Summer Camps
Apex, NC by Jordan Lake
2023 © Tinkering School NC 2092 Martha's Chapel Road, Apex NC 27523 | 919.585.1488 | Email Us.
Covid Plan for 2023
- We will continue to monitor and implement the latest CDC and Chatham County Health Dept guidelines for camp and will make adjustments to activities if needed.
- You are welcome to view the ChildCareStrongNC Public Health Toolkit that we follow.
Our campers are in very small groups and outdoors 95% of the time...
the best place to be enjoying childhood at any time!
NC Dept of Human Health Guidelines...
- The 12 campers/and 3 counselors stay separate from the campers in Sun Star Farm Camp.
- Lots and lots of hand washing/sanitizing before and after activities and throughout the day
- Systematic cleaning/sanitizing of supplies and equipment.
- Not sharing items between campers.
- Campers are reminded and encouraged to keep social distancing in mind.
- Campers are required to bring a cloth mask and a spare one, in case of inclement weather and we go indoors for extended periods.
- When outdoors, no masks are required. (If you want your child to be masked all the times, even outdoors, we can facilitate that, please just let us know.
- If a camper shows signs/symptoms of Covid, we will contact the parent/guardian. We will monitor and isolate the camper until they can be picked up.
- If there is a confirmed case of Covid with a camper or staff, we would notify families. We will coordinate with the Chatham County Health Department to determine a plan of action and next steps.
We will email parents two weeks in advance of your child’s camp week with a procedures checklist for you to follow to make it easy (i.e. what to bring / do / check-in process, etc. factoring in the most up to date CDC and local health department guidelines.
Tinkering School NC Details
Each week we have 12 campers with 3 counselors. This will be one of the smallest camp groups in the Triangle. Lots of hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, and supervision to make sure everything goes according to plan.
Each camper will have their own storage area for their belongings and labelled tools and items. We’ll have ample space and spread out our work areas. We will build outdoors in the shade as much as possible. Our workshop has a huge 12'X16' sliding door that remains open throughout the day, plus another door and two windows open for a cross-breeze.
The Great Outdoors...more thoughts from us:
After 18+ months of data, we know that outdoor covid transmission is extremely low.
We do not require masks when outdoors. If you want your child to be masked all the times, even outdoors, we can facilitate that, please just let us know. Conversely, if your child has a medical or behavioral condition or disability that would not allow them to safely and reasonably wear a mask, please let us know.
We respect that you know your child best and that every family’s situation and comfort levels of risk is unique to them. We honor privacy and confidentiality on all matters.
As divisive as masking has become, the following article is relevant to our thought process on masks as it addresses preschools and elementary schools in particular: (written by Vinay Prasad a hematologist and oncologist, is an associate professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at UC San Francisco in the publication, “The Atlantic.”) about a 2 minute read: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/09/school-mask-mandates-downside/619952/
The Number One Thing you Can Do to Help…
The number one thing you can do is keep your child home if they have covid-like symptoms and consult your health care provider as soon as possible. Regular flu, RSV, and allergies have similar symptoms to COVID and can be mild, especially in children. It is essential that if your child or anyone in your home is showing symptoms that they get a PCR test immediately. Rapid tests do not accurately detect the delta variant. The PCR test is quick and accurate with results in around 24hrs.
Any child who comes to camp with symptoms or develops symptoms will be isolated and you will be called for immediate pick up. Please err on the side of extreme caution, as inconvenient as it may be. We all have a moral obligation to be as transparent and forthcoming as possible and to do all we can to limit exposure to others, should anyone in your household or close contacts become ill.
It is our belief that children thrive being outdoors and being social, we look forward to helping make this summer as joyful and fun as possible, while also making it as safe as possible. Thank you for entrusting your children to us.
Please email if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Don Watkins