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KEY Program Frequently Asked Questions
A Casper College Summer Resident Program
for High Ability Youth
Application Procedures
When are applications due? Completed applications are due no later than Friday, February 29, 2008. An application is not considered complete until the parent/guardian, student, and teacher section of the application have been received.
When do we receive notification of acceptance? Notification of acceptance or regrets will be sent out on or before March 12, 2008.
If my child’s packet is submitted on the same day as other equally qualified students, how do you determine who is higher on the list to be accepted? After screening for qualification, application are sorted based on the date that we receive completed applications. If we received several qualified applications on the same day, then we also look at the date the application was postmarked.
What if I am having a difficult time getting my child’s teacher to write a recommendation? Can I use another teacher? We encourage you to try to work with your child’s current teacher. However, if they are uncooperative, you certainly could ask a previous teacher or someone that has worked with your child in an educational situation.
My child attended KEY last year; can he go again this year? YES. Most of our 5th grade students from the previous year indicate that they would like to come back for a second year of KEY and we are happy to welcome them back.
What type of grades does my student have to earn to be considered for KEY? Acceptance is not based on grades. Rather, your child’s teacher recommendation and application are used to determine if she is eligible for KEY. Children are gifted in many ways; academics is only one area. Applications are not complete without a teacher recommendation.
Do my child’s extracurricular activities help in the acceptance process? The student’s application and the teacher recommendation are the primary pieces of information taken into consideration.
Will I be able to see what the teacher recommendation says? Teacher recommendations are confidential. We ask that everyone respect this confidentiality and not ask to see the teacher recommendation.
Can my child pick her roommate? KEY is an opportunity to meet new friends from the around the region, therefore, unless special circumstances dictate, KEY staff will assign roommates.
Paying for KEY
When are all of the fees due? A $100 down payment is due by Friday, April 25, 2008. The full balance is due by Friday, May 30, 2008. Failure to make final payment by the due date will result in the student being dropped from the program. If your child is receiving a scholarship, please have the school notify us so that we may coordinate payment prior to May 30, 2008.
Can payments be made in installments? Installments are allowed as long as a minimum of $100 is received by Friday, April 25, 2008 and the full balance of $500 is received by Friday, May 30, 2008.
Are there scholarships available? Many local PTA groups or other organizations have scholarships. Check with your local PTA group to see if they offer scholarships or if they will assist students with fundraising.
What to Bring
Does my child need to bring bedding and toiletries? YES!! Please bring a sleeping bag or bedding. You should also bring your own soap, water-glass, clothes hangers, alarm clock, etc.
Can students bring their heelys roller shoes? The College’s policy does not allow for skateboards, in - line skates, or ‘heelys’ to be used on campus.
Does my child need to bring pocket money? We recommend that pocket money be keep to $25.00 or less. Students are allowed access to the Casper College bookstore so they may want spending money for a t-shirt or snacks.
Can students bring bottled water or soda to class? Students are asked not to bring drinks into the classroom.
Can students bring a cell phone? Key is a very active and intense learning environment. To get the full benefit of the program it is our goal to have the students completely immersed in the experience. Therefore, students are asked to leave their cell phones at home. If your student absolutely needed to contact you, there is a phone in the lobby of the dorm or the counselors all have access to cell phones.
Can students bring a fan for the rooms? There is a central swamp cooler system that cools the dorms. Students may bring a fan if it helps them sleep.
Can students bring snacks to keep in their rooms? Students will eat in the cafeteria and will have several choices from which to choose and snacks are offered during evening activities. If you decide to send snacks with your child, they must be limited to non-perishable, healthy foods.
Can students bring a camera, IPod, etc? Personal items are allowed and can only be used during free time. Please note: All personal items are the responsibility of the student. This should be taken into consideration when bringing high-valued items. Many children bring disposable cameras rather than more expensive models.
What type of clothes does my child wear to classes? Shorts and activeware are best. Students should also bring at least one pair of jeans and a light jacket or sweatshirt for the evening activities. If your student chooses a class with special clothing requirements, it will be indicated in the class information packets. A swimsuit my also be needed for the evening activities.
Does my child need to bring a laptop or is there access to a computer for email? Personal laptops are not allowed. Students have access to computers on campus where they can check their email. Most the time students are so busy and having so much fun, they don’t think to check their email.
Instructors and Counselors
How many counselors are there per child in the dorm? There are 12 counselors, who are each assigned 10-12 students depending on the students ages.
Who are the counselors? KEY counselors are exceptional young men and women who have achieve excellence in academics as well as in other areas. There is a rigorous screening process to ensure that we have outstanding counselors and the majority of the counselors are former KEY students. Most are in college or have just graduated from high school.
Who screens them? All counselors are screened and interviewed by the director of KEY, Barbara Crews, and have been endorsed by either a high school counselor or community leader.
Who teaches the classes? Our instructors are grade school, junior high, high school and college teachers.
Classes and Activities
Can students leave campus to participate in a family activity? Students are required to stay on campus the entire week. It important to get the full benefit of KEY to have the student total.
Who do students talk to if they have concerns about their class? Or in other words, the student went to the first day of class and hated it. Students should talk to their counselor, the instructor, or the Director of KEY, Barbara Crews. We do take student’s concerns into account. If after a fair trial the student is still unhappy with the class, we will try to schedule them into another class. Keep in mind, some classes are full and therefore unavailable.
Is there homework to be done outside of class? No, all activities are done in the classroom. Evenings are for fun and socialization.
Is there any free time? Students have free time after classes finish at 4:00 p.m. and the evening meal, which is served at 5:00 p.m. Evening activities are planned with the counselors.
What percent of the day is spent in class and what percent is spent in other “fun activities”? Students are in class from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. In the evening they do fun activities from approximately 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
In addition to classes, what activities do the kids participate in? Students participate in evening activities. In the past evening activities have included a trip to the Science Zone, swimming at the Casper Rec Center, watching a Casper Children’s Theater play, putt-putt golf at the Old Town Fun Park, and others.
Dorms
Are the dorm rooms locked to security personal items? The dorm rooms are locked. The counselors, nurse, evening activities director, and dorm director all have keys to the rooms. We encourage our students to bring only what they will need for the week and not bring high-valued items.
Are the buildings air-conditioned? Most of the classrooms are air-conditioned. The dorms have evaporative cooling only.
What time is “lights out”? To ensure that students are well rested and ready to go in the morning, lights have to be out by 9:00 p.m.
Is there a time when all the kids have to be in their dorm and who does the “head count”? The counselors hold a meeting with their assigned students every evening. Then it’s off to bed and lights out.
What are the dorms like? Each residence hall room is furnished with two single beds. Individual rooms do have sinks, and restrooms are “down the hall.” Maid service is not provided. You should bring your own soap, water-glass, clothes hangers, alarm clock, etc. PLEASE BRING A SLEEPING BAG OR BEDDING.
Medical Needs
How do you accommodate for food allergies? Please notify us of any food allergies on your child’s medical form. We will inform our food service director of any special needs. There are a couple of entrée choices at each meal and the staples are always available: peanut butter, jelly, honey, fruit, salad and cheese.
What is the procedure if my child gets sick? Are Doctors/Nurses available on campus? There is a nurse that resides in the dorms during the KEY Program. If your child should get sick, the nurse will care for them. If they require further medical attention, parents will be notified and the student will be taken to the local hospital. The nurse is available to administer daily medication and assist students with any of their medical needs.
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KEY Program Home
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Casper College KEY 2008
125 College Drive
Casper, WY 82601
phone: 307-268-3847 or
1-800-442-2963 ext. 3847
fax: 307-268-2224
kschlager@caspercollege.edu
