Safety Precautions

We are excited to offer the Cape Elizabeth Summer Rec program during these unprecedented times. We will need the cooperation of all parents, campers, and staff in order to provide safe and fun activities. Below are the updates, please read the entire document carefully: Back to Top

Note: If you would like to see the information in the Parent COVID-19 Safety Pakcet in PDF form, please click here (packet TBA soon)

• New location: Adventure Camp (Grades 1-5) and Teen Scene Camp (Grades 6-9) will be held at the Middle School/Pond Cove facility. The majority of the day will be outside and maps will be sent to all registrants prior to the start of camp.
• Little Cubs Camp will meet at the Cape Care playground (by the High School) and be outside for the majority of the day.
• Covid-19 pandemic procedural changes to keep all campers, staff and community safe and healthy. There will be a Liability Waiver which must be signed by all parents/guardians (provided here).
• It is important to know that we can not guarantee that campers and/or staff will not contract Covid-19.
• All camps daily schedules and activities will look and be very different!

This will not be easy to accomplish at summer camp but we will take every precaution possible. It is important to know that we are following the CDC guidelines for summer camps but, again, we can NOT guarantee that your camper will not contract Covid-19.
We will be implementing all the strategies suggested by the CDC guidelines to the best of our ability.

1. Implement social distancing strategies.
2. Intensify cleaning and disinfection efforts.
3. Modify drop off and pick up procedures.
4. Implement screening procedures upon arrival.
5. Maintain an adequate ratio of staff to children to ensure safety.

Precautions and procedures CECS has implemented/will implement to minimize the risk of Covid-19 exposure.

• Stay home when appropriate: If you are sick, or have recently had close contact with a person with Covid-19.
• Staff and campers should stay home if they have tested positive for or are showing Covid-19 symptoms.

Staggered Parent Drop Off at Camp

• There will be no bussing to and from camp.
• We will staggering arrival / drop off times and plan to limit direct contact with parents as much as possible. We encourage car-line drop-off and pick-up, with single family vehicles. We discourage carpooling and parents entering the camp area.
• Staggered drop-off times:
• Teen Scene -- 8:30 (campers whose last name begins with A thru N) and 8:45 (campers whose last name begins with O thru Z) at the Staff Parking Lot off of Scott Dyer Road near the MS 30s building.
• Adventure Camp Grades 4&5 -- 8:30 am at the Middle School parking lot.
• Adventure Camp Grades 2&3 -- 8:45 am at the Middle School parking lot.
• Adventure Camp Grade 1 -- 9:00 am at the Middle School parking lot.
• Little Cubs (Ages 3-5) -- 8:30 (campers whose last name begins with A thru J) and 8:45 (campers whose last name begins with K thru Z) at the Cape Care playground by the High School.
• If your camper is registered for all 7 weeks of camp, he or she will remain with the same group of campers and staff for all 7 weeks.
• If your family travels outside of Maine during the 7 weeks of summer camp, you will need to self quarantine for 14 days, your camper will not be allowed back to camp for 14 days.
• Little Cubs staff will greet campers at the Cape Care playground.
• Adventure Camp staff will greet campers at the Middle School drop off area.
• Teen Scene staff will greet campers at the parking lot off Scott Dyer between the Middle School and Pond Cove buildings.
• We would like 1 parent to drop off/pick up. Ideally, the same parent or designated person should drop off and pick up the child every day. If possible, older people such as grandparents or those with serious underlying medical conditions should not pick up children, because they are more at risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
• Each camper will be screened upon arrival*
• Hand sanitizer applied upon arrival.
• Face coverings will be assigned to all campers upon arrival.
• CECS staff will walk them to their groups.

*Pre-Screening -- We will take each camper's temperature upon arrival at camp. Parents/guardians are urged to stay in their vehicles. If your camper has: Temperature 100.4 degrees or higher, cough, shortness of breath, diarrhea, fatigue, headache, muscle aches, nausea, loss of taste or smell, sore throat, or vomiting they will not be allowed to attend camp and should be tested for Covid-19.

We need to know:

1. If you or your camper have traveled outside the State of Maine within the past 2 weeks.
2. If you or your camper have been in close contact with a person who has been diagnosed with, tested for, or quarantined as a result of Covid-19.
3. If your camper is at higher risk for complications related to Covid-19.

Pick Up Procedures at 3:00 pm

• Teen Scene -- At the Staff parking lot off Scott Dyer Road (same as drop off area).
• Adventure Camp:
• Grade 1 pick up in the Bus circle, enter from High school, take a right go straight up to circle, we will bring your child to the car.
• Grades 2 & 3 pick up in the same spot as drop off at Middle School Parking lot, we will bring your child to your car.
• Grade 4 & 5 pick up at the Pond Cove parent pick up circle, we will bring your child to your car.
• Little Cubs at CECS, pull into the parking lot at the front of CECS and we will bring the child to your car.

We encourage all parents to remain in their vehicles at pick up, we will bring your child to you when you arrive.

Hand Washing/Sanitizing

Hand washing will be built into the daily schedule. Arrival at camp, after each activity, before and after snack and lunch.

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
• If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry. We will provide hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Cover all coughs and sneezes with a tissue. Used tissues should be thrown in the trash and hands washed immediately with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, of hand sanitizer.

Cloth Face Coverings

• Staff and campers will all be issued a cloth face covering (labeled with their name).
• Face coverings will be a challenge for staff and campers to wear in an all-day setting such as camp. Campers will not be asked to wear their face covering if they are participating in an active activity, outside (which we will be 90% of the time) and social distancing is happening. They will be asked to wear a mask when we are forced indoors (rainy days), if they can not social distance, or if they become sick at camp.
• We will cover proper use, removal, and washing of face coverings.
• Cloth face coverings should not be placed on:
• Campers under the age of 2yrs old.
• Anyone who has trouble breathing or is unconscious.
• Anyone who is incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the covering without help.

Cleaning and Disinfecting

• We will clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces (e.g., playground equipment, door handles, sink handles, drinking fountains) within the camp facility. Use of shared objects (e.g., art supplies, nap mats, toys, games) will be limited when possible, or cleaned between use.
• We have a schedule for increased, routine cleaning and disinfection.
• No transportation vehicles (e.g., buses) will be used by camp this summer.
• We will ensure safe and correct use and storage of cleaner and disinfectants.
• Cleaning products will not be used near children, and staff should ensure that there is adequate ventilation when using these products to prevent children or themselves from inhaling toxic fumes.
• Staff will use gloves when removing garbage bags or handling and disposing of trash. Wash hands after removing gloves.

What to Bring to Camp

• We discourage sharing of all items, especially those that are difficult to clean, sanitize, or disinfect. This includes items from home, please do not allow your camper to bring objects from home other than: a backpack, which should include a bathing suit, towel, sunscreen, water bottle, lunch box, and a change of clothes (for Little Cubs only)..
• To limit sharing of materials, we are asking each camper to bring a clipboard with their name on it, a small box of crayons or markers, and a few pencils. You may have these items at home already, if not they are easily found at the Dollar Store.
• Each camper's belongings will be kept separate from others and each camper will have an individual hula hoop, or labeled cubbies.
• We will ensure adequate supplies to minimize sharing of high-touch materials to the extent possible (e.g., assign art supplies or other equipment to a single camper), or limit use of supplies and equipment to one group of campers at a time and clean and disinfect between use.
• We expect all campers and staff to avoid sharing electronic devices, toys, books, and other games or learning aids. We will disinfect any devices after each use.

Water Systems

• To minimize the risk of Legionnaires' disease and other diseases associated with water, we are taking steps to ensure that all water systems and features (e.g., sink faucets, & drinking fountains) are safe to use after a prolonged facility shutdown. Drinking fountains will be closed, staff and campers need to bring their own water bottles to minimize use and touching of water fountains, we will have water filling stations available.
• Pool use for swim lessons and free swim is not available yet. If the pool becomes available, there will be no locker rooms available for showering, we will provide privacy areas for campers to change.

Modified Layouts

• We will space seating/meeting areas at least 6 feet apart.
• Hula hoops will be used for campers to keep their personal items in and sit in during meeting time, snack, lunch and certain activities throughout the day.
• If rest times are scheduled (Little Cubs Only), campers' rest time mats will be assigned to individual children, sanitized daily and spaced out as much as possible, ideally at least 6 feet apart. Place campers head-to-toe to ensure distance between their faces.
• We will prioritize outdoor activities where social distancing can be maintained as much as possible.

Physical Barriers and Guides

We will place physical guides, such as tape on floors or sidewalks and signs on walls, to ensure that staff and campers remain at least 6 feet apart in lines and at other times.

Communal Spaces

Shared spaces, such as playgrounds and shared playground equipment, will have staggered use between age groups and will be cleaned and disinfected after each use.

Small Groups and Keeping Them Together

• Campers will stay together in small groups (no more than 8 to 10 kids per group) with dedicated staff to make sure they remain with the same group throughout the day, every day.
• We will not allow mixing between groups.
• Staggered scheduling of activities on fields and playgrounds.

Gatherings, Visitors, and Field Trips

We will:

• Avoid large group events, gatherings, or meetings where social distancing of at least 6 feet between people cannot be maintained.
• Limit any nonessential visitors, volunteers, and activities involving external groups or organizations as much as possible – especially with individuals not from the local geographic area (e.g., community, town, city, or county).
• There will be NO field trips or events this summer.
• Pursue options to convene sporting events and participation in sports activities in ways that minimize transmission of COVID-19 to players, families, staff, and communities.

Designated COVID-19 Point of Contact

• Kelly Phinney will be the contact person should you have any concerns or questions.
• If you need to contact us or your camper during camp please use the numbers below.
• Little Cubs contact number: (207) 799-2868
• Adventure Camp and Teen Scene contact number: (207) 899-6423

Communication Systems

• Systems in place for:
• Consistent with applicable law and privacy policies, staff and families will be required to self-report to the camp administrators if they have symptoms of COVID-19.
• Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:

Fever or chills Cough Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing Fatigue Headache

New loss of taste or smell Sore throat Congestion or runny nose Nausea or vomiting Diarrhea Muscle or body aches

This list does not include all possible symptoms. CDC will continue to update this list as we learn more about COVID-19.

When to Seek Emergency Medical Attention

Look for emergency warning signs* for COVID-19. If someone is showing any of these signs, seek emergency medical care immediately:

• Trouble breathing
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
• New confusion
• Inability to wake or stay awake
• Bluish lips or face

* This list is not all possible symptoms. Please call your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you.

Call 911 or call ahead to your local emergency facility: Notify the operator that you are seeking care for someone who has or may have COVID-19.

We will notify all staff and families of camp closures and restrictions in place to limit COVID-19 exposure (e.g., limited hours of operation).

Things to Remember:

• Put distance between yourself and other people.
• Remember that some people without symptoms may be able to spread the virus.
• Keeping distance from others is especially important for people who are at higher risk of getting very sick. Please let administrative staff know if a camper or staff are at higher risk.
• We will impress on all campers that they should not hug, hold hands, or touch others.
• During meeting times, arrival, snack, lunch, and dismissal campers will keep all of their belongings and themselves in their Hula Hoop. We have purchased hula hoops for each child to identify their personal space.
• Each group will not be in or use the same areas.
• Everyone should wear a cloth face cover, all campers and staff will be issued a mask (with their name on it) and they will be expected to wear them when they can not be 6 feet away from others during certain activities, and during all indoor activities, not all the time.
• The cloth face cover is meant to protect other people in case you are infected.
• We will have masks for all children labeled with their name. CECS will wash masks daily.
• We will do our best to keep 6 feet between others. The cloth face cover is not a substitute for social distancing.
• When feasible, staff members and older children should wear face coverings within the facility.
• CECS staff will monitor absenteeism of all campers and staff.

Staff Will Remind Campers Frequently To:

• If you are in a private setting and do not have on your cloth face covering, remember to always cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow.
• Throw used tissues in the trash.
• Immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, clean your hands with a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

We will require sick children and staff to stay home

• To parents of campers: We can't stress enough the importance of keeping children home when they are sick.
• To staff: The importance of being vigilant for symptoms and staying in touch with facility management if or when you start to feel sick, and stay home.
• We have established procedures to ensure children and staff who come to camp sick or become sick while at camp are sent home as soon as possible.
• We will keep sick children and staff separate from well children and staff until they can be sent home.
• Sick campers and staff members should not return to work until they have met the criteria to discontinue home isolation. Listed below:
• People with COVID-19 who have stayed home (home isolated) can leave home under the following conditions**:
• If you have not had a test to determine if you are still contagious, you can leave home after these three things have happened:
• You have had no fever for at least 72 hours (that is three full days of no fever without the use of medicine that reduces fevers) AND
• Other symptoms have improved (for example, when your cough or shortness of breath have improved) AND
• At least 10 days have passed since your symptoms first appeared.
• If you have had a test to determine if you are still contagious, you can leave home after these three things have happened:
• You no longer have a fever (without the use of medicine that reduces fevers) AND
• Other symptoms have improved (for example, when your cough or shortness of breath have improved) AND
• You received two negative tests in a row, at least 24 hours apart. Your doctor will follow CDC guidelines.
• People who DID NOT have COVID-19 symptoms, but tested positive and have stayed home (home isolated) can leave home under the following conditions**:
• At least 10 days have passed since the date of your first positive test AND
• You continue to have no symptoms (no cough or shortness of breath) since the test.
• If you have had a test to determine if you are still contagious, you can leave home after:
• You received two negative tests in a row, at least 24 hours apart. Your doctor will follow CDC guidelines. CECS will need a note from your doctor for you to return to camp/work.

Plan if Someone Becomes Sick:

• We will have an isolation room or area that can be used to isolate a sick child.
• We will be ready to follow CDC guidance on how to disinfect our building or facility if someone is sick.
• If a sick child has been isolated, we will clean and disinfect surfaces in the isolation room or area after the sick child has gone home.

All parents/guardians of campers must read and comply with the guidelines set forth in this document and sign the CECS Waiver for Summer Camp 2021.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact CECS at 207-799-2868.