Camp Policies

We work with Sage Dining Services to offer daily snacks, including allergy-friendly option, to all campers. 

This summer, construction will continue on Phase II of our Dining Hall project, which includes updates to the servery. To allow for renovations to be completed for the opening of the school year, we are unable to offer lunch service to our summer camp families this summer (with the intent to resume on-campus camp lunches in 2024). All campers will be required to provide their own lunch to eat with their camp groups.

Please note, Dexter Southfield is a nut-free campus. There is no refrigeration space available for lunch storage.  

• Campers will be placed in groups of no more than 15 children of a similar age and will stay with that group throughout the day.
• Each group will have three to four counselors assigned to those groups, who will travel solely with those campers throughout the day.
• Though we accept group requests and do our best to accommodate them in the best way we can, group requests MUST come prior to the start of camp. Please fill out the new group request form on your file to let us know who you would like your child to be grouped with at camp.

We offer bus transportation to and from camp. Use of the bus service, powered by Local Motion, is a la carte and will cost $80/week.

Families may select this service at the time of registration and will be first come, first served. Specific bus stops will be released in the new year. At this time, we anticipate that bus routes will include service to the following areas:

• Beacon Hill
• Brookline
• Charlestown
• Chestnut Hill
• Dedham
• South End
• Needham
• Newton
• Wellesley
• West Roxbury

You may also choose to enroll in Club A.C., our extended day option, through the camper application to be able to pick up as late as 5:30 p.m. Our regular day runs between 8:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.

Campers will go through a swim test on Monday to assess their swim level. If a camper successfully passes the swim test, they will be given a green swim bracelet to indicate that they are able to swim in the deep end. Campers who do not pass the swim test will stay on the shallow side of the pool and will be given a red swim bracelet so our lifeguards and their counselors will know that they should not swim into the deep end. Campers with a red swim bracelet will be able to retest throughout the week as their swim ability grows.

At this time, only our Junior and Day Camps will have swim lessons available during the camp day. Learn more about the Junior Camp swim lessons here. 

Camp hours

• Dexter Southfield's camp day runs between 8:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.
  • Parents may choose to drop off as early as 7:45 a.m.
  • Families who need extra time at camp after our typical 3:30 p.m. pick-up time may enroll their child in Club A.C. for a fee of $30/day (pending availability).
• An example of each camp's daily schedule can be found by clicking on any of our programs on the 2023 Camp Offerings page.
• Every Monday, we have an orientation for all campers, new and old, to introduce them to each other and to their counselors and head staff to explain how things work and where to go while helping them get comfortable with camp and others in their group.

Cariina- the attendance app

• We use the Cariina app for attendance and bus tracking. Through this app, you will be able to let us know if your child will be absent, late, or picked-up early. If your child is signed up for bus transportation, you will be able to track your child's bus. The week before your child's camp week, you will receive an email with instructions for downloading Cariina as well as with your login information. 

Absences

• If your child will be absent on any day, please notify us via the Cariina app to report the absence. You may also call (617) 751-3625 or email summer@dextersouthfield.org and your child's camp director.
• If we do not hear from you about your child's absence, a camp representative will call the number on file to check in.

Late arrivals

• Any camper arriving after 8:15 a.m. should report to the Gui building to be signed in. 
• Arriving late is a large disruption to our day and oftentimes makes transitioning into activities difficult for your camper and their group. Though we understand that one-time appointments happen throughout the camp season, we ask that your family does everything they can to arrive on time. 
• A representative from your child's camp will walk your child to their next activity.

Early pick-ups

• Children who need to be picked up prior to the end of the day must be signed out from summer camp office in the Gui building.
• All pick-ups must occur prior to 2:30 p.m.
• Please notify us via the Cariina app to confirm your child's early pick-up time before 2:00 p.m. You may also call (617) 751-3625 or email summer@dextersouthfield.org and your child's camp director.

Every camper has multiple forms that must be filled out by June 1. All forms are available on your online account. The required forms are online-only OR, in the case of the immunization record and date of last physical from your doctor, can be uploaded as a PDF.

Our required forms include:

• Camper application
• Online health history
• Group requests
• Authorized grownups
• Participant Authorization and Release
• Immunization record (with date of last physical)
  • Immunization records (only complete with the date of your child's last physical from within the last 18 months) may be uploaded as a PDF to your account or emailed to campnurse@dextersouthfield.org. 

Having trouble understanding if something is still due? Please use this key:

• Gray "uploaded" or "uploaded from CIT" tag
  • It has been received and will be checked for accuracy.
  • Don't worry: we will be in touch if we need more information!
• Red "incomplete" tag
  • Don't panic! This tag shows that we either need more information or know you're working on this. 
  • You will hear from a camp representative to let you know why this form is incomplete before this tag is applied.
• Green "rcvd" tag
  • This is all set. Thank you for taking taking the time to complete this!

View the camp pages listed on our 2023 Camp Offerings to see the packing list for each of our camps. Each list can be found at the bottom of the page.

In addition to the items on those lists, we ask the following:

• Label all items that you send to camp!

• Since we are spending time both inside and outside, please wear sneakers or close-toed shoes, not flip flops or sandals without a heel strap! This will keep campers safe and able to participate in all activities.

• Please apply sunscreen before your camper arrives to camp in the morning and send in a labeled supply in your child's backpack so we can reapply throughout the day and after swimming.

• Camp can be a messy place! We highly encourage you to send your child to camp in play clothes so they can confidently take part in all activities without worry that their nice clothes may come home messier than intended.
• We highly encourage you to send your child with a backpack or drawstring bag each day so we can help keep your camper organized as well as send home any artwork or other projects.
• For safety and to avoid temptation, campers should not bring valuables to camp. Cell phones and other electronics are not permitted during camp hours.

This summer, we will have a one-way route in and out of campus. Cars will enter through our main gate and traffic will be directed to the appropriate drop-off and pick-up areas on campus. Parents and visitors are required to stay in their vehicles and will not be allowed to visit campers during the day. All vehicles will then exit campus down St. Paul's Avenue to Newton Street.

Prior to summer, we will share a map of all of the drop-off and pick-up locations by camp. 

Pick-up Cards

• On the Friday before each camp week that your child is signed up for camp, you will be sent a pick-up card that should be printed, filled in with your child’s name, and placed on the dashboard of your vehicle.
• Each child will need a separate pick-up card, and anyone listed on your child's authorized grown-ups form should be forwarded the pass to display on their dashboard.

Drop-off

• Camp families may drop off their child at 7:45 a.m. at the earliest.
• Otherwise, please plan to arrive between 8:00 and 8:15 a.m. for drop-off, where counselors will greet campers and direct them to the proper location.

Pick-up

• Pick-up is at 3:30 p.m. each day. As campers will make their way to the designated pickup areas starting at 3:15 p.m., we ask that you plan to arrive on campus starting at that time.
• As part of the pick-up process, you will need a valid driver’s license. A representative from camp to meet you at your car and make sure that your child is signed out.
• For all of our campers' safety (as well as your own!) we ask that you wait to pull out of line until the area in front of you is clear of other cars. The traffic guards on campus will help guide you through any potential congestion on your way out of camp. 
• Please be sure to stay in your car and follow the pickup line around in your camper’s designated pickup area.
• If you need to add someone to your child's authorized grown-ups list, you may do so at any time through the forms & documents page on your Camp InTouch account. This form is at the very bottom of the page and can be added to at any point throughout the summer.

Club A.C. pick-up

• Campers who have been signed up for Club A.C. through Camp InTouch will be escorted to the Hewitt Dining Hall at 3:15 p.m.
• Campers can be picked up at any time prior to 5:30 p.m. each day. 

Our staff is made up of a mix of people who love to work with kids. Camp directors and activity specialists have backgrounds working with students at either Dexter Southfield or other schools in our area. They share their knowledge and enthusiasm for the camp experience with group leaders, lifeguards, and counselors who are studying education or have worked at camps in the past, and can't wait to help your child have a wonderful summer. Our camp also gives opportunities for Counselors-in-Training, ages 14-15, to learn about working at camp from the counselors and group leaders that they are paired with so they can eventually transition into seasoned counselors at our camp. 

Our ratio is typically 1 counselor to every 5 children, though our Junior Camp has a ratio of 1:4. All staff are background checked and must provide and receive references prior to beginning their camp experience.

If you have any questions about any of our staffing policies, please reach out to Kevin McLean.

Hoping to contact a camp director? Please use the email addresses below for assistance.

• Heather Nappi, Junior Camp
• Katie McLean, Day Camp
• Nicole Sly, Sci-Tech Camp & Girls in Science
• Joe Delaney, Hockey Camp
• Camp Office, Senior Camp
• Danielle Roach, Musical Theater Camp
• Rachel Czubryt, Club A.C.

Other helpful resources:

• Allie and Rachel, Camp Office
• Michaela Ferro,  Behavior Specialist
• Kevin McLean, Director of Camps

We have a nurse and two EMTs on campus during the summer to help you with any medical concerns.

• The health office can be reached at (617) 751-3611 or campnurse@dextersouthfield.org during the summer months.  
• If your child will have medications, Epi pens, or inhalers with them at camp, please reach out to the medical team prior to their first day of camp. These items should be sent to camp in a clear, labeled Ziploc bag.
• Our COVID-19 policies are based on current Massachusetts guidelines and are subject to change. 
• In accordance with the Brookline Health Department’s guidelines, please keep your child at home if he/she is not feeling well. If you are unsure if you should send your child to camp, please contact the health office.
• Please read the following notice provided to families from the Massachusetts Board of Health about Meningococcal Disease and immunization.  

Please help us keep our entire camp community safe. Should your child develop symptoms or test positive for COVID-19, please contact the medical team. If required to quarantine during their time at camp, families will receive a pro-rated refund based on the number of days that they were able to attend in that week.