Countdown to Camp: 2022 Community Updates

In order for camp to best support the emotional, physical and social well-being of your child this summer, please complete our expanded Camper Care Intake Form, available in the Forms section of your CampMinder account.

Our amazing camper care support team is led by Daniella Elyashar, Lauren Mindel and Robin Rubenstein.  Your primary summer contact is Robin, our Family Engagement Director, and she’s happy to help you via email at rrubenstein@ramahwisconsin.com.

Click your child’s eidah name below to see the new daily schedule for this summer!

Ruach Ramah (entering 3rd grade)
Kochavim (entering 4th grade)
Garinim (entering 5th grade)
Halutzim (entering 6th grade)
Solelim (entering 7th grade)
Shoafim (entering 8th grade)
Bogrim (entering 9th grade)
Machon (entering 10th grade)

Check out our new digital Camp Handbook available in the “Current Families” section of our website to help you and your camper(s) prepare for the summer.

Highlights Include:

• Packing lists
• Medication registration
• Travel
• Photos
• Staff Contacts
• Medical Requirements and Other Information
• Visitor Information

2022 summer forms are now available in your CampMinder account.

• Due Now
  • Camper Care Intake Form
  • Camp Ramah in Wisconsin Travel Form
  • Medical Forms (Health History, Physical, Immunizations and Health Insurance)
  • Bunking request (Note: Bunk request forms will not be considered until the Camper Care Intake Form is completed.)
  • B’nai Mitzvah Tutoring (for campers who will become a bar/bat mitzvah between August and December 2022)
• Due 6/1
  • COVID-19 Vaccination Card Form
  • Camp Ramah in Wisconsin – Summer 2022 Brit

The health and safety of our campers is our highest priority. Each summer our medically licensed professionals distribute medication to hundreds of campers through our Infirmary, based on prescribed regular and/or PRN (as needed).

In order to ensure the safe and accurate distribution of medication, our Medical Committee has adopted the following updated requirements:

All medication must be registered through CampMeds.

Click here for the full medication policy.

The “Camp Ramah in WI & IL” App provides a one stop shop for staying in touch
with camp this summer, including:

• Customized News Feed for your camper(s)’ eidah (age group)
• Transportation updates
• Camp photos
• Calendar to keep track of key dates
• Contact information
• And much more!

Download the app today! Check your email for the registration code or email registrar@ramahwisconsin.com.

Click here to view the camp calendar.

• We can and will be allowed to operate safely.
• Our camp community will be fully vaccinated and boosted for COVID-19 (requirement for all eligible individuals).
• Testing will be an important part of our pre-arrival strategy and to manage the presence of COVID-19.
• Camp will be open, including mid-summer camper and staff arrivals and out of camp days off for staff.
• COVID-19 is likely to present itself at camp
• Low positivity and hospitalization rates in our communities. No new significant variant emerges.

The National Ramah Commission Medical Committee and Camp Ramah in Wisconsin/Ramah Day Camp Medical Committee have a long-established history of robust vaccination requirements. These vaccination requirements have been developed and are regularly reviewed based on the latest recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

In support of our commitment to the health and safety of all members of our community, all COVID-19 vaccine-eligible campers (those greater than 5 years of age), staff members, and visitors must complete the primary COVID-19 vaccination series prior to the beginning of their summer camp season. In addition, a booster vaccine is required for those individual greater than 12 years of age prior to the beginning of their summer camp season.

Note: We strongly encourage individuals ages 5-11 years of age to get a booster and for community members 50 and up to get a second booster prior to the camp season.
Any vaccine authorized for use in the U.S., currently Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson, or combinations thereof are acceptable.

All campers, staff, and visitors must adhere to the following testing requirements prior to arrival:

1. All staff, campers, and guests must have a negative PCR test ideally 3 but up to 5 days before arriving at camp; home-based antigen tests will not suffice. Results of PCR tests must be uploaded to your Camp Minder account prior to boarding the bus to camp or arriving at camp.*
2. All staff, campers, and guests must have a negative home-based antigen test the day they arrive at camp. This test can be self-administered at home and photographed OR a self-administered test will be provided by camp at bus departures or camp entrance. *If you have tested positive for COVID-19 within 90-days of the start of your session, as outlined above, you will not be required to provide a negative PCR test.
3. Surveillance testing will be done on the first Thursday (day 2) at the start of each session. Surveillance testing will be done for all staff leaving camp on a weekly basis throughout the summer.

Camper Trips

We are planning to return to out of camp trips:

• Trip destinations will be informed by overall COVID-19 prevalence in the area.
• Activities will take place primarily outdoors.
• Indoor high density activities will not be planned.

Staff Time Off

• Based on our current guiding assumptions, staff members will be able to leave camp for time off.
• Our Medical Committee will determine any policies or restrictions on time off out of camp in advance of the summer.

Please inform our team of any COVID-19 infections that your child may have had prior to camp. Your Health History form on CampMinder can be edited at any time. If your child has recently contracted COVID-19, please update their Health History.

If your camper tests positive for COVID-19 within 90-days of the start of their session, please email us at covid19@ramahwisconsin.com notifying us and providing proof of the positive test (positive test result or doctors note). Per CDC guidelines, this will exempt you from pre-arrival COVID-19 testing.

If your camper tests positive for COVID-19 within 10-days of the start of their session (after June 4th for those starting on June 14th), please email us at covid19@ramahwisconsin.com immediately. Per CDC guidelines, campers will only be allowed to begin their camp session a full 10 days after symptoms started or the date of their positive test.

Please note the language we use here. We believe it is helpful to think of this in terms of ‘when’ not ‘if.’ We know that the current variants are extremely transmissible, and despite all our best efforts, COVID is likely to find its way into our camp community at some point this summer.

Anyone with COVID-like symptoms, per established Marp protocol, will be administered a rapid COVID-19 test.

When a positive COVID-19 test result is obtained:
In accordance with CDC guidelines, and in consultation with our medical committee, anyone who tests positive will be isolated for 5 days following symptom onset. The individual may return to the regular camp activities and the bunk on Day 6, masked until Day 10 (except for sleeping). Bunk HEPA filters will remain on and windows will be left open.

*We anticipate that the majority of COVID-19 diagnosed campers can recover at camp. There will be an option for parents to pick-up campers. Campers will be sent home if symptoms don’t improve within 3 days.

When individuals are exposed to COVID-19:
If there is a confirmed case at camp, the bunk will enter a COVID-19 protocol for exposed individuals for 5 days. Exposed and asymptomatic campers and staff will participate maximally in regular camp activities.

Anyone traveling to camp on an airplane must wear a well-fitting mask at the airport and on the plane throughout their travels.

Due to the current rates of transmission in our camper hometowns, we are requiring campers to mask on the bus to camp.  Masking is encouraged but not required once the campers arrive at camp, where we will work to minimize indoor contact.

Masking may be necessary if circumstances change prior to or throughout the summer. We will clearly communicate these with you and our camp community.

Once at camp, we plan to test for COVID-19 at the following times. All tests will be rapid antigen tests self-administered (or with the assistance of a staff member when necessary):

• Arrival to Camp: Rapid test will be done on day 2 (Thursday) of all camper sessions.
• Out of Camp Trips: On return from a trip outside of camp (which includes interaction with outside camp community) on day 2 of return to camp.
• Staff Days Off: Day 2 after day off.
• Local Staff: Rapid testing will be done weekly.

We are proud of our ongoing work to ensure the well-being of everyone under our care. Our top priority is the physical, emotional, social and spiritual health and safety of our camp community. We want to ensure you are aware of the following:

• We’ve added staff to our Camper Care Team for 2022 – adding full-time Director of Camper Care & Inclusion and one additional yoetzet (staff trainer) throughout the summer.
• Our Camper Care policies, published in our Staff Handbook, are shared with staff prior to the start of camp, reviewed during staff training week, and referenced as needed throughout the summer. Our policies and procedures are re-evaluated annually to ensure best practices.
• We have established a Mental Health Committee to partner with our year-round professional team and community leaders in the fields of mental health to consult and support our work with campers and staff on an ongoing basis.
• The Aleinu: Safeguarding Our Children campaign is a program of Sacred Spaces that enables youth serving organizations to implement ten Best Practices for child protection. Camp Ramah in Wisconsin / Ramah Day Camp in Chicagoland has participated in the Chicago area cohort.
• Awarded Yedid Nefesh Grant from Foundation for Jewish Camp to address MESSH in holistic ways. Supporting Camp Ramah to hire qualified mental health professionals on staff, enhance counselor training, integrate wellness programming into activity areas.
• All of our staff and year round professionals are extensively trained in issues of health and safety pre-camp and throughout the summer, including recent Youth Mental Health First Aid certifications.

The health and physical safety of our campers is our number one priority!

• We partner closely with the Secure Community Network, a project of the Jewish Federations of North America – including special Jewish summer camp guidance
• We continue to maintain our strong relationship with the Vilas County Police Department, including pre-summer site visit, staff week training and periodic visits and check-ins throughout the summer
• Through JUF, Foundation for Jewish Camp and National Ramah Commission we continue to monitor local and national security developments
• We have a comprehensive security plan in place – including a 24-hour guard at our Welcome Center
• We undergo emergency training with all of our staff and campers
• We continue to invest annually in security enhancements, training and equipment

Visitors Days will proceed as planned, with activities taking place fully outdoors (weather permitting):

• First Session Campers: Sunday, July 3, 2022
• Full Season Campers: Sunday, July 17 – Monday, July 18, 2022
• Second Session Campers: Sunday, July 31, 2022

• Day visitors will be permitted
• Additional details regarding the possibility of overnight visitors and reunion weekends will be shared

All visitors must meet the following conditions to enter camp:

1. All COVID-19 vaccine eligible individuals (those 5 years of age and older) must complete the primary COVID-19 vaccination series and receive a booster vaccine (those 12 years of age and older). Proof of vaccination will be required. Individuals not eligible for COVID-19 vaccination (2-5 years old) will be required to mask indoors.
2. PCR Test 72 Hours before arrival at camp. Proof of negative result must be provided.
3. Rapid Antigen Test self-administered morning of arrival or upon arrival to camp and confirmation of no COVID 19 like symptoms.