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Reply to "Another sleepaway camp to consider - Kodiak"

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[quote=Anonymous]Hey all - it's OP. Thanks for the kind words! This site can be a brutal arena much of the time, but agree it's also the only place where i consistently get kernels of usable information from those btdt.

Here's the background: DS is 11, ADHD, extremely socially challenged but not ASD because he's actually very easy going and non-rigid.  If he didn't have to interact with other kids (!), he wouldn't have any problems. He's a very happy kid and thinks his relations with other kids are fine, but to an outside observer they are cringeworthy (annoying, hyper, loud, physical, weird non-sequiturs, etc).  Other kids think he is super weird. I went to typical camp in Ontario for many years, and it was mostly a very positive experience. Though even for me (NT), some of those camp kids could be brutal and mean.  So we knew there was NO WAY we could drop DS into a mainstream camp. DS really doesn't need any direct supports (other than med management, and some organizational help), but he does need someone to run interference for other kids! He attends a gifted school where a lot of the kids are just like him, and he has made some friends there and is not bullied. But a mainstream school or camp is a whole different ballgame.

We looked at the following camps (no shade on any of them; comments are just why they weren't the right fit for DS): 
- SOAR - never talked to them, would likely be my backup next summer if Kodiak doesn't work out. 
- Summit - got feedback that these kids have more severe support needs than DS.  
- Sequoia - played phone tag. fyi they did mention in a vm that they were close to full for DS's age bracket, so sounds like this one is most in demand. This one sounds like the population is very similar to DS.  I didn't love how it wasn't in a traditional camp setting (dorms etc), and when some folks on here said this was a plus for their kid (no bugs, only one roommate etc) i realized DS didn't have those rigidities so could probably attend a more typical camp setting if possible. 
- Akeela - i thought this one sounded perfect, but when i talked to the director, she said the population was mostly high functioning ASD (website said ADHD and some ASD) - and if DS was unregulated and loud/physical and not rigid, this would likely be a bad fit with the rigid kids at her camp. So we kind of got rejected from there, but better to find out early, right?

We chose Kodiak because it is a traditional camp setting, in a geographic area I know really well (there are SO many camps north of toronto- there's a real culture in Ontario), and I got a great vibe from the director.  The cabins are 8-9 kids plus 3 counselors sleeping in, have limited electricity and bathrooms on site.  They choose cabin groups not based on age but based on personality fit - which made so much sense to me. The kids are ADHD, ASD, LDs, and also around 15% NT siblings of campers.  They don't have a ton of formal supports for kids, but weave it in more organically.  One counselor per cabin is employed (or studying) with SN kids during the school year. Every day there is a one hour academic period where parents choose whether to do tutoring or a softer academic skill (STEM, chess, nature, etc).  The rest of the day looks like a typical camp with periods and standard activities (sailing, swimming, arts and crafts, canoeing, wilderness, etc).  The camp is non-competitive (no badges, color wars etc). You have to get dressed for activities and attend, but don't have to participate.  Essentially, it sounds like it straddles the place between a mainstream camp and one with accommodations and supports for SN kids - which is the sweet spot for us, since DS didn't really need a lot of supports. He just needs to be among "safe" people, and it doesn't hurt if he doesn't have to play sports and he has an adult looking out for his social needs.  Pricing is also pretty typical of standard summer camps in ontario - $6k for 4 full weeks (camps in Ontario tend to be less expensive and more rustic than the "prep school" vibe of a lot of US camps).

Anyhow, like so many on here know.... this could all go terribly wrong! Though if that happens, dare i say it is probably just a bad fit and not any fault of the camp.  I don't have recent first hand reviews of the camp, but a friend of my mom is a retired SN educator and she could vouch for the camp's excellent reputation 10+ years ago.

I hope this is helpful! And a plea to anyone who might be inclined to write something snippy in a reply.... please don't. We're really excited about trying this and don't need any bad mojo at this point. Thanks!  [/quote]

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