Program Overview

CAMP SUNRISE is sponsored and operated by the Parks and Recreation Departments in Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, Newington, Glastonbury and Cromwell.  Camp runs for six weeks (one week sessions) from June 22-July 31 with a special 5 day Adventure Trip Camp session for campers ages 16+ from August 3-7 (transportation is not offered on these days). Hours are 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Monday-Friday. The program will meet at the Smith Middle School Cafeteria. Each group participates in a variety of activity periods each day which include games, sports, art and crafts, nature walks and field trips. There will be no camp on July 4th. Dates are subject to change based on school cancelation days. 

A typical camp day consists of several planned activity periods throughout the day including sports, nature, arts and crafts and special events. Campers will swim at the Addison outdoor pool and your weekly schedule for camp will detail on which days your child swims. Please make sure your child brings a lunch every day (except where noted) and a towel and bathing suit on days they are swimming.

Camp Sunrise Criteria Checklist
Camp Sunrise has established criteria to safeguard all personnel and program participants. With this, the Glastonbury Parks and Recreation Department, as well as the Camp Sunrise staff, can provide safe, fun and enjoyable leisure experiences to all of its participants. Carefully read over the criteria and be certain that your child is qualified to apply for the Camp Sunrise program.

Please review each criteria your child meets.  If your child does not meet all of the criteria established for the Camp Sunrise program, do not proceed with the remainder of the application. Any exceptions are noted below.

• Applicant must have some form of Physical, Intellectual, Developmental, and/or Other Health Impairment.
• Applicant must have a reported educational or medical diagnosis.
• Applicant must be a resident of Glastonbury, Rocky Hill, Cromwell, Wethersfield or Newington.
• Applicant must be fully independent (or able to work with assistance from a high school age volunteer) unless the Parent/Guardian or Outside Agency provides a paraprofessional, nurse’s aide or nurse.
• Applicant must have an acceptable Teacher Assessment Profile (See Teacher Assessment Profile for what is acceptable).
• Behavior must be manageable by recreational staff and should not hinder or interfere with other participants’ recreational opportunities and/or experiences.

EXCEPTION: Camp Sunrise will accept applicants who meet the following criteria established for the Camp Sunrise program. These participants will be required to complete all paperwork and pay an increased weekly fee for camp.

• Applicant is a typical child and is a sibling of another camper or child of a staff member.

Registration

REGISTRATION BEGINS TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2026 ONLINE. A 50% of payment is required at the time of registration. While there is no registration deadline, early registration is recommended since the program does fill quickly. All forms MUST be completed (including the registration form, the health form, assessment form, and medication authorization) by the deadline. Failure to turn in paperwork by the deadline will result in loss of your space in the Camp Sunrise program.

Fees

The fee for summer camp is $174/week ($204/week for typical siblings). The fee for Adventure Week is $204/Week. The fee cannot be prorated for the number of days your child will attend per week. Admission for all field trips is included in the cost. In the event we are unable to offer field trips, other on-site activities will be planned. 50% of payment is required at the time of registration. There is a separate fee for transportation to and from camp (see TRANSPORTATION).

Cancelation and Refund Policy
Please review your registrations carefully.

• Refunds will be automatic if a program is canceled.
• To be eligible for a refund, requests must be submitted by 8:00 a.m. 6 full business days before the program start date. Requests received after this deadline will not be accepted unless accompanied by a doctor’s note.
• Refunds cannot be given on trips, special events, facility reservations, and passes.
• For Glastonbury Boathouse and Riverfront Community Center facility rentals, please refer to your contract for cancelation policies.
• Registrations processed by credit card will be credited to the card used. All other refunds generally take 2-4 weeks to process.

Health & Medical Forms
Each camper is required to submit a completed "State of CT Health Form" prior to his/her arrival at camp. A doctor must perform the required medical exam. If your child will require medication during the camp day, you must also complete the "Authorization for the Administration of Medication Form". Forms may be submitted online, e-mailed, mailed or turned in to the Parks and Recreation office. The deadline for submitting these forms is Monday, June 1, 2026 with the final payment for camp. 

Camper Assessment
Please give the "Camper Assessment" profile to your child's teacher to be completed. Form may be submitted online, e-mailed, mailed or turned in to the Parks and Recreation office by Monday, June 1, 2026. Information in the form will be used to establish proper group placement for your child.

Transportation

Transportation for field trips (if we are able to offer field trips) is provided for ALL campers. Daily transportation to and from camp may be provided from each Town at a cost of $30/week. If you elect to receive transportation, and have questions regarding pick-up and drop-off locations, please contact the appropriate person from your town below:

Cromwell
Parks & Recreation
(860)632-3467
recreation@cromwellct.com 

Glastonbury
Anna Park
(860)652-7679
anna.park@glastonbury-ct.gov 

Wethersfield
Jahlim Cuttino
(860)721-2952
jahlim.cuttino@wethersfieldct.gov

Rocky Hill
Nancy Glynn
(860)258-2784
nglynn@rockyhillct.gov   

Newington
Hadeel Majdoub   
(860)665-8747
hmajdoub@newingtonct.gov

The Staff
Camp Sunrise consists of a Director who oversees all of the groups and maintains communication with the Parks and Recreation Department. The Assistant Director reports to the Director and assists each of the Group Leaders with daily tasks and coordinates all volunteers. Campers are grouped by age and ability into different groups. Each of these groups has their own Group Leader and share an Assistant Group Leader. We also utilize many high school age volunteers throughout the summer. The camper to staff ratio is usually around 5:1. Our staff consists of college age or older individuals who have had experience working with special needs children.  Many of our staff members are studying to be teachers or special educators. The Director and Assistant Director are certified in first aid, CPR and medication administration. All staff has received “PMT (Physical/Psychological Management Training)”.  

Schedule of Activities
Typical activities include arts and crafts, swimming, sports and other special event activities. A weekly schedule will be e-mailed and also brought home with your camper on the first day of each week of camp.  It contains important information regarding field trips, special events, etc. It is essential that you read through the information thoroughly, as specific requirements may differ for each trip. Prior to the beginning of camp, you will also receive a program calendar that covers all seven weeks of camp and details swimming days when your child should bring a bathing suit, towel and change of clothes. We strongly suggest that campers apply sunscreen in the morning prior to camp. Additionally, we encourage campers to have spray sunblock (minimum SPF 15) with them at camp at all times as campers are outside on a regular basis. Staff is unable to apply topical sunscreen.

Swimming
Campers, staff and volunteers will walk to Addison pool for swimming as listed on their weekly schedules. This is a free swim and does not include any formal lessons. You must send your child to camp with a towel, bathing suit, and change of clothes on any day they have swimming on their schedule. Most Group Leaders and volunteers will be in the water with the campers. Those campers with little or no swimming ability will be in the shallow end with swimming aids and one to one assistance from camp staff/volunteers or in the wading pool. Campers with a higher swimming ability may swim in the deep end of the pool.  Certified lifeguards ensure safety at the pool with support from our staff. If your child is not toilet trained or is prone to accidents, they MUST wear swim diapers. 

Field Trips

Campers will attend at least one field trip per week. Parents/Guardians may attend any field trips, but you must provide your own transportation and admission costs. You may call Camp Sunrise to obtain expected arrival information. All field trip days are detailed in your weekly schedule. Transportation by school bus and/or van is provided to and from all field trips. The last week of camp is devoted to color games which are similar to camp Olympics. Field trip calendars will be emailed prior to the start of camp.

Additional Fees
On occasion trips may suggest additional fees to cover the cost of items for special events/activities (i.e., ice cream, pizza, etc.)  These are always optional and for those who choose to participate. Additional spending money for off-site activities is not required, but is recommended. Please put a note in your child’s backpack if you are sending money for a specific reason. Please be as detailed as possible with correspondence.

Camper Shirts
All campers will receive 1 Camp Sunrise shirt which corresponds with the color of their group. This is a thank you for registering, as well as a safety measure. We ask that campers wear their camp shirts on all field trip days. Additional shirts are available for purchase at a cost of $12/shirt ($14 for XXL or Larger).

Communication
Your child’s Group Leader will communicate with you via phone, text or e-mail to let you know how your child is doing at camp. These communications are meant to keep you informed of special things that have happened at camp. Staff has many responsibilities throughout the day and communication may not be daily. If you have specific concerns, have sent something with your child to camp for a specific purpose or would like more feedback from staff, please contact camp directly. 

Lunch
Campers must bring lunch to camp every day. If your child has special dietary concerns, please indicate so on your application. Monday Lunch Bunch (cheese pizza and a bag of chips) is offered each week at a cost of $7/person.

Camp Sunrise Phone and Phone Numbers
All phone contact with the camp should be directed through the Glastonbury Parks and Recreation Department prior to the start of camp at (860)652-7679. For questions related specifically to transportation, contact your local Parks and Recreation Department. The Camp Sunrise Phone will not be activated until the start of camp. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ'S)

• Q: An outside agency is paying for my child’s camp registration. How do I sign up?
• A: Sign up using our online system. You do not have to pay the 50% deposit. We will bill the agency you have indicated is paying. If you elect to receive transportation or want to sign up for the Monday Lunch Bunch program, the system will require payment for those items at the time of registration. Once we receive payment from the outside agency, we will reimburse you for any items you paid for that are being covered.

• Q: My child won a Camp Sunrise scholarship last summer. How do I apply this at sign up?

• A: Sign up using our online system. You do not have to pay the 50% deposit. We will apply the scholarship after registration has been completed. If you elect to receive transportation (not included in the scholarship) or want to sign up for the Monday Lunch Bunch program, the system will require payment for those items at the time of registration. Please note that scholarship recipients must still register and are not guaranteed a spot in camp.

• Q: Do I need to have the Health Form and the Teacher Form at the time of registration?
• A: Those forms are not required at the time of registration. They are due by June 1, 2026.

• Q: How do I get the Health Form, Teacher Form or Medication Authorization Form to you?
• A: You can email them to anna.park@glastonbury-ct.gov as a .pdf document or you can upload them directly to your account using the instructions below:
  • Log in and select “My Account”
  • Select the name of the child under “Account Members”
  • Scroll to the bottom of the page where it says “Custom Forms”
  • Select “Add New Member Document”
  • Choose the appropriate form from the drop down list and click “Next”, then upload the form
  • Please Note: Forms must have a valid date and cannot expire prior to the end of camp
    
    
• Q: Can I add transportation and/or Monday Lunch Bunch later?
• A: Yes, you can add them any time prior to the start of the program.

• Q: If my child is attending Extended School Year (ESY), can they attend camp ½ day or just on certain days?
• A: Yes, depending on what time ESY ends and what we have on the schedule that day for camp. Please note that we cannot pro-rate the cost of camp for those attending based on an adjusted schedule. Glastonbury children attending ESY MUST sign up/pay for transportation in order to be transported from ESY to camp.