2021 Updates

PRE-CAMP TESTING

• All campers — regardless of vaccination status — will be required to take a PCR test for Covid-19 WITHIN THREE DAYS PRIOR to opening day (i.e., on June 23 or June 24). 
• Proof of a negative PCR test result must be uploaded to your camper’s Pre-arrival Form in CampInTouch by 5:00 PM on June 25. 
• Please make arrangements for testing in advance as there will be many camps asking for tests on these days. 

OPENING DAY TESTING

• After arrival at camp on Opening Day, we will test all arrivees who are NOT fully vaccinated* using pooled PCR rapid testing on campus. If the pool comes back positive, we will then conduct another PCR test individually for each of the five campers in that pool

*Note: for purposes of the above, “fully vaccinated” refers to individuals who received their 2nd vaccine shot 14 or more days prior to Opening Day. 

TESTING AT CAMP

• Between days 3 and 4 of camp (June 29-30), we will test all camp personnel (campers, counselors, staff) — regardless of vaccination status — with an individual PCR test.
• Additional Covid-19 tests will be administered throughout the summer, at the discretion of BLC’s Medical Director and medical staff, in instances where individuals present with symptoms of Covid-19.

CAMPER DROP-OFF TIMES

Please do your best to plan to arrive at the following times:

1. Sophomores: 10:00 – 10:30 AM
2. Juniors: 11:00 – 11:30 AM  
3. Inters & Seniors: 12:00 – 1:30 PM 

*Older siblings may be dropped-off at the same time as younger siblings

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR CAMPER DROP-OFF

• Proof of a negative PCR test (taken on June 23 or 24) must have been uploaded to CampInTouch (via your camper’s pre-arrival form) by 5:00 PM on June 25th for a camper to be dropped off at camp by car on June 26.
• No individuals aside from the camper(s) will be allowed to leave their car once you’ve arrived at camp (please stop to use the restroom before arriving at camp).
• After dropping camper(s) off, cars must promptly exit.
• We will be testing all unvaccinated campers in a 5 person pool test soon after arrival at camp. We advise that no parent should proceed further south than Saratoga without checking to see if you have received a phone call from Camp.
  • If your camper’s pool has tested negative, you will receive a text from camp to inform you of the results.
• If your camper’s pool has tested positive (i.e. their 5-person “pool” contained a positive), we will call you to let you know and ask that you do not continue driving further. 
  • We would then re-test each of the five campers in that pool individually and call to inform you of the results of the individual test. If a positive test is confirmed, you should return to camp and pick up your child. 

BUS DEPARTURE TIMES

All buses are departing from the Westchester Marriott (670 White Plains Rd, Tarrytown, NY 10591)

1. Soph Bus: 9:30 AM 
2. Junior Bus: 10:15 AM  
3. Inter B Bus: 10:45 AM
4. Inter A Bus: 11:00 AM 
5. Senior A + B Bus: 11:30 AM 
6. Senior C + Dance Camp Bus: 12:00 PM

BUS SAFETY PROTOCOLS:

• Proof of a negative PCR test (taken on June 23 or 24) must have been uploaded to CampInTouch (via your camper’s pre-arrival form) by 5:00 PM on June 25th for a camper to board the bus on June 26.
• All campers will have their temperature checked before boarding. (There will not be testing at the bus stop.)
• Any/all individuals that are not camper(s) will be asked to remain in their cars once they’ve arrived at the bus stop. (Please say your goodbyes from the car.)
• At maximum, buses will be at a 60% capacity. All counselors and bus drivers will be fully vaccinated.
• Sophs and Juniors will wear masks for the entire time on the bus. They will be stopping to eat lunch outside approximately half-way to camp. 
  • Sophs and Juniors should bring a lunch, contained in one bag that is clearly labeled with their names which we will collect in a bin at the front of the bus. NO NUTS!
• Inters, Seniors, and Dance Camp should bring lunch, they will wear masks except when eating. (They will not be getting off the bus until arriving at camp.) NO NUTS!
• We will be testing all unvaccinated campers in a 5 person pool test soon after arrival at camp.
• Parents of unvaccinated campers will be alerted by 6 PM of the results of their camper’s Covid test via email if the results are negative.
• If your camper has tested positive we will call you to discuss next steps.

The Yankee Trails buses run using MERS type filters, pulling in fresh air from outside with the cabin air being fully replaced every 10-12 minutes. 

AIRPORT PICK-UPS IN ALBANY

• Families will be contacted by Jen Gillet within the week prior to opening day with the details as to who will be meeting your child at the airport on June 26. 
• We will be testing all unvaccinated campers in a 5 person pool test soon after arrival at camp.
• If your camper has tested negative, you will receive an email from camp to inform you of the results.
• If your camper has tested positive we will call you to discuss next steps.

OTHER TRANSPORTATION EXCEPTIONS

Worked out individually through Jen Gillet (jen@brantlake.com).

Whether your camper will be arriving by camp bus, by car, or by plane, camper luggage, other than hand luggage that a child can carry on their own MUST be sent ahead of time with Camp Trucking (or other approved methods). Please understand that with the attention that must be paid to safety protocols and Covid testing/screening, we cannot accommodate camper baggage as well on arrival day.

Enrollment for this summer is strong. We are expecting our usual 90+% of eligible returnees, (including more than 35 boys who missed their Senior C year last summer) and new camper interest has been picking up markedly since the new year.

It’s likely we’ll operate in a modified bubble this summer. This will allow us to limit who comes in and out of camp. We’ll run an incredibly fun program and camp will feel very much the same. The primary difference: there’ll likely be no out-of-camp day trips other than hikes and rafting trips. Additionally, staff time-off will likely be limited to “staff only” areas on our campus. These and other measures will allow us to be protected and safe. Even in a modified bubble, camp will very much feel “normal.” Instruction, lake activities, Hobbies, games, Leagues, and other special events and traditions (including of course Green & Gray and Song Contest) will happen as always! While overnight trips (other than campouts) are very unlikely and trip days limited, we are still hopeful that we can have some appropriately distanced events such as brother-sister-cousin visiting and socials and intercamp games with nearby camps— assuming we agree on health and safety protocols.

Campers and staff will wear masks while traveling to camp, and in all likelihood for at least the first five days after arrival. We’ll then “de-mask” once we have tested everyone at least three times and are “in the clear” (which we expect to be by Day 5 or 6). Masks will likely still be required in certain scenarios, such as in the Clubhouse with more than one Group, or when in line for food inside the dining room.

While we are expecting no change to our summer dates (June 26 – August 13), Visiting Day plans are yet to be finalized. We will, of course, update you as soon as the decision has been made, but we are considering the possibility of hosting Visiting Day for our younger campers (Junior Bs and below) and first-year campers only, or having no Visiting Day at all this summer.

Plans for travel to camp have yet to be finalized. We will, of course, let you know once a final decision is made, but one option we are currently considering is having only one bus stop in Westchester, with separate buses based on Group, and staggered boarding and departure times. As we have done in prior summers, we do plan to make airport pickups (in accordance with NY State travel guidance and medical screening requirements).

We are very fortunate that BLC’s Medical Director, pediatrician Beth Bernstein, M.D., Ph.D., works with us year round, and continues to tirelessly aid and advise us on plans and preparations for this summer. Additionally, Head Nurse Stephanie Bland has been attending numerous (Zoom) medical conferences keeping abreast of evolving best practices.

This summer, our Health Center will be staffed regularly with two or more doctors and approximately 10 nurses on rotation for the summer. Dr. Bernstein will be on-site every day.

We are asking our BLC parents to play an important role in our preventive measures. We will ask all our campers and families to be overly cautious about all contacts outside the home and school in June, especially the ten days preceding camp.

In addition to a pre-camp testing requirement, all families will be asked to complete a documented clinical pre-screening prior to camp, which will include a daily temperature and Covid-19 symptoms check and a contact disclosure.

There will be more specific information to share at a later date, but it’s likely we will require all campers to complete at least three tests: one about five days prior to camp, one on opening day, and one about five days after arrival.

While we continue to research and evaluate the best testing options available to us before making specific and final decisions on this protocol, we are fortunate that Brant Lake Camp has a CLIA Licensing Number and our Health Center is FDA certified as a CLIA-Waived Clinical Lab.

Proof of a negative test result for Covid-19 will be required for a camper to come to camp. If a camper tests positive from the pre-camp test, they will be unable to come to camp until they quarantine for the CDC and NY State required time-frame (currently 7-10 days), and are subsequently cleared by their home physician and BLC Medical Director.

If a camper tests positive at camp, they would be isolated and need to be picked up from camp. Because of the nature of contagion and the duration of the quarantine period – even though children who are tested and confirmed positive may “feel fine” – it would be difficult, at best, for a child to be fully isolated at camp for the required time period.

If there is a positive case at camp, campers and counselors in that bunk would move into a “Pod Camp” and would be screened and tested regularly. Those campers and staff would quarantine and participate in activities and meals as its own group for the required timeframe for “close contacts” (currently 10 days). Contact tracing will help identify others who may need to be tested.

It is likely that we will ask everyone to wear masks during the first 5-6 days of camp. Fortunately, BLC has always run our program with smaller “mini-camps,” including different wake-up times, meal times, counselors (including “specialty” counselors/instructors), and facilities. We have three dining rooms and multiple ball fields, courts, and other sports facilities, spread across our large campus. All of this means that we will be able to vigilantly maintain cohorts during these first few days of camp without significant deviation from the spirit and philosophy of our program.

There will be limited use of indoor facilities—especially during the first few days of camp. We will take maximum advantage of our open-air, covered “Big Top” facility, as well as our many covered porches (including Arts & Crafts) during inclement weather. Masks are likely to be required while in indoor facilities other than one’s bunk, e.g., in the Clubhouse and when in line for food in the Dining Room.

All buildings, including bunks, will have windows fully open at all times (they have screens) – even on cold nights. Fans will be strategically placed in all indoor facilities, including every bunk, to maximize general ventilation. HEPA filters will be installed in Health Center air conditioning units.

As always, we will eat meals in shifts by Division, which allows us to spread out. Meals will take place outdoors as much as possible. We have purchased additional tents to allow for outdoor meals even in inclement weather.

Food will be served to each camper and counselor at the food-service station. All food and beverages will be served by staff members wearing masks and gloves, with a plexiglass partition between the food/server and campers/counselors. It is likely we will require facemasks to be worn while in line and at the food-service station inside the dining room.