Click here to download the Parent Info (pdf)

Staff
Junior Gan Israel Day Camp is staffed by a full complement of successful early childhood educators who have worked extensively with preschool-age children. Your child will receive individualized attention and care in a loving, Jewish environment. We are very proud of our Division Heads, each of whom is a dedicated and capable professional educator.

All of our Division Heads are certified in emergency health procedures. Certification is provided by  www.cprwiz.com,

If you are seeking a staff position, please click here:

Location

Camp this year is located at the Arie Crown Hebrew Day School, 4600 Main St., Skokie 60076, two blocks east of Skokie Blvd. Please click here to view the map.

Orientation

To help your child adjust to camp, there will be an Orientation Session which you can attend with your child. It will be held at camp, on Sunday, June 25, from 11:00 - noon. This will provide your child with the opportunity to get acquainted with our facilities and staff. We strongly encourage you to bring your child, even if he has been to camp before.

• Please bring your child without siblings so that he will gain the most from the Orientation.
• If your child has particular needs, or if there are any issues that call for in-depth discussion, please email or phone your child's Division Head. We want to talk with you, but during Orientation there will not be time for long conversations.
• If this is your child’s first experience in camp and the Sunday Orientation does not allow sufficient time to acclimate your child, please contact your child’s Division Head to schedule an additional session. At starting time on the first day of camp we ask all parents to please leave.
• If your child will be attending second session only, you are welcome to contact your child's Division Head to schedule a visit before your child's first day.

Carpooling & Camp-Provided Transportation:

Please help reduce traffic congestion by carpooling or utilizing camp-provided transportation. If you are not utilizing camp-provided transportation, please fill out the Pickup Information Form completely and accurately, and give it to your child’s Division Head at the Orientation.  Camp-provided transportation to and from camp is available for a fee and by prior arrangement only. 
 

Arrival & Dismissal Procedures

Arrival:

Please bring your child no earlier than 9:25 and no later than 9:40 each morning. We request that you not remain beyond 9:45.

Dropping off your Camper Option One
You are welcome to escort your child into the building and into their room. Please use the entrance into the wing of the building that we are using for camp, which is on the north side of the building, west of the Kenton St. parking lot and facing the parking lot. There will be a sign marking that entrance as the camp entrance.
We are reserving both sides of Kenton St. alongside of the building, and the Kenton St. parking lot, for parents who wish to escort their child into their room in the mornings. Even though it is legal to park on Elm Terrace, please do not ever park there.

Dropping off your Camper Option Two
Alternatively, we can greet your child at your car. To take advantage of this service, please park on Main Street, in front of the building. Please pull up as far as you can. Take your child out of your car, and wait for a counselor to ask you for your child’s name and division name, and to escort your child into camp. For this service only, and only during drop-off time, we use the main entrance into the building on Main St. We will have counselors standing by and ready to escort your child from your car 9:25 – 9:40.

Arriving at a Time that is Not Drop-off or Pick-up Time
If, for any reason, you arrive at a time that is not drop-off or pick-up time, phone us at 847-452-7770, and a staff person will greet you at the camp entrance and let you in. Please do not go to the main ACHDS entrance.

Dismissal:

Campers are ready for pick-up at 11:55 for 12:00 dismissal, at 12:55 for 1:00 dismissal, and at 3:25 for 3:30 dismissal. There is a charge for unscheduled late pick-ups.
At dismissal time, campers will be waiting in the fenced-in area on the Kenton St. side of the building. If it is raining, campers will be waiting inside the door by that area.

Picking Up your Camper Option One
If you wish to leave your car to pick up your child, please park on the east side of Kenton St. or on Main St. and walk over to where we are waiting.
The parking lot on the Kenton St. side of the building will not be available to camp parents during pick-up times. Even though it is legal to park on Elm Terrace, please do not ever park there.

Picking Up your Camper Option Two
Alternatively, we can bring your child to your car. Be prepared to give the counselor who comes to your car the name and division name of the child you are picking up. We will have counselors on hand to bring your child to your car 11:55 – 12:05, 12:55 – 1:05, and 3:25 – 3:35. During pick-up time, we are reserving the area on the west side of Kenton St. for parents utilizing this service. To enter the pick-up line, from Main St., turn north onto Kilpatrick on the west side of the school building. Follow Elm Terrace around as it becomes Kenton, and pull into the pick-up line.

Skokie Police-Enforced Traffic Rules:

• Do not park blocking the bike lane on Main St.
• Do not park within a foot of a driveway.
• Do not park in front of a hydrant.
• Do not park where there is a No Parking sign.
• Do not double-park.
• Do not park more than a foot from the curb (or the bike lane).
• Do not exceed the speed limit of 25 MPH in the area.
• Do not make U turns.
• Do not park against the flow of traffic.
• When in a school zone, do not use your phone.
• When parked curbside, children must enter and exit the car via the sidewalk side of the car only.

Your Child's Stuff
Please provide your child with the following:

1) Shoes that can be put on and taken off easily, preferably slip on or Velcro. No Crocs or flip flops are to be worn in camp, please.
2) Gym shoes (not sandals) when your Expanding Horizons camper is scheduled for Sports or Gymnastics.
3) A change of clothing in a zip-lock bag, labeled clearly with your child's name, to be left in camp.
4) A picture of your child to help identify his cubby.
5) If your child is not toilet trained - a package of diapers and a package of swim diapers, with your child's name on both packages.
6) Boys over the age of 3 are encouraged to wear kippot and tzitzit.
7) A coin for Tzedakah each day. Your child can have this in his pocket or taped to his shirt.Please bring to the Orientation all items that are to be left in camp so that everything will be ready for the first day.

Everything that your child brings to camp must be clearly and accurately labeled, e.g. kippot, hats, jackets, towels, bathing suits, etc. Please do not send any unnecessary or valuable items to camp, as things do get lost.
Please put waterproof sunscreen on your child before sending him to camp in the morning.

Swimming

Please provide your child with: a bathing suit, a towel or a terry cloth robe (but not both), and water socks (or water shoes or swim sandals).

Expanding Horizons campers need footwear that can be worn on the bus to Oakton Water Playground, in the water, and then on the bus back to camp. Flip flops, Crocs, and most sandals cannot be worn to the pool, as they do not stay on when the children go in the water. If you want your child well covered while swimming, provide your child with a swim shirt or a full body swim suit (or swim dress), but not a cotton tee shirt. Please provide swim things and a back-pack that are clearly labeled, and easily recognized by your child.

Bright Beginnings campers need swim gear daily for water play at camp.

Expanding Horizons campers go to Oakton Water Playground for private swim time. In addition, Expanding Horizons campers enjoy our Water Wonderland at camp. The Expanding Horizons calendar tells you which days your camper needs swim gear at camp.

Snacks and Drinks

All campers are provided with morning snacks. Afternoon Enrichment campers receive afternoon snacks. Water is served throughout the day. 

Lunches

You can purchase catered lunches for your child, by prior arrangement only, for 2, 3 or 5 days per week. Click here to see the menu for 2023.

Alternatively, please send lunches from home for your child. Please note: Food from home must be in a clearly labeled bag or lunch box. Send food that will remain fresh at room temperature. Food must be kosher. Please include bread in your child’s lunch. For most children, a sandwich and two other food items are sufficient. All children are served water at lunchtime.

Accommodating Children with Food Allergies

Our camp is a nut free zone. Please do not send your child to camp with foods that contain any kind of nuts, including peanut butter.

Mitzvah Notes

Feel free to send "Mitzvah Notes" to camp, so your child can be praised for the good things he does.

Birthday Celebrations

If you would wish to celebrate your child's birthday in camp, contact your child's Division Head.

Health

If your child is not feeling well, please do not bring your child to camp.
If your child has fever or has vomited, please allow 24 hours to pass before bringing your child back to camp.
Before bringing your child back to camp after any sickness, please ascertain that his condition is not contagious, and that he is well enough to enjoy camp.

Lice 

Campers are screened for lice on their first day of camp. You can avoid surprises and missing the first days of camp, by having your child checked in advance. Please contact Mrs. Zeesy Posner for the name of a qualified lice checker with whom you can schedule an appointment.
If you find that your child has nits or lice before or during the summer, it is imperative that you notify Mrs. Zeesy Posner immediately. More details on the camp’s lice policy is here .

 

Social Media andPrivacy

Over the course of the summer, we post pictures and videos of camp in action on our website and social media  pages. Be sure to follow Facebook.com/JuniorGanIsrael, 
and Instagram.com/JuniorGanIsrael. We sometimes use images of campers in our promotional materials. Of course, no names are used.We post pictures and videos of campers on our website and on our Facebook page and use some images of campers in our promotional materials. No names are used. If you object to having your child’s image seen, please notify Mrs. Zeesy Posner.