This plan has been developed with guidance collected from the American Camp Association, the CDC, and health officials. Woodcraft’s COVID19 safety plan is subject to change to remain in accordance with NYS health department requirements. We will send updates to you as soon as we learn more!
Before Camp:
A safe camp starts at home. We ask all camp families to enter a period of extra care and vigilance and to minimize high risk activity for 2 weeks prior to arriving at camp.
All campers must take a PCR COVID19 test 3-4 days prior to arriving at camp and submit proof of negative results before arriving at camp. If a camper tests positive prior to camp, they will be unable to come to camp until they quarantine for the required New York State (NYS) timeframe and are cleared by their medical doctor.
All forms and tuition payments must be submitted prior to arrival so our check in can be as smooth and contactless as possible.
Talk to your campers about good hygiene practices while at camp. Review the importance of frequent hand washing and coughing or sneezing into their elbow or a tissue and sanitizing hands afterwards. Once at camp, our staff will do a great job of encouraging appropriate personal hygiene.
Submit the arrival day symptom checklist before you depart. We will provide a link to this form closer to camp.
Stay home if you’re sick. Should your child feel unwell, have a temperature of or greater than 100.4 degrees**, or show any signs of the coronavirus or other communicable illness, please, in your best interest, and the best interest of Woodcraft and the entire camp community, do not travel to camp. Instead, call camp. We will be happy to discuss your options! **Please note that your child’s temperature must be measured without the influence of fever-reducing medications.
Our staff will operate under the same safety protocols. We are encouraging vaccinations for all staff members and offering help for them to obtain them in New York State if needed. Most have already been fully inoculated. As always, our Woodcraft staff will be here prior to camp for full staff training which allows for additional quarantine time before campers arrive. Staff training will now also include coronavirus symptom awareness, risk minimization, & sanitizing procedures.
Arrival Days: June 27 and July 25
- At camp, our health screening will include temperature checks as always. Campers who register 100.4 degrees or higher will not be allowed to enter camp and would be required to submit a negative Covid test, have a normal temperature for 24 hours, and be cleared by a medical doctor in order to return to the camp session.
- We are considering a rapid test upon arrival, stay tuned.
- Please remember to submit all forms and tuition payments prior to arrival.
- By Car: We will welcome parents and their campers at designated & staggered arrival times. Look for that arrival schedule about a week before camp begins. The earliest arrival time by car will be 12pm and the latest arrival time will be 2pm. A friendly staff member will be ready to greet you and help with your camper’s belongings.
- Masks are mandatory for everyone during arrival day. Feel free to step away and take mask breaks as you need them when you are socially distant.
- By Air: We will offer camp van transportation from Newark (EWR) for $200 one way and from Albany (ALB) for $125 one way. Ideal arrival times into those airports are between 10am an 2pm. All who are flying must adhere to the appropriate safety measurements like masking, social distancing, and hygiene during their travels. Before boarding the camp van, campers will be screened for Covid symptoms and have their temperatures checked. During the van trip to camp, staff and campers will stay masked and we will take breaks for snacks and restrooms.
Once at Camp:
- We will conduct another PCR test within the first few days of camp for our entire camp community. The exact timing is still to be determined.
- We will conduct daily health screenings
- Outdoors: Woodcraft is all about spending time outdoors in the fresh air. Indoor activity has always been limited to cabin time, meal times, and some rainy day activity in the Longhouse or Dining Hall and it will remain so. The Longhouse and the Dining Hall are very large and, just like our camper cabins, they are well ventilated with the added option of using fans to improve air flow.
- Hygiene practices: Aside from continuing and strengthening our long standing tradition of clean hands before meals, frequent hand washing and sanitizing will be encouraged. We will have hand sanitizing stations throughout camp.
- Sanitization: Woodcraft uses cleaning products and protocols which meet guidelines and are approved to be effective against COVID-19 in addition to other viruses & bacteria.
- Masks: Campers in the same living group will not be required to wear masks amongst each other. At the beginning of each session, staff & campers will wear masks when intermingling with other groups outside of their living groups when they are not able to socially distance. Woodcraft is a small camp by design. Ideally, as we determine we have no cases of Covid following the testing protocol, we should be able to relax mask usage overall.
- Any camp or staff member who exhibits symptoms or presents with a temperature of 100.4 degrees or higher will be isolated until the communicable illness can be ruled out.
- Visiting Day: Visiting Day has always taken place during our change over between first and second session for full season campers only. We may be able to continue this tradition safely. If you are a parent of a seven week camper, please stay tuned for information!
In the case of exposure:
We recognize that we cannot create a perfect bubble. In the unlikely event that our testing procedures miss any cases, our daily screening will help us stay on top of any symptoms and changes.
If a camper tests positive at camp, they will be isolated comfortably and monitored until arrangements can be made to return the child home as quickly and safely as possible. In the meantime, we will contact trace at camp and quarantine & test as necessary as regulated by NYS.
In the event of COVID-19 exposure at camp, we will contact all parents while maintaining confidentiality. We will also notify our local board of health.
Departure Days: July 11, July 24, August 8, August 14
- By Car—all departure days: Our car departure window will be between 10am and 12pm.
- By Air—all departure days: Please try to schedule departure flights for 12pm or after. The transportation cost to Albany airport is $125 and to Newark airport $200.
- By Camp Van—July 24 and August 14 only: We will offer camp van transportation to select centralized locations. Exact locations TBD. Please express your interest for camp van transportation home as soon as possible.
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