General Information for Campers & Families

Hours and Directions

Camp Hours:
Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Camp Office Hours:
Monday–Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. prior to June 17
We are always available to help with any issues during office hours by phone at 443.321.2575.

Health Office Hours:
First day of each week 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Balance of each week 8:45 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.
The nurse can be reached at 443.321.7852 to discuss medications and health issues or to answer any questions you might have.

*There will be no camp on Wednesday, June 19, Thursday, July 4, or Friday, July 5. Both camp and health offices will also be closed.

Directions
From Washington
Travel east on Route 50. Take the Aris T. Allen Blvd. Exit 22 (Route 665) to Forest Drive. Bear right onto Forest Drive east. Proceed 2.5 miles to the intersection of Forest Drive and Hillsmere Drive. Turn right onto Hillsmere Drive. Proceed on Hillsmere Drive approximately 1 mile.

From Baltimore
Travel south on I-97 to Route 50 east. Take the Aris T. Allen Blvd. Exit 22 (Route 665) to Forest Drive. Bear right onto Forest Drive east. Proceed 2.5 miles to the intersection of Forest Drive and Hillsmere Drive. Turn right onto Hillsmere Drive. Proceed on Hillsmere Drive approximately 1 mile.

Drop-Off and Pick-Up

Drop-Off & Pick-Up

Parking is available in the Main Carroll House Parking Lot (see map) with overflow parking available in the gravel lot along Hillsmere Dr. Please adhere to the following:
- Drive slowly when approaching and entering the Key School campus.
- Be alert to the many children of all ages who may be walking near your vehicle.
- Do not leave cars unattended with the motor running anywhere on campus.
- Do not park or turn around in residential driveways or make illegal U-turns on the Hillsmere community streets.
- Be aware of traffic patterns and signage on and around campus. When entering the main parking lot, there is only ONE ENTRANCE from Hillsmere Dr. and ONE EXIT onto Carroll Dr.

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Drop-Off: Our buildings will be locked after the drop-off period, so please arrive on time. On the first day of camp, park and check in at the “Welcome Area” outside the Manse Camp Office.

For morning-only and full day campers:

Camp days begin at 9:00. Drop-off on the first day of each week begins at 8:30 to allow for extra time to find your camp and/or speak to the camp nurse. Drop off is at 8:50 the rest of the week.
Counselors will escort you to your camp on the first day. For the remainder of the week, parents/guardians must walk campers to their camp(s).

For afternoon-only campers:

Afternoon camps begin at 12:30. Campers can arrive at 12:25 on the first day of camp and 12:30 the rest of the week. Counselors will greet you in the "Welcome Area."
Counselors will escort you to your camp on the first day. For the remainder of the week, parents/guardians must walk campers to their camp(s).

Pick-Up & Family Codes: At pick-up, counselors will ask for the four-digit family code that you created in the online portal when registering.

The code will remain the same throughout the summer.
Any person picking up must have this code, and it is your responsibility to share it with them. Campers will not be released without it.
Your code can be found on the invoice that was emailed to you when you registered. Contact the camp office for assistance.
Camper self-sign out is available for rising 6th to 8th graders. A parent/guardian must complete this form.

For morning-only campers:

Campers must be picked up from their camp location promptly at 12:00. After Care is not available for morning-only camps. Beginning at 12:10, late fees may be charged.

For full day and afternoon-only campers:

Campers must be picked up at 3:30 from their camp location unless they are pre-registered for After Care. We allow a 15 minute grace period for pick-up.
Campers not picked up by 3:45 will be taken to After Care. Since they are not pre-registered, the fee will be $25 per child and automatically charged to the credit card on file. Traffic is always a potential issue, so consider putting a back-up plan in place for pick-up in the event you are running late. We will not waive After Care fees because of traffic.

Late Camp Arrival / Early Pick-Up:

If you are arriving late to camp, pull into the main parking lot and call the camp office at 443.321.2575. Since the buildings are locked, we will contact your camper's counselor and have them meet you at the front door of your camp’s building.
If you need to pick your camper up early, call the camp office at 443.321.2575 once you have arrived. Since the buildings are locked, we will contact your camper's counselor and have them meet you at the front door of your camp’s building with your camper and their belongings. The person picking up will need to have the family code as described above.

Lunch and Snacks

Lunch, Snacks, and Water

Summer at KEY is a "nut-restricted" camp. Foods containing any types of nuts are not allowed. Please check the labels on the foods you send to make sure they are nut-free.
Campers staying for a full day should bring a nut-free lunch and nut-free snacks for morning and afternoon breaks. Whether combining a morning and afternoon session or participating in a full day session, campers will have a counselor-supervised lunch period.
Morning-only and afternoon-only campers should only bring snacks for their half day programs.
We do not have refrigerators available for storage. Non-perishable foods or insulated lunch bags with ice packs are recommended.
Campers should bring a refillable water bottle. Water refill stations are available throughout the campus.

What to Wear & Bring

Label everything your camper brings to camp to avoid confusion and loss of belongings. Summer at KEY will not be responsible for loss or breakage of any items brought to camp.

Campers should bring/wear the following each day:

Backpack for belongings - campers may need to transport items with them throughout the day.
Beach towels for camps that have water activities.
Labeled sunscreen - campers should come to camp with sunscreen applied.
Labeled water bottle(s) - refillable bottles preferred.
Nut-free lunch if staying for the full day and nut-free snacks.
Shoes that can get wet for programs with water activities. Flip flops are not allowed.
Athletic shoes for all sports programs - see camp descriptions for other requirements.
Please do not send extras like toys, trading cards, personal gaming systems, or music players, etc. with your camper.
If your camper brings a cell phone, the phone will need to remain in the camper's backpack throughout the day. If a camper needs to contact you, they should speak with their counselor to make arrangements. If a camper wears a smart watch, the same policy applies. They should refrain from using it to text or make calls during the camp day.