Each session is filled with a wide variety of activities, including crafts, outdoor education, sports, cooperative games, and special activity days. Camp Fair Oaks will have a Dress-Up day every Friday.

GROUP ACTIVITIES

Groups will be divided by age (6-8 & 9-11) for specific activities.  Groups will interact all together for times like free play, snack, lunch, special guests, etc.

Special group requests may or may not be approved.

GENERAL CAMP FAIR OAKS PROCEDURES

SIGNING IN & OUT

• All children must be signed in and out of Camp Fair Oaks (CFO), each day, by a parent or legal guardian.
• Sign-in & out will be completed via Brightwheel on a tablet or district issued phone.
• Children will only be released to those individuals who are listed and authorized on the child’s Brightwheel by the child’s parent or legal guardian. Parents/Guardians must indicate on the Brightwheel form all those individuals who will be authorized to pick up children. For your protection, we will be unable to release a child to an unauthorized individual.
• All persons picking up children must bring identification in with them at time of sign out. Must be 18+.
• For adequate preparation time in the mornings, please do not drop off your children before 7:30 a.m. Parents or guardians who pick up their children after the end of the enrolled program time will be charged $1.00 for every minute they are late (to cover the expense of staff overtime).

LUNCHES & SNACKS

Snack and food items will no longer be provided to children.

• CFO requires that each child bring a lunch and snack daily to CFO. We have AM/PM snack periods each day and lunch.
  • Refrigerated lunch storage is not available, so we kindly ask that you do not send egg- or mayonnaise-based (perishable) products.
  • Staff are not able to re-heat or cook meals for campers.
• CFO is a “NUT FREE” program. Please do not send your child with peanut or nut-based products. If you have any other allergy-related food concerns, please contact the Camp Director.

COMMON QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

• What happens if it rains…or if it’s hot?  We hold CFO rain or shine, hot or cold! Our staff is well prepared and will adapt activities to rain, sunshine, and extremely hot/cold situations.
• What should my child wear/bring? CFO is an active and creativeprogram, so make sure your child is dressed appropriately.
  • It is important that your child is dressed to play!
  • Closed-toe shoes are required, no sandals! NOTE: Any child wearing sandals will not be allowed to participate in games and will be asked to call his/her parent for appropriate footwear.
  • Send your child with sunscreen and water every day! CFO will not supply these items for the children; however, water will be kept on hand for refilling water bottles.
  • A positive attitude!  We will all have fun if each child comes with a smile on their face ready to have a good time.
• What if I’m late picking my child up? The definition of a “late pick-up” is any child/children who have not been picked up from CFO by the scheduled pick-up time of your registration. Please be considerate of our staff by picking up your child promptly when childcare ends each day.

• If an emergency arises that will cause you to be late picking up your child, please contact CFO staff at least a half an hour prior to the end of the day (765-8422).
• Parents or guardians who pick up their children after the end of the enrolled program time will be charged $1.00 for every minute they are late (to cover the expense of staff overtime). If the parent or guardian is one (1) hour late, staff are required to call the police.

PARTICIPANT CONDUCT

POSITIVE BEHAVIOR

• CFO is designed to be an active and creative program and participation is mandatory. CFO is more fun when children fully participate in all of the daily activities. We have planned for children to participate in the activities and do not have staff to watch those who choose not to participate in the group activities. If a child consistently chooses not to participate, staff will discuss with parents whether future participation at CFO is mutually beneficial. 
• All children are expected to follow the rules of the program. Staff reviews all rules thoroughly on the first day of each week and answers any questions the children may have.
• We seek to focus child’s behavior through positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement and redirection will be used whenever possible, although “breaks” may be used occasionally if reinforcement and redirection fails to produce desired behavior.

DISCIPLINE PROCEDURES

• CFO Staff will use a direct, positive approach regarding discipline. The purpose is to help the child develop self-control and learn to assume responsibility for his/her actions. We use positive statements and reinforcements to redirect negative behavior.
• CFO staff will discipline each child as necessary and keep the parents informed. We encourage parents to be proactive when signing out children each day and to make time to communicate with staff on daily positives or negatives that occurred with their child.

“Three Strikes” Policy

Children can receive up to three (3) strikes in one summer. The strikes and consequences are detailed below. We encourage parents to review this with their child prior to the start of CFO.

• First, children will receive a verbal warning.
• If the undesired behavior continues, your child will begin to receive strikes.

First Strike: Child will be issued a 10 minute break, followed by a behavior report.

Second Strike: A 15 minute break will be given and staff will discuss concerns with the parent at the end of the day.

Third Strike: Parents will be called for immediate pick-up from CFO site.  Child will be asked to leave the program for the remainder of the week. A refund will not be issued for the early dismissal of your child due to disciplinary reasons.  It may be necessary to set up a meeting with the Parent, Child, and Camp Director and/or Recreation Supervisor if a serious discipline problem arises.

• Consecutive Strikes for Continuous Weeks: It is our policy to maintain open communication with a parent if a discipline problem should arise. Children who receive three strikes may be dismissed from CFO Childcare for the remainder of the summer. We will make every attempt to make sure your child is enjoying the program. The safety of children and staff cannot be jeopardized by one child’s lack of respect for others and/or lack of ability to follow CFO rules on a consistent basis. Once again, this is a last resort; we will make every attempt to solve any problems that occur.

LOST & FOUND

• In order to protect your child’s belongings from the depths of Lost and Found, please make sure you label all loose items they bring, i.e. Lunch boxes, towels, helmets, backpacks, etc. You would be amazed at the amount of articles we have at the end of summer.
• Lost and Found items will be kept for the week, but at the conclusion of CFO each session, the leaders will attempt to return the items to their rightful owners, (all remaining items will be donated).
• We do not allow expensive toys such as cell phones, iPods, handheld video games, etc. at CFO. The CFO staff will not be responsible or liable for the loss of personal items.

WHAT WE ARE DOING FOR YOU & YOUR CHILD

The health and well-being of our families is our #1 priority! Here is what we are doing as a camp and District to keep everyone as safe as possible:

• Contact-less Drop-off and Pick-up done electronically through Brightwheel.
• Additional sanitation of facility and shared equipment
• Increased training for CFO and District Staff on new procedures related to COVID-19

EPACT HEALTH & EMERGENCY INFORMATION

Each child must have a completed registration packet on file before their first day of CFO. The registration packet is completed online through Brightwheel. Each individual profile contains the information we need in order to provide your child with the best care possible, including emergency contact information, health information such as allergies and other conditions, authorized adult pick-up list, etc. Parents/Legal Guardians will receive an email to fill out the packet following completed program registration.

ILLNESS & INJURIES

No child will be allowed at CFO if they have experienced any COVID-19 related symptoms in the last 24 hours. For a list of COVID-19 related symptoms please visit - COVID19.CA.GOV. Children who have a temperature of 100.4 degrees will not be permitted to attend CFO.

In case of an illness or injury that requires a child to be picked up from CFO, the parent or guardian (listed first on the child’s Brightwheel form) will be contacted. In the event that contact is not made, the second parent or emergency contact listed on the child’s form will be contacted. Staff will continue down the list of those individuals permitted to pick up the child, (as indicated on their Brightwheel form) until an authorized individual is contacted that is able to pick up the child.

MEDICATION/SUNSCREEN

Any prescribed medication that needs to be administered during CFO hours must be sent in the child’s lunchbox. Children will only be allowed to bring one day’s dosage of medication in their lunch box. Lunch boxes will be locked in a secure place and it is up to the child to remember to take their medication. Medications will not be allowed at CFO without a written note/prescription for the child’s doctor and approval noted on child’s Brightwheel form.

Your child will need to bring his/her own labeled sunscreen to CFO.

update: CIT REGISTRATION WILL OPEN MARCH 1, 2023 AT 9AM.  APPLICATIONS ARE NO LONGER REQUIRED, REGISTRATION IS FIRST COME FIRST SERVED.  

Counselors in Training (CIT) have an essential role in helping run our CFO Childcare program. Children will look up to you for support and guidance, which will teach you leadership skills as you act as a role model for them. 

Working alongside our welcoming and encouraging staff, you can expect to learn a lot this summer and grow in confidence as you move into a new phase of your life and education. CFO has a proven track record of developing youth to become bright, successful young adults!

WHO CAN BE A C.I.T.?

If you are between the ages of 12-16 and have positive motivation, fun-loving energy, and real excitement to work with young children, we want YOU to apply for a CIT position!

Please be aware that you must be available for two consecutive weeks during the summer in order to receive the best CIT experience. Take a look now at your summer plans and see which two weeks fit your schedule best.

PHYSICAL COMPONENT

You are exposed to all kinds of weather, as a majority of the activities are outside. You should have the ability to move or lift items needed for camp. You will be walking distances as you engage in activities around and outside of the facilities.

SHIFTS

You will be scheduled to work Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

THE ROLE OF A C.I.T.

CIT’s are not solely responsible for helping supervise the children. You will be responsible for assisting with crafts, activities, maintaining as safe environment for the children, and providing general support to our CFO Childcare Staff. CIT’s are supervised by the CFO Childcare Staff, Lead Staff and the Camp Director.

ALL COUNSELORS IN TRAINING MUST:

• Attend all phases of training before the start of CFO Childcare
• Meet new ideas with an open mind, accept constructive feedback, and make positive changes
• Show willingness to have a positive attitude at all times and adapt to change
• Accept and follow all CFO Childcare policies and regulations
• Be respectful and responsible for all program property and equipment
• Assist in the creation and maintenance of a physically and emotionally safe environment for all participants
• Follow the set schedule for service (Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.)
• Participate fully in weekly meetings for the CIT Leadership Program
• Assist with preparation, execution and clean-up of camp activities as assigned such as crafts and games
• Complete and submit emergency paperwork through Brightwheel upon enrollment (completed by a parent or guardian).

OUR VISION

Our primary vision as a staff is to build your confidence in our ability to provide the best possible experience for your children this school year! Developing positive relationships grounded in a welcoming attitude, enthusiasm, and genuine care and respect for one another is what we strive for most.

The Fair Oaks Recreation & Park District sets high standards for all our staff. We carefully select the best of the best to be a part of Camp Fair Oaks. When selecting our staff, we give high priority to applicants with the best ability to contribute to each child’s positive experience. Our staff consists primarily of college students and exceptionally skilled high school students. Learn more about our team below!

QUALITIES OF A GOOD CFO STAFF MEMBER

The staff we look for are dedicated to CFO and excited about the opportunity of working in a team-based environment to provide a positive school-based childcare experience for kids. Some of the qualities we expect in them include:

• A positive, courteous and enthusiastic attitude with the children, parents and Camp personnel in day to day activities;
• The ability to prepare, lead and participate in recreational activities, both active and passive, for school-age children such as games, sports, arts and crafts, and songs;
• Maturity in developing relationships with parents, children, Camp staff and Recreation Supervisors;
• Attention to detail in maintaining a safe environment for everyone involved; and,
• Accountability in following all District policies and procedures.

EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

• Minimum Education required: High School Diploma or GED required; college course work in recreation or related area preferred.
• Minimum Experience required: One (1) year of progressively responsible experience in a children’s day care program or recreational program or equivalent experience in a leadership and program planning role required. Experience working with school age children and a demonstrated commitment to bettering the lives of youth required.
• Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required: Knowledge of recreational activities appropriate for school age children. Ability to communicate effectively with coworkers, children, parents, and volunteers. Leadership and organizational skills. Ability to use independent judgment and take appropriate action to ensure the safety of children and staff. Ability to deal with emergencies and stressful situations.
• Other requirements: Possession of Pediatric CPR/First Aid certification prior to the start of Camp Fair Oaks. All applicants must be fingerprinted and pass pre-employment background check. Reliable transportation to and from work.

STAFF TRAININGS

In order to learn about District and Camp Fair Oaks policies, procedures and expectations, our Camp Fair Oaks staff attends extensive training and orientation beginning in early summer to prepare them for Camp. Trainings include how to effectively teach activities, how to facilitate group leadership, safety training, positive discipline techniques, and other important skills relating to working with children. In addition, each staff member has current certification in Infant/Child/Adult CPR and Standard First Aid, and cleared a background (fingerprint) check done by the Department of Justice.

If at any time you have a concern about a leader, or how Camp Fair Oaks is going please contact the Camp Director, Mary Cattolica.

CLICK TO GO TO APPLICATION PORTAL

2023 APPLICATIONS AND HIRING INFORMATION WILL BE AVAILABLE MARCH 1, 2023