Updated: January 15, 2022

Breck Summer Programs continues to monitor the best practices for COVID mitigation as outlined by the CDC and Minnesota Department of Health. For the most up-to-date information, please follow the link below. 

Breck SChool COVId-19 Response Page

Updated: 1/4/2021

How do parents plan for the unplanned?

Although 2020 wasn't the traditional Breck Summer Programs we have experienced in years past, we were excited to welcome over 100 campers daily for an on campus, in person day-camp experience.  

Our staff worked tirelessly to develop and implement safety regulations and procedures to be able to open camp safely for our campers and staff. With zero COVID19 cases during our Summer 2020, our campers and counselors were able to connect face-to-(masked)-face, engage in recreational activities with their peers, craft, play games old and new, and have "the most fun under the sun!" 

With all we have learned about hosting a summer camp during a pandemic in Summer 2020, we are eager and excited to welcome campers back to BSP for Summer 2021. As always, we are constantly adapting to best practices for keeping campers and staff healthy, safe and engaged while together on campus. 

Tomorrow, January 5, 2021, we will open our Early Bird Registration for Breck Summer Programs 2021. However, it will not be our exhausted list of camps. We hope to release our Specialty Camps in March when we know more about best practices regarding COVID19 procedures as laid out by the Governor, MDH and CDC. Typically, our programs are designed to be mixed and matched to create the optimal summer for campers to allow flexibility and choice throughout their camp day. However, if we are still required to cohort/group campers into pods, this will modify our offerings. We are dedicated to creative thinking and problem solving without compromising the integrity of our program. Therefore, we are announcing tomorrow that you can reserve your spot for the upcoming summer. Then, later this spring, families that have reserved their spot will have a 'sneak peek' to the specialty courses and allow you to register prior to opening to the general public. 

We can't wait for your camper to join us for "The Most Fun Under The Sun!" 

Summer 2021 Session Dates: 

Session One: June 21-July 2

Session Two: July 6-July 9

Session Three: July 12-July 23

Session Four: July 26-August 6

Wishing you and your camper a Happy and Healthy New Year!

Best, 

Katie Peterson 

Summer 2020 

5/29/2020 Update 

Dear Camp Families,

I am thrilled to join you and your camper in the most fun under the sun at Breck Summer Programs! While our time together is going to look different than most years, our priorities remain the same: providing campers high-quality summer programming in the context of a healthy and safe environment.

We are excited enter this summer with virtual programming for our first session from June 15-June 26. In this first session, you'll find the programming you want with the flexibility you need. Virtual programming runs throughout the day; you can choose to register for one class per each hour-long time block. You can view course offerings and register at https://www.brecksummer.org/programs/virtual-bsp.

On June 29, we plan to welcome campers back to campus. While virtual offerings will continue for students in grades 3-12, we are prioritizing the return of our youngest students. On-campus classes for sessions 2-4 are available for students in grades preschool-6, however we have transitioned all specialty, sports and overnight camps for this summer into our Camp Breck model, which is a traditional day camp approach for all students. This allows us to maintain consistent groupings of children and manage scheduled activities. You can read more about additional changes below.

While we are excited for the summer ahead, we know there is a risk for both Summer Programs and your family when we return. We know that, for some families, this measured risk is not an option. If you feel the need to alter your camper’s registration or would like to switch your camper’s specialty/sports camp registration to our Camp Breck model, please communicate your preferences here. We also know that our program offerings may be abruptly interrupted depending on the latest information from the state on COVID-19 in our communities. Therefore, we hope you will explore the expanded virtual offerings for students and make a determination that best fits for your family.

Here is a glimpse at some of the changes we have made to keep children safe as we return:

Camp Operations:

• No-contact drop-off. Parents will be required to stay in their vehicles. A staff member will greet campers at the carline and run through the symptoms checklist with parents. Once completed and cleared to enter camp, a counselor will direct campers to their cohort area on the Chapel Green.

• Cohort groups for campers. All campers will be placed in camper cohorts with 8 campers and 2 counselors, maximum. These cohorts will remain intact each session (and subsequent sessions, when applicable).

• Day camp model for all campers. We have made the difficult decision to cancel all Specialty Camps & Sports Camps during our on-campus programming for Sessions 2, 3, 4. We will not run specialty camps and sports camps this summer to allow for consistent scheduling and cohort groupings. 

• Hand hygiene practices. Campers will wash hands or, when not near a sink, use hand sanitizer as they enter and exit camp. Hand hygiene will also be required when changing activities, eating, and as needed throughout the day.

• Masks for indoor activities. Campers and staff will be required to wear a mask while inside for Summer Programs. We are prioritizing outdoor activities with appropriate physical distancing as much as possible.

• Prioritizing outdoor activities. Counselors will hold classes outside as much as possible. When indoors, campers will be assigned to a consistent desk/floor spot for indoor learning & activities and have individually labeled materials (markers, scissors, glue stick, etc).

• Outside lunch. Lunch will take place outside on the Chapel Green whenever possible (Eat in classrooms with cohorts during rainy or extremely hot weather). 

• No swimming. Given the inherent nature of physical contact during swimming lessons, the Breck Summer Programs swimming pool will be closed for the summer. 

• No-contact pick-up. Parents/guardians will remain in their vehicle during pick-up. BSP staff will coordinate pick-up upon parent arrival. 

Administration and Logistics:

• Enhanced staff training. Virtual staff training will consist of previous year's staff training content and new COVID-19 policies, procedures, expectations & guidelines. 

• Increased signage and hygiene awareness campaigns. These messages will communicate information about hand hygiene, social distancing, traffic/walking patterns, and child-centered information about symptoms of COVID-19.

• Review of camper health history. Summer Programs staff will review health information with families to identify high-risk students and work with families to plan for their health and safety. 

• Zero-tolerance policy for illness. If a camper becomes ill during camp hours, they will need to be picked up within 30 minutes of notifying the parent.

As I mentioned, these are just a few of the highlights of our extensive plans and procedures for a safe reopening. We worked diligently with trained medical staff and summer camps across the country to prepare for this return. We are confident we will provide a safe and welcoming environment for our campers.

Please know I am available for your questions. I look forward to seeing you online and on campus!

Katie Peterson

Director of Summer Programs 

5/1/2020 Update

4/23/2020 Update

Dear Breck Summer Programs families,

 I hope this finds you and your camper happy and healthy during these uncertain times. Breck Summer Programs has made the difficult decision to cancel all on campus programming for our first session: June 15-June 26, 2020 due to the COIVD-19 outbreak including our overnight trip to Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center in Northern Minnesota.

 We are working tirelessly to create quality virtual programming to keep campers engaged during our time away from campus. More details about our “opt-in” virtual programming experience will be forthcoming. In the meantime, we will be issuing families a refund for Session One programming. Families will have the option to choose between a full refund of Session 1 tuition or apply their Session 1 tuition to outstanding balances for tuition due for Sessions 2, 3, or 4. To ensure we are able to issue your refund as promptly as possible, please use this form to communicate how you would like your refund issued to you.

 We will continue to assess the situation and make decisions about our summer offerings later in the spring and rely on information from Governor Tim Walz, the Minnesota Health Department and the Center for Disease Control to make informed decisions. We hope to return to campus for our second, third and fourth sessions. As we know information is rapidly changing, we have made the decision to postpone the payments set to auto-charge on May 1, 2020 to June 1, 2020 until further information about summer guidelines have been determined. Families can expect to stay connected to the latest information regarding summer programming at Breck via email updates and on our website: www.brecksummer.org