ADTC Policies: Internet & Other Technologies

We have always taken the safety and well-being of our campers very seriously. After all, giving your children over to the care of other people is perhaps the greatest act of trust you as a parent can engage in. We aim to do everything we humanly can to earn and keep that trust. We also know we cannot do this without your help. With more and more children using the Internet, cell phones and other technologies at younger ages, we appeal to you as parents to partner with us to ensure that your children continue to have the safest, most wholesome experience with us at camp as possible.

The information provided on this page is designed to help you understand the challenges some technologies pose to the continued health and safety of our camp community. Please review and then read to your child the enclosed polices regarding the Internet, social networking sites and exchanging contact information with counselors. As always, we invite you to call us if you have any questions or concerns about any of these issues.

Cell Phones

We have a "no cell phone" policy at ADTC. Aside from the fact that cell phones are expensive and can get lost or stolen and the physical camp environment is not kind to such items, there is a fundamental problem with campers having cell phones at camp, and that is trust. When children come to camp they - and you - are making a leap of faith, temporarily transferring their primary care from you as their parents to us and their counselors. This is one of the major growth-producing, yet challenging aspects of camp. As children learn to trust other caring adults, they grow and learn, little by little, to solve some of their own challenges. We believe this emerging independence is one of the greatest benefits of camp. It is one important way your child develops greater resilience. Contacting you by phone essentially means they have not make this transition. It prevents us from getting to problems that may arise and addressing them quickly. Sending a cell phone to camp is like saving to your child that you as a parent haven't truly come to peace with the notion of them being away from you and your care.

We agree to tell you if your child is experiencing a challenge in their adjustment to camp. You can help by talking with your child before they leave for camp and telling them that there is always someone they can reach out to, whether it be their counselor, a trusted activity leader, the Program Director or health care manager. We are all here to help, but if you don't trust us, your children certainly won't!

Digital Photographs

Check the ADTC website daily and see the fun in action! We take daily photographs during the summer, which are availabile for viewing on our secure (password required) website. Parents can save favorite pictures and even purchase prints, t-shirts, mugs, etc. This service is only available in the summer.

We understand that campers love to take pictures of their own while at camp. ADTC is not responsible for digital cameras that are lost or stolen. Also, any camper that takes a compromising photograph of another camper or staff memeber and uploads it to the Internet or makes it public in any way may be subject to dismissal from camp or may not be allowed to return. If the law is broken, the appropriate authorities will be notified. ADTC is not responsible for any inappropriate pictures taken by campers. Please help us maintain a safe environment by explaining this to your child.

Cyber-Bullying and Harassment

Although not at ADTC, it has happened at camps around the country that a few campers have sent rude, demeaning, intimidating or vulgar emails or IMs to other campers or have created false screen names to harass members of the camp community or spread false and damaging information about them. To be sure all Internet communication is fun, positive and a great way for campers to stay in touch with their friends, our "Policy for Campers," which we are asking you to read over and then read with your child, covers our response to this problem. In addition, we have outlined the steps you or your child should take should they receive an abusive, demeaning or otherwise threatening or inappropriate Internet communication. Being familiar with these steps is part of the overall safety and healthy practice you should have in place with your child if they are online, regardless of whether they attend camp or not. Sharing them with you is one way we felt we could support your effort to protect your children whether they are at camp or not.

Your Kids, Our Staff After Camp

Our pledge is to put your children in the company of the most trustworthy and capable young adults we can hire - counselors and dance teachers who are well suited to the task of caring for campers. The intense effort we put into screening and selecting our staff is part of that pledge. Our staff work with your children in the context of a visible, well scrutinized environment that has many built-in policies regarding behavior. Their actions are also visible to co-workers and campers. By hiring them we do not recomment them as babysitters, Nannies or child companions outside of camp. In general we discourage our staff from having contact with your children after camp since we cannot supervise it. We hire our staff for the camp season. We do not take responsibility for their behavior off-season. As a parent you are, of course, free to make your own choice in this matter. While we cannot keep you from allowing your child to visit with one of our staff members, in so doing you take full responsiblity. We also know that many children exchange contact information (email address, profile names, cell phone numbers, etc.) with counselors without our or your specific awareness or permission. We recommend that you as the parent supervise your child's online activities just as you do other aspects of their life in your home. At check-out you must sign our "Camper-Staff Contact" parent permission form if you would like to allow your child to exchange contact information with her counselor/s. As a parent, you take full responsibility to oversee any contact that results and are also responsible for overseeing any unauthorized off-season contact between our staff members and your child.

Working Together to Keep Your Children Safe

We see many positive, exciting ways for youngsters to enjoy the healthy benefits of the Internet and other technologies. As advocates for children we want to work with you to keep those experiences safe, healthy and positive. That is why we have taken the time to write these policies, include some resources for you and urge you to talk with your children - both about camp and their online activity in general.

ADTC Camp Policy for Campers and the Internet

Parents: Please review these policies with your camper!

• First, our camp views social networking sites and other Internet communications as a positive way for you to keep in touch with your friends and express yourself. As a camper at our camp you have the right to exchange emails or IMs with other campers and invite other campers to be on your "friends" list in any way that you and your parents see fit.
• When it comes to exchanging contact info with our staff, your counselors, however, your parents must give us written permission for you to do that. This includes giving or getting an email or IM address, cell phone number, social networking profile, weblog or any other Internet contact. It's not that we don't think your relationships with your counselors are important. They are! It's just that, once they leave camp, we can't take responsiblity for what happens between you and them - only your parents can. At check-out, we will offer a parent "communication permission" form which your parents must sign before a counselor can give you any contact information or take any contact information from you. We recommend you look it over with them so you aren't surprised by what it says.
• About emails, IMs and comments you might make to other campers on their social networking site (like Facebook.com or MySpace.com), we ask you:
  • to keep them positive and respectful of staff and campers alike;
  • not to use obscenities, vulgar or sexual language;
  • not to say mean or threatening things to or about other campers or staff
  • not to pose as another camper online and use that false screen name, blog or website to spread false information about anyone or say damaging, disparaging or threatening things about anyone;
  • not to use a website or blog or email to talk about things that are against camp policy, like drugs or alcohol or bullying or sexual things.
• Most internet communication is positive, and that's great! In the rare case where there might be any negative messages to other campers or staff, our policy is to call the parents of campers who send those messages and share with them the content.
• It is our policy to use whatever legal means available, including contacting the police and the FBI, to track the source of any offending or threatening Internet communication if the source is not obvious.
• Any camper who violates any of our policies regarding the Internet or other communication might have to leave camp, might not be able to come back to camp and may even have to answer to the police or other law enforcement authorities.
• We want you to be safe on the Internet. If you receive a threatening email, IM or message on your personal website - one that is mocking, uses vulgar or harassing language - here is what to do:
  • do not respond to the message or retaliate, because it might encourage the sender to get you into trouble;
  • if possible, record the message onto your hard drive;
  • print out a copy of the message, then close it but do not delete it;
  • tell your parents about it and have them notify the local police or, if necessary, contact your Internet service provider;
  • if you suspect that the sender is from camp, call us immediately;
  • you or your parents can also contact Pedowatch or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

We want camp to be as fun, safe and great as it can be. We designed these policies so that whatever way people from camp communicate with one another, it happens in a way that is positive and makes everyone feel safe.