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2010Program info
Overnight Camp
Established in
1935, Agassiz Village camp introduced the beauty of the outdoors to
children from the city of Boston. Our program has expanded to
included participants from all over New England, and offers programs for
ages 8-17, with a special Teen Leadership program for our older campers.
Our camp is located on beautiful Thompson Lake in Poland, Maine. Our facilities allow for campers to experience the outdoors,
with 400 acres of outdoor beauty, full of hiking trails, playing
fields, camp sites, a mile of waterfront on a clean, crystal clear
lake, while still having on-site medical care at our new Health Center and wholesome meals served daily in our extraordinary
Dining Hall. Our participants also come from all walks of life and we
welcome you to learn more about our partnerships with Easter Seals
Massachusetts for campers with physical disabilities, as well as special
sessions for children with autism and other areas that may need special
support. We also offer a sliding scale fee to ensure that everyone
has an opportunity to experience the world of summer camp, and a
financial aid form is available in the application. For more details on daily activities, the Teen Leadership
Program, 2009 dates, and more,
click here for more info
and to register online, or
go right to the
Overnight Camp
application.
Sports Camp & Mass Day Camps: Though Agassiz Village will
no longer be offering these programs, Malden Catholic High School and
Camp Nihan, DCR property in Saugus, MA are continuing the same camps as past summers. You can
learn more about summer 2010 programs for sports such as hockey,
lacrosse, baseball, basketball, tennis, and golf, at
www.allmasscamps.org.
Partnerships
Agassiz Village strives to provide a diverse camping experience. One way we achieve this is through our partnership with Easter Seals of Massachusetts. Our work with this agency allows disabled youngsters the chance to enjoy typical summer camp activities side-by-side with able-bodied campers. We are the only camp in New England that provides this
type of inclusive experience. A special session for campers
with autism is scheduled in August. Contact our office at
781-860-0200 or Colleen Flanagan at Easter Seals directly at
617-226-2635 for more info on all of our special needs programs.
Summer Camp /
Swine Flu Prevention Procedures
Dear Parents and Guardians:
Agassiz
Village serves campers from all over New England. As you probably
know, in Massachusetts more than 1,300 cases of the new H1N1 flu strain
(“swine flu”) have been confirmed, and most have been mild. In Maine,
swine flu has just arrived and that State of Maine is taking strong
precautions to try to control its spread.
Any
flu virus can cause serious illness, so we are working very closely with
local and state health officials to try to prevent the spread of the flu
as well, and to respond quickly and appropriately in the event that
campers or staff become ill with flu-like symptoms. We will follow
the Department of Public Health’s recommended guidelines and will
monitor its website for updates. Our staff have been trained in our
comprehensive flu prevention plan, which includes:
-
Written
protocols and supplies to encourage frequent hand washing, with
particular attention given to snack and meal breaks.
-
Teaching
hand-washing techniques and “cough etiquette” as part of camper
orientation.
-
Posters
visible at every camp to communicate prevention tips.
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Being on the
alert for symptoms, with particular attention given to campers with
other health issues that put them at increased risk for H1N1.
-
Mandatory
confinement (at home or if camper arrives at camp with flu like
symptoms, then confinement at camp) for 7 days after symptoms start or
24 hours after symptoms have subsided – whichever period is longer.*
-
Mandatory
confinement at home for any staff member with flu-like symptoms.
-
Notification
to parents if there is a confirmed case of H1N1 at camp.
*Please
do not send your child to camp with flu like symptoms, as he or she will
not be able to participate in activities for 7 days or 24 hours after
symptoms have subsided, whichever period is longer. This is
important for all programs, especially our Overnight Camp program, as
your child may be sent home or confined during their session until the
requirements to return to programs is met or until we can reach your
family to provide transportation home.
We will
do what we can to work with you on re-scheduling your session if
possible, or consider a refund. Please assist Agassiz Village in
assisting all campers and staff to stay healthy.
We need your
help in taking an active role in flu prevention:
-
Teach
children to wash their hands often with soap and water, and consider
placing a small bottle of hand sanitizer in their backpack that they
can use if a sink is not readily available.
-
Teach
children to cough into their inner elbow or into a tissue, instead of
their hands.
-
Please
make sure that your children do not have signs of the flu (a fever
with cough, sore throat or runny nose) before sending them to camp.
If they have symptoms, please keep them home for 7 days after symptoms
start, or 24 hours after symptoms go away – whichever is longer.
-
At Overnight
Camp registration/check in day, Agassiz Village staff will review the
flu like symptoms with you and your child to ensure that your child is
beginning their overnight adventure away from home on a healthy note.
We hope these
prevention measures will allow us to avoid any significant incidence of
the flu at summer camp. However, our top priority is the health and
safety of the campers, so in the event that there are significant
numbers of campers or staff with flu-like symptoms, we will consult with
the camp’s medical consultant and Department of Public Health officials
to determine the best course of action. If the decision is made to close
the camp temporarily, details will be communicated to parents and
guardians immediately.
We appreciate
your continued cooperation and support as we work together to reduce the
spread of the flu in our communities. The following is additional
information provided by the American Camp Association:
Camp’s Open: ACA Offers Information to Parents on H1N1
Video Addressing Parent Concerns Posted Online
Indianapolis, IN (June 25, 2009) – As parents look to
make a smooth transition from the school year to summer camp season,
many have been asking questions this summer regarding H1N1 and camp.
American Camp Association® (ACA) chief executive officer Peg Smith
addresses concerns and encourages families to work with their individual
camp directors on specific questions in a short parent video released
yesterday.
ACA has been working closely
with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the
Association of Camp Nurses (ACN) since early April to monitor H1N1 and
provide up-to-date information and guidelines to camps. ACA has also
been in regular contact with camp directors around the country; these
conversations point to a very clear consensus – camps have stepped up
their already-tight screening procedures and health programs. The vast
majority of camps are open and operating on their regular schedules.
Camp’s Open: ACA Offers Information to Parents on H1N1
Video Addressing Parent Concerns Posted Online
Indianapolis, IN (June 25, 2009) – As parents look to
make a smooth transition from the school year to summer camp season,
many have been asking questions this summer regarding H1N1 and camp.
American Camp Association® (ACA) chief executive officer Peg Smith
addresses concerns and encourages families to work with their individual
camp directors on specific questions in a short parent video released
yesterday.
ACA has been working closely
with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the
Association of Camp Nurses (ACN) since early April to monitor H1N1 and
provide up-to-date information and guidelines to camps. ACA has also
been in regular contact with camp directors around the country; these
conversations point to a very clear consensus – camps have stepped up
their already-tight screening procedures and health programs. The vast
majority of camps are open and operating on their regular schedules.
“Camps are taking aggressive steps to ensure that they
are fully prepared for any H1N1 issues, while at the same time,
continuing to provide the opportunity to get outside, play, gain
self-confidence, make lasting friends, and develop skills,” said Peg
Smith. “It’s important for parents to know that it is safe and
beneficial to send their children to camp.”
ACA’s parent video responds to
some of the most commonly-asked parent questions about camp and H1N1.
The video is available on ACA’s parent resource site at
http://www.campparents.org/questions_regarding_H1N1.php,
and on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter. For additional H1N1 information,
parents can visit
www.CampParents.org or send
questions via e-mail to
parents@ACACamps.org. Parents
are encouraged to contact individual camp directors with specific
questions regarding camp policy and procedures.
For more information on the benefits of camp,
preparing for camp, preventative H1N1 measures, and to schedule an
interview with Peg Smith, please contact Public Relations at
765-349-3317 or
pr@ACAcamps.org.
About ACA
The American Camp Association® (ACA) works to preserve, promote, and
enhance the camp experience for children and adults. ACA-Accredited®
camp programs ensure that children are provided with a diversity of
educational and developmentally challenging learning opportunities.
There are over 2,400 ACA-accredited camps that meet up to 300 health and
safety standards. For more information, visit
www.ACAcamps.org.
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