This guide is designed to inform parents and campers of the policies and procedures for Oglebay Institute’s Summer Day Camps and answer a few of the most frequently asked questions. Please familiarize yourself with this information, review these policies with your children and contact us if you have any questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who teaches the camps and what is the curriculum like?
Can my child participate in a camp that is outside his/her age range?
How early can my child arrive at camp? When do I pick up my child?
Do you offer pre or post care?
What about lunch?
What should my child wear?
What camps go to the pool and on what days?
What should I send if my child’s camp goes to the pool?
What if my child needs to miss a day of camp?
What should my child bring and what should he/she leave at home?
What if I have additional questions?
Registration, Payment and Cancellation
Drop off and Pick Up Policies
Health Information
COVID-19 Safety Precautions
Camper Conduct
Transportation
Publicity Policies
Customer Privacy
Swimming Pool Safety Rules
Camp Locations
Who teaches the camps and what is the curriculum like?
Oglebay Institute educators are highly skilled in their disciplines, have extensive experience working with children, are trained in First Aid and certified in CPR. These passionate instructors design a camp curriculum that reflects their skills and areas of expertise. Each week offers theme-based camps in all five of Oglebay Institute’s disciplines- visual arts, nature, theater, dance and history. Hands-on projects promote critical thinking, collaborative learning and allow children to meet creative challenges, while exploring the wonders of art and nature. Activities nurture self-discovery, improve social skills, increase self-confidence and promote a healthy lifestyle.
Can my child participate in a camp that is outside his/her age range?
Oglebay Institute is dedicated to best practices in art, dance, theater and nature education, including developing and implementing age-appropriate curriculum for our campers. Each camp is designed to meet the unique social and developmental needs of children in specific age brackets. Oglebay Institute is unable to admit any child who falls below the advertised age range.
How early can my child arrive at camp? When do I pick up my child?
For 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. camps at Stifel and Towngate, campers can arrive between 8:45 a.m. – 9 a.m. Campers enrolled at Schrader Center can arrive as early as 8:30 a.m. Please notify the camp staff if your child is going to be late. All campers must be picked up at 3 p.m. unless they are enrolled in a post-care program, which is only offered for Nature Camps at the Schrader Center.
Do you offer pre or post care?
The Schrader Environmental Education Center offers post-care for full-day (9 a.m. – 3 p.m.) camps. Post-care is available from 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. Cost is $6 per half-hour, per child. Payment can be made in advance, or at the end of each camp week. There will be no pre-care offered this year.
What about lunch?
Children attending full-day (9 a.m. – 3 p.m.) camps should bring a non-perishable lunch and drink everyday except Fridays. Please clearly label the lunch with campers first and last name. Friday is camp cookout day. Please do not pack a lunch unless your child cannot eat the selected menu of hot dogs, fruit, chips, vegetable, and a drink. Accommodation for food allergies and special diet may be available upon request. NOTE: Theatre camps at Towngate and Dance Camps do not have Friday cookouts; campers must bring a lunch every day.
What should my child wear?
Children should wear comfortable play clothes and tennis shoes to camp. Nature campers spend much of their day outdoors. Art campers will be working with paints and other materials that may get on their clothing. For safety reasons, flip-flops and sandals are not permitted. As the temperature of our locations vary and many of our activities are outdoors, we recommend sending a jacket or sweatshirt with your child. On rainy days, a slicker or poncho may be necessary. Children in dance camps should wear proper dance attire. Please contact the camp director for details.
What camps go to the pool and on what days?
Some campers will go to the pool in the afternoon. Each week campers will be given swimming tests to determine in what areas of the pool they are permitted to swim.
- Stifel Art Camps (grades 1-7) – Wheeling Park Swimming Pool, Tues.- Thurs.
- Nature Camps (grades 1-10) – Oglebay Swimming Pool, Monday, Wednesday & Friday
- Towngate Theatre Camps – No pool
- Dance Camps – No pool
- Teen Art Intensives – No pool
What should I send if my child’s camp goes to the pool?
One clean towel and bathing suit should be sent each day. Suits and towels will go home each day with campers. Please put items in a bag or backpack. Please send spray-on sunscreen labeled with the child’s name. Campers must provide and apply their own sunscreen. Some children enjoy buying concessions at the pool (candy bars, popsicles, etc.) The average cost of the items is $2 – $3. This is up to the parent’s discretion. For those who do not want to send cash with their children, reloadable, pre-paid gift cards are available for purchase at the White Palace main office in Wheeling Park. Cards can be purchased in any denomination and can be used at both Wheeling Park and Oglebay.
What if my child needs to miss a day of camp?
Please let the camp staff members know if your child will miss a day of camp. Camp fees will not be prorated for missed days.
What should my child bring and what should he/she leave at home?
Oglebay Institute provides all materials needed for a fun and educational day at camp and plenty of activities are planned each day to keep your child busy. Please keep toys, mp3 players, and hand-held video games at home. If a child chooses to bring these items to camps, he/she is only permitted to use them during pool time, pre care and post care. Oglebay Institute is not responsible for lost, stolen or broken items. Cell phones should only be used for emergency situations or under special circumstances.
What if I have additional questions?
Our staff is eager to assist you and is looking forward to a successful summer camp season. Please contact the appropriate camp facility with any additional questions or concerns you have. Facility phone numbers are listed on the last page of this guide.
Registration, Payment and Cancellation
Register early to avoid disappointment because a camp is full! Registrations will be processed in the order received. No spaces will be held without full payment. Any camper wishing to enroll in a camp that has reached its maximum capacity may request to be added to the camp’s wait list. The camper is not automatically added to a camp wait list unless this request is made. Once registration and fees are received, participants will receive a camp packet that contains forms that must be returned before a child will be admitted to camp. It is the responsibility of the participant to appear in camp on the correct day and hour without additional notice.
Registrations are accepted in the following ways:
ONLINE – Visit oionline.com/camps to register for camps online.
BY TELEPHONE
– Registrations, with credit card payment only, can be made by calling 304-242-7700 for art and theatre camps, 304-242-8807 for dance camps or 304-242-6855 for nature camps.
Visa, MasterCard and Discover will be accepted. Please have your card number ready when you call.
IN PERSON
– You may register in person at any of Oglebay Institute’s facilities during regular business hours.
Full payment is due at the time of registration.
Cancellation
Oglebay Institute is committed to offering a wide variety of camps. As a result, camps sometimes have to be canceled due to insufficient enrollment. In such cases, you will be notified no later than 72 hours before the camp start date, and the full fee will be refunded.
Oglebay Institute reserves the right to substitute instructors.
Typically, for participants to cancel and receive a full refund, they must notify the facility and cancel at least 2 WEEKS before the camp start date. No refunds will be granted less than two weeks from the camp start date, and there is no proration of camp fees once the camp has started. In addition, a cancellation fee of $20 is in effect for cancellations made after April 1, even those made within the two-week cancellation period.
Drop off and Pick Up Policies
Our first priority is camper safety. A parent or guardian must accompany each camper to the drop off area of the facility every morning, and sign each camper out at the end of each day at the correct location.
Campers are not permitted to sign themselves out. Parents must complete a Pick Up Authorization Form prior to the camp start date, indicating which individuals are authorized to pick up their children. No child will be admitted to camp without this form. Any person picking up your child will need to show photo identification. Should it become necessary to pick up your child before the end of the camp, please notify the Camp Director/Camp Staff in advance. You must report to camp staff before removing your child from the premises.
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Camps
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Ages
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Drop-off Location
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Drop-off Time
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Pick-up Location
|
Pick-up Time
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| Visual Arts | 4-Grade K | N/A | |||
| Visual Arts | Grades-1-7 | Stifel Center | 8:45-9am | Mon. & Fri.: Stifel Center
Tues.-Thurs.: Wheeling Park Pool |
3pm |
| Visual Arts | Grades 8-12 | Stifel Center | 8:45-9am | Stifel Center | 3pm |
| Performing Arts | All | Towngate Theatre | 8:45-9am | Towngate Theatre | 3pm |
| Dance | All | Dance Studios | Varies by camp. Please consult your camps guide or receipt. |
Dance Studios | Varies by camp. Please consult your camps guide or receipt. |
| Nature Day Camps | 4-Grade K | N/A | |||
| Nature Day Camps | Grades 1-10 | Schrader Center | 8:30-9am | Oglebay Park Pool- pool days
Schrader Center- non pool days*Pool days vary by age group. Please check with staff for pick up locations for your campers |
3pm (Post-care available 3-5pm ) |
Health Information
Oglebay Institute is a nonprofit organization and is unable to provide medical insurance for campers. Campers must have medical coverage to attend camp. A completed and signed Camper Information Form, which includes child health information, must be returned prior to the first day of camp. No child will be admitted to camp without this form. Each form will be reviewed and kept on file in case of emergency. Camp staff is NOT permitted, under any circumstances, to dispense medication. Please do not ask the staff to do so. The camp staff will only handle first aid situations. If you suspect that he/she is ill, please keep your child at home to avoid unnecessary exposure to other campers or instructors. Please call the camp to report your child’s absence. Please inform the camp staff if your child has any food allergies, including wheat, dairy or peanuts. Emergencies exceeding the knowledge of the instructor will be handled by Wheeling Hospital. If the instructor does not deem the situation an emergency, parents will be notified and arrangements will be made for pick-up.
COVID-19
Due to the COVID 19 pandemic, if a child is ill, they should not attend camp and should notify us to report illness immediately. We will adhere to the recommendations of local and state health officials regarding camp protocol as it relates to COVID. Please contact the camp director with any questions that you may have. You may also refer to the Center for Disease Control website at www.cdc.gov or contact your local health department for the most up to date recommendations and guidelines.
Camper Conduct
Camp attendance is a privilege. If at any time a camper’s conduct or cooperation with camp instructors is not keeping with camp requirements, Oglebay Institute reserves the right to terminate, at its discretion, any camper’s enrollment.
No registration fees will be refunded for campers who have been dismissed or who have voluntarily withdrawn from camp.
Transportation
By signing the Camper Information Form, you have agreed to allow your child to be transported to excursion sites or the swimming pool via buses or Oglebay Trolley provided by the Institute, where applicable.
Publicity Policies
Oglebay Institute is proud to publicize the accomplishments of its students and participants and to promote its services and mission to the public. As a result, the media and/or Oglebay Institute staff members may take photographs and/or video/audio recordings of your child/children for promotional purposes. Please review the Publicity Consent Section of the Camper Information Form and sign as appropriate.
Customer Privacy
In our world today, you value your privacy and the privacy of your family. Oglebay Institute values your privacy too. For our mutual protection, Oglebay Institute will not accommodate requests for customer information from our records, including information related to program attendance and fees paid, except where the law requires such accommodation. Oglebay Institute will provide you with a receipt for camp fees paid at the time payment is rendered. Please consult your tax advisor for guidance on the proper tax treatment of this information.
Swimming Pool Safety Rules
- No swimming unless a lifeguard is on duty. This applies to campers and staff.
- Please apply sunscreen before sending your child to camp. Our staff will remind your child to reapply it as needed.
- The lifeguards have complete authority at the pool. Staff members at the pool are under the direction of the lifeguards.
- Glass containers, snorkel tubes and facemasks are not permitted at the pool. Goggles are permitted.
- Remove jewelry, hairpins, band-aids and eyeglasses before entering the pool.
- Swim in assigned areas only. Each week campers will be given swimming tests to determine in what areas of the pool they are permitted to swim.
- No running, pushing, or horseplay in the pool area. Pushing or throwing people into the pool is not permitted.
- Do not jump on anyone. “Look before you dive.”
- No flips from the island or edge of pool.
- Diving is permitted in the deep end of the pool only. Swimming or diving under the diving boards is not permitted.
- Keep hands off rescue equipment (ring buoys, reaching poles, etc). They are for lifeguard use only.
Schrader Environmental
Education Center
Oglebay Resort, Wheeling, W.V.
304-242-6855
Stifel Fine Arts Center &
School of Dance
1330 National Road, Wheeling, W.V.
304-242-7700
Towngate Theatre & Cinema
2118 Market Street, Wheeling, W.V.
304-242-7700
