The following information is based on parent feedback and the advice from our medical and compliance experts. We will be updating this page with more details as we continue to develop the plan.
Our goal is to provide a framework that protects the health and safety of our campers and staff, within which we will do all we can to deliver the fun Camp Gan Israel experience that our campers love.
Camp will run from 10 AM to 2 PM. Drop off and pick up will be at Chabad, 1700 Beechwood Blvd. In the morning, we will use the large playground area of the Yeshiva Girls School for outdoor playtime and activities. We will then return to Chabad for lunch, crafts, and instructor-led Academies. This arrangement allows us to walk between sites, avoiding the necessity of busing. Lunch will be provided in pre-packaged individual bags.
The setup at Chabad will be as follows: The Junior Division (children entering PreK and Kindergarten) will be located in a spacious classroom on the second floor of the building. The Primary Division will be divided into four smaller groups, placing two groups outside in tents, one group in the very large sanctuary, and the final group in the large social hall. Each group will have one bathroom designated for its exclusive use. As stated in our previous letter, each group will remain self-contained the entire day and will not mix with the other groups. Enrollment capacity will be capped in order to maintain small groups.
Primary Division campers can choose to participate either in the Sports track or in a blend of Arts and Funshops, with smaller groups within each track. These campers will receive instruction similar to the Academies program of a regular year at camp.
The Sports track will run as follows: For some of the weeks, we will be making use of a sizable field adjacent to Yeshiva Girls School’s property and owned by the school. There may be some weeks in which this field is not feasible (e.g. for basketball); we are still working on a plan for these weeks. We are hoping to avoid busing, but we may have no choice. We will keep you updated in a timely, organized fashion if we decide to use busing for some weeks within the Sports program. The CDC has issued guidelines for safe and socially distant busing practices, and we plan to follow them strictly, if the need arises.
We would like to reiterate that Primary Division campers who do not select the Sports track will stay exclusively at Chabad and Yeshiva Girls School. They will be provided with top-notch Art and Funshops experiences on site.
Other than staff and instructors, no visitors or parents will be allowed on premises.
In accordance with the Governor’s guidance for PA summer camps, all staff will be wearing cloth face masks throughout the day. The PA government does not require children to wear masks in camp. We will arrange our rooms to enable the children to sit at a distance from each other. Activities will be planned so as to maintain minimal contact and maximum social distancing realistic to expect of children. Additionally, summer camps are required to post a detailed document outlining our procedures for hand-washing, social distancing, equipment sanitation, etc. We will send this out and post it online before camp. We will also create an Emergency Plan outlining our actions should a member of camp be exposed to COVID-19.
Upon arrival at camp, campers will be screened for possible symptoms of COVID-19. The screening process includes three steps: temperature checks, asking parents for any signs of symptoms, and a general check of the child’s appearance. Children with a temperature over 100.4° or with other symptoms of illness will be asked to remain at home. We cannot stress enough: If your child is even slightly under the weather, please keep them home for the day. Closer to camp, we will send an update regarding our drop-off and pick-up system that efficiently allows for social distancing and proper screening practices.
This year camp will be using only local staff members. We have put together a great group of local quality staff members, with the warmth, caring and professionalism you have come to expect at Camp Gan Izzy.
Finally, the nature of the pandemic and its effects are ever-evolving. We acknowledge that should the guidelines in Allegheny County change, the above information may change as well.
We believe it is of primary importance to face these circumstances as a united team of parents and staff. If you have any further questions or feedback, please do not hesitate to reach out to us via email, text, or phone call!
