At Blue Star we take a very personal approach in our relationship with each camper and family. We know choosing the right camp is a big decision and gathering information is an important part of the process. It is our goal to answer all your questions and help you make the best choice for your child. We encourage you to call or email us at directors@bluestarcamps.com with any questions or concerns you may have.
In the meantime, here are answers to several frequently asked questions parents have about Blue Star.
Can Blue Star accommodate my child's special diet needs?
Yes, Blue Star can accommodate special dietary needs including food allergies, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-intolerant, lactose-intolerant, and nut allergies. Blue Star is a nut-aware and Kosher facility. If your child requires specific food considerations, please let us know.
Can I send emails to my child during their stay at camp?
Yes, campers may receive email each day (except Shabbat). Enrolled families will receive information in the spring about how to access our online photos and camp newsletter, as well as how to send one-way emails to their camper. Access to our online photos and daily camp newsletter are available free of charge to campers, parents, staff, and alumni. However, there is an additional charge for sending one way emails.
Can I send a package to my child when they are at camp?
Yes, Blue Star campers are allowed one package per four or six week session.
Can I expect to receive mail from my child when he or she is at camp?
Yes, you can expect at least two letters a week from your child during their stay at camp. We do not open your child’s mail to you, so we cannot always guarantee that there will actually be a letter inside of the envelope you receive, but we will be happy to let them know that they’ve been “caught” not writing if you inform us of the situation!
Can we expect a report about our child's camp experience?
Yes, parents will receive an “introductory” letter introducing their children’s counselors and a final evaluation at the end of the camping season. Parents of Full Season campers will also receive a mid-season progress report after four weeks.
Can we arrange for grandparents or family friends to visit our children during the camping season at any other time besides Visitor's Weekend?
Our campers have a very active and individualized schedule and having visitors at any time other than Visitor’s Weekend tends to interrupt their camp experience. Often other campers find it difficult when one camper has a visitor and they do not. To be sensitive to the needs of all of our campers, we limit visits from family and friends to Visitor’s Weekend.
Can I speak to my child on his or her birthday?
We only allow campers to call home in the case of a family emergency or if they stay overnight in the Health Center for any reason. We do encourage you to send your camper their care package (limited to one per session) to coincide with their birthday at camp. Your child will have a birthday cake to share with his or her cabin and their entire camp will sing “Happy Birthday” to them.
How can we make spending money available to our child?
While Blue Star provides all entrance fees for out-of-camp trips, parents should arrange in advance for their children to have extra spending money. The camp’s business office maintains a separate spending money account for each camper. Separate instructions regarding out-of-camp spending money will be e-mailed to camp parents in the “Parent’s Handbook” in the spring. These instructions, along with most of the pre-camp kit forms, will be available to download from our website at that time as well.
Will I have access to Blue Star's web-based newspaper?
Yes, parents may visit The Blue Star Gazette online each day of our summer season (except for Shabbat) to see what is going on at camp and to possibly catch a glimpse of their camper in action. Parents will receive information on how to access our online newspaper in the spring.
Can I email the Blue Star administration during my child's stay at camp?
Yes, Blue Star parents can communicate with the main office, the health center, the business office, and the transportation office here »
Can I call the Camp Office for information about my child or to set up a conversation with my child's Counselor, Unit Leader, Camp Leader or Camp Director?
Yes, the Blue Star office is open from 9am until 9pm for incoming calls, and will be happy to arrange a phone conversation about your child between you and any of the members of our staff listed above.