Club SciKidz MD 2021 Summer Camp
Safety has always been our number one priority. From completing three background checks on our staff and providing them with comprehensive training to developing secure pick-up procedures to having an experienced site director at each location, we understand that providing your child with a fun and educational experience is only part of our responsibility.
When the challenges of COVID appeared last spring, we went to work planning and creating a safe camp environment for children, staff, and families. We used guidance from the CDC and ACA to develop policies and procedures that exceeded state and local guidelines. Starting in July 2020, we successfully and safely ran summer camps at ten different locations throughout Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Howard, and Montgomery counties. Following the policies and procedures we developed, all camps were COVID-free. We applaud all campers, staff, and parents for their cooperation and assistance in making Summer 2020 such a success!
As we head into Summer 2021, once again running safe camps is our priority. No one knows what things will look like by the summer, but our dedication to following our policies and procedures and exceeding state and local guidelines will not change. We will continue with mitigation efforts we adopted such as smaller class sizes, regular disinfecting, social distancing, pre-camp health screenings for staff and campers, contactless drop off & pick up, and our detailed Health & Wellness Policy. Measures such as mask wearing and non-mixing groups will be decided upon as summer gets closer. Check back here often as we will update this page regularly.
Club SciKidz 2020 Summer Camp Policies & Procedures
July 31, 2020 Update:
As of 7/31/2020 at 5pm, Governor Hogan has mandated that all persons, ages 5 & above, must wear masks inside public buildings and outside when social distancing is not possible. Club SciKidz has required all campers and staff to wear masks indoors at all times and outdoors when not 6ft away from others since camp opened on 7/6/2020.
A travel advisory has also been issued. If campers or immediate family members that live in the same household as campers have been to the following states, they need to quarantine for 14 days or test negative before they can attend camp. As of today, this advisory applies to Florida, Texas, Georgia, Louisiana, Arizona, Alabama, South Carolina, Nebraska, and Idaho.
Revised 6/28/2020
This summer more than ever, Club SciKidz MD is committed to providing a fun and educational camp experience in a way that will ensure that campers, staff and families stay safe and healthy. We realize that camp may not be the right choice for every family this year, but we are dedicated to run camp for those who do find it to be the right choice. We have spent the last two months preparing as well as revising our policies and procedures to fit the special circumstances of this summer. We have used the CDC considerations and guidelines along with the ACA's Field Guide for practical implementation of the guidelines.
Due to the structure and nature of Club SciKidz camps, our program lends itself nicely to the considerations and guidelines without too many changes. The biggest differences you will see this year is that "whole camp" activities such as demo, lunch and outdoor activities will be done in classes and the spacing and use of the whole campus will be intentional. While our individual camps are generally on the small size, this year we have capped camps with the maximum of 14 campers (per camp). Another big change is that parents and visitors will not be coming in and out of the building(s). We will do rolling drop off and pick up at all locations every day of the week. And sadly, Family Day will be discontinued this summer.
Another change this summer is that we won't be doing t-shirts. If you have them from past years, you are welcome and encouraged to wear them, but we won't be providing new ones this year. If you purchased extra t-shirts during your registration, you will be refunded. We know you want to know "why". Preparing and handing out t-shirts is a large task that our directors work on all week. This summer, the health checks and documentation, cleaning and disinfecting, and supporting our staff to keep your children safety need to be the number one priority. T-shirts often cause a lot of contact and moving materials from one place to another, which we are trying to avoid. As we were preparing for camp in April and May, we had to make decisions regarding purchasing and ordering when we had no real idea who would end up coming to camp or what camps would be allowed to run. As you know, finances have been tight for everyone. As we planned, we needed to cut some costs, but at the same time we didn't want to affect the integrity of our programs. Eliminating t-shirts were a way to save a little money while keeping the same program you know and love. But don't worry, t-shirts will be back next year 🙂
Following the recommendations of the CDC, we have divided our policies and procedures into four categories. The governor released an updated order (on 6/12/2020) allowing indoor summer camps to begin operations on June 19th. Our guidelines have been revised to meet these guidelines and new allowances. We will keep this page updated and will note revision dates at the top under the title. If you have additional questions, please ask.
For each of the categories, click on the icon to see the policies and procedures in that category.
Preventing Spread
Maintaining Healthy Environments
Maintaining Healthy Operations
Procedures for if Someone Gets Sick
June 5, 2020
Based on the governor's latest update, the differing reopening phases from county to county, and the information we have available, Club SciKidz MD has decided to postpone the start of camps to the week of July 6, 2020. Camps the week of June 15th and June 22nd have been cancelled for all locations.
May 21, 2020- How will Club SciKidz MD be meeting the guidelines for a safe & healthy summer?
This summer more than ever, Club SciKidz MD is committed to providing a fun and educational camp experience in a way that will ensure that campers, staff and families stay safe and healthy. We realize that camp may not be the right choice for every family this year, but we are dedicated to run camp for those who do find it to be the right choice.
We are constantly monitoring state and county phased-openings and related guidelines and using the CDC’s “decision tree” for guidance as we make announcements for opening camp. We will be meeting all of the CDC’s guidelines that were released earlier this week and using the ACA’s Field Guide for Camps to give us specific guidance for implementing CDC guidelines. Per the CDC, we are using the four following categories for our mitigation efforts this summer:
- Preventing the Spread (ex. education when to stay at home; healthy hygiene instruction & recourses; face coverings)
- Maintaining Healthy Environments (ex. adequate supplies of soap, sanitizers, paper towels, etc.; signs & posters promoting healthy hygiene; cleaning & disinfecting according to EPA guidelines; social distancing)
- Maintaining Healthy Operations (ex. small group sizes; limited mixing of groups; health screenings for staff and campers; revised drop off & pick procedures)
- Procedures for if Someone Gets Sick (ex. designated isolated spot of those who have symptoms; procedures for handling possible case; following CDC criteria; informed needed people & departments if someone tests positive)
The above is not an exhaustive list but the foundation for our policies and procedures. We are still waiting to hear from the Maryland Health Department for what their guidelines for youth camps are before we finalize our policies and procedures. We will have all of this information available on our website and we will be sending detailed information, useful resources and additional documents that parents will need before bringing their children to camp.
As you know, things are changing rapidly and now that reopenings have started, new resources and guidelines are coming out daily. We are working as quickly as we can to use these guidelines to shape our policies and procedures, but at the same time do not want to make decisions too hastily or before we have all of the information and standards. We are hoping to have all of the information and guidelines we need so that we can finalize everything by the end of this month, at which time we will share it with parents.
If you have additional questions, please do not hesitate to ask, and thank you very much for your patience during this time.
Andrea & Matt
Club SciKidz MD
April 26, 2020
Dear Parents,
As we heard the birds chirping this morning, saw the colors of newly blooming flowers, and smelled the fresh cut grass, we couldn’t help but reflect on the significance of these seemingly small things. Our earth has an amazing resiliency. Every year, trees and plants are brought to the brink of life to conserve energy to make it through the winter. Destructive events such as volcanoes bring forth new landforms and life. Caterpillars spend up to three weeks vulnerable and defenseless as miraculous changes occur within their cocoon.
This COVID-19 situation has been and will continue to be brutal and scary. It will bring us to the brink, its destructive force will be hard to look past, and it has rendered us vulnerable and defenseless. But like the earth, we are resilient. We will all survive this and become stronger for it.
Although things still seem uncertain, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. The majority of our camps happen after July 4th, over two and a half months away. Schools, childcare, and camps are in Phase 2 of the reopening. As people return to work, they are going to need childcare, and Club SciKidz is dedicated to providing children with a safe, engaging, and fun summer.
We are committed to running our camps and programs this summer. Even if Maryland schools end up closing for the rest of the school year, we will still run our camps as scheduled. Yes, camp will most likely look a little different. Camp enrollment numbers may be reduced, cleaning procedures will be increased, and more stringent health policies and procedures will be in place. We will form our policies and procedures based on guidelines from both state and federal levels. The only reason we would not run camps is if the state/local government would mandate summer camp closures. Should this happen, we would revise our cancellation policy to ensure that never lose the price you paid for camp.
As you know, we changed our cancellation policy deadline to May 1st. In light of the way things are progressing, we are keeping the May 1st deadline. From May 2nd-May 31st a 75% refund (minus the $25 fee per camp) will be given. At any point, you may switch weeks during the summer or take a 100% credit for the following summer without paying a per camp cancellation fee. Remember, you will not lose the amount you paid for camp, even in the worst-case scenario that camps can’t run.
Because camp class sizes may be limited and the demand of needing camps will most likely be greater because some camps will not be running camps as scheduled, we expect our available spots to fill quickly. If you are currently registered, we encourage you to remain registered.
If you are not currently registered, we encourage you to do so sooner rather than later so you can secure your place. We are offering a $25 discount per week of camp for all new camp registration. (Code: CSK25)
As a small business, this time has been very uncertain and trying. We are encouraged by your support and understanding and cannot thank you enough. Every decision we make is through the lens of you as a parent, our customer. You are the most important piece of our business.
We look forward to seeing you all again soon and having another fun summer full of science and technology.
Matt & Andrea
April 25, 2020
Can you believe that it's been a month since our last video message? As the governor shared his Roadmap to Recovery yesterday, we just wanted to take a minute to talk with you again and share our plans for the summer. Please check out our video message below. -Matt & Andrea
March 25, 2020
With all that has been going on, we just wanted to take a minute to thank you for all of your support and to update you on our revised cancellation policy and our current plans for the summer. Please watch our video below. -Matt & Andrea
March 20, 2020
Dear Families,
During the last 23 years, our summer science camps have served thousands of campers each year. Safety Management has always been our top priority and this year we will be adding several more rigorous safety procedures. Our campers and their families have been and will always be our main concern.
We will follow the latest guidelines on health and safety from the Centers for Disease Control, (CDC) and the local departments of health everywhere we operate camps. As we all know our main objective during this crisis is to flatten the curve, and we are committed to making sure we implement the most rigorous staff training protocols to make sure our camp locations are complying with the guidelines and keeping our precious campers and their families safe while having a great time at camp.
At this time we do not foresee any interruptions to our summer camp programs and schedules, but we are working on alternatives just in case, so our campers will not miss out on their summer camp experience.
We understand and empathize with you how difficult it is to be going through these uncertain times, but our Club SciKidz family is here to support you every step of the way. Your family and the love of science is why we are in business and we cannot express how much we appreciate you allowing us to continue to serve you while doing what we love.
We are remaining positive and we are excited to see you this summer while your child enjoys a healthy, safe and FUN camp season!
Please visit our FAQ page and our Blog for additional details about our summer camps and fun activities you can do with your child. Club SciKidz also offers a box subscription service. Our topics range from Veterinarian Medicine to Climate Change. All of our boxes are complete with materials and detailed lessons.
Wishing everyone safety and good health while sending positive energy your way!
Bob and Sue Hagan
Founders, Club SciKidz
