Policies & Procedures

Policies & Procedures

Fernwood Cove Mission

…encouraging participation, exploration and personal growth through simple group living in the outdoors. Our half season traditional program provides girls with a forum to experience new challenges, enhance self-confidence, develop skills, and establish enduring friendships in safe, beautiful surroundings. Each Camper at Fernwood Cove brings something special to the atmosphere and cooperative spirit. Our unique gathering of girls and caring, understanding, Staff creates a diverse and supportive community.

Our Policies and Procedures are established within the parameters of our mission for two reasons only: Your daughter’s safety & community living.

Safety at Camp

watersportsIt is the utmost priority of Fernwood Cove to provide your daughter with a physically and emotionally safe overnight Camp experience. If a Camper(s) exhibits behavior (proven or suspected) which puts them or others at physical or emotional risk, Fernwood Cove reserves the right to release the Camper back into the custody of their parents/guardian. Some examples of these behaviors are: Anorexia/bulimia, cutting and bullying. Tuition will not be reimbursed for Campers sent home for unsafe behaviors.

Online Parent Accounts

With your Parent Account you can:

  • Complete forms online
  • Check form status
  • Check balances and make payments
  • Submit one-way-emails
  • Request a Kid Check
  • Limitless possibilities for the future!
Login Here

 

Form Due Dates

All forms can be submitted from your parent account.

FormSubmission TypeDue Date
Travel FormParent AccountApril 1st
Online Health FormParent AccountMay 1st
Parental InputParent AccountMay 1st
Bunk Request - If ApplicableParent AccountMay 1st
Hard Copy Health FormPrint - Doctor SignJune 1st
Junior / Senior TravelParent AccountJune 1st
Code of ConductParent AccountJune 1st
Parent Vacation TravelParent AccountAs Needed
CampMed FormCampMeds.comOne Month Prior
to Arrival Date
Camp TruckingCampTrucking.comOne Month Prior
to Arrival Date
Junior / Senior Trip

Junior Trip     Acadia National Park – Rock Climbing                  $125

Senior Trip     The Forks – White Water Rafting                           $200

Discounts and Incentives

Early Enrollment Discount

  • Enroll your returning Camper or new sibling on Visiting Day Weekend and receive a $400 discount on tuition.
  • Enroll your returning Camper or new sibling prior to September 15th and receive a $300 discount on tuition.
  • If you are enrolled in AutoPay, you will automatically be renewed for the $300 early enrollment discount

Fernwood Cove… PLEASE – NOT A SECRET!!!

While you want to keep Fernwood Cove a secret, only for your daughter, this only ensures Camps eventual demise. Alternatively, you can refer girls outside of your daughter’s school and age group. If you are concerned about school or home friend dynamics, this is the precise reason we have two distinct sessions. Allow us the opportunity to help you sort through these potential questions or problems, it’s what we’re here for and it is what we are really, really good at! We want the same things for your daughter as you do; safe, fun and life-changing summers at Fernwood Cove. Fernwood Cove is more than an experience, and we want to share it with the world!

Credit Card Policy

We provide you with the option to pay your daughter(s) account with a MasterCard, Visa or AMEX. Please note the following procedures when using your credit card. All credit card charges are subject to a 3.25% surcharge, rounded up to the nearest $1.00. Credit Card payments can be made by logging into your Parent Account and selecting “Make a Payment”.

AutoPay

Leave the bill paying to us! AutoPay will pay all relevant invoices on the due date. Here are the details:

1. You must complete one credit card transaction with AutoPay option selected from your Parent Account

2. AutoPay will then automatically charge your credit card when payment is due for all future payments.

3. A reminder you will be emailed a few days prior to your card being charged

4. AutoPay will automatically re-enroll your eligible child(ren) qualifying you for the Visiting Day Re-Enrollment Discount (largest discount we offer)

5. You can opt out of the program from your Parent Account at any time or by calling the office

Bunking

Many hours of Pre-Camp are spent on bunking. Bunking is one of our most challenging tasks due to the complexities and intricacies of each Camper and her established or not established relationships with other Campers…

  • For New Camper Families: It is important to fill out the Parental Input form as completely as possible. This is an important guide to placing your daughter successfully with girls that will be compatible with her. Please let us know friends/cousins or any other acquaintances she may have here at Camp.
  • For Returning Camper Families: We encourage positive relationships which enrich not only your daughter’s bunk group, but also the entire Fernwood Cove community. Bunk assignments and bunk groups will be dynamic from summer to summer and bunk request are NOT guaranteed. As with everything at Camp, bunking is something that you as parents, must trust that we are making appropriate decisions with your daughter’s best interest and the best interest of the entire Camp. If your daughter becomes anxious about her pending bunk placement – please remind her that it’s our job to send home happy campers – it’s what we do.
  • Home Friends/School Friends: It is our policy not to bunk home or school friends together. We find that campers are more successful sooner, when they are in a cabin of girls they may not know. This encourages the girls to step outside of their comfort zone and make new friendships. Home friends can take activities together, participate in evening programs, and spend free time together if they choose. There are many opportunities for girls, whether they are home friends or not, to spend time together even if that does not include physically living in the same bunk.

Baggage

To simplify the process and eliminate lost duffels shipped via common carrier, we have partnered with Camp Trucking which provides duffel delivery service from your door to your daughter’s bunk and from bunk, back to your door. This service will add convenience as well as save you time and money. Please find the Camp Trucking literature in the front pocket of this book. Camp Trucking now services the entire United States. If you still wish to use a common carrier, both UPS and FedEx make daily deliveries to Camp. Please DO NOT SEND TRUNKS, as we have no place to store them, therefore; we ask that you pack in soft duffel bags or other collapsible luggage. If you plan to lock your daughter’s duffel with a combination or key lock, please send the combination or a spare set of keys (labeled with your daughter’s name) to the Camp Office – just in case.

At the end of the season, all Campers who fly home or take the bus, will have their baggage shipped home. All luggage will be sent home via UPS or FedEx unless YOU have arranged round trip Camp Trucking shipping – Fernwood Cove will bill you directly. It is VERY IMPORTANT that your daughter’s luggage have a shipping tag affixed before they depart camp.

CAMPERS TAKING THE BUS FROM NEW YORK OR BOSTON SUBURBS

Please send your daughters duffel via Camp Trucking or Third-Party service as described above. This will expedite your daughter’s arrival to Camp and her bag will be waiting for her on her bed. Your daughter may bring one (1) carry-on/small bag with her on the bus. Any additional luggage must be sent to Camp prior to her arrival as baggage space on our chartered buses is limited

CAMPERS TAKING CAMP TRANSPORTATION FROM LOGAN OR PORTLAND AIRPORTS

Your daughter’s baggage must be shipped directly to Camp. She may bring one (1) small carry on with her on the plane. Our transportation to Camp considers the number of seats needed for Campers only – we do not have space for large duffels or other checked luggage.

CAMPERS DRIVING TO CAMP WITH THEIR PARENTS

You are most welcome to bring you daughter’s bags with you to Camp and drop them off at her bunk. She will unpack with her bunk mates at a later time.

Mail

Please supply your daughter with all her stationary needs at the beginning of Camp. Your daughter is asked to write home twice a week on Wednesdays and Sundays during rest hour. We encourage our parents to write letters as it is very important Campers receive frequent letters from home throughout the summer. This is especially vital in helping New Campers adjust to Camp. Please avoid writing letters that dwell on home ties or sad topics. Write positively about your daughter’s Camp experiences. The tone of parents’ mail can have an effect on her Camp experience.

Packages

We have a NO PACKAGE policy. Please do not send your camper(s) packages! In keeping with our philosophy of simple living and after much thoughtful consideration, we do not allow “Camper care packages”. The only packages that we will accept are birthday packages or forgotten uniform, toiletries and letter writing supplies. All packages will be checked and any non-necessity items such as food, candy, gum, toys, jewelry, etc. will be discarded or held in the office for pickup on Visiting Day. Please tell extended family members about this policy as well to avoid disappointment of an undeliverable package. Thank you in advance for your cooperation with this policy as it helps us create a healthy, fun and safe environment for your camper(s).

Please note that the volume of mail passing through our local post office increases greatly during the Camp season, therefore outgoing/incoming mail may be slow. We assure you that all mail is delivered to Campers on the day in which it arrives at our Camp office. Outgoing mail is picked up daily (except Sundays) by the USPS. Any delay would be within the US Postal Service due to the increased volumes

Kid Check

For many of our families, this is your daughter’s first time away from home. If you seek reassurance about the wellbeing of your daughter, you can request a “Kid Check” from your Parent Account within the Forms section.   There are two Unit Leaders at camp that perform these checks – one for the younger half of camp (2nd thru 5th grades) and one for the older half (6th grade and up).

Unit Leaders do their best to respond within 24 hours with an update on your child.  Please keep in mind, at the beginning of the session there are several dozen Kid Check requests per day.  Please be patient and rest assured, you will hear from us first if we have specific questions or concerns about your daughter.

A few pointers:

  1. Let the Unit Leader know if you have specific concerns.
  2. Be PATIENT  – the reply is coming. In order to provide you with accurate information, our Unit Leaders need to check in with your child and their counselors (as well as the other children on their list).
  3. Kid Checks should be used in moderation, if you make two or more Kid Check requests per week, please call and ask to speak with a Director. We understand the anxiety being away from your child may bring and have experience navigating these feelings. Sending your child to camp allows them to learn independence that cannot be taught at home. We appreciate your trust in sending your daughter to Fernwood Cove!

Laundry Service

Fernwood Cove provides laundry service once a week for each bunk. Clothes/towels will be washed, folded and returned to the bunk in the large green laundry bag provided by Fernwood Cove. It is the responsibility of each individual to turn their garments the correct way. Please ensure that all clothing, bathing suits, socks, underwear, towels etc. are clearly labeled as they will be returned all together from the laundry in one or two large bag(s) and will be sorted and returned to each individual in the bunk.

Animals at Camp

Fernwood Cove has several animals/pets living on the property including dogs, horses, rabbits, chickens, goats, pigs and sheep. Many of these animals are used in the Fernwood Cove activity programs such as FC Farm Girls and our Natural Horsemanship program. Campers are not permitted to bring their own pets.

Meal Offerings

At each meal Fernwood Cove will serve a main meal with alternatives as needed including Vegetarian, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free and Non-Red Meat. Supplemental options include continental breakfast options and a lunch salad bar. Alternative diet options are available as listed below for individuals with documented dietary restrictions only. All other campers are expected to eat from the main meal.

  • Gluten-Free: A gluten-free option will be available if the main course contains gluten. The gluten-free option will always have a purple serving utensil and will be on a designated Gluten-Free Service Cart.
  • Vegetarian: A vegetarian option will be available if the main course contains meat within the dish.
  • Dairy Free: A dairy-free option will be available if the main course contains dairy. These options will be marked and available on a separate service cart. Dairy milk alternatives for breakfast cereals are located on the main breakfast bar.
  • Non-Red Meat: If the main course contains red meat or pork there will be a non-red meat/pork option available.

Our chef prepares alternative diet meals for a specific number of campers. Campers that are designated to have alternative diets are expected to eat from those offerings and not “float” between the main meal and the food prepared specifically for them.

Fernwood Cove does not provide alternate options which are specifically Vegan or Paleo.

All dietary restrictions, specialty diet information, and food allergies must be included on your Health Form and submitted prior to arrival to camp. The Head Chef will maintain a list of campers requiring alternative meal options based on the information provided on health forms.

Staff & Camper Relations Outside of Camp

While at camp, we have very specific and intentional policies for our staff about suitable interactions, physical contact and appropriate conversations with campers. Our policies are in place to ensure the safety and wellbeing of both campers and staff.

After camp, many families wish to invite staff members to stay in their homes or accompany the family on vacation. Our policy for staff members is, we forbid staff members from directly contacting campers after camp. If parents wish to host a Fernwood Cove staff member(s) after or before camp, it is the responsibility of the camper’s parents to ensure appropriate and safe guidelines are established and understood by any visitor. If you have questions about this policy, please call camp.

Camper One-way Email

Send one-way emails to your daughter(s)

    1. Go to www.fernwoodcove.com
    2. Log into your parent account
    3. Click “SEND ONE WAY EMAIL”
    4. Type the desired message and click “SEND”

    One-way emails are delivered daily.  Emails submitted after 7AM will be delivered the following day.

Is another family member or friend wanting to send one-way email’s?

Great! You will personally be able to give access to those people.

(You will need their email address)

  1. Simply login to your parent account (parent login)
  2. Once you login, click on the green button that says SEND ONE WAY EMAIL (bottom button)
  3. On the right of your screen you will see a MENU button, click on this
  4. You will see, Add/Manage Senders, click on this
  5. You will see an approved senders list, click on the +NEW button and enter their EMAIL ADDRESS and Name.
  6. They will receive an email requesting them to create an account that will ONLY give them access to your daughter(s) one-way email.

Please note: You may rescind an Approved Sender ability to email your daughter at any time from your Parent Account.

Online Photos

Our dedicated Camp Photographer will be photographing the campers, activity periods, special events and trips each session. These photos will be available online after the session has ended. Parents will be emailed details on how to access these photos once the album is complete, please be patient we will be working hard to make the album live as fast as possible. All photos will be available for free download with the option to order prints directly from the site.

Email

Campers do not have access to personal email accounts while they are at Camp; however if you need to deliver an important message, ex: school work, you may contact the Directors:

Jim Gill/Director: Jim@fernwoodcove.com

Beigette Gill/Director: Beigette@fernwoodcove.com

Alicia Theriault/Associate Director: Alicia@fernwoodcove.com

        Abby Fiege/Associate Director: Abby@fernwoodcove.com

Noel Lindgren/Office Manager: Noel@fernwoodcove.com

Health Care Staff/Health Care Center: Nurses@fernwoodcove.com

General Questions: Cove@fernwoodcove.com

Communications & Social Media

Moxie Minute

Fernwood Cove’s Parent Newsletter is the Moxie Minute. Monthly e-newsletters are sent via email to all Fernwood Cove parents. Important updates and reminders, as well as information about upcoming events, deadlines and the Fernwood Cove Blog are included.

Additional updates and reminders are sent from directors throughout the off-season as well. Make sure you have saved the individual email addresses of the Fernwood Cove administrative team in your contacts to ensure you receive all email communications throughout the year.

Social Media Connections

Stay connected with Fernwood Cove throughout the year by following our social media channels and receive updates from the Extraordinary World.

Vlog: http://fernwoodcove.com/vlog

The Fernwood Cove Vlog (video blog) provides the most current insight about what’s going on at camp throughout the summer. The vlog is the primary source of updates throughout the summer, however viewers can see updates throughout the off-season as well. During the summer counselors are interviewed about the day’s events and various aspects of camp are highlighted. Viewers gain a stronger understanding for Fernwood Cove values and daily life at camp through these fun and entertaining videos.

Blog: https://www.fernwoodcove.com/blog

A monthly blog is posted providing in-depth insight into various aspects of camp. Blog posts are typically written by camp administration, but we invite members of the camp community to contribute as well. Our monthly Moxie Minute, the Fernwood Cove Parent Newsletter, will highlight each month’s blog post and provide a link to the blog.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/FernwoodCove

The Fernwood Cove Facebook Page is the perfect place to connect and receive more in-depth information about upcoming events, off-season updates, reminders, and additional resources to help prepare for the summer. You can also tag “Fernwood Cove – Extraordinary Summers for Girls” in photos you post to Facebook and share Fernwood Cove memories with the camp community. This is perfect for off-season reunions, enrollment announcements, and photos from the summer- we love seeing updates from the Fernwood Cove community!

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/fernwoodcove

Instagram is a great way to connect with members of the camp community and re-connect with your memories of camp. While this is the most popular social media platform for Campers, CITs, and alumni, it’s also a great way for parents to receive fun and quick updates. Remember to tag @FernwoodCove in your personal posts as well

Parent Account

Once campers have arrived Fernwood Cove parents will receive regular updates via their online Parent Account. Written by counselors and members of the summer admin team these updates will provide updates about the day-to-day activities and events at camp. Counselors will discuss camp from their perspective and highlight everything from what they enjoyed for breakfast to what occurred in their Focus Activities and during Evening Program.

Please note that there will not be an update everyday as there are evenings each week in which counselors are not available due to their responsibilities with campers.

Summer Photos

Fernwood Cove does not provide photo updates of campers or CIT/Junior Counselors throughout the camp session. This includes posts made to our social media outlets and the Fernwood Cove Vlog. Our dedicated Camp Photographer will be photographing the Campers, activity periods, special events and trips each session. These photos will be available online after the session has ended. Parents will be emailed details on how to access these photos once the album is complete. Please be patient we will be working hard to make the album live as soon as possible. Typically, the album will be available for viewing one (1) week after each session ends. All photos will be available for free download with the option to order prints directly from the site.

Clothing Taboo

Spaghetti strap tops (<1 inch in width) or clothes exposing the midriff are not permitted at Camp or outside of Camp during your daughter’s Camp stay.  Please do not bring or send this item to Camp.

Footwear for Camp

The following policy should guide packing for Camp.

Tevas/Crocks: (with a heel strap) may be worn throughout the day.

Sneakers: are to be worn during all sporting activities, including team sports and active evening programs.

Closed Toed Shoes: must be worn in the following areas: horse barn, sewing/fabric arts and at campfire.

“Gladiator Sandals” and similar sandals with non-supportive straps are only allowed during Services and Banquet.

Wedges or High-Heeled Shoes: are not permitted at camp.

Flip-Flops and Slides may be worn to the shower house ONLY.

Jewelry

Please do not send your daughter to Camp with expensive jewelry. Simple studs for pierced ears are fine. Dangling jewelry will not be permitted in most activities as it can be dangerous.

Electronic Devices

Electronic devices such as cell phones, E-Readers, Tablets, Video Games , or other gadgets that have internet access, are not allowed at Camp (this includes, but is not limited to, IPods and other MP3 Players with video playing capabilities, IPods, Kindles, etc.. These items detract from our mission while at camp. If such items are found they will be held in the office and returned at the end of camp. Music players with headphones or small speakers are okay for bunk use and van rides only. You can buy 2nd Generation iPod for less than $50 by clicking HERE. Remember there is no access to power outlets to recharge so it is preferable to have battery operated devices.

Money at Camp

We must insist that Campers do not keep money in the bunk. Camp provides funds your daughter might need for trip days and special events. Please instruct your daughter to turn in any travel money with her plane tickets to the Camp Office for safekeeping.

Personal Belongings

Please remember that it is your daughter’s responsibility to take care of her belongings. Do not send irreplaceable possessions such as jewelry or other expensive items. Fernwood Cove is not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged personal property.

Absentees, No-Shows and early Withdrawals

All parents are requested to notify the Camp administration of any “late arrival” plans. Camp should be notified as soon as possible if a Camper will be arriving late.

No plans should be made which would require a Camper to leave Camp and then return – these sort of hiatuses are very disruptive to the entire Camp community.

In the case that a Camper does not arrive at Camp as planned, Camp administration will contact the parents/guardians by phone and/or email and confirm why the Camper has not arrived at Camp. We do not prorate/refund any tuition for late arrival, no-shows or early withdrawal.

Drug and Alcohol Policy

Smoking, use of alcohol or use of drugs or inhalants in a manner other than that for which they are prescribed is illegal for children of Camp age, and is strictly forbidden at Fernwood Cove.

Weapons Policy

For the safety of all, Fernwood Cove does not allow Campers to have weapons at any time.

We have no tolerance for the breaking of the Drug and Alcohol or the Weapons policy. If a Camper chooses to violate these policies while under the care and authority of Fernwood Cove, the Camper’s parents will be notified, and she will be immediately removed from the Camp community and taken to the next available transport home.

Fernwood Cove is not responsible for returning any tuition or fees paid for a Camper who is sent home due to violation of these Policies.