The following in intended to provide answers to common questions we are asked about our Summer Camp SHARK. Our goal is for your child to be safe at all times and have fun!

Our Contact Information

Our Camp is located at 3232 Hedwig Rd, Rossmoor 90720 and the phone number at camp is (562) 544-7992. Our “Parent Greet” area for sign-in/sign-out is located near the front of the park by parking spots. “Parent Greet” will be near the main walkway and visible to parents. Parking is available around the park and in the neighborhood.

Our Co-Camp Directors this year are Alisha Donahue and Jocelyn Garcia. For at-camp-related matters, please feel free to reach Alisha Donahue via email at info@theyouthcenter.org. This can include questions on trips, activities, concerns, etc.

Our office is located at 10761 Los Alamitos Blvd, Los Alamitos 90720 and the phone number is (562)493-4043 and we are open 8:00am-5:00pm. For matters concerning registration, billing, or your child’s snack account, www.ezschoolapps.com, please feel free to reach us at Info@TheYouthCenter.org.

Snack Shack accounts: www.ezschoolapps.com
First-Aid/Medical

With a written note from a parent, we can keep medications (labeled with the child’s name) at camp in a locked cabinet. While our staff are trained in First Aid and CPR, we are not medical professionals and as such, cannot administer medications; however, we will be happy to remind your child to take their medications. If there is an emergency, (i.e. bee sting or any life-threatening emergency) we can administer a child’s Epi-Pen. We highly recommend parents of children who need medication to drop in at camp and administer it themselves.

On excessively hot days, we can bring children inside the building at camp. We also have canopies set up outside, misters, and a water station available all day. At the water station, we have water spray bottles children can use to cool off and drinking water is always available. We will remind kids to drink plenty of water.

We have designated sunscreen times where we have staff walk the children to put on sunscreen. We recommend aerosol sunscreen as it is the easiest for the staff to help children apply. We can store sunscreen in our sunscreen box, we just ask that you label the sunscreen with your child’s name (first and last) and put tape over it so their name does not wear off.

We have a list of all children with allergies and what they are allergic to posted in our snack shack, it is also listed in their emergency from and on their snack account. We have a medication cabinet should you need to provide medication for allergies.

All staff members are CPR/First Aid certified. They will assess the situation, contact you, and call 911 if necessary.

When you reserve a spot for camp we prepare for your child and there are costs involved, so there are no refunds for unused days…even if your child is sick.

Camp Safety

Staff members are stationed at all perimeters of camp, and we have clearly marked boundaries to keep the children within. Staff is vigilant in watching that no child goes outside of the boundaries, as safety is our first priority.

Our staff members are always on watch for park visitors and if someone comes into the boundaries of camp, we greet them immediately.

If there is an emergency or threat in the area, all children will be brought inside the building at Rossmoor Park and the doors will be locked. Staff will call 911 to report the nature of the emergency. In the event that there is an earthquake, all children will be guided towards designated open areas as instructed by park officials.

We station one male and one female staff outside of the restroom area at all times. After ensuring the restrooms are free from park visitors, staff will wait for the child at the restroom doorway and ensure they return to camp when done. If the restroom is occupied by park visitors, staff will wait for them to vacate the restroom and then permit the child to enter.

We maintain a ratio of 10/1 children/staff. We are only able to maintain this ratio when parents pre-register their child, as staffing needs are made based upon daily camper registrations. This is why we cannot allow drop-in campers.

For their safety, we require all campers to wear closed-toe/tennis shoes. On water days, they can bring flip-flops but they must change back into close-toe/tennis shoes. They can wear a bathing suit under their clothing or bring it with them.

We speak with both the child and parent about the behavior-related issue and log behavioral issues. We have a zero-tolerance policy for bullying, stealing or otherwise hurting another child or staff member and such behavior will result in an immediate expulsion from camp. We will phone the parent immediately to come pick up their child that day, and discuss the nature of the behavior issue along with the actions we will take (warning/suspension or expulsion) from camp, depending upon the severity of the offense. The safety of both children and staff is our number one priority throughout the entire summer.

Sign-In/Sign-Out

All children must be signed-in at the designated desk at camp. When signing a child out for the day, a photo I.D. is required. There are no exceptions. We do this for your child’s safety. No child will be released without a photo I.D. of the person picking them up and we will check the list of people you authorized for pick up when you registered.

If parents have a court order that restricts either one from picking up a child, we must have a copy of that specific Court Order in our office before you child attends camp.

You can call the office to add someone to the pick-up list or you may inform the supervisor at camp and they can make the necessary adjustments to your child’s emergency form.

Basic camp hours are from 9-4, extended camp hours are 7-7. You can drop off your child any time during your designated hours, We do not offer a half day program.

Meals/Snack Shack

From 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. daily, eating lunch is the only activity scheduled. We have a scheduled breakfast, lunch and snack period each day. With your instruction, we can add younger children to our “Daily Lunch Watch List,” where staff will ask them if they have eaten.

If a parent wishes to have lunch with their child at camp, they will need to sign them out. They can have lunch with them (away from other campers), while still within the boundaries. We will not require a background check if the parent(s) of another child give us approval for their child to have lunch with that group.

However….

If the parent plans to have lunch with his/her child and OTHER campers – we would need them to provide us with a background check. We require this for the safety of all our campers. Please allow one week before your visit to have the background check done through our office. The background check fee ranges from $40-$60.

Lunches brought to camp will be kept with your child’s property. No refrigeration space for lunches is available due to our limited refrigerator capacity. We suggest that you provide your child with an icepack or similar cooling means in an insulated lunch bag container.

Field Trips

Unfortunately, parents cannot go on the bus with their child to a field trip. However, parents can follow in their own vehicle and meet their child at their destination. If the parent desires to spend time at the field trip with their child, they must sign their child out of camp with a staff leader. If the parent wants their child to return on the bus with the other children/staff, they’ll need to sign their child back in.

Aides may go on field trips and the bus with the child they are working with. However, the parent must contact our office to a) ensure that there is room on a field trip for the aide and, b) pay for the aide’s field trip fee in advance when they sign their child up for a field trip.

One staff and one volunteer are assigned to a group to up to 12 children. We do group children by age as many venues have age-specific requirements on rides and activities. If you have two children at camp that you want us to group together, the older child will be grouped in the younger child’s group.

We do not separate children by age-groups, but separate children by activities. For example, if older children are playing a field sport, they will be playing with other older children. The same goes for younger children – they will be playing with kids in their age-group.

Some field trips include a meal, some require that your child bring money, while others require a sack lunch. Our parent board will provide you with information weekly as to what to provide for each trip. If the trip requires that your child bring lunch money or for optional souvenir funds, please put the money in a plastic baggie marked with your child’s name and give it to staff when you check your child in that morning. Please do not give it to a camp volunteer.

Yes. All children attending field trips MUST have a camp T-shirt in order for them to attend the trip. This is done for safety reasons.

No. Unfortunately our system does not provide a provision to waitlist children for field trips or other add-on activities.

Miscellaneous

If your child’s primary language is one other than English, we will accommodate them to the best of our abilities. As safety is our first and foremost goal, children must be able to understand and follow our safety rules. If, for any reason, we believe we have having too much difficulty communicating with the child and them with us, we will provide a full refund.

Your child may keep their cell phone with them at camp, however, it cannot be used for playing games or any activity other than receiving or making a call to their parent. We run an “electronics-free” camp all summer.

Staff is not responsible for any property brought to or lost at camp. If your child brings items to camp, such as toys, games, blankets, etc., all items need to be clearly marked with your child’s name. We have racks to store belongings during the day, but we cannot store items overnight.

There are no “drop offs” of children who are not registered for camp by the prior Friday at 3:00 pm preceding the week/day you want your child to attend. Please use our online registration form to register for any additional days or activities prior to the Friday at 3:00pm deadline. Your Child will not be allowed into camp if they are not registered. This is for the safety of your child.