Camp Handbook for Summer 2020
Below is a listing of important topics pertinent to parents. Please review this section thoroughly prior to the start of camp, and feel free to contact us if you have any questions. There is additional information available on our Frequently Asked Questions page. Thank you!
Drop-Off & Pick-Up
Change of Dismissal Plans
Important info. for Sport Track
What to Bring to Camp
Dress Code
Lunch
Personal Property
Safety & Accreditation
Security Procedures
COVID-19 Health and Safety Precautions
Camp Communication
Drop Off: Camp begins everyday at 10:00 AM at 1700 Beechwood Blvd. Drop-Off will be conducted with two ten-minute shifts. Shift 1 will run from 9:45-9:55 and Shift 2 will run from 9:55-10:05. Shifts will be assigned alphabetically:
-
Last Names A-H (including H): Shift 1, 9:45-9:55
-
Last Names I-Z: Shift 2, 9:55-10:05
Drop-Off will be conducted on Forbes Avenue in front of the Chabad House. Please approach the Chabad House from Shady Ave. heading towards Beechwood Blvd. Pull over in front of Chabad. A director will approach your car to take your child’s temperature and conduct the general symptoms check required for COVID-19. When your child has been cleared to attend camp, s/he will join her group and begin the day. Adults should not get out of the car.
Each individual camp group will be assigned one color, and your child will be asked to wear a wristband each day corresponding to their group’s color. This will help staff get your child straight to their designated area. Wristbands will be provided by camp. Upon arrival at camp, your child will either be immediately escorted to their group’s area by their counselor or be asked to wait momentarily in an area designated by a flag of its color. The areas will be set up to keep a large distance between children in different groups.
If all of the spots on Forbes in front of Chabad are taken when you approach, line up in the Forbes driveway of the Yeshiva Girls School (across the street from Chabad). As the spots open up in front of Chabad, circle back around and pull up in front of our building.
We strongly encourage you to drive your children to camp. If you choose to come on foot, please approach from the direction of Beechwood and remain at a distance while we admit your child to camp.
For safety reasons, no parents or visitors other than staff will be allowed on premises.
Please keep your child home from camp for the day if s/he is exhibiting any symptoms of sickness.
End of day pick-up begins at 1:55 PM. Pick-up will be divided into two shifts: Shift 1 from 1:55-2:05 and Shift 2 from 2:05-2:15. The same alphabetical division will apply:
-
Last Names A-H (including H): Shift 1, 1:55-2:05
-
Last Names I-Z: Shift 2, 2:05-2:15
Please make sure to arrive within your shift. We will again be making use of the spots on Forbes in front of Chabad and will use the Yeshiva Girls driveway as a backup waiting area. Children belonging to “indoor” groups will be waiting by their colored flags on the grass in front of Chabad; children belonging to “outdoor” groups will be waiting in their group’s tent. When you pull up, the directors will use walkie-talkies to call your child to your car. If you come on foot, please approach from Beechwood and remain at a safe distance while we send your child to you.
For safety reasons, parents wishing to have their child released to anyone other than themselves or their designated substitute must make prior arrangements with the Camp Director.
If your child’s end of the day arrangement is different from the usual, you must give written notice for the directors via written note, email, or text message before the day starts. Do not leave a phone message. This includes changes in car-pool arrangements, play dates, etc. Please avoid calling camp during the day with changes, unless it is a true emergency. If both parents are out of town, the camp must be informed.
For safety reasons, parents wishing to have their child released to anyone other than themselves or their designated substitute must make prior arrangements with the Camp Director.
Important Info Regarding the Sports Track
Primary Division campers (entering 1st grade and up) have the choice between the Academies Track, in which they will receive daily professional instruction in arts, dance, martial arts, etc., or the Sports Track, in which they will receive daily professional sports instruction. Soccer, Flag Football, and Kickball will be conducted in the Denniston Street field adjacent to Yeshiva Girls School.
IMPORTANT - Basketball Weeks: The Primary Sports group will receive two weeks of basketball instruction: Week 2 (July 6-10) and Week 5 (July 27-31). For these weeks, we will be using a basketball court at Davis Park on Hobart between Murray Ave. and Wightman St.
Drop-Off System for Basketball at Davis Park: Drop-Off will be conducted in a similar fashion as the system at Chabad. Drop-Off will run from 10:00-10:15 AM. If you are dropping off another child at Chabad, please go to Chabad first and then come to the park.
Please approach the park from the direction of Wightman St. and pull over in front of the park. A staff member will be there to conduct the health screening for your child.
The strictest safety precautions will be followed when campers are at the park. There will be one head counselor, counselor, and junior counselor present the entire time, as well as the professional instructor. They will be in constant contact with the camp office. The group will be equipped with first aid supplies. All children will wear our camp emergency bracelet printed with the camp phone number, and will of course be wearing our camp t-shirt.
At 11:40, the group will walk back to Chabad. They will walk up Hobart, turn left on Shady, and turn right on Forbes. They will be provided with water, snacks, and ice pops throughout.
In the case of rain or other extenuating circumstances, our backup location for basketball is in the gym/sanctuary at Yeshiva Boys School, 2100 Wightman Street. Any changes in the drop-off location will be announced to the parents via text message by 9:30 AM.
Please make sure your Sports child uses the bathroom at home before coming to camp.
Clothing: Clothes should be comfortable, washable and appropriate for camp activities. Younger children should have a complete change of clothing, labeled with their name, to be kept at camp.
Shoes: Please make sure your camper has appropriate footwear for each week.
Sunscreen should be applied at home before camp. As all children will be indoors or in tents from 12:00 and on, there will be no need to reapply sunscreen.
Clothing, especially outerwear and camp t-shirts, should be marked with your child’s name.
We will offer two individually packaged snacks during the day and will have an unlimited supply of disposable water bottles available to your child. As a health precaution, we ask you to refrain from sending reusable water bottles to camp.
The wearing of a CGI T-shirt during camp days is mandatory. We provide two free T-shirts for every camper. Additional camp shirts are available for purchase at $10 per shirt. We suggest purchasing an additional 2-3 shirts. To indicate your child's shirt size, and/or order additional shirts, please submit your completed t-shirt form in your camp account. We recommend labeling all of your camp t-shirts with your child’s name.
Other clothing items should be comfortable, washable and appropriate for camp activities. For safety, children must wear appropriate shoes. No slides or flip-flops allowed. Croc-style shoes are not appropriate for athletic activities.
Younger children should have a complete change of clothing to be kept at camp. MARK CLOTHING: Clothing, especially outerwear and camp t-shirts, should be marked with your child’s name.
A fully nutritious lunch will be provided in camp every day, as well as snacks and drinks. All lunches and snacks will be provided in individually-wrapped packaging to avoid the spread of germs. If a counselor needs to help your child, they will do so with gloves or sanitized hands.
This summer’s lunches will follow a simple menu. Daily lunches will include a sandwich, fruits, veggies, and other snacks.
IMPORTANT LUNCH/SNACKS INFO:
All divisions will receive one individually packaged snack in the morning, and Junior Division will receive an additional snack in the afternoon. We will have an unlimited supply of disposable water bottles available to your child. Each child will enjoy an ice pop at dismissal time. Additional snacks and/or ice pops will be provided during the Sports group’s walk back to Chabad from Davis Park.
**While we strongly prefer you stick with the snacks and lunches provided by camp, please discuss with a director if you feel the need to send food with your child due to dietary restrictions, etc.
CGI does not take responsibility for any personal items brought to camp. However, should any items be found during the course of camp, they will be kept in Lost and Found at the camp office.
Personal sports equipment such as baseball bats, hockey sticks, sports balls, etc. will be stored by the counselor and used under staff supervision.
ABSOLUTELY NO illegal substances or weapons of any kind will be allowed on camp grounds. Camp reserves the right to conduct searches if and when we feel necessary.
We ask that cell phones and all electronics remain at home. Please do not send electronics to camp with your child.
CGI is an accredited camp of the Gan Israel Camping Association. As a precaution, all counselors are trained in CPR and First Aid before the first day. This year, all staff will also be trained in social distancing and all COVID-19 protocols. When campers are transported from camp grounds, contact is maintained at all times with the camp office by means of mobile communication.
In case of a medical emergency, parents or guardians and family doctors (as listed on medical forms) will be contacted immediately.
During pre-camp staff training our staff reviews our safety and security procedures. Every counselor will be in constant communication with the main office via walkie-talkies.
Please call the day before if you know your child will not attend camp. We kindly request a phone call or message by 8:30 a.m. if absence is unexpected.
In case of a major emergency, children will remain on campgrounds and will wait for parents to pick them up.
We have hired a security guard to be on site during camp to ensure that all the campers are safe at all times.
COVID-19 Health and Safety Precautions
For an extensive review of all of CGI’s health and safety procedures this summer, please refer to the CGI FC Chabad Health and Safety Protocols 2020 document here. Additionally, an outline of our program’s adaptation to COVID-19 requirements is available here. We will keep our website updated with any new information surrounding our pandemic procedures.
Below is a brief summary of key FAQs regarding our COVID-19 plan:
-
What is the system for grouping campers this summer? We will be keeping group sizes small, capped at 10-12 campers. The Junior Division (4-5 year olds) will be their own group. Primary Division children (ages 6+) will choose between an Academies track, offering professional instruction in various arts and other activities, and a Sports track, with professional sports instruction each day. To reduce exposure, each group will become an isolated unit that remains separate from all other groups.
-
What is the location of CGI this summer? Camp is located at our own facility this year: Chabad of Squirrel Hill, 1700 Beechwood Blvd. We will designate one room for each group’s use. Two groups will be located outside in semi-open tents, one will be in the spacious sanctuary, and the Junior Division will be in a large classroom on the second floor. The Junior Division and Primary Academies groups will spend half the day outside in the grassy playground at Yeshiva Girls School across the street from Chabad. The Primary Sports group will spend half the day at their sports location; most weeks they will be in a field on Denniston St. adjacent to Yeshiva Girls School. During the two weeks of basketball instruction, they will be located at Davis Playground on Hobart between Murray and Shady. All groups will spend the afternoons in their designated areas at Chabad.
-
What is the modified schedule this summer at CGI? We have modified our usual schedule to one that can accommodate this summer’s unique needs. Camp will run from 10 AM to 2 PM. No trips or swimming are scheduled as of now. The Junior Division will enjoy a diverse schedule of counselor-led activities and some professional specials. The Primary Academies group will experience fun counselor-led activities in the mornings and professional arts and “funshops” instruction in the afternoons. The Primary Sports group will receive professional sports instruction in the mornings and fun counselor-led camp activities in the afternoons.
-
What are the social distancing procedures in place for COVID-19? Every bunk will be a self-contained unit isolated from other bunks. All staff members will wear masks throughout the day. All campers and staff will wash or sanitize their hands periodically throughout the day. Tables will be arranged to seat children at a distance from each other. Each group will have one bathroom for its exclusive use. Professional instructors will wash their hands before entering each room, remain masked, and maintain a distance of 6+ ft. from all campers.
-
What sanitation procedures are in place this summer? Upon entering the facility, every camper and staff member will wash or sanitize their hands. Hand washing will take place at key transition times throughout the day. Frequently touched surfaces will be sanitized periodically, and each room will be cleaned and disinfected every night.
Contacts:
Off-Season Camp Administrative Offices: 412-568-3244 (412-LOVE-CGI)
Camp On-Site Telephone Number: 412-421-0546
Emergency Cell Phone: Rabbi Altein: 412-512-8900; Bayla Oster: 412-862-0925
Email: Rabbi Altein: [email protected]; Bayla Oster: [email protected]
Any changes that need to be communicated to parents will be done in two ways:
- A flyer sent home in child's backpack. Please check backpacks daily.
- An e-mail to parents. Please make sure to check e-mail nightly.
- Through our camp text messaging broadcast list. (All parents are automatically added to the list.)
