Welcome to the Parents section of our web site. Here you'll find a great deal of information helpful when preparing for your childrens summer camp adventure. Please click on one of the links below, or if you prefer, download the entire manual (.pdf) by clicking here.

If we can answer a specific question or if you need additional information, please contact us.

Summer 2007 Photo Gallery:

Here is a chance to see what's happening in camp right now! Throughout the summer we'll be taking photos of the childrens summer camp activities and posting them on a special private Photo Gallery. It's open and viewable only to families with children enrolled at Rockbrook. Clicking here will open a new window where you'll be asked to register with an email address, and after approval (which can take up to 24 hours), be granted access to the Gallery.

Parent Information Sessions:

If you haven't been to one of our slide presentations, we highly recommend attending. It's a great way to have all your questions answered and to learn more about our childrens summer camp. Click here to see a list of our upcoming venues.

Preparing your child for camp:

Properly preparing your daughter for camp is the best way to ensure a positive camp experience. Here are some tips to help your child have a great time at camp. (From Bottom Line Secrets by Bruce Muchnick and the American Camping Association)

• Think of Camp as a learning experience. Sending your children to camp offers a wonderful opportunity for both you and your children to practice "letting go". Learning to let go allows children to develop autonomy and a stronger sense of self, make new friends, develop new social skills, learn about teamwork, be creative and more.
• Don't buy a whole new wardrobe. Camp is more rugged than life at home. A child doesn't need new clothes... and having well-worn clothes and familiar possessions will help ease the transition. This is especially important for first time campers.
• Listen to and talk about concerns. As the first day of camp nears, some children understandably experience uneasiness about going off to camp. Rather than acting on what you believe her feelings to be, ask good questions such as: "We've been busy packing your gear. What are your thoughts about heading off to camp in a few days?" Communicate your confidence in her ability to handle being away from home and remind her about "small victories", successes she has experienced in other situations.
• Have realistic expectations. Camp, like the rest of life, has high points and low ones. Not every moment will be filled with wonder and excitement. Encourage your child to have a reasonable and realistic view of camp. Discuss both the ups and downs your child may experience. Your child should not feel pressured to succeed at camp either. The main purposes of camp are to relax and have fun.

Homesickness is normal for campers and our staff is trained to help the girls recover quickly. If necessary, one of our directors will telephone you. If you receive a letter that indicates homesickness, remember that letters are usually written during rest hour and campers may be thinking of home and family. Often, by the time the letter reaches you, campers have already started to feel better. Please take a moment to write a very positive letter. Let your daughter know that you are confident with her ability to cope with her new adventure and remember not to tell her you miss her or can not wait for her to come home. Ask her about camp, her activities, her counselor and friends. If you are worried, please call our office before noon. We can check with the camper and her counselor at lunchtime and someone will return your call later in the day.

Packing Lists and Tips:

Packing List:

* - Provided for campers arriving from outside the USA

Campers' Laundry is sent out once a week during their stay at camp

What Not to Pack: (Remember, there are no electrical outlets in the cabins)

• Money
• Curling Irons and Hair Dryers
• Expensive clothing and jewelry
• Food/ Candy/ Gum
• Pets
• Video iPods
• Cell phones or pagers
• Fireworks of any kind
• Weapons (knives, guns)

Packing Tips:

Camp life and commercial laundering in rough on clothing. Please do not send lots of new items. Use common sense and think about the activities that your daughter will be taking and send appropriate clothing and shoes. Weather is temperate here, generally with lows in the 50's and highs in the upper 80's.

Permanently label all items with first and last name (even equipment and shoes).

Trunks:

Pack in a trunk or footlocker. This will serve as your daughter's "dresser" for the summer. Be sure trunks have camper's name visible and will stay closed and locked for travel or shipping. Please limit your daughter's baggage to one standard size trunk and one duffel bag. Cabins are small so please do not over pack. Trunks may be brought to camp by car, shipped by UPS or FedEx or sent on the airplane. (With heightened security in our airports we strongly recommend shipping the trunk UPS.)

Shipping Trunks and Luggage:

Trunks may be shipped to or from camp. Items shipped to camp will be placed in the cabins before opening day. Use the Rockbrook luggage tags and stickers to help identify your daughter's luggage (from your parent mailing).

Shipping Address: (UPS and FedEx Only)

Rockbrook Camp
"Camper's First and Last Name" (Visible on the outside of shipped items)
3460 Greenville Highway
Brevard, NC 28712
Phone: 828-884-6151

If you would like your daughter's trunk shipped home from camp please let us know on the travel form you will receive. Please make sure to include the address that you would like the trunk to be shipped to. Unless prepayment has been made, the luggage will be shipped C.O.D. (Please call for information concerning prepaid shipments.) UPS will attempt three deliveries before the COD item is returned, which means additional shipping charges to you. If you will be out of town, provide an address where someone could accept the COD between 9-5 PM.

Camp Store:

"Sybil's Shoppe" is the camp store where campers have the opportunity to purchase necessities during their stay at camp such as flashlights, disposable cameras, soap and stationery. We recommend $15-$20 per week for their camp store account. This money should be included in the final tuition payment. Remaining funds larger that $1 will be returned on closing day.

Travel Arrangements and Opening Day:

Opening Day/Closing Day:
Opening day is a busy and fun time at camp. Plan to arrive /depart between 9:00-12:00 noon. You will be met by the camp director Jerry Stone and then have the chance to talk with the camp nurse, meet your daughters counselor and assist your daughter into moving into her cabin. Lunch will be served for the campers at 1:00 PM. After lunch campers are quickly involved in a variety of activities. These include swimming, hiking, camp tours, and more. Activity sign ups for the first week are held in the evening and regular activities begin the next day.

On closing day, breakfast is served at 7:30 and campers are free to leave after final announcements. (We cannot accommodate campers arriving early or leaving late due to staff orientation and camp preparation). Campers may not leave camp with anyone except their parents or guardian unless arrangements have been made with our camp office in advance.

For campers who choose to fly, we provide a shuttle service to and from the Asheville, NC airport. Campers age 7-12 must travel with an Unaccompanied Minor Form purchased at the time reservations are made. Please prepay for this service. Please use the name Brenda Ivers as the person who will arrange pickup for your child. In order to simplify departures and avoid problems at the airport please have completed all of the necessary forms before your child's arrival at camp.

Campers are met at the airport by camp personnel wearing Rockbrook apparel and are escorted to our bus for the 30-minute trip to camp. Your daughter should carry a list of phone numbers, including Rockbrook's and a small amount of travel money. We will telephone you when your daughter arrives.

Round trip tickets and money and Unaccompanied Minor forms will be collected and placed in the camp safe until departure. One-way tickets should be in the camp office at least two weeks prior to departure to help us finalize travel arrangements.

Campers arriving by plane should pack a change of clothes, tennis shoes and a swimsuit in a backpack to carry on the plane. They will be involved in activities before their luggage arrives. Airport luggage is brought to camp after all of the flights have arrived. Please be sure to label your child's luggage with her name as well as the Rockbrook shipping tag you will receive. This will help us identify your child's luggage.

International campers should be sure to contact us to make special arrangements.

Camp Policies:

Visitation:
Rockbrook has a strict "No Visitor" Policy. Campers are not allowed to have visitors during their stay a camp. Rockbrook provides campers an opportunity to gain independence and self-reliance and often a visit from parents or relatives can interrupt their progress. Having to readjust to camp following a visit is difficult. Plan to have your daughter be your "tour guide" on closing day when she can share all of her favorite places with you.

Telephone:
Rockbrook campers are not allowed to use the telephone except in the case of emergency. Telephone communication often causes the camper to have a difficult time readjusting to camp life. If you would like to speak to your daughter's counselor or one of the directors call our office at 828-884-6151. Someone will take a message and have your call returned once activity instruction is over.

Packages:
Rockbrook has a NO PACKAGE POLICY. All packages will be returnedto sender unless prearranged with the camp office.

Infirmary/Special Needs:

You will be sent medical forms to be filled out and returned to Rockbrook before your daughter's arrival at camp. Please return completed and signed health forms before May 1. Campers will not be admitted without the signed health and emergency consent form. These forms stay in the health center with the camp nurse. Please contact us if your daughter has any special needs so that we may discuss them with you before opening day.

A nurse lives in the Rockbrook Infirmary and a pediatrician from Brevard is on call 24 hours a day. The camp doctor also makes weekly house calls. The Transylvania Community Hospital in Brevard is nearby and is also available for medical services. If you need to speak to one of the nurses please call the office at 828-884-6151, then one of the nurses will return your call.

If your daughter will need to take medication while at camp please pack prescriptions in original containers that are clearly marked with instructions. List the medications on the health form as well. Medications and specific instructions are to be left with the nurses on opening day. All meds are kept in the infirmary and are dispensed by the camp nurse at the appropriate time. Campers are not allowed to keep any medications in their cabin.

The Infirmary is stocked with necessary over the counter medications and first aid supplies. The nurse will contact you if your daughter spends the night in the Infirmary or needs additional medical attention. If additional medical care is required, resulting prescriptions, doctor or hospital bills will be mailed to you. You will be responsible for filing medical bills with your insurance company for reimbursement.

Dining Hall/ Meals:

Meals are times for sharing food, fellowship and singing. Our menu is prepared by a licensed dietitian and is well balanced and plentiful. Food is served family style and campers sit together according to age. Vegetarian options are always available, as well as a cereal bar at breakfast and full salad bar at lunch and dinner. If your child has special dietary needs please contact us before camp begins.

Snacks are offered mid morning and afternoon and fruit is available throughout the day. Water fountains and coolers are placed around camp and campers are encouraged to drink lots of fluids.

Mail and Packages:

Mail is delivered Monday- Saturday. Campers love to get mail- they might not respond quickly, but they do love to receive mail. Write often and encourage friends and family to do the same. This is a chance for campers to use their letter writing skills rather than the telephone or computer. You may want to send a note before camp starts or leave a note on opening day. Fax and E-mail messages will be printed Monday - Friday and are included with the mail delivery.

Camp Address:

Rockbrook Camp
PO Box 792
Brevard, NC 28712-0272

E-mail address:

camper@rockbrookcamp.com (please put campers full name on the subject line)

Fax Number:

828-884-6459 (please put campers full name at the top)

Please Do Not Send Care Packages to Camp. Rockbrook has a strict NO PACKAGE POLICY! All packages will be returned to sender unopened unless arrangements have been made with our office. In years past there was too high a level of competition over packages, which detracts from our non-competitive atmosphere. Please remember to tell your family and friends that we will return all packages.

Places to stay in the Brevard Area:

We do not have accommodations for overnight guests at camp. Since this is a popular summer vacition area however, there are a number of fine places to stay nearby. We recommend making reservations as early as possible. More information is available from the Brevard Chamber of Commerce at 800-648-4523.

Lodges and Motels (within 20 miles):

Lodges and Motels (within 30 miles):

Bed and Breakfasts:

Resort Accommodations:

Directions:

Please visit the "Our Location" page for maps and driving directions to Rockbrook.