Camp Brit (Agreement)

The Brit (Agreement)

קהלה קדושה/Kehillah K’doshah (Holy Community)

At Ramah Darom we exemplify the qualities of כבוד (respect) and  טוב לב (kindness) in interactions with כלם (everyone) both during the summer and during the school year.

We respect the feelings and emotions of others when in Camp and when at home. We talk with kind words, invite others to join us in play, take care not to exclude, humiliate or show meanness to others and respect others’ bodies. We pay attention to Camp rules which are meant to keep us safe and treat all property on Camp with respect.

• We respect the property of others and Camp by not taking, defacing, destroying or altering property that does not belong to us. We have a responsibility to make sure others in Camp feel safe and that our campus maintains its beauty. 
• We follow the rules of Camp, which include NOT bringing cigarettes, Juul equipment, e-cigarettes, drugs, dangerous objects or illegal or dangerous items to Camp.
• We follow Camp rules and behavior expectations on campus, field trips and Camp transportation. We never leave the boundaries designated for us on campus or on trips.  
• We respect the requests and directions of staff members whose role is to keep us all safe and ensure an enjoyable time for all.
• We continue to treat members of our community with respect and kindness, including respectful interactions while texting and using social media, all year long.

בצלם אלוה׳ם/B’tzelem Elohim (In the Image of God)

At Ramah Darom, we view each person as a reflection of God. Our diverse community is an essential part of who we are because every member of the Ramah community is of equal and supreme worth.

• We respect that each of us is a unique individual, offering compassion and help without teasing or bullying.
• We each strive to be the best version of ourselves, focusing on our own growth and learning.
• We accept that we each may make mistakes, but we can all learn from these experiences and attempt to give each other the benefit of the doubt when there is a disagreement.
• We are part of an inclusive environment, and we do not exclude others or make fun of another’s challenges.
• We come to Camp with a positive attitude and bring our curiosity for exploring our Judaism.
• We commit to be a דגמה א׳ש׳ת (role model), expressing our profound Jewish joy and love for our קהלה (community).

Noncompliance Policy for Behavior/Breaking Camp Rules

While we do not expect perfection, we do expect all members of our community to strive for growth and to behave in a manner consistent with our Brit. Our goal is to help campers learn how to be members of our community through interventions when necessary. Some behaviors may necessitate immediate dismissal* and others will generally follow the procedure below. Please note that campers must understand that being a bystander or being present when rules are broken may be cause for disciplinary action and/or presumption in participation in the breaking of the Camp rule. Campers should leave situations that are in violation of Camp policy immediately and get help. In all cases, the discretion of Camp leadership will be utilized. 

1^st Intervention: Counselors will be the first line of intervention with camper behaviors. They will utilize collaborative problem solving to address camper misbehavior and notify the Rosh Aidah (Unit Head) and Yoetz/et (Parent Liasion) as soon as possible of any incident.

2^nd Intervention: Rosh Aidah will meet with the camper and counselor to decide on appropriate logical consequences, such as cleaning an area of Camp, writing an apology letter or missing an evening activity.

3^rd Intervention: Yoetz/et (advisor) will work with the Rosh Aidah to decide on appropriate consequences and may also meet with the camper to create a behavior plan for camper success. Parents will be called and informed of the misbehavior, consequence and behavior plan, if applicable.

4^th Intervention: Camper and Rosh Aidah will meet with the Camper Care Manager, Assistant Director or Camp Director. Parents will be called and included in the consequence plan. Dismissal from Camp may occur at the discretion of the Camp Director.

Immediate Dismissal

While Camp is a place for growth, certain behaviors put your child or others at risk of immediate dismissal* from Camp, such as:

• Possession or consumption of alcohol, illegal drugs or tobacco products
• Possession or consumption of non-prescribed legal drugs
• Leaving the boundaries of Camp property without proper authorization
• Purposefully harming others at Camp, emotionally or physically, or engaging in self-harm
• Purposefully harming or destroying Camp property 
• Possession or use of e-cigarettes, vape pens or similar devices with or without tobacco or marijuana products
• Possession of or use of guns, knives or weapons of any kind

*Campers who are dismissed from Camp due to behaviors or breaking of Camp rules, will receive no refund of tuition or fees. Travel costs incurred due to dismissal will be the parents’/guardians’ responsibility.

The following items will be confiscated and may be returned at the end of Camp

(This doesn’t NOT include pre-loaded Kindles, which are allowed at Camp or MP3 players that do not connect to WIFI.)

• Cell phones or any electronic devices that can connect to the Internet, including computers, iPads and other tablets, eReaders, portable game systems or other similar equipment 
• Other electronics, including DVD players, televisions, video cameras, walkie-talkies, etc. 
• Flammable materials such as matches, fireworks, lighters, butane, incense, candles and hot pots
• Money, apart from money provided for yitziot (trips)

If a camper is dismissed for behavioral concerns, there will be a re-interview process to determine whether they can return in a subsequent summer. The re-interview process may include conversations with parent(s)/guardian(s), teachers and/or therapists, and the camper. The Community Care and Inclusion Manager will make a recommendation to the Camp Director, and together, they will inform the family whether a camper is invited to return.