Guidelines and Polices

What to Bring: Please label these items with your child’s name and send in a single bag or backpack:

  • Nut-free lunch and snacks – Morning and full-day campers should bring a lunch and breaktime snack. Campers arriving after 12:30pm for afternoon camps only need to bring a snack. Campers attending two different half-day programs should bring a couple of snacks. Refrigerators and microwaves are not available
  • Refillable water bottle
  • Wear or bring sneakers
  • Weather-appropriate outerwear
    • For spring: coat, boots, mittens or gloves, hat and snow pants
    • For summer: sunscreen, hat and insect repellent
    • Bears, Adventurers & Leaders in Training will have the opportunity to swim on a daily basis in the summer, so they need to bring a towel and swimsuit in a plastic bag. Cubs will enjoy outdoor water play, so they will need a towel.
  • Change of clothing in a plastic bag – socks, underwear, pants/shorts and shirt in a plastic bag (Labeled clothes may be left at camp for the week.)
  • Quiet time items – All campers are welcome to bring a book, comfort item or fidget (please do not send putty or slime). Cubs and Bears may want to bring a small blanket and a silent plush toy, which may be left at camp for the week.
  • Medication – It is recommended that all medication be administered at home whenever possible. If your child requires prescription or non-prescription medication to be available or dispensed during camp hours, please follow the instructions below.

Drop-off & Pick-up Procedures
With the exception of a limited number of off-site programs serving the interests of our older students, Spring and Summer at Blake camps take place at the Blake campus in Hopkins and Northrop campus in Minneapolis. Location information is provided upon registration for every program. Drop-off for our camps will take place at the main entrance. If you choose to enter the carpool loop, please help us ensure your child’s safety by pulling all the way forward, remaining in your vehicle and having your camper exit on the sidewalk side. Our staff will greet and escort them to their camp. Alternatively, you are welcome to park in the main parking lot and walk your child to the main entrance using the sidewalk. Day camp arrival takes place between 8:15-8:30am. Camps do not begin before 8:30am. Morning extended care is available beginning at 7:30am. Dismissal for all programs held on the Blake campus will take place at the main entrance. Campers attending only a morning session will be dismissed at 12:30pm. Campers staying for a full day will be dismissed at 3:30pm, unless they are enrolled in PM Extended Day. Off-site programs that serve the interests of our older students are held at different times and locations indicated in the program description. When using the carpool loop for pick-up, please pull all the way forward, remain in your vehicle and we will escort your child to your car. Alternatively, you may park in the main parking lot and use the sidewalk to pick up your camper from a staff member. Campers on site at the end of dismissal will be brought to the Extended Day program and late fees will be assessed.

Extended Day
The Extended Day program is located at the playground/Dining Commons area, and it runs between 7:30am-5:30pm. If your camper is not enrolled in the Extended Day program(s) and attends, drop-in rates will be charged to your account.

Absences
All absences must be reported to the Summer at Blake office at 952-988-3463 or summer@blakeschool.org. Upper School students enrolled in academic courses must be in communication with their teachers about their attendance. In courses for high school academic credit or acceleration, consistent attendance is essential to earning credit due to the intensive nature of the courses. Please do not enroll your child in an academic course if you expect them to miss more than two days. There will be no refunds for illnesses, absences, vacations, cancellations due to weather or late matriculation.

Early Dismissals
Our campers are on the go both on and off campus. This means that early pick up may not be available due to travel and off-site activities. In the event your child needs to be picked up early, park in the Main Parking Lot and report to the Security Office at the Main Entrance. Security will then contact our staff to escort your child from their program location. Please plan for the time it will take your child to travel across campus as our campers explore new things each day. It is recommended that off-campus appointments and commitments be made around camp times. In the event of an emergency, please call the Summer at Blake office at 952-988-3463 and our staff will make every effort to have your child ready for pick up within a reasonable amount of time. We are not able to accommodate early pick-up requests between 3-3:30pm.

Late Arrivals
In the event of a late arrival, please park in the Main Parking Lot and bring your camper into the Security Office at the Main Entrance. They will let the summer camp team know so that we can escort them to their camp location.

Lunch and Recess Period from 11:30am-12:30pm
At the conclusion of morning camps, all campers are scheduled for a lunch and recess period on campus between 11:30am-12:30pm. All campers need to bring weather-appropriate outerwear, a refillable water bottle and a nut-free lunch every day. Campers who are staying for an afternoon camp will also need to bring an afternoon nut-free snack. Refrigerators and microwaves are not available. Children enrolled in a morning camp who are not staying for an afternoon camp will be dismissed at 12:30pm. If you would like to join your child for lunch and sign them out with a staff supervisor before 12:30pm, please email summer@blakeschool.org in advance. We may not be able to accommodate early pick-up requests during the lunch and recess period.

Health and Wellness
Parents/guardians will be notified in the event that their child has become ill during a program. If the parents/guardians cannot be reached, the emergency contact will be called. Support in keeping contagious students home is critical to providing a healthy environment. Please keep children home when they: report feeling ill, are running a fever of 100 degrees or higher, are vomiting, have diarrhea, have live lice or are otherwise unable to participate fully in the program. Children must be fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication and not have vomited or had diarrhea for 24 hours before returning to a program. Summer at Blake programs will adhere to appropriate state and CDC guidance for youth and summer enrichment programs. If your child has contracted a respiratory virus including COVID-19, please refer to the CDC’s website for current guidance and prevention of the spread of respiratory viruses.

Please be aware that the school nurse is not onsite over the spring and summer breaks. Summer at Blake staff are First Aid and CPR certified. In the event of a life-threatening emergency, 911 will be called. Staff members qualified to administer appropriate first aid will administer it. Parents of children with life-threatening allergies, asthma or other emergency conditions are expected to notify the Summer Program director and provide emergency supplies and medications at the beginning of their child’s time at camp. Medication If your child requires prescription or non-prescription medication to be available or dispensed during camp, submit a completed Authorization to Administer Rx Medications form prior to the first day of camp. Any medication indicated with online registration must be given to the camp coordinator or director on the first day of camp and picked up on the last day. Medication must be in the original pharmacy container, including the child’s full name, the name and dosage of medication, time/directions for administration, physician’s name and current prescription date. The label must match the signed consent. The only medications students may self-carry and self-administer are emergency inhalers and EPIPENS®. If a student will self-carry, the parent and licensed prescriber must indicate permission to do so on the medication authorization form.

Birthdays
We love celebrating your child’s special day with great joy and song. If you would like to make any arrangements, please contact the camp director.

Inclement Weather/Poor Air Quality
If Spring Break at Blake or Summer at Blake must be closed for any reason, the staff will make every effort to alert families prior to the start of class via text, email or at drop off. Our programs take full advantage of what nature has to offer, so our staff monitors the weather and air quality forecasts on a routine basis. When the heat, air quality or weather forecast is not conducive to outdoor programming, alternative indoor activities may be necessary. There are no refunds for cancellations due to weather.

What not to bring – electronic devices, personal toys and games
Cell phones, smart watches, music devices, electronic games and other technology-based items are not used during the camp day and should be left at home. Campers are responsible for their own personal property and discouraged from bringing toys or additional belongings to camp. Books and single-comfort items may be brought to camp and taken out during quiet time if it does not prove to be a distraction during activity periods. All items brought to camp should be labeled with the student’s first and last name. The lost and found is located in the main entryway until camp concludes. All items will be donated after the final day of camp. Blake is not responsible for lost or missing items.

Code of Conduct
Spring and Summer at Blake welcomes all families and children into a safe and respectful environment that honors our commitment to pluralism by creating an inclusive environment where everyone can belong, contribute and thrive. Our staff provides explicit guidance for participants by modeling safety, respect and inclusiveness in all programs and we encourage families to go over these expectations with their children so that they can have an enjoyable experience. Consequences for behavior that breaches community guidelines are determined by taking into account the age, circumstances and seriousness of the infraction. While our team strives to support all participants and collaborate with families to provide positive experiences in our programs, we cannot provide a 1:1 participant-to-support-staff ratio on a daily basis. The following are some examples of behaviors that do not meet the community guidelines, which may result in dismissal from a program: physical attempt to cause injury to self or others; vandalism; leaving the designated program area with the intent to run away, hide or leave without permission; verbal abuse to other participants or to staff; consistent unsafe behavior; disruptive or disrespectful attitude toward staff, other participants or oneself; lack of participation impacting the program. Spring and Summer at Blake reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to deny any camper or student the opportunity to participate in an activity, or the remainder of a camp or class, if the child’s social conduct or behavior is deemed unsatisfactory. No refunds or credits will be issued in the case of dismissal from a program due to conduct.

Cancellations & Refunds
Please register for courses and camps carefully. Any request for a change or refund must be made in writing to the director of Summer Programs. There is a $75 non-refundable deposit for all Spring Break at Blake and Summer at Blake camps and courses.

Spring Break: A $75 non-refundable deposit is required for all camps and courses. Requests for refunds prior to February 15 will receive a full refund minus the non-refundable deposits and any administrative fees per class/camp. No refunds will be issued after February 15 to ensure staffing and programmatic commitments to all families. This policy includes cancellations due to vacation schedules, conflicting activities and/or just a change in plans.
Summer: A $75 non-refundable deposit is required for all camps and courses. Requests for refunds prior to May 1 will receive a full refund minus non-refundable deposits and any administrative fees per class/camp. No refunds will be issued after May 1 to ensure staffing and programmatic commitments to all families. This policy includes cancellations due to vacation schedules, conflicting activities and/or just a change in plans.

Summer at Blake reserves the right to change or cancel any course in the event enrollment does not meet minimum participation numbers. In the event of a program change or cancellation, Blake will make every effort to notify families immediately and will offer the option of transferring enrollment credits toward another class or receiving a full refund for the class. No refund is granted for a cancellation of a single class or session due to circumstances beyond our control such as weather. No refunds or credits will be issued in the case of dismissal from a course or camp due to student conduct.

Location: The majority of our programs take place on the Blake campus in Hopkins but we also hold limited programs on our Northrop campus in Minneapolis and partner to offer off-site programming. Please see program descriptions for individual program locations. The Blake campus is located at 110 Blake Road South, Hopkins, MN 55343 and the Northrop campus is located at 511 Kenwood Parkway, Minneapolis, MN 55403.

Questions? Visit our website: www.blakeschool.org/summer or call us at 952-988-3463 for more information.