The following policies are established to provide a healthy, safe, and fun environment for all campers and staff. Please review these with your camper before they arrive at camp.
PERSONAL BELONGINGS
Please label any and all belongings! Camp cannot be responsible for lost or stolen items. Campers and staff are encouraged to use the "What to Bring to Camp" checklist and not bring valuables. Lost and found items will be held for 30 days after camp and then donated to charity.
ELECTRONIC DEVICES
All campers and staff are asked to leave all electronics (iPods, kindles, cell phones, etc) at home, with the exception of digital cameras. Our reason for this policy is two fold: 1 - the cabins do not have the outlets or capacity to support individual electronics, and 2 - these items create a distraction from the natural environment in which we live and the community we build each week. We know that because our campers will be “unplugged” they will be more available to experience all that Green Mountain Camp has to offer.
PHONE CALLS
Our telephone is for camp business only. Campers are only allowed use with the permission of the Director. The use of the telephone when a camper is homesick is also discouraged as this can worsen the condition. If there is an emergency or if the child is homesick for an unusually long period of time the Director will call the camper's Emergency Contact person. Parents or guardians who are concerned about their child may call and speak with the Director at any time. We check messages once in the morning and once in the evening. Check our Facebook page for frequent updates and photos during the week.
HOMESICKNESS
Every effort is made to help campers feel safe and welcomed at camp. Staff receives training on techniques to prevent and respond to homesickness. Very few campers actually need to leave camp due to this. However, if a camper is inconsolable parents/guardians will be notified and consulted about how they would like to proceed. Camp is unable to keep children who are unwilling to stay. Please be advised that you may need to come to camp to pick up your child in these rare circumstances.
MEDICATIONS
All medications (prescription and over-the-counter) must be given to the camp medical personnel upon registration, with written instructions for use. All medications must be in their original containers. No campers or staff will be permitted to keep personal supplies of medication in their cabin (or on their person) with the exception of asthma inhalers.
CAMPER CANCELLATION AND REFUNDS
Cancellation and refund requests must be submitted in writing by e-mailing office@greenmountaincamp.org
Cancellations received at least 30 days prior to a program start date will receive a full refund, minus the non-refundable deposit of $100.
Cancellations received at least 7 days prior to a program start date will receive a 50% refund (the non-refundable deposit of $100 is included in the 50% of fees that camp will retain).
For cancellations received within 6 days of the program start date or after the program has begun, camp will retain 100% of the program fees and no refunds will be provided except due to medical reasons.
Cancellations due to medical reasons may be refunded, minus the non-refundable deposit of $100. Requests for cancellation due to medical reasons must be made by August 30, 2024 and include a doctor’s note.
Refunds will not be made for the following: No shows, late arrival, early departure, or partial program attendance. Campers who violate camp policies and are dismissed early.
While program cancellations are uncommon, if GMC finds it necessary to cancel a program, a full refund will be issued to registered participants.
BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT
Camp staff provides a positive and supportive atmosphere for children to learn and grow. At no time will staff use punitive or corporal punishment to enforce camp policies. In order to maintain a healthy environment for all campers, the following guidelines are established to help redirect behavior which appears unsafe (to the camper's self or others), inappropriate, or is adversely affecting the experience of others: · All campers will be informed of camp rules and expectations at the beginning of each session. Campers will be reminded of these rules and expectations as needed throughout their stay at camp. Staff will consciously help foster a community of care and respect.
RELEASE OF CAMPERS
Campers will only be released to the custody of the parents or guardians who are listed on the campers registration form. Release of campers to any other person must be specified in writing when the camper arrives at camp. The Director, before pick up day, must approve any change from this procedure.
REPORTING SUSPECTED ABUSE
By law, all camp staff is required to report any suspicions or disclosures of abuse or neglect to the appropriate authorities. Counselors receive training in the warning signs of abuse/neglect and will communicate any concerns to the Director.
WHAT IF MY CHILD HAS HEAD LICE?
It happens in the best of families and even at the most meticulous camps — even ours! But you can help! How to Prevent Head Lice: Preventing head lice is not an easy task when you consider just how contagious this condition is. Tiny insects known as lice live on the scalp, and feed on small amounts of human blood. These insects lay tiny eggs called nits in the shaft of the hair. One of the best ways to prevent an infestation of head lice is early detection and being aware of the potential for lice.
Head Lice Control: One of the most common misconceptions about head lice is that you prevent an outbreak if you just wash your hair on a regular basis. Head lice are spread from clothing such as hats and coats, and from contact with affected individuals. It can be very difficult to prevent your child from experiencing an outbreak of head lice. Unfortunately, head lice are highly contagious, affecting millions of people every year. Children from the ages of three to ten are most often infected with head lice due to their close proximity to one another. How is it detected? One of the most common ways of detecting head lice is through regular inspections. And that’s why your camper will have a head check their first day at camp, and any time that we see a camper itching their head in an obsessive way. We take head lice seriously and will do everything in our power to prevent an outbreak at camp. We’ll need your help so that we work as a team! If head lice is found at the drop off time, your camper will be sent home for treatment. Your camper may not come back to camp unless she has been successfully treated and you and we have checked for any remaining nits. We will check all campers heads daily if there is an outbreak and call emergency numbers for camper pick up if an active case of head lice is found.
WHAT IF MY CAMPER GETS SICK?
If your camper becomes sick at camp we will call the contact(s) listed on the camp form. It's important that there is an available contact who can pick up your camper should they become sick.
MAIL
Getting mail at camp is a wonderful reminder to your camper that they are loved and missed at home. Many families enjoy sending a card in advance of their camper leaving home so that one is waiting for them their first full day at camp. Unfortunately we are usually unable to forward mail that arrives after a camper has left. Please allow two days for local delivery and more for mail that comes from outside the Brattleboro area. Please do not send packages containing food, candy, or gum. A staff member will sit with a camper while they open any packages that arrive and will safely lock up anything listed on the “do not bring to camp” list.
Please send mail to:
Your Camper
Green Mountain Camp for Girls
565 Green Mountain Camp Road
Dummerston, VT 05301