Day Camp Policies

Summer Better Than Others Policies

COVID-19/Infectious Disease Related Policies

Due to the presence of COVID-19 and other communicable diseases including but not limited to MRSA, and influenza, SOUYP reserves the right to implement appropriate steps when necessary to help reduce the risk of exposure and transmission for all staff, instructors, students, and their families. These steps might include (but not be limited to): maintaining adequate social distancing; frequent hand washing, hygiene, and sanitation measures; not sharing materials, equipment, and spaces; providing and wearing any requested PPE; and moving activities outdoors when possible. By registering, students and their families agree to comply with whatever additional health and safety measures are being requested by SOUYP at the time of their class(es).

Registration

Registration closes when the class has met maximum enrollment or the Thursday prior to class start date at the very latest. Beyond this point, no additional students can be added to classes, and registration is non-transferrable.

If a class has not met it's minimum enrollment, a determination about cancellation may be made as early as a week prior to class to give parents ample notice of potential cancellation. All effected families will be contacted as early as possible and given the option of transferring to another class with available spaces.

Registration is limited to the classes designated to students’ age.

Students may only attend the class(es) they are registered for. No unregistered visitors are allowed in SBTO classrooms for any reason.

All students must have all required signed consent and release forms signed and on file prior to the beginning of class.

Tuition Assistance

Assistance is limited and entirely based on financial need. Tuition assistance awards are limited to one class per student per summer and can cover up to 50% of tuition. If your family is in need of tuition assistance, you may apply through our registration system which allows you to check that as a payment option on the checkout page, or contact our office for a form. Tuition assistance requests must be received by at least two weeks prior to the start date for the class. Once tuition assistance is approved, families have one week to pay the remaining balance, or student’s spot will not be held.

What about Lunch? 

Classes longer than 4 hours in length: will provide a supervised break for students to eat their sack lunches they brought from home.

Classes less that 4 hours in length: will not provide a supervised lunch break, but will build in time for students to consume a small snack and water that students bring with them from home.

No food is available for purchase on site, and no food is provided by SOUYP unless specifically noted in your class information as part of a class activity.

Families of students registered for multiple classes with breaks in between are responsible for making lunch and supervision arrangments for during those breaks. SOUYP cannot offer supervision outside of scheduled class hours.

Attendance

Attendance will be taken at the beginning of every SBTO class and parents/guardians will be notified of any unexplained absence by phone. 

All children are expected to be picked up by a parent or authorized guardian in their class space at the end of class, unless prior written authorization has been given.

Parents wishing to give their children permission to walk or bike home from the program must put this permission in writing during the online registration process. Students responsible for walking or biking home on their own will be dismissed to do so at the end of the class when pick up begins, any request for earlier dismissals must be put in writing and sent with the student to be given to the instructor on the day of the request, or must pick up that student in person. Without a signed note or parent present, instructors cannot allow students to leave class early.

SOU Youth Programs is unable to offer transportation for students.

Late Pick Up/ Early Arrival

SBTO cannot provide supervision before or after published class times.

There is no supervision offered for early arrivals, students will have access to their classroom no more than 10 minutes prior to the listed class time.

All children are expected to be picked up by a parent or authorized guardian at their class space at the end of class, unless permission to leave on their own has been provided.

Children awaiting pick-up for more than 10 minutes past class dismissal for late parent arrival may need to be transferred to the on-site facilitator for supervision, and must be picked up from the programs office. Late arrivals for pick-up may necessitate a call to parent/guardians and or the emergency contacts. Ongoing disregard for the designated arrival and pick-up times may jeopardize the student's continued enrollment in the program.

Refund and Cancellation Policy 

We understand that unexpected things come up and sometimes changes need to be made.

In the event a family needs to make a change to their student’s registration one week or more before the start date:

• Families canceling a registration more than one week prior to the start date will receive a full refund minus our $50 non-refundable deposit. 
  
• Or, if you prefer, your entire paid balance (including the $50 deposit) can be transferred to any other suitable and available SBTO class.
• In the event that SOU YP must preemptively cancel a class more than one week prior to the start date, families will receive full refund including their $50 non-refundable deposit.

Less than one week prior to the start date:

• Cancellation of any registration less than one week prior to the start date, but before the first day of class, will receive a refund of half the paid balance minus the $50 non-refundable deposit. 
  
• We will do our best to accommodate (where possible) any requests for a transfer to another class. There will be a $25 transfer fee if the timing of this request is less than one week out from the first day of class. Since classes vary in pricing, any remaining balance must be paid at the time of transfer in order to complete your student's registration for the new class.
• In the event that SOU YP must preemptively cancel a class less than one week prior to the start date, families will receive a full refund including their $50 non-refundable deposit.

After start date:

• Sadly, SBTO is not able to accommodate any requests for a transfer after the start date of a class.
• Cancellations after the start date of a class will not receive a refund. Nor can we offer a refund or credit for late, non-arrival, or early withdrawal after the start date of any class 
  
• SBTO reserves the right to provide a short term substitute instructor and activity in the rare event of a short notice unforeseen instructor absence, in order to avoid last minute cancellation for families  

Should a family need to appeal any retention of funds due to extraordinary circumstances, they should contact our offices at grinl@sou.edu or 541-552-6452 for resolution. Rest assured that SOU YP will act in good faith to accommodate transfers, credits, and refunds to the best of our ability should extraordinary circumstances occur. 

Information about your child

Undisclosed needs cannot be anticipated or accommodated, and could interfere with your child's ability to participate in class. As part of the registration process, we will ask you to share more about your student so we can be prepared to reasonably support them. During online registration, there is a section that asks for “anything we should know about your child”, please use this space to let us know how we can best support your child so they have a successful experience. Parent/guardians registering their children bear the responsibility for enrolling those students in activities suited to their students’ abilities and needs. If you have any questions or concerns, please get in touch with us at 541-552-6390 or grinl@sou.edu before registering your student.

Snacks, Lunch, and Water 

Parents should send a snack and water bottle with their students to all classes of any length.

Students enrolled in classes longer than 4 hours in length should bring a sack lunch to consume during a supervised lunch break that will be built into their scheduled class time. The instructor designates times for lunch break times for classes scheduled to meet for longer than four continuous hours per day. No built-in lunch break will be provided for classes less than four hours in length.

SOU YP does not provide food or beverages, and no food is made available for purchase. Limited emergency snacks for those experiencing extreme hunger or low blood sugar may be provided to students in need. Please discuss with your student whether it is safe for them to ingest offered foods in this situation, as emergency snacks cannot be guaranteed free of all potential allergens. 

Families of students registered for classes with breaks in between are responsible for making lunch and supervision arrangments during those breaks.

We do not reccomend our culinary camps or camps with food-based activities for students with food sensitivities, food allergies, or dietary restrictions. In all our classes, our students are responsible for monitoring their own intake and proximity to allergens and refusing a potentially hazardous offered foods. It is extremely rare that planned food-based class activities (such as a cooking project in our culinary camp) can be altered to accomodate specific allergies and dietary restrictions. So we advise families not to register for  classes counting on altered separate portions for an individual students, or on sending custom ingredients to substitute (as this is not permitted under safe food handling restrictions). 

Photo Release

By participating in SOU Youth Programs, you grant permission for SOU Youth Programs and Foundation to use your child’s photograph and/or video likeness solely for the purpose of printed, televised, and/or online promotional materials and publications. You waive any rights of compensation or ownership thereto, and you acknowledge SOU Youth Programs/Ashland Schools Foundation's right to crop or treat images or video. You also grant permission for outside organizations (new media, partner organizations, etc.) to use your child’s photograph and/or video likeness solely for the purpose of printed, televised, and/or online promotional materials and publications. You also acknowledge that SOU Youth Programs may choose not to use your child’s photograph at this time, but may do so at its own discretion at a later date.

Rare exceptions to this policy may be made only when a child’s safety is at risk. If this is the case, you must contact our office to make arrangements to accommodate this request before registering your child. 541-552-6390 or grinl@sou.edu.

Code of Conduct

SBTO adheres to the conduct policy of: Be Safe, Be Respectful, Be Responsible. Students in violation of the code of conduct will be removed from class and may be asked to leave the program.

Students are expected to participate in class activities and follow instructions. Students are expected to remain visible to adults at all times, and to stay in designated class locations. Students are expected to contribute in a respectful and positive way, and to respond to redirection. Students are expected to have the ability to self-regulate, be re-directed, and to contribute in collaborative situations in a safe and positive way. Students are expected to exercise personal responsibility and respect in use of all equipment, spaces, and supplies provided. Parents/guardians will be held financially responsible for damage to equipment, spaces, and supplies by their students.

Parents are expected to communicate important information to SBTO staff. Parent/guardians registering students bear the responsibility for enrolling students in appropriate activities and learning situations that suit their students’ abilities and needs. Parents unsure of the suitability of a class, or what activities might entail, are encouraged to contact our office for clarification prior to registering their student. Parents are expected to respond to attempts to communicate in a timely manner. Parents are expected to familiarize themselves with SBTO policies and procedures and to make sure their children are equipped to succeed in their classes by adhering to those policies and procedures. Parents are expected to assist their children in adhering to guidelines on activity-appropriate dress, toys, use of personal electronic devices, attendance, pick up, etc. Parents are expected to be timely with arrival and pick-up, and to respond promptly to any request to pick up sick, injured, or students behaving inappropriately.

Sick Policy (Medical Release/Consent to Treat)

A child who is sick will not be able to participate fully, and may spread illness to other children and staff. Parents should not send children to classes and camps who have had a fever or displayed any symptoms of illness during 24 hours prior to class times. Any child exhibiting any of these symptoms during an SBTO class will be removed to the office and parents will be contacted for immediate pick-up or transfer to a medical facility. Parents should be prepared to transport ill or injured students if needed. SBTO staff are not authorized to transport ill or injured children, and will need to call emergency services to offer transport to students whose parents are unable to respond promptly. All costs resulting from an emergency transport request and subsequent treatment will be the responsibility of the parent/guardians.

Any child suffering an injury (such as broken bones, injury to head or back, or sprains, etc.) should not participate in SBTO classes until cleared by a doctor (written proof may be required) and recieve permission from the program director to do so. Participation without notification of prior injury, and without doctor clearance, will result in the student being asked to leave the program. 

Emergency Notification

In the event that a child becomes ill or is injured while participating in an SBTO class, the staff will attempt to notify the parent/guardian by telephone. If we are unable to contact a parent/guardian, we will call the emergency contacts listed on the registration form in order. Parents/Emergency contacts are expected to respond to notification by arriving for pick up as swiftly as possible. SOU YP staff will monitor the child until a parent/guardian or emergency contact arrive to pick up the child, but please note that SBTO staff are not medically trained, and cannot provide medical care or assessment. If the need seems dire, staff may call for emergency transport to the nearest medical facility, and all costs resulting from that transport request and subsequent treatment will be the responsibility of the parent/guardians. The parent/guardian agrees and acknowledges that the SBTO staff has permission to administer first aid or to obtain emergency medical treatment in the child's best interest at the discretion of SBTO staff. Parents/guardians agree to be financially liable for all medical transport and treatment deemed necessary by SBTO staff.

Visitors

No visitors or drop-in students are allowed in SBTO classrooms. Anyone over the age of 18 is required to pass an SOU-verified criminal history background check to be present in an SBTO classroom. Unregistered guests, friends, parent/guardians, siblings, and other adults are not allowed for any reason in SBTO classes without express permission of the program director and the appropriate forms on file at least one week prior to the start date of the class.

Electronic Devices

No use of personal electronic devices by students will be allowed in SBTO classrooms. Parents wishing to communicate with their students will be expected to do so through the program coordinators and our office, not through student cell phones. Students should address any need to communicate with their parent/guardians/emergency contacts during class time to their instructor, and they will be assisted in doing so in accordance with this policy. Personal electronic devices may be collected by staff and held until they can be conveyed to parents/guardians if participants are using them during class times. Students violating this rule by texting, making video or audio recordings, taking photographs of themselves or others, or otherwise using a personal electronic device during class may be asked to leave the program.

Loss/Damage

No pets, toys, or valuable items should come to class with students. SOU Youth Programs is not responsible for loss or damage to personal items brought by students. Students should dress in attire appropriate for the activities they are registered for, including but not limited to: comfortable active shoes, weather-appropriate clothing, clothing that can be stained or damaged, etc.

Internet Use

We follow SOU Youth Programs Technology Use Guidelines. Students are responsible for good behavior on SOU computer networks just as they are in a classroom. Communications on the network are often public in nature. General program rules for behavior and communication apply to online conduct. Individual users of computer networks are responsible for their behavior and communications over those networks.  It is presumed that users will comply with appropriate behavioral standards and the code of conduct.  Beyond the clarification of such standards, SOU Youth Programs is not responsible for restricting, monitoring or controlling the communications of individuals utilizing the network. Within reason, freedom of speech and access to information will be honored. Violations may result in a loss of access.

The following are not permitted, violation will result in loss of access:

• Sending or displaying offensive messages or pictures e.g.: sexual, drug, violence or alcohol related messages
• Harassing, insulting or attacking others
• Damaging computers, computer systems, or computer networks
• Violating copyright laws
• Using another’s password
• Trespassing in another’s folders, work, or files
• Intentionally wasting limited resources
• Employing the network for commercial purposes
• Undisclosed and unauthorized recording of audio, video, or images

Parent/Guardians should be aware that SOU computers are designed to primarily be a resource for adults, and therefore do not have the kind of filters in place that students might be used to experiencing at their other schools or at home. Please review the computer use policy with your student prior to class, and discuss the importance of authorized use of computers for safe and class-appropriate content only. Be aware that student access to online searches on SOU computers may be limited, and should be conducted only under the supervision of their instructor and when directed to do so as part of a class activity.

Activities Involving Risk

By registering for camps, parents and students acknowledge that activities include inherent risks. A signed release waiver must be on file with SOU Youth Programs before participants can engage in activities. Classes occurring in certain locations on and off campus may require an additional waiver specific to that space. By registering for classes and camps with activities, parents and students acknowledge that they recognize that there are risks, hazards, and dangers in participating in activities that could result in injury.  All students will be expected to follow all activity instructions and to minimize risks. Students agree to comply with all safety guidelines including (but not limited to): properly wearing safety equipment, participating in training and adhering to all instructions given, conducting themselves with awareness of their own safety and the safety of others, participating in the activity only during designated and approved times, engaging with equipment and spaces in a safe and conscientious manner, and reporting an injury or condition that would hinder proper execution and potentially endanger themselves or others, refraining from further participation in the activity if asked to by SOU Youth Programs staff or instructors, or any other SOU staff, immediately reporting any injury or circumstance that might impact their safe participation. Any students not following instructions or behaving in a way that puts themselves or others at risk, may be asked to not participate in activities.

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