Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ FOR CONCORDIA LANGUAGE VILLAGES ADVENTURE DAY CAMPS
1. Does my child need to know a language to attend?
No. The day camp sessions are designed as an introduction to a foreign language. There are lots of staff to help the day camper learn each of the languages through all the activities of the Language Villages program.
2. We would like to start our child on learning Chinese. Is there a day camp in Chinese (Japanese, Russian, Arabic, etc.)
This summer, 2011, Concordia Language Villages will offer day camp programs in Arabic, Finnish, French, German, Norwegian, Russian, Spanish and Swedish. As the day camp programs grow it is possible that more languages will be added.
3. My child has never been to camp before. What should I tell him/her to convince them to go?
It is a good idea to explain that this is an activity-based program, not a classroom experience. Our goal is to help kids realize how fun it is to learn another language. By having fun with language, they'll want to learn more. Explaining that most of the kids in the program will be beginners will help. If your child is worried about being away from home during the day it helps if they have had some play dates at a friends' house or perhaps even a sleepover. Remind your child that it is a day camp and you'll see them in the afternoon and will want to hear about all of the fun activities they participated in.
4. How will my child be supervised?
The program has a staff ratio of 4 children to each staff member. These staff are the childrens' leaders for the days activities, their lunch time and their free time.
5. How experienced is your staff?
Concordia Language Villages has a strong reputation for highly qualified staff from across the nation and from around the world. The Deans of the Adventure Day Camps have been on staff an average of 25 years each. They are unsurpassed in their experience of working with young people, and the rest of the program staff includes certified teachers as well as young, energetic staff whose enthusiasm for language and culture is contagious and motivating to young learners.
6. Where do you pick up and drop off kids?
Parents have two options for pick-up and drop-off. The CLV Adventure Day Camp shuttle van will pick up day campers in the Luekens North parking lot near the ATM machine, at 8:30 am and return them by 4 pm. The fee for this service is $30 per week.
Parents also have the option of dropping off and picking up their child on the Bemidji site at the Village they are attending: Drop-off 8:45-9:00am; Pick-up 3:30-3:45 pm
7. What about van drivers and safety?
All drivers for the Concordia Language Villages have passed a driver safety training course and their driving records have been checked through Kroll Background America.
8. Is swimming available?
Yes, we are located on Turtle River Lake and swimming is available under supervision of our certified waterfront staff. Campers interested in swimming will take a swim test before entering the water for the first time. Canoe trips are also available with lifeguard supervision. Campers interested in being in a canoe need to be able to show that they are good swimmers and will always need to wear a lifejacket.
9. What about the food?
Lunch is included in the cost of the program. We cook and bake all of our culturally authentic meals from scratch. Lunch may be a family style meal served in the dining hall or it may be a picnic next to the lake. No matter what's on the menu or where it's served, the food is fantastic. If your child has special dietary needs or allergies you will be able to specify them on the health form during registration. We also recognize and accommodate vegetarian-style preferences.
10. Are there scholarships available?
As introductory programs to or residential summer villages, there are no scholarships available.
11. Is there a discount for attending more than one session? For more than one child?
We have worked hard to keep the price for the day camps very affordable. We do, however, offer a discount of 5 percent for additional sessions attended by the same child OR for a second child from the same family attending a session. Discounts may not be combined.
12. Is your camp certified?
Yes. The Concordia Language Villages are certified by the American Camp Association and the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement.
13. Can I call my child at camp? Can they bring a cell phone?
If you need to get in touch with your child while they are at day camp, just call our office and we will locate your child and call you right back. At the Language Villages we are UNPLUGGED. We ask that cell phones as well as other personal electronic devices remain at home.
14. What if my child gets sick or injured?
If your child becomes sick or is injured at day camp, you will be notified immediately. He or she will be treated by our on-site healthcare team based on the information you have provided on your child's health form.
15. What happens if I can't pickup my child on time?
We appreciate everyone being on time. It is a good idea to have a back-up plan for those days when you are unavoidably late. If you are not there on time we will attempt to contact you first and then the emergency numbers you have provided.
16. How much time do day campers spend with the residential program villagers, if any?
The answer to this question varies by Village but the day campers are, for the most part, on their own schedule with a different set of age and language-appropriate activities. They do indeed share the site and may take part in the village program depending on the age of the other participants and the appropriateness of the program for younger ages. For lunch, day campers eat with the residential program sometimes and sometimes they have their own separate meals. They do, however, eat at the same time as the rest of village.
17. Will the activities be different for returning day campers so that my child will learn something new?
Most of the participants in the Adventure Day Camps will be beginners or have no language experience. Our staff bring a new set of talents every summer so there is something new to learn each summer. We also have a curriculum for our one-week residential program that includes a set of songs and language skills for different language skill levels. We bring the appropriate amount and level of language into all the activities during each day. Staying in the language most of the day means that we will recognize very quickly the language skills of different children and even if they have been to ADC before there will be plenty of new language exposure.
18. Will the day campers need to bring money?
The day campers will have the opportunity to visit the gift store and the candy store three or four times during the week. They can bring money to deposit into their account on the first day. We will track their spending on an official village bank card. The remaining money ill be returned to them on the last afternoon of the session.
19. How do you accommodate campers of different ages and language skills?
In general we group kids first by age then by language background and experience. If you have a special request please let our staff know upon arrival on the first day.
daycamp@cord.edu
(800) 450-2214
