YMCA Calgary Camp Chief Hector Hector Spring School 2014 Presentation Notes Slide #1: the photo is of Lookout Mountain which is the first mountain on your left as you - are driving on the Trans Canada highway to the west - our site is located below the mountain in the Bow Valley Has anyone ever been to the Camp Chief Hector YMCA? - Outdoor School programs run from September through to June - - Our residential summer camp programs run in July and August Outdoor Programs such as yoga weekends, family weekends, corporate retreats, - youth conferences and weddings run on weekends - Canmore is the closest town and it is about a 20 minute drive from our site It takes approximately one hour from Calgary to get to our site - We are a branch of the Calgary YMCA however we are unique in that we offer - residential programs Please check our website for more information and photos of our site - (www.ymcacalgary.com CAMP – OUTDOOR SCHOOLS) Slide #2: as we are an active branch of the Calgary YMCA, we have a full time general - manager named Jill Jamieson Jill directly supervises the Outdoor schools Manager (Nikki Thomson) who is - responsible for planning and preparing the school programs - The Hector Spring School Coordinator works on a day to day basis with students, teachers and counselors The General Manager, ODS Manager and Hector Spring School Coordinator work - to train and supervise program staff and counselors Program staff help out in areas where they are needed and are not directly - assigned to a group of students Counselors work directly with groups of students. Counsellors eat, sleep and - facilitate activities for their students with the support of program staff Counselors at camp use what are called “nature names” for the duration of - Outdoor School ie. Pine, Tephra, Wave, Fin, Sorrel, North, etc. We have a number of counselors from other countries such as Australia, New - Zealand and England, as well as from all over Canada Counselors participate in a week of mandatory training before beginning to work - with students and they are all trained in first aid and CPR Counselors must also provide a current background check in order to be - employed by YMCA Calgary
YMCA Calgary Camp Chief Hector Slide #3: at camp, teachers act in the place of a parent and are responsible for contacting - you if needed injuries at camp are similar to those in an elementary school gym class or recess, - such as sprained ankles, bumps and scrapes and the occasional cut - there are no extreme adventure activities involved in Hector Spring School counselors carry first aid kits at all times and have radios if they are away from - our main buildings if a student does become ill or injured it is the responsibility of teachers to - contact you and to transport the student to the clinic in Canmore if necessary there are no medications provided by camp, including OTC medications such as - Tylenol and Benadryl teachers are responsible for dispensing medication. Please provide your child’s - medication in a Ziploc bag clearly labeled with their name. Students may not have any medications (except puffers or epipens) in their dorms. In the case of an emergency, the closest ambulance dispatch station is located in - Kananaskis, which is approximately ten minutes away We are fortunate to find ourselves in the midst of an active ecosystem out at - camp and do see quite a bit of animal activity in the surrounding area - Camp works closely with the local conservation officers to monitor animal activity on our site Camp is a very loud, active place and animals tend to steer clear of our main area - - Students travel in groups with their counselor. If a student needs to go to the washroom, or to get something from their tipi, they travel with a buddy Please do not send any extra food with your child - Slide #4: - student accommodation for Hector Spring School is in canvas tipis each tipi has five bunk beds, wooden floor boards and a central fire pit - counselors are trained in tipi and fire pit management - students sleep in groups of nine with one counselor - a female counselor will always be with female students but there may be times - when female counselors will be with male students there is a central wash-house with showers, sinks and washrooms, as well as - smaller wash-stands and well maintained outhouses - students keep anything (soap, shampoo, toothpaste, etc.) with a scent in the wash-house so that animals are not attracted to their tipi. Please pack these items in a toiletry kit or small bag that is easy to transport. - Tipis are warm and comfortable when the fire is lit but can get chilly later in the night and in the morning. Warm bedding, pajamas and a toque to wear to bed are essential.
YMCA Calgary Camp Chief Hector Slide #5: Camp Chief Hector YMCA employs a full time Food Services Director named - Mayra Fajardo. Her email is in the parent manual. Students eat in their activity groups in Hector Lodge - We are able to accommodate for a wide range of food restrictions such as - lactose intolerance, vegetarianism, gluten-free and pork-free. Please contact Mayra if you have questions about your child’s dietary options while at camp. We are a nut-safe site and do not use peanut products in our kitchens. Some - ingredients say “may have come in contact with nuts” and in this case we would provide a nut-free option. Please do not have your child bring any extra food to camp unless your child has - a restriction or severe allergy and it is arranged beforehand with a teacher or camp staff. This food will be stored in the camp kitchen. Students eat three meals a day as well as snacks - An example of meals are cereal, fruit, eggs, toast and sausage for breakfast; - grilled cheese, soup, veggies and dip for lunch; and spaghetti, garlic bread and salad for dinner Students help to set and clear tables - Transition to Program Description please think of any questions that you have about staff, risk management, - accommodations and food and you will have the opportunity to ask at the end of the presentation Hector Spring School examines different aspects of the science and history of the - Canadian Rockies Three main themes: curriculum ties, personal development and building a - connection with the land and nature - Great opportunity for hands-on learning Teachers are able to elaborate on classroom learning - Slide #6 Initiative and team-building activities give counselors a chance to get to know - their students - These activities involve students working together to accomplish a task or to reach a goal Students also have fun and work together using their communication and - conflict resolution skills Great for teachers to see the different dynamics that result among their students - Slide #7
YMCA Calgary Camp Chief Hector Predator Prey is a wide-scale tag game that is based on the food chains of the - Bow Valley - students are assigned as an animal and they run through a marked-off area of the forest trying to escape predators and gather food and water great activity for teachers to play - - introduction and debrief tie the game together with learning objectives Slide #8 for one day of their visit out at camp, students will participate in a day of - exploration around our main site not about the distance traveled or elevation gained - focus is on learning about and enjoying oneself in the outdoors - wetlands, trees and forests, evidence and investigation of animals - pack a bag lunch before breakfast to eat out on the trail - counselors have first aid kits and radios - in poor weather conditions, groups may drop by camp for a visit to warm up - before heading out again Slide #9 students will search for signs of animal activity in the areas around camp and - investigate the forest creatures who share our home Slide #10 - voyageur canoeing and tipi learning these activities involve learning about the history of the voyageurs and first - nations in western Canada, learning some terms and strokes there is a staff member in every boat for Voyageur Canoeing - Chilver Lake is about 6 ft at it’s deepest point - students and staff wear PFD’s on the boat and on the dock - staff monitor weather conditions for rain, snow and lightning - Slide #11:
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