2024 SCI Summer Camp Parent and Guardian Information
Hello SCI Parents and Families!
Welcome to SCI Summer camps! We are excited to see your camper soon! Thank you so much for registering your campers for these week-long experiences. The Science Center is committed to providing a fun, educational, and safe experience for your camper. Please see below for guidance on procedures and expectations.
Health & Safety
The health and well-being of your camper are our highest priority, which is why we require a health and consent form on file. Health and Consent Forms are good for the entire year but need to be submitted before the first day of camp. This is the best place to let us know about medications, allergies, and ways that we can help your camper have a great time.
Communication
Almost all camp communication will be handled through email. The email used is the one that was used to register for camps. If you are having trouble recieving camp emails please check your spam filter. To email our team, please send your message to scicamps@sciowa.org.
Communication about illness, accidents, and bad weather will happen via phone call. Please make sure we have the best phone number to reach you whne filling out the Health and Consent Form. To call SCI Camps Staff, please reach out to (515) 274-68686 ext. 204.
Weather and Outdoor Time:
SCI Camp staff use this chart to determine whether or not it is safe to go outside and for how long. If the weather allows, campers will spend time outside each day to play or do activities. In the event of unsafe weather, campers will not go outside. Campers will be sprayed with sunscreen before going outside.
If unsafe weather occurs, iEarth campers will be brought to the science center and families will be contacted.
Clothing
Be sure to send your camper in appropriate clothing so they are comfortable and prepared to participate in activities. We recommend:
- Clothing that allows for play, exploration, and hands-on activities.
- closed toed shoes
- jacket/sweatshirt for inside the Science Center
Lunch & Snacks
Please ensure that you have planned for your camper’s lunch each day. Campers may bring a peanut-free sack lunch or purchase a catered lunch for the week through the SCI Café. A peanut-free snack will be provided mid-morning and mid-afternoon.
To purchase lunch for the week please email sales@sciowa.org no later than noon the Thursday before the first Monday of camp. Cost is $25 for the week.
T-shirts and Water Bottles
All campers will receive a T-shirt and a water bottle. Water bottles will stay at camp throughout the week and go home on Friday.
Pick up/Drop Off Times/Locations for Kindergarten-8th Grade
The camp drop-off location will be in the east Science Center bus lane, directly between the Science Center and the parking garage. Drop-off will begin at 8:50 am and last until 9:10 am.
For drop off, camp staff will greet each car and check your camper in. We will be asking cars to please pull forward as cars ahead of you complete drop-off. Camp staff will take this opportunity to distribute color-coded pick-up sheets which are to be displayed for pick-up. Please stay inside your vehicle to keep this process moving rather than coming to the camp doors.
Pick-up will be in the bus lane beginning at 3:50 and extending until 4:10 each day. Camp staff will approach vehicles looking for pick-up sheets or ask who is being picked up. Camp staff may ask to see an I.D. for pick up at any time. We do this for the safety of campers.
What if we are running late?- If you are running late, have an appointment, or need to miss part of camp it is always helpful to let us know via email. Your camper is welcome to join us when they can. Simply bring them in through the front doors of SCI and ask the box office to call for camp staff. We will then accompany your camper to their group.
Extended Care Only – If you have a camper registered for Extended Care, please pick them up and drop them off at the east entrance of the building in the bus lane. There will be a large sign in the bus lane marking this spot. Please knock on the glass door and a SCI Camp staff member will let you in.
Authorized Adults- If your camper is being picked up by a family member or friend who is not a parent or guardian please let us know! The best place to do that is on the Health and Consent Form.
Preschool Campers
All Preschool campers must be toilet-trained, meaning wearing underwear and using a toilet independently with little help. We understand that accidents happen and we encourage you to send a change of clothes just in case. Pre-K Camps are half-day experiences from 9:00 AM- 12:00 PM. Pre-K campers are the only campers who will be dropped off and picked up at the preschool entrance of the Science Center on the west side of the building.
iEarth Specific
iEarth is a remote camp in partnership with Des Moines Parks and Recreation. iEarth check-in and pick-up occur at the park and not at the Science Center. For 2nd-5th grades, iEarth is held at Macrae Park, a 5-minute drive from the Science Center. For 6th-8th grades, iEarth is held at Grays Lake Park. In the event of weather, campers will be brought to the Science Center and families will be contacted.
To learn more about iEarth, please click here.
Behavior Expectations and Big Behavior Processes:
Our camp team is committed to making camps accessible for as many children as possible while maintaining a safe environment. We love getting to know your camper and do everything we can to make sure that they have the tools they need to be successful at camp. Campers must be able to function in a group environment to be successful at SCI.
If big behaviors occur families will be contacted and in some cases, campers may be sent home. If you have questions or tips about how to make your camper successful, please tell us on the Health and Consent Form or contact us via email before the start of camp.
If at any time, you have questions about the camp experience, please feel free to reach our team at scicamps@sciowa.org or mena.ramm@sciowa.org
Thank you for your continued support of SCI and we’re looking forward to another amazing summer camp session!
Mena Ramm
Camps Manager
Science Center of Iowa