What’s Right With Our Schools: Camp Signal

“Camp signal is a six week long camp that we offer for children of all abilities. We are one of the few camps that service children who have special needs and so we are able to meet those children where they are and provide those families with respite well, also providing those kids with continued education and continued structure routine so that they don’t have lots of skills as they return to school back in August. As a former teacher, its so important to maintain that education and not allow laps of skills to occur. Children learned so much from August to May and they work really hard. And when they get those breaks from summer, they often times regress. And so it’s really important that we maintain those skills those routines that structure while still having fun and still providing them a fun camp experience. So part of the unique thing we able to do here at Signal Centers as we are able to provide continued education and continue building on the skills that they already have in order to help ensure that they’re ready to learn new skills without having to revisit things that they’ve already learned,” said Mary Catherine Epstein, the Assistant Director Children’s Services, Signal Centers.

“My job is to support children when they’re off of school… here during the summer. We meet them where they are. We do activities such as crafts, we go to gym we let them get their fine motor as well as interact with other students, while being in an environment that best is accessible and accommodating to them in their needs,” said Jenna Dekich, a camp Counselor at Camp Signal.

“I like that learning helps us read and learn lots of new things,” said Gia Farmer, a 1st Grader at Orchard Knob Elementary.

“And why is that important?” asked News 12’s Chief Photographer, David Moore.

“It’s important because if we learn will be smart,” replied Farmer.

“If you learn a lot of math, you can know numbers and letters. And you need to do a lot of class so you could be smart. And then people will love you a lot,” said Emori Lawrence a 1st Grader at Orchard Knob Elementary School.

“It’s a great place. They’re able to grow well not at school while being around people who understand their learning types. And we have so many different types of people who are good in different areas can help them in best ways that they can grow and support them,” said Dekich.

“I think one of the biggest things that Camp Signal is able to do is to provide families with care that might not be able to access it in other environments. We have lots of children with IEP‘s and complex needs that can’t go to other summer camps and summer programs; and we are able to provide that for those families. I think for the kids were also able to provide them a fun summer while still building and maintaining skills that they’ve worked really hard to gain. And provide that respite for families,” said Epstein.