Dear Teachers,

Many of you wish to know what to expect when you bring your class to KEEP.

Please arrive at 11:30 a.m., allowing three hours to get to KEEP from Bakersfield (the KEEP staff will not be ready for you until 11:30 a.m.). Upon arrival, you and your students will be given a brief welcome and behavior expectations before lunch is served at noon.

After lunch students will learn their cabin assignments and move their luggage to their rooms. Following this, students will accompany Naturalists on orientation walks around the campus. Counselors will have their own orientation meeting with the Lead Naturalist. The teachers will meet with the Program Supervisor to talk about the week (hiking assignments, teacher duties, students, etc.).

Around 4:30 p.m. the students and counselors will finish moving in and have some free time until dinner at 5:30 p.m.

Teachers will meet with their students for one hour per day on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 3:30-4:30 p.m. This is a good time to touch base with your students and, if you choose, have the children work on their field notebooks. Counselors have a meeting during this “teacher hour” and then enjoy their limited free time — so please keep your students for the full hour.

Be prepared for the unexpected at KEEP. Anything that happens is curriculum. We look forward to a wonderful week with you and your class. Your comments, suggestions and constructive criticisms are earnestly solicited. The KEEP office phone number in Bakersfield is (661) 636-4629.

Counselors are not babysitters, but rather, temporary staff members who are responsible for the safety, well being, and educational support of approximately 7-12 elementary students for five days, 24 hours per day.

As a counselor, you will assist naturalists on ecology walks/hikes and evening campfire programs, directly supervise between 7 to 12 students during meal time, showers, etc., and be on call for emergencies while bunking with students.

All counselors (whether high school, college or adult/parent) must complete a registration form and submit to the school site before coming to Camp KEEP.

All high school counselors must have a registration form completely filled out and in the possession of the teacher before boarding the bus to come to camp. Counselors under the age of 18 must have the form signed by their parent.

So You’re coming to KEEP as a Counselor? Here are some tips:

• Make sure you bring good sturdy shoes with good tread on the bottom. Bring a couple of pairs at least because there is a good chance they may get wet. Ugg boots, “shape-ups”, and or rubber boots are NOT good for hiking on trails. And you will be hiking, every day, rain or shine. Some days you can expect to cover over 5 miles up steep hills or on sandy dusty trails sometimes gaining up to 1,000 feet in elevation. Some hikes go along uneven rocky shores laced with slippery rocks. Be prepared!
• Bring warm clothes, the wind and weather on the coast can make it quite cold over here at times, however a big heavy jacket is not recommended for hiking, several light warm layers work much better. Don’t forget, a backpack to carry your layers, camera and your refillable water bottle.
• Don’t count on using your cell phones, in fact we discourage it. Service is sketchy, time is limited, and here at KEEP the kids come first. The KEEP staff would rather you focus on being here in this wonderful place with the students rather than texting or talking to people miles away.
• Do you drink coffee or tea? Bringing your own insulated mug to enjoy your hot beverage is a good idea.

More in-depth information can be found in the KEEP Counselor Handbook.

So your child is coming to KEEP? Here are some answers to frequently asked questions:

1. Is KEEP Safe?
   Yes! KEEP has operated since the early 1970s and hundreds of thousands of children have attended.All KEEP staff hold current certifications in first aid & CPR and deal with routine student health issues on a daily basis. If there is a more serious problem, your child’s teacher will contact you immediately via the emergency numbers listed on your registration form.

   Naturalist staff are trained to keep students safe on hikes. Children are not allowed to swim or wade in the ocean or creek. KEEP monitors local weather on a daily basis and adjusts hike schedules accordingly. Kitchen staff are trained to keep students safe at meals. Our menu is peanut & tree nut free. Students with special dietary needs are accommodated. Volunteer chaperones are provided by the visiting school. KEEP trains these chaperones on the first day to keep students safe in the trailers, both physically and emotionally. Every afternoon students spend time with their school teacher, who touches base to make sure they are healthy and happy.

   Every staff member & school volunteer passes DOJ & FBI fingerprint clearance as required by school districts.

2. What if my child takes medications?In order for children to take medication (prescription or over the counter) at KEEP they must have the Student Medication Form filled out and signed by a doctor and a parent. KEEP staff can’t administer even a cough drop without this form filled out. Medications need to be turned into their child’s teacher in their original container. Make sure all medications have a current expiration date. Medications will be kept in the first aid room and dispensed according to instructions. Emergency medications (such as inhalers) will be carried on every hike.
3. What happens if my child gets sick at KEEP?
   The answer varies, depending upon what is wrong with the student.If there is the possibility of a contagious illness (fever, vomiting, etc), the sick child is taken to the first aid cabin and put into the care of their teacher. Their teacher will contact the child’s family and arrange for a pickup at KEEP. Contagious children cannot stay at KEEP; although if they are symptom free for 24 hours (and cleared by a doctor) they may return. Schools will receive a partial refund if a child is sent home on the 1st or 2nd day.

   If the child has a minor issue, such as a stuffy nose or mild cough, non-medicated comfort measures are offered (such as warm tea with honey). Over the counter medications can’t be given unless the parents have filled out the KEEP Medication Form.

4. What if my child wets the bed?
   KEEP has a very discreet way to deal with this situation to ensure that every child feels safely and privately cared for.Parents should let staff know by marking the appropriate box on their child’s registration form. This child will be given a bottom bunk (where it will be easier to get to the bathroom & clean up/launder any nighttime situations). If a child wakes up wet in the middle of the night, we have extra dry sleeping bags the counselor loan out. In the morning, we wait until the children are eating breakfast to get wet bags to launder so no one notices. By the time the students return from their hikes, all bags are clean & dry and returned to the bunks.

   Some parents choose to send pull-ups with their child for bedtime use. If that is the case, please let your child’s teacher knows. These items will be stored in the 1st aid room. At bedtime and in the morning, your child will be allowed to go there and change privately in the 1st aid bathroom.

5. What happens if my child is scared to shower in front of other kids?
   Showers are private. Each child will have their own shower, with a small changing area and privacy curtain. Chaperones will always be present by the entry of the shower room to ensure that the children are behaving respectfully & appropriately. Hazing & pranks are not allowed.Students must shower at least once during the week, and have the opportunity to shower on both of their long hiking days. If students desire, they may bring a swimsuit to wear in the showers.
6. Where does my child sleep?Children sleep in cabins or trailers in small groups assigned by their teacher. Each group will be supervised by an adult volunteer from the visiting school at a 7:1 ratio. Teachers sleep in a separate building within sight of the student quarters. Teachers are on-call at night to deal with any behavior or first aid issues. There is always a staff member on campus at night who is available to assist teachers if needed.
7. What will my child eat?Please see our sample menu under each campus page. Students are served nutritious breakfasts, lunches, & dinners while at KEEP. There are morning and afternoon snacks available for children who are hungry. Additionally, if your child is vegetarian, or has an identified food allergy, please read the section entitled “Students with Special Needs”
8. What about ticks?
   Facts about Lyme Disease in CaliforniaTicks are a fact of nature. Frequenting the brush along trails; ticks are blind, deaf, and cannot fly or jump. They simply wait for an animal to brush up next to them and hitch a ride. When they find a nice, warm, uninterrupted space on the body, they bite. Most tick bites cause temporary discomfort and itch but do not transmit disease. The deer tick, however, can be the carrier of Lyme disease.

   Being Informed
   The KEEP staff regularly receives tick training on tick anatomy and behavior, proper tick removal techniques, and signs and symptoms of infection. The Bay Area Lyme Disease Foundation (www.bayarealyme.org) is a great resource for further tick and Lyme disease information.

   How to Prepare Your Student
   The best measure for prevention is to ensure your child comes with long pants, long socks and an undershirt to tuck underneath layers for each day at camp. Light colored clothes also allow for easier tick spotting. Consider treating your family’s existing clothing with Permethrin in advance of camp to offer long-lasting, extra protection against all insects – including ticks. Lemon Eucalyptus Oil is believed to repel ticks and several all-natural organic sprays now exist on the market.

   Our Preventions & Protocols
   During hikes, students are shown what ticks look like, taught how they behave and where they are commonly located. Students are taught to walk in the middle of the trail and avoid brushing against plants. Pants are tucked into socks and shirts into pants since ticks like to crawl up. Naturalists stop during hikes for tick checks. If ticks are found on clothing, naturalists demonstrate how to remove the tick in a safe way.

   If a student has been bitten by a tick, KEEP follows these protocols:

   • Using tweezers, the tick is grasped as close to the skin as possible and pulled straight out. The area is then washed with an antibacterial wipe.
   • The tick is sealed in a labeled plastic bag and an informational pamphlet is attached. Parents can choose to send the tick to a laboratory to check for Lyme Disease.
   • The tick bite is logged into our medical records and the teacher is informed.
   • If the tick comes out cleanly, the teacher calls the parent and provides option A or B (see below). If tick breaks in the skin, the teacher calls parents and provides options A, B, or C (see below).
     • Parents wait until Friday to treat
     • Parents come to KEEP and bring student to local urgent care clinic
     • Teachers bring student to emergency room for tick removal
9. What if my child gets homesick?
   Homesickness is common, especially on the first night as students start to think about bedtime. Our goal is to encourage homesick students to stay for the whole week of adventures. Ultimately, whether or not to send a homesick child home is a decision teachers will make with their child’s parents. KEEP strongly encourages teachers to make that decision after the student has made it through the first night and gone on at least one hike. There are no refunds given for homesickness. Parents can help their children prepare for a week away from home by practicing spending the night at a trusted adult’s house prior to their visit. Also, share with your child the following tools to help with homesickness.Here are some tools we use to help children that feel homesick
   • Keep students involved in the activities. Busy kids feel less sad! Kids that feel homesick need to be part of program, watching other kids have a great time.
   • Listen to the student and let them vent their feelings of loneliness. Reassure them that feeling homesick is perfectly normal.
   • Remind them that other students around them have the same feelings and they are not alone. Everyone in their class has each other to lean on.
   • Tell them that feeling homesick is not bad; rather, it is a good thing because it means they have a great family who loves them. Their family also wants to see them grow, have new experiences, and will be very proud of them by the end of the week.
   • Distract them by asking about their favorite part of the day. What did they get to see while hiking? What fun activities are there for them to do on campus?
   • Remind them there is more great stuff ahead! Exploring tide pools, playing on a beach, hiking a mountain, face painting at the creek, visiting Morro Bay are all activities waiting for them. They can hold snakes or sea stars, play in the yard, and explore the Discovery Zone. Every evening we sing new campfire songs.
   • KEEP has a homesickness journal. It contains real stories from students who were homesick at KEEP, but managed to stay until the end of the week. Students can pick out a few to read together with their teacher. On Friday, students who conquer homesickness can write in the journal too.
   • Sometimes homesickness is related to a student not being comfortable in their cabin group or hiking group. Teachers may consider switching groups if that student is worried about a certain hike or has a special friend in another group.
   • On occasion the teacher may call home to discuss the problem and possible solutions with the child’s parent. Letting a sad child talk to his/her parents is not always a wise idea as it can result in more tears, and an exaggeration of the problem rather than a solution.
10. Asbestos Information
    Asbestos Letter

Children with special medical, behavioral, or emotional needs can attend KEEP and have an amazing experience with their class. We look forward to working with your child to help them make a memory that will last their lifetime!

KEEP has hosted students that are deaf and hard of hearing, visually impaired, and with mobility limitations (including wheelchairs). Many special education students thrive at KEEP. The KEEP experience is available for students with severe medical needs such as diabetes, seizure disorder, catheterization, anaphylactic reactions, hemophilia, cerebral palsy, sickle cell, cystic fibrosis, severe asthma, medication injection of any type, suppository of any type or other medical procedures.

If your child has a special need, there are several things that need to occur to ensure that they have a safe and successful week. The following measures must be met to minimize risk and to assure the student’s safety at a five day, overnight, outdoor program:

1. The Physician’s Authorization to Attend KEEP Form (available from your school) is filled out & signed by a parent and physician. The student’s parents and physicians are informed of the KEEP activities, the outdoor location, the changes in daily living, and the distance from emergency medical services.
2. An authorized medical shadow (the student’s parent/guardian, parent designee, or school district designee), accompanies the student to KEEP, is in attendance during all program activities, and is trained to provide specialized health care as needed or prescribed by the child’s physician. Additionally, the shadow will arrange for any needed activity modifications. The shadow attends KEEP free of charge. Although the KEEP staff are trained in first aid and CPR, they are not trained medical personnel, and are not authorized to carry out advanced procedures. There is no nurse or physician on the KEEP campus available to monitor reoccurring health concerns. The KEEP campuses are 30-45 minutes from an emergency room, and some remote trails could require more than 1 hour to receive emergency care.
3. KEEP reviews all forms at least six weeks in advance of the student’s attendance at KEEP. This allows time to review paperwork, contact parents with questions, and put in place any needed modifications for the visit.
4. The student’s IEP or 504 Plan study team review and revise the student’s IEP or 504 Plan in consideration of the KEEP activities, the outdoor location, the changes in daily living, and distance from emergency medical services. the team communicates needed modifications with the KEEP staff.

KEEP can accommodate children and adults with special dietary needs. Our menu is tree nut, peanut, and shellfish free. (However, we cannot guarantee our campus is nut free as children & chaperones sometimes bring snacks containing nuts). With advanced notice, KEEP will provide vegetarian meals, as well as substitutions for allergy-inducing items. Your child’s teacher must contact KEEP with all dietary needs at least a week prior to your school’s visit. In certain circumstances KEEP’s lead cook may contact parents with more detailed questions about allergies. On rare occasions, a child has so many severe dietary restrictions that parents will be asked to provide pre-made meals for their child. Children with life-threatening allergic reactions will require a medical shadow to carry their medication and monitor their food intake. All people with special diets will need to identify themselves to the food servers at every meal.

*Requirements of the Shadow

1. *Be a parent/guardian, parent designee (over the age of 18), or school district designee.
2. Pass fingerprint clearance required by your district to be alone with students.
3. Be thoroughly familiar with the student’s specific medical condition and administration of any needed medications.
4. Be trained in the provision of any specialized medical care or emergency care as noted in the “Physicians Authorization to Attend” form.
5. Be physically able and willing to accompany the student on all hikes and activities, including strenuous hikes with elevation gains of over 1000 feet.
6. Supervise student back on campus when the student’s health prevents him/her from participating on hikes.
7. Be on campus 24 hours a day in the event a student has a medical need. This requires sleeping in rooms with other students and chaperones.
8. Monitor and adjust food intake as needed. Bring food to supplement KEEP’s menu if a special diet is needed.
9. Follow all campus rules of behavior while in the presence of students: For example: no smoking, no cell phone calls, no soft drinks/candy/gum, etc.
10. Work with the KEEP staff and classroom teachers, to insure a safe and educational experience for the student.