Pre-Summer Communication

Pre-summer communications

Stay up-to-date on the latest communications as we get ready for Summer 2023! 

Here you will find the latest information on COVID-19 protocols, pre-summer forms, registration for our New Family Webinar, and copies of any pre-summer emails sent out. Everything you need in one easy-to-find place!

COVID-19 PROTOCOLS Updated 3/1/23

Current as of 5/17/23:

Listed below are the main features of this year’s protocols.

Vaccine Requirements:

  • All campers and staff in our community will continue to be required to have the COVID-19 primary vaccination series, as was our policy in 2022.
  • We strongly recommend that all members of our community also receive the COVID-19 Bivalent Booster, but will not require this booster, nor any boosters.

While at Camp:

  • No required masking
  • Symptomatic testing only as warranted
  • No routine surveillance testing

If a bunkmate tests positive:

  • No parallel programming or separation
  • Schedule and program will continue as usual
  • No surveillance testing

 

NEW! Pre-travel Checklist: 

  1. We have worked to minimize COVID testing at camp this summer and we want to ensure that everyone in our community arrives to camp healthy. In order to achieve both of these goals, prior to travel to camp on Opening Day, all participants must take a a self-administered Rapid Antigen (RA) Test. You will be required to show a date-stamped photo* of your test result upon arrival at GFC. 

*To get a date-stamped photo of your COVID RA test result is to first take a photo of the test on your phone, then open the photo in your photo album- you will see the date the photo was taken here. Next, take a screenshot on your phone and use this screenshot as your upload. 

** If no test is administered at home, or you do not have a date-stamped photo of your test result, you will be required to test upon arrival at GFC. 

 

  1. Review at-home exposure and symptom screening questions.

*These questions will also be included in our pre-arrival email the Friday just prior to your session start. 

  1. If your camper’s self-administered Rapid Antigen Test is positive, please notify camp ASAP. Your camper will need to isolate at home for a minimum of 48 hours. Your camper may return to camp using the following guidelines:
  1. A minimum of 48 hours in isolation and 
  1. 24 hours without a fever (if they presented with fever) and 
  1. Significant symptom improvement.  

 

NEW! What to expect upon arrival to GFC: 

  1. Date-stamped photo of at-home Rapid Antigen test must be shown during the arrival check-in process. If no test was administered at home, or you do not have a date-stamped photo of your test result, you will be required to test on site before continuing the check-in process.
  2. Our staff will review exposure and symptom screening questions with you.
  3. If our staff determines that answers to these screening questions warrant an on-site test, one will be administered before continuing the check-in process.
  4. If an on-site Rapid Antigen test is positive, camper will begin an in-camp isolation protocol. (See Isolation Protocol below.)

 

NEW! What to expect during Camp: 

  1. 1. When will we test for COVID-19 during our summer session? 

There will be NO surveillance testing throughout the summer at GFC. We will treat COVID-19 much more like other illnesses during camp. To determine if, and when, an individual needs to be tested for COVID-19, our medical team will determine if that individual presents the following: 

  • Fever + one additional symptom OR 
  • Three symptoms from this list: Dry cough, fatigue, aches and pains, sore throat, headache, loss of taste or smell, diarrhea, difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. 

If an individual tests positive for COVID-19, our Isolation Protocol will be put into place. (See below.) 

  1. Isolation Protocol

Anyone who presents in our Health Center with symptoms of possible COVID infection and subsequently tests positive will require an isolation period. This isolation period will be based on the individual’s symptoms, as is typical of many viral infections. Individuals will remain isolated in the Health Center (if space allows) or at home (if Health Center capacity is already full) until they have met the three exit isolation criteria:  

  1. A minimum of 48 hours in isolation and 
  1. 24 hours without a fever (if they presented with fever) and 
  1. Significant symptom improvement. 

No additional mitigation (masking, distancing, or otherwise) will be required following this isolation period. 

Please note that our Health Center has limited capacity to house sick individuals on site. As we have always done, when we meet our capacity for housing and caring for ill individuals on site (regardless of cause of illness), we rely on our families to retrieve their campers for an at-home recovery period. We expect that camper families will develop a plan to pick up their camper if that camper requires isolation from the program due to illness (COVID or otherwise), and the capacity for housing and care in the camp Health Center is full. 

If you have any questions about our COVID-19 protocol this summer, please reach out to Rabbi Erin directly at emason@urj.org. 

pre-summer forms

Current as of 3/1/23:

Pre-summer forms are released on your CampInTouch account. View and complete your camper’s forms through the Forms Dashboard.

The following forms are now available and may be completed fully online or through the Campanion App:

  • Health History Form
  • URJ Vaccine Policy Acknowledgement
  • Camper Information Form
  • Transportation Form
  • Activity Preference Form

The following forms are available and will need to be printed, completed, and uploaded into your account:

  • Camp Immunization Form
  • Medical Examination Form
  • Mental Health History Form
  • Academic Support Form
  • Insurance Card and Authorization to Treat Form

Please note that the Medical Examination Form, Camp Immunization Form, Mental Health History Form, and the Academic Support Form must be completed and signed by the appropriate professional prior to uploading them. 

If you have any questions, you can contact our year-round nurse, Stephanie Turek, directly at sturek@urj.org or (254) 859-5411. Please keep in mind that Stephanie is part-time until summer begins.

For detailed information about forms and a how-to guide to uploading, please click here.

Payment Plan Reminders

Due March 13th: 2/3 of your tuition. 

Due April 12th: Full summer tuition. 

You can log in to your CampInTouch Account at any time to make payments. 

If you have questions about your account, please contact our Business Manager, Linda Matthews at lmatthews@urj.org. 

New Family Webinar

Is your family new to GFC this summer? Sign up for our New Family Webinar! We will talk about what to prepare before camp, what happens during camp, and much more! 

Missed an email?

EMail #1: 2023 COVID Information and pre-summer forms

 

EMAIL #2: 2023 Updated COVID Information and Additional Pre-Summer Forms