Camp 2020

(email sent 6/4/2020)

Dear Families,

As I shared with you a couple of weeks ago, we were planning to open camp for the 2020 summer.  There are many new regulations that would have to be complied with, as well as programmatic changes that would need to be made.  While we have been working through those, I have been emailing and speaking with many of our families who registered for summer camp.  At this time, it does seem that the majority of our registered families are not comfortable being in the camp setting yet.

As the limited number of children who would be joining us at this time would likely not allow for the social engagement that we believe should be the focus of camp, and in light of the existence of many parent concerns relating to children's health, we have decided that it is the best decision for the children of Gan Shalom to not open camp this summer.  Please know that all camp deposits will be credited to September school tuition.   

We are planning to have all new protocols in place for September, to open school on time, with policies and procedures that will be compliant with Department of Health recommendations and OCFS and NYSED requirements.  We will spend the summer focusing on programmatic and curriculum enhancements, the installation of a security-swipe system on our entrance door, a new fence around our perimeter, and the expansion of our open outdoor space and our nature classroom, to allow for even more learning to occur outdoors this fall.
We appreciate the struggle that many of you have been sharing with me regarding making the commitment to camp this summer.  I know that each of us, as parents, is wrestling with wanting the social experience for our children and simultaneously remaining concerned for the health of our family members.  Please know that I will remain available all summer to answer any questions as to how we are working to achieve this balance for the fall.  
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Thank you,
Rhya