Full and partial financial aid is available on a first come, first served basis. Should a family have been awarded Financial Aid in previous years this does not guarantee that one would be awarded Financial Aid in future years.  When you register online for camp, you can use a coupon code to bypass camp payment in full and then complete the financial aid application found in the Health Profile section of your child’s camp registration. We are asking that all families applying for financial aid upload their most current tax return. When you get to the end of your registration process, please click for payment options. All registrations applying for financial aid are required to pay a deposit fee of $50 which will go towards your payment of camp. Financial Aid will be awarded in late spring 2024. We will notify families of their award and amount awarded through Camp Doc. Profiles must be updated for 2024 and completed with registration information with the exception of the Health History and Health Form section for consideration of Financial Aid. We ask that you let us know via email that you have accepted or declined Financial Aid within two weeks of the award notification so we may process your registration.

Gather New Haven accepts credit/debit cards via our online registration website (CampDocs). Our online registration form will guide you through the process. Registration works best by using a computer. Some cell phones are unable to upload or download information on the Camp Doc platform.

A deposit of $130 for Land based programs and $150 for Sailing based programs is required of all registrations this year. The deposit will go towards your balance.

At time of registration you can choose the following: Automatic payment plan deducted from your credit/debit card you used for registration: Please note the dates that your card will be deducted as we no longer will refund “accidental” deduction plans.

Pay the amount in full at the time of registration.

Make payments at your convenience.

ALL PAYMENTS must be made IN FULL by 5:00 PM on June 1, 2024. If you are having a challenge making payments, please contact us right away and we will work with you.

Click here to register. All health profile information and medical forms must be submitted online by June 1st. Registration works best by using a computer. Some cell phones are unable to upload or download information on the Camp Doc platform.

Please call (475) 238-5778 or email schooner@gathernewhaven.org should you need assistance with registration.

Camp registration is ongoing until the Thursday before the start of a new session. Follow us on Facebook and check from time to time on our website.  The online system also allows you to add your child to a wait-list if the session is currently full. We can not guarantee if wait-listed that your camper will get into the session.

Sunburn and Health: We suggest parents apply an all day waterproof sunscreen to their camper at

home in the morning. Please send your camper to camp with sunscreen and put their

name on the bottle and let a staff member know if they need help applying it. We frequently remind campers to reapply during the day. Campers can bring a sun hat and sunglasses if desired.

Poison Ivy: Counselors will teach campers how to identify poison ivy and show them where it grows on site. If your camper develops a rash that you suspect to be poison ivy, wash the clothes and shoes they wore that day in hot, soapy water as the oils can stay on clothes and spread.

Ticks: Ticks are found throughout Connecticut. Staff will reduce exposure to ticks by preventing campers from going into prime tick habitat (such as tall grass). We recommend tick checks when they get home. 

Forms for Health Care while attending camp

Specific forms need to be completed for your camper to bring medication to camp, this includes all prescription and non-prescription (over the counter) medicines. We need an Authorization for Medication Administration form and a Medication plan, both completed and signed by both medical practitioner and parent/guardians for each medication. You must have multiple forms for multiple medications.

Families have the option at the time of registration to opt in for the  USDA Summer Food Service Program provided by the City of New Haven Free breakfast and Lunch program. Food items included in the past years have been: Cold cereal, fruit juice, milk, cold lunch meat sandwiches, salad, tortillas chips with humus, fruit, vegetables. The SFSP menu is designed and produced by the City of New Haven School lunch program.

Schooner day camp is NUT-FREE. The Summer meals program is available to all campers, when you register online (CampDocs). Should you opt out of the lunch, you provide your camper with a lunch for camp. Please put an ice pack or frozen water bottle in their lunch and pack it in a reusable lunch bag or plastic zip lock bag with the campers name on it. Lunch bags are not refrigerated.

Clothing Requirements:

• Close-toed shoes; no open toed or shoes without a back, flip flops are not acceptable

• Water shoes or second pair of shoes. We visit the beach/mud flats, shoes get wet and muddy.

• Clothes and shoes that can get wet and muddy, and extra clothes to change into.

• Sailing Campers: Bathing suit, extra clothes, shoes, and a towel every day. The first day there is a float check, campers will submerge fully. Sailing campers will submerge their feet daily, if you do not have water shoes, pack extra shoes.

• Dress in layers, some areas can be hot and sunny, while others can be cool and breezy

Please clearly label all of your campers belongings with their first and last name.

Backpack or bag to keep your campers items in

○ Close-toed shoes

○ Water shoes

○ Bathing suit

○  Reusable water bottle

○ Lunch – No NUTS

○ Clothes that can get dirty and wet

○ Extra pair of dry clothes

○ Towel

○ Pre-applied sunscreen and bug spray

Do Not Bring to Camp 

• Flip flops or open sandals, etc..

• Phones, video games, music players, or electronics

• Pocket knives or any weapons

• Toys or items that distract campers from camp activities

• Anything of personal value to your camper.

Campers should come prepared for the weather and will be outside in any weather as long as it is safe. In the event of extreme heat or storms, campers are inside for educational games, science experiments, arts & crafts, and more! When storms approach, high winds prevail or other acts of mother nature and we deem it unsafe to sail, sailing instruction, sailing based games and activities will take place on shore or indoors.

On a rainy day we will be conducting Pick up and/or drop off at the Anderson Building (60 S Water st). This is the building to the left of the boat ramp.

A few of our staff have been campers at Schooner or students at Sound School. Staff are all 18+ years of age and hired with a strong background working with youth and in environmental education and/or sailing instruction. All staff participate in a five day training program prior to the arrival of campers. All staff are background checked.

There are 80 campers ages 6-14 in camp each session and the camp operates for four, two week sessions throughout the summer. Counselor to camper ratios range between 1:8 and 1:12.

We enjoy having teenage volunteers help us in the summer! Junior counselors will go through a training program prior to the start of camp and be placed with a mentor counselor in one of the 6 age groups for their session at camp. All Junior Counselors will be able to complete community service hours if required by their schools.  Parents need to register their teen through the online camp registration system (CampDocs). Junior counselors can choose any session they wish and can sign up from more than one session. There is a fee for the program of $100 per session made payable at the time of registration. Junior Counselors will attend pre-camp training dates yet to be determined and commit to 2 continuous weeks of camp. Junior Counselors may also apply to the City of New Haven Youth@Work program and inform us of their application for a 5 week, 25 hour per week paid position through the City of New Haven. For more information on Youth@Work visit the City of New Haven website for current information and eligibility.

Cancellation Policy: The fee to transfer to a different session is $10, and transfer depends on the availability of the new session.

Cancellations before June 1st will receive a full refund, less a $25 administrative fee.

Cancellations between June 1st and two weeks before the session start date will receive a 50%

refund.

Cancellations within two weeks of the session start date will not receive a refund.

COVID Specific policy:

Should the local health department direct us to quarantine a specific camp group(s), Schooner Camp will issue a refund for days missed.

Refunds do not apply to families instructed or choosing to quarantine due to household exposure/suspected exposure (i.e. siblings in other summer programs, contact with friends/neighbors outside of camp, parent exposure at work,etc) or if a household member tests positive, thereby necessitating that their child remain quarantined. Lost time (including illness or vacation) cannot be made up in other sessions.

Email us at schooner@gathernewhaven.org, karen@gathernewhaven.org
(direct email for Camp Director) or call (475) 238-5778