Program Policies

Updated January 12, 2024

Policies are subject to all applicable laws. This information supersedes information in Camp Handbooks from previous years and all previous versions of these policies.

Schoolhouse of Wonder continues to update our policies as best practices evolve. We encourage families to review current expectations from time to time to keep up with changes, especially with their camper(s) a day or two before their camp week starts.

Before completing your purchase, you must agree to be bound by our Policies (Program, Payment, Cancellation, Transfer, and Refund).

Waivers/Permissions

I permit my child to participate in all Schoolhouse of Wonder (‘Schoolhouse’) activities.

Assumption of Risk and Indemnity: Schoolhouse conducts outdoor educational and recreation programs that may take place in public parks and unimproved areas with natural woods and water features.

Schoolhouse provides age-appropriate safety instruction regarding outdoor skills, plants, wildlife, and supervised activities; however, there are always risks inherent to participating in such activities. I understand that Schoolhouse activities have inherent risks, including potential exposure to COVID-19, and I hereby assume all risks and hazards incident to my participation/my child’s participation in all Schoolhouse activities and recreation activities provided by third-party vendors. On behalf of myself and my child, I further waive, release, absolve, indemnify, and agree to hold harmless Schoolhouse of Wonder and its employees, supervisors, organizers, officers, directors, participants, volunteers, vendors, land use partners (including but not limited to City of Durham Parks and Recreation; Wake County Parks, Recreation, and Open Spaces; City of Raleigh Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources; North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation; Triangle Land Conservancy), as well as all persons or parents transporting participants to and from activities, from any legal claims, liabilities, damages and costs for any physical injury or damage to my personal property sustained during my use of Schoolhouse property and/or my participation/my child’s participation in any Schoolhouse activities.

Authorization for Emergency Medical Care: I certify that my child’s medical information is complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge. Should an accident or emergency occur that requires my child to receive medical care, I request and authorize Schoolhouse staff to administer first aid, contact my child’s physician or dentist, and/or call an ambulance to take my child to a physician, hospital for emergency treatment, or active EMS in the event it appears necessary and a parent or guardian cannot be contacted in a timely manner, as Schoolhouse staff deem appropriate under the circumstances. I give my permission for Schoolhouse to transmit and disclose my child’s medical information to the treating medical personnel. I hereby give to any physician, dentist, hospital, or other health care provider consent to perform any x-ray, examination, anesthetic, medical or surgical diagnosis or treatment, under the general or special supervision of the designated physician/dentist specified above or, if unavailable, any licensed physician or dentist. I agree that I will be financially responsible for the costs of such treatment and transportation.

Accident and Health Insurance: Participants are responsible for their own accident and health insurance when participating in Schoolhouse on-site or off-site programs.

Personal Items: I agree that my child will not bring electronics, hand-held games, sports or gaming equipment, toys, money, trading cards, or valuables to Schoolhouse programs. I understand that Schoolhouse is not responsible for any personal items lost, stolen, or damaged in its programs.

Late Charges: By continuing, you agree to pay Schoolhouse of Wonder a late pick-up charge of $5.00 for each 10 minutes after 3:30pm or 5:30pm respectively.

Pick up policy: I acknowledge that only persons entered in my electronic record will be able to pick my child up from an activity and that absent extenuating circumstances, Schoolhouse cannot accept permission by phone.

Sunscreen and Insect Repellent: I agree to apply sunscreen and insect repellent (if preferred) prior to my child arriving at Schoolhouse and to send additional sunscreen (and insect repellent if preferred) to Schoolhouse with my child each day. I hereby give permission for Schoolhouse staff to supervise and assist my child to re-apply his or her own sunscreen (and insect repellent if preferred) before water time and/or as needed throughout the day. Campers may not apply sunscreen or insect repellent to each other or share products. Schoolhouse of Wonder provides sunscreen and/or insect repellent for extenuating circumstances only emergency use only, and only with parent/guardian permission.

Illness Policies and Procedures

In order to protect the health and safety of all campers and staff, campers or staff with conditions that are suspected to be contagious and require exclusion for any of the reasons listed below must stay home until the below parameters have been met. If symptoms appear during camp that are suspected to be contagious or require exclusion, we will contact caretakers/emergency contacts immediately. In addition, we ask that all campers and staff who do not feel well enough to participate comfortably in all programs should stay home.

Campers must stay home if they are experiencing:

Diarrhea
Severe pain or discomfort.
One or more episodes of acute vomiting within a period of 24 hours.
Difficult or rapid breathing.
Yellowish eyes or skin.
If a child has a fever (greater than or equal to 101 orally or tympanic or 100 axillary (under arm), the child will not be allowed to attend camp until they are well again and has been without a fever without fever-reducing medications (e.g. Tylenol or Motrin) for:
- 24 hours accompanied by a negative COVID-19 test
- Without a negative COVID-19 test we will follow protocol for a positive COVID-19 test
Untreated head lice or untreated scabies
Children suspected of or confirmed of being in contagious stages of chicken pox, pertussis, measles, mumps, rubella or diphtheria.
Skin rashes, lesions, or wounds lasting more than 1 day that are bleeding or oozing clear fluid or pus. Child must be free of open or oozing skin conditions unless 1) a healthcare provider has provided a written statement indicating the condition is not contagious; and 2) the affected area(s) can be covered by a bandage without seepage or drainage through the bandage.
Any symptoms of COVID-19. (Please see below)

Children with the following symptoms should be excluded from camp unless they are under the care of a physician, and the physician has approved in writing their return to camp:

Skin rashes, lesions or wounds lasting more than one day
Swollen joints or visibly enlarged lymph nodes
Elevated oral temperature of 101 degrees
Blood in urine

If campers present with COVID-19-like symptoms, we will request the camper to go home and test. The camper will not be allowed back to camp unless they have tested negative. COVID-19-like symptoms include:

Fever or chills
Cough
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Fatigue
Muscle or body aches
Headache
Loss of taste and smell

If a camper tests positive, they may return to camp under the parameters of the CDC current recommendations. This may require campers to come back masked after a quarantine period.

If a camper chooses not to test, they will be assumed to be positive for COVID and may return to camp under the parameters of the CDC current recommendations for someone who has tested positive for COVID.

Precautions we are taking to prevent the spread of illness

All staff will receive training to ensure they understand the safety requirements, protocols, and expectations to help ensure everyone in our programs and communities stays safe and prevents the spread of illness.
Hand sanitizing is encouraged, including before eating.

Food and beverage sharing are not allowed at camp, except for siblings.

Vaccination requirements: We encourage all people who are eligible to be vaccinated to do so. This is the best way to protect yourself and the community from the most severe symptoms of COVID-19. While all Schoolhouse staff are required to be up to date on COVID-19 vaccinations, we do not require campers to be vaccinated.

Masking: While we support mask use as a precautionary measure in the prevention of illness, we do not require masks while outdoors or indoors unless someone is identified as a close contact of someone with COVID-19 or under other COVID-19 protocol.

Sick Campers and Staff before the camp day

Please monitor your camper for any indication that they are ill. We ask that campers with any sign of illness stay home until their symptoms improve. Please call the Site Manager to report all absences from camp.
If a staff member feels ill, they will contact their supervisor, and follow appropriate protocol.

Sick Campers and Staff at camp

If a camper or staff appears to be ill, or shares that they are feeling unwell while at camp, they will be moved to an isolated location under supervision. Caregivers will be notified of the symptoms and the need for immediate pick-up.
Families are encouraged to coordinate decision making around the child’s care with family health care provider.
We will follow the Health Department’s guidance for contact tracing and inform families from all groups who may have been exposed to a communicable illness.
If there are indications that a staff member or camper with COVID-19 (symptomatic or asymptomatic) has attended camp, we will notify families immediately.
We request that families remain in contact with us post-camp if they test positive for COVID-19 in the two weeks after attending camp. If this is the case, we will notify all campers and staff who may have been in contact with the camper.

If a camper or staff is identified as a close contact of someone with COVID-19:

We will follow current CDC guidance. At this time, campers and staff who are close contacts with no symptoms can come to camp but must wear a well-fitting mask for 10 days. The CDC recommends close contacts test on or after day 5.
Campers and staff who are close contacts and do have symptoms will follow the protocol for COVID-19 symptoms.

Cancellations due to illness or injury: Cancellations will follow the current refund policy. Due to our staffing structure, cancellations within 30 days of camp will not be refunded or credited.

All Illness Policies and Procedures are subject to change. We will continue to follow the guidance of public health experts to ensure that Schoolhouse follows up-to-date recommendations for health and safety.

Payments, Cancellation, Transfer, and Refund Policy

This policy has been updated. Please read it carefully (and pinky promise not to argue with our staff about it after registration).

We limit spaces in each camp to ensure a quality experience. Our cancellation guidelines and policies are based on our duty to fulfill commitments we’ve made to our participants, to our camp staff, and to take care of the land where we operate. Please complete this registration only if you understand and agree to abide by the following policy.

Payment in full, or a deposit and choice of payment plan, is due at time of registration. Your space in the camp will be reserved as soon as your order is submitted, regardless of whether you’ve paid in full or selected a payment plan.

Payment in full must be received by the specified date for your participant to be admitted to camp.

All cancellation, transfer, or change requests must be made in writing via email to schoolhouse@schoolhouseofwonder.org

You Need to Transfer to a Different Camp

All transfers and other registration changes are dependent upon available space.

More than 14 days prior to the first day of camp: A $40 administrative fee will be charged per child, per change.

Less than 14 days prior to the first day of camp: We are unable to make any changes or grant transfer requests, except for adding aftercare.

You Need to Cancel Summer Camp (camps occurring from May 28 through August 30, 2024)

If participant cancels:

60 days or more before the camp begins: 75% of tuition is refundable
30 days or more before the camp begins: 50% of tuition is refundable
Less than 30 days before the camp begins: no tuition is refundable

All refunds are subject to a 3% processing fee

Cancellations due to illness or injury: Cancellations will follow the current refund policy. Due to our staffing structure, cancellations within 30 days of camp will not be refunded or credited.

You Need to Cancel School Year Camp (all camps occurring outside the Summer Camp schedule listed above)

If a participant cancels:

30 days or more before the camp begins: 100% of tuition is refundable, minus a $40 administrative fee.
Less than 30 days before the camp begins: no tuition is refundable.

All refunds are subject to a 3% processing fee

Schoolhouse of Wonder Needs to Cancel:

If Schoolhouse must cancel before the start of a camp session due to circumstances beyond our control (e.g., weather, government orders) or for any other reason, you receive a 100% refund paid to the original payment method.
If Schoolhouse must cancel during a camp session, you will receive a pro-rated refund.

All refunds are subject to a 3% processing fee

Schoolhouse of Wonder reserves the right to modify, at any time, any of the policies described or privileges granted.

Waivers/Permissions