Westport Recreation Department
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General Information


Resident versus Non-Resident
People living outside of the town of Westport are welcome to register for and attend our recreation programs, but the program fee may be a little higher for non-residents versus residents. The fees will be clearly marked on any advertisements for recreation programs with the abbreviations:
R = Resident and NR = Non-Resident
For example: Fee: $10 R/$15 NR

Weather Cancellation Policy
In the event of severe weather, we may decide to cancel programs in the best interest of our participants. Considerations will be made based on extreme temperatures, winter or storm warnings, etc. If we decide to cancel a program every attempt to notify the participant/family will be taken, which may include a call, text or email.

Program Policies
  • When arriving at/departing from a program, parents are asked to check in with the staff/volunteer in charge of the program before leaving.
  • Our staff/volunteers are not responsible for supervision of participants who arrive prior to the start of a program.
  • If a participant is to be picked up by an unfamiliar guardian, neighbor, babysitter, etc. the parents are asked to notify the staff/volunteer in charge of the program prior to the occurrence.
  • If a participant cannot attend a program, he/she cannot send a substitute in his/her place.
  • The Recreation Department will always try to have one staff/ volunteer who is leading the program, and one or more staff/volunteers who assist in the program. This may change on a case-by-case basis depending on if a program is for adults, children or teens and what activities they may be doing.
Late Pick Up Policy
We request that people double check the drop off/pick up times of each program they are involved in and be prompt. In order to be fair to our staff/volunteers/participants, we have a Late Pick-Up Policy. For any pick-ups that happen past a 10 minute grace period, charges will start incurring at a $1 per minute. After thirty minutes of being late, and if there is no response from a call made to a parent or emergency contact, the police may be called. Continuous tardiness and/or failure to pay the late fees will result in verbal and/or written warnings and the possibility of the child’s non-refundable termination from the program.

Safety
The Recreation Department for the Town of Westport is committed to the importance of safety and considers safety a paramount responsibility. Please practice safe procedures and follow safety guidelines, including any instructions issued by the Recreation Department, the building management, or public emergency services concerning fire drills and other practices. Unsafe conditions that you cannot remedy should be immediately reported to the Recreation Director so that corrective action may be taken at once.

Refund Policies
Refunds for all programs may be obtained up to two weeks prior to the first class date. For each program dropped at the request of the parent/participant a $5 fee will be charged per program refund. Refunds can be issued in check form or, at the request of a parent/participant, a refund can be given as a credit to your house account to use toward a future program. If a program is cancelled due to inclement weather or unforeseen circumstances, a full refund will be given for that date(s).

Code of Conduct
The Recreation Department for the Town of Westport has rules in place which are necessary to ensure everyone’s safety and enjoyment in our recreation programs. Staff, volunteers, participants, and parents are expected to exhibit appropriate behavior at all times. The following guidelines have been developed to ensure this. Additional rules may be developed for particular programs as deemed necessary by staff. Staff, volunteers, participants, and parents shall:
  • Show respect to everyone
  • Refrain from using foul language or swearing
  • Refrain from causing bodily harm to others
  • Demonstrate respect for equipment, supplies and facilities
  • Represent the Recreation Department for the Town of Westport in a manner that is consistent with goals, objectives and ethics of the Recreation Department
Discipline
Participants in our recreation programs must adhere to the Code of Conduct. If issues arise, a caring and positive discipline approach will be used and may include verbal warnings or calling a parent. The Recreation Department reserves the right to dismiss a participant, staff, volunteer or parent if it is in the best interest of the program. Each situation will be evaluated on its own merit.

Equal Access & Inclusion
No participant shall be denied equal access to programs, activities, services or benefits, or be limited in the exercise of any right, privilege, advantage or opportunity on the basis of race, sex, creed, national origin or disability. When a person with a disability would like to participate in one of our recreation programs, we will help make that happen through inclusion services. We will help make programs/ activities accessible to all by training staff/volunteers, adapting activities, developing behavioral modifications, and/or providing additional support staff, all depending on the participant’s unique needs.

Allergies and Dietary Restrictions
If a person has any allergies or dietary restrictions, it is asked that this be clearly noted on the Recreation Registration Form. That way we can communicate this ahead of time to the staff/volunteers who are working the program and put in place any accommodations if needed. It is also the responsibility of the parent/person to verbally tell their allergy and/or dietary restrictions to the leader of the program at the time of drop off, especially if it may be an issue within the program (for example: a child is allergic to peanuts, bees, etc.).

Dispensing Medication
If a person has any medication that needs to be taken during a program, they need to fill out the medication information on the registration form prior to the program starting so we can be aware of this need and let the staff/volunteers who are working the program know. The day of the program, we ask that parents put the medication that needs to be taken in an envelope that has the following listed on the outside of the envelope: name of person taking the medication; name of type of medication; dosage to be taken; time to be taken. If a child needs to take more than one dosage of medication during a day, the parent will have to put each dosage in a separate envelope. Parents will give envelope(s) to the leader of the program when they drop off their child and verbally explain the medication to be given. No children are to carry their own medication at any time. This is for the safety of all participants. Only staff/volunteers who are assigned to the program will be allowed to dispense the medication to the children.

Photos/Video
The Recreation Department occasionally takes photographs or video of participants for promoting/advertising our programs, services, events, activities, and facilities in our brochures, website, or social media and other promotional avenues. By registering for, participating in, or attending our recreation programs, events or activities, the participant (or parent/guardian of a minor participant) irrevocably agrees to the use and distribution, by the Recreation Department, of his/her image (or of his/her minor child/ward) in photographs, video, and any other electronic reproductions of such programs, events and activities for any purpose without in section or approval and without compensation, rights to royalties or any other consideration now and in the future.

Procedure for Suggestions or Concerns
The Recreation Department is always willing to listen and accept any suggestions or concerns that people may have regarding our programs or services. We are always learning and growing with each passing season and want to provide the best experiences for the community. We also believe in the prompt and equitable resolution of any concerns or grievances. Any suggestions or concerns can be directed to:

Dana Stewart, Recreation Director
Town Hall Annex
856 Main Road
Westport, MA 02790
Phone: 774-264-5181
Email: stewartd@westport-ma.gov



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