CAMP TACONIC 2021 SUMMER UPDATE
We are adapting our physical space and program to allow all of our campers and staff to be safe and healthy while enjoying all of the summer fun in our home away from home. We plan to implement a multi-layered approach to keep our community as safe and healthy as possible. We’ve outlined a number of these layers below but will continue to update and adapt them as the summer approaches.
Creating a "Camp Bubble"
Physical site updates
"7 Days for 7 Weeks"
Testing
Exposure at Camp
Travel to and from camp
Phasing at Camp
Face Masks
Cleanliness and Hygiene
Dining
Health Center and Medical Team
Trips and Tournaments
Counselor Time Off
Visiting Day
Deliveries, Outside Vendors and Visitors
Creating a “Camp Bubble”
To create a safe environment for campers and staff we will likely operate as a modified “Camp Bubble”. We hope this approach creates a safe space at camp so our campers can finally get back to playing with their friends and socializing in person. Campers can expect to experience most of the activities, special events, games and traditions they are accustomed to each summer!
Updated 3/1/21
Physical Site updates
We’ve added hand sanitizing dispensers to every building at camp, including inside and outside of every bunk. We’ve added hand-washing stations outside the health center and dining hall. We’ve installed high powered exhaust fans at the front and back of every bunk to exchange air and we’ve added circulation fans in our communal buildings. We’ve also ordered a number of large tents so that we can conduct as many activities outside as possible. We will continue making updates and improvements to our physical site as needed before Summer 2021.
Updated 3/1/21
"7 Days for 7 Weeks"
It is imperative that we all remain healthy and safe before arriving at Camp. In order to do so, we are asking our families to be extremely cautious about contact outside the home during the two weeks before arrival. For one week leading up to camp, we expect you to take these precautions to the next level. We are calling this the “7 Days for 7 Weeks” initiative. As a part of this initiative, we are asking Taconic families to:
- Remain home as much as possible during the full week leading up to camp
- Wear a mask and remain at a safe social distance with anyone outside your immediate household
- Avoid indoor gatherings of any kind
- Avoid large gatherings of any kind
- If you must gather, remain outside, in a mask and at a safe social distance
- If you are going to school in person, wear a mask at all times and remain at a safe social distance
- If you must participate in team sports, wear a mask at all times
- You will be required to complete an online health verification form beginning, Thursday, June 17th.
Updated 5/27/21
Testing
Vaccinated or not, we will require our camp community to take a pre-arrival conventional PCR test (3 or 4 days prior to camp), as well as an at-home antigen test the day prior to arrival. We ask that you use the Abbot BinaxNOW Antigen Self-Test for the at-home antigen test. This test comes in a pack of 2 and can be purchased over-the-counter at your local pharmacy. Upon arrival, we will administer a conventional PCR test. 5 days after arrival, we will administer another conventional PCR test. This will give us the foundation we need for our modified camp bubble. We may also conduct additional testing as needed throughout the summer.
We’ve become an FDA certified CLIA-Waived Clinical Laboratory so that we can administer rapid tests on site as needed throughout the summer. We've also partnered with Quest Diagnostics for all of our on-site conventional PCR testing.
Updated 5/27/21
Exposure at Camp
If your camper tests positive for Covid19 on the pre-camp tests, your camper will not be permitted to come to camp for at least 10 days. If your camper tests positive at camp, he or she will have to be picked up and won’t be able to return for at least 10 days.
If your camper is currently in 6th grade or younger and someone in the bunk tests positive, the bunk will still be able to enjoy camp but will do so separately from the rest of the population. These campers will be monitored for symptoms and will undergo additional testing.
If your camper is currently in 7th grade or older and someone in the bunk tests positive, fully vaccinated campers will not have to quarantine and will continue with regular programming.
Updated 5/27/21
Travel to and from camp
To limit exposure and ensure the safety of all of our campers, all campers will be dropped off by a parent or guardian at camp. Detailed information was emailed to families.
We are planning to send campers home on our usual camp buses/chaperoned flight at the end of the first session on July 24th and on August 15th.
Updated 5/27/21
Phasing at Camp
The summer will begin in Phase I with everyone in small cohorts while we wait for tests to come back. Each bunk will be a family unit. Within your family, you will not have to wear a mask. Activities, dining tables and other parts of the daily schedule will be programmed by bunk until we get our arrival day and day 5 tests back. During this phase, we will still be able to play sports in larger groups but we will utilize masks in order to do so. Cohorts will increase in size and other protocols will relax as the summer progresses and we hit certain milestones.
Updated 3/1/21
Face Masks
Campers and staff will not have to wear face masks when they are with their cohort. During Phase I, everyone will wear masks when interacting within 6ft of other cohorts, or inside any building other than their own bunk. We hope to relax mask-wearing protocols when we get our day 5 tests back and progress into Phase II.
Updated 3/1/21
Cleanliness and Hygiene
Extra precautions will be taken this summer to ensure every facility across camp is cleaned and sanitized thoroughly. We will have ample cleaning supplies, including electrostatic sprayers that can efficiently sanitize large surface areas in a matter of minutes. We will also ensure that all campers and staff incorporate healthy and hygienic routines into their programmed summer fun.
Updated 3/1/21
Dining
We are redesigning our dining experience this summer so that it meets all CDC guidelines. All campers and staff will eat in open-air locations, either on our dining hall porches or under tents directly next to the dining hall. Meals will be served cafeteria style by our wait staff. Our Directors, Executive Chef and veteran kitchen team are already hard at work planning a delicious menu for our camp family.
Updated 3/1/21
Health Center and Medical Team
We are working closely with our pediatricians on Health Center procedures that will keep our camp community safe this summer.
During the summer we will have a pediatrician at camp 24/7. During week two, we will have an additional pediatrician on site to ensure a smooth transition out of Phase I. As always we will have a strong team of nurses at camp, led by our long time head nurse, Blake Mouch. We will have more nurses and nursing assistants on staff this summer than ever before.
Updated 3/1/21
Trips and Tournaments
Traditional camp trips are unlikely but we are working on trip options that are safe and will not jeopardize the safety of our community. Tournaments are also unlikely but we are not ruling out intercamp games at this time.
We are planning in-camp tournaments throughout the summer. These tournaments will cross over between age groups and will feature the campers who would ordinarily be partaking in tournaments. There will be try-outs, practices, an elevated level of competition and ice cream parties - just like the travel team experience.
Updated 3/1/21
Counselor Time Off
Counselor time off will mostly take place at camp at designated staff only areas. We are also looking into off-camp destinations that we can designate for Taconic counselors only.
Updated 5/27/21
Visiting Day
In the interest of keeping our camp bubble closed, we will not host an in-person Visiting Day. Instead of Visiting Day, we are planning meaningful ways for parents to connect with their campers by video conference and to virtually meet their counselors and camp leaders. These virtual alternatives will be available more frequently than traditional summer phone calls.
Updated 4/1/21
Deliveries, Outside Vendors and Visitors
Food and other deliveries are usually on camp before the campers and staff are awake or in locations where campers and staff are not present. All parties will be masked when making deliveries. The Taconic team member who is receiving the delivery will be masked and vaccinated.
Vendors for special events and entertainment will be required to mask and/or social distance. All planned events will take place outside. If Massachusetts permits, we will host a select number of private tours this summer with all touring parties tested, masked and socially distanced.
Updated 5/27/21
