Strategies
Re: Staff
Conference Sessions By Category
Workplace Conflict: Prevention, Diagnosis
and Intervention Dylan Dalton, consultant
and trainer, Solas Consulting Friday, 9-10:15 - Salon D
Unproductive workplace conflict can have a negative
impact on organizational productivity, quality
of services, worker morale, retention, public
perception and customer loyalty. This session
will enable camp owners and directors to have
a deeper understanding of conflict in the workplace.
Furthermore, participants will be taught to distinguish
between positive and negative conflict, and equipped
with tools for both preventing and intervening
when conflict occurs.
Are You Sick of the Drama?: Techniques for Dealing with Difficult Staff Members and Difficult Issues Steve Maguire, camp consultant and speaker
Friday, 9-10:15 - Salon B
The reality of working at camp is we eventually work with difficult staff members. This session will emphasize ways to teach, work with, and/or win over those staff! Come ready to share your staff “issues” and we will work on practical ways to help!
Working with Young Staff Moderated by members of the Emerging Camp Professionals committee
Friday, 10:30-11:45 - Hale
They're young, inexperienced, full of energy and excited about seeing the other side of camp ... now how do you mold them into excellent counselors? Younger staff can have a tough time making the transition to hard-working, caring counselors or understanding camp from “the other side.” Explore the generational differences that make these millennials unique and the distinct implications they create for camp. Learn what makes younger staff tick ... what motivates them, what matters to
them and how to get them to “buy in” to being the right kind of role models. Create a community of support and a true understanding of younger staff so you can increase retention, improve training and develop great counselors.
“The Glass is Half Full, But You Don’t Have to Drink It!” Steve Maguire, camp consultant and speaker
Friday, 10:30-11:45 - Salon B
Your staff’s use of drugs and alcohol can have devastating results on your summer. Come join Steve as we delve into the reality of the underage drug and alcohol use in the camp setting, how we can improve the situation, and how other camps are dealing with this epidemic.
Do You! A New Approach to Staff and Professional Development Scott Arizala, CEO/founder, The Camp Counselor
Friday, 1-2:15 - Stark
When you are at your best and feeling successful, you are using your signature strengths, qualities and skills. Whether it is critical thinking, leadership responsibilities, creativity, fairness, enthusiasm or any other skill, we each have the ability to excel in some areas. This session, designed for seasoned directors, is about teaching counselors and staff to define what those skills are and to take advantage of those jobs at camp that use them. Using ideas from Positive Psychology, learn a
new way to develop counselors and staff, evaluate their progress and effectively manage everyone. Great session to develop better management and leadership skills!
One-Hit Wonder?!: Creating a High Staff-Retention Rate for Your Camp Steve Maguire, camp consultant and speaker
Friday, 1-2:15 - Salon B
Hiring and training a quality staff is important, but retaining that quality staff can make or break your camp and programs. This session will give you simple, pragmatic, and effective methods for retaining your quality staff members. Learn ways to keep these quality staff for many years and eliminate the “one-hit wonder.”
ROUNDTABLE: What Would You Do If a Staff Member … David Platt, Summer Fenn Day Camp
Friday, 1-2:15 - Hale
Come to this roundtable discussion to listen, learn and share insights about interesting and challenging situations with staff. This will be an interactive session, so be prepared to share stories, laugh and learn.
Camp Supervision 101 Mark Pooler and Patrick Connelly, Connecticut Camp Guys
Friday, 1-2:15 - Salon A This informative session will provide new camp leaders with all the skills and resources necessary
to effectively manage camp staff from day one. We’ll cover issues such as supervising peers, managing staff burnout and dismissing ineffective staff. Great resources for hiring and evaluation.
Where Ya Been? Teaching Counselors How to ‘Get on Their Level’ Scott Arizala, CEO/founder, The Camp Counselor
Saturday, 9:15-10:45 - Salon D
Counselors who get “it” try hard to get on the campers’ level, both physically and emotionally. This session is full of the communication strategies, leadership skills, and training techniques to teach “it.” Using the concept of “getting on their level”, learn a comprehensive way to train, facilitate and role model how to connect with campers. Great tool for staff training!
Department Heads Moderated by members of the Emerging Camp Professionals committee
Saturday, 9:15-10:45 - Hale
Whether they’re recruited from outside of camp, or they've come up through the ranks, the staff members you choose to lead your departments and programs at camp need to be knowledgeable, have great management and organizational skills, and be able to think on their feet. A sense of humor, teaching and mentoring skills and patience doesn’t hurt, either! Come to this interactive session to learn how to identify the right staff for department head positions, help counselors make
this challenging transition and train and support department heads so they can work effectively with peers, campers, fellow administrators and parents.
Meetings with Meaning Marc Hoberman, Grade Success, Inc. Staff Training
Saturday, 9:15-10:45 - Webster
Too many meetings are run inefficiently and do not create the desired results. Learn several strategies for running staff meetings that are engaging and purposeful.
No One Likes You!: Evaluating and Giving Creative, Effective Feedback to Staff Steve Maguire, camp consultant and speaker
Saturday, 9:15-10:45 - Salon B
Today’s program/camp counselors and leaders need to be evaluated differently than staff members of the past. In this session, participants will learn techniques to help create an effective and practical staff evaluation. We will explore how the process works over the course of the entire summer as well as share strategies from previous program experiences.
Deep Listening —The Coaching Model Jim Wolfson, certified life and executive coach and consultant, former camp director
Saturday, 9:15-10:45 - Stark
When one of your staff or peers comes to you to talk about a problem, it would be nice to be completely present, with no agenda, listening fully. Learn the professional coaching model: how to ask effective questions, keep your own agenda out, and most importantly, empower the other person to tap into their own resources for a solution.
The Many Voices of Leadership Garcia Wood, director of training services, Camp Leaders
Saturday, 9:15-10:45 - Dartmouth
Shake hands, or kiss … how do cultures lead effectively? Why do horses follow and respect a certain horse? Why do campers follow and respect a certain camp counselor? Learn effective ways to lead from current research, the horse world and the many voices of different cultures to inspire your campers to have a sense of wonder.
What Laws Do Your Staff Need to Know? Jack Erler, counsel to the Maine Youth Camping Association and attorney for a children’s camp in Maine
Saturday, 11:30-1 - Salon D
What should you be telling your counselors about their legal responsibilities? Adapted from a talk he gives every summer during pre-camp, the presenter will discuss laws on child abuse, sexual harassment, alcohol and drugs, confidentiality and duty of care. Learn the best way to present this information so staff will listen and understand!
Creating a Winning Staff Marc Hoberman, Grade Succes, Inc. Staff Training
Saturday, 11:30-1 - Webster
Lecturing or simply telling staff what to do during staff training will likely result in bored, disinterested counselors. Instead, use icebreakers and groundbreakers, and you’ll have staff who
are focused, learning and participating. This is an interactive session, so come ready to join in.
It’s a Marathon, Not a Sprint Steve Maguire, camp consultant and speaker
Saturday, 11:30-1 - Salon B
Even the best summer camp staffs can hit a “mid-summer slump.” With families expecting the best at all times, no camp can afford this slump. Participants will learn about unique ways to keep the staff at their best as well as keeping campers safe and having fun for the duration of the whole summer.
Drama Games for Staff Training: Improv, Skills and Games for Everyone Chris Tucci, Ebner Camps (Camp Awosting)
Saturday, 11:30-1 - Suite 301
Afraid your staff training is boring? It probably is. Come learn how theatre games can make your staff training fun and how to equip your staff to make a summer of successful skits, songs and games.
Youth Involvement—Not So Much! Nancy Frankel, camp consultant and ACA New England board member
Saturday, 2:15-3:45 - Salon C
Current ACA research shows that camps are doing an impressive job in establishing supportive relationships, creating physical and emotional safety, and building skills. But in youth involvement — leadership, belonging, and decision-making — we’re not so great. We’ll talk a little about the research and a lot about how to make the decision-making and planning process work in a meaningful way in your camp using a model for staff and camper progression. This session received such rave reviews last year that we brought it back for an encore … don’t miss it!
Analyze and Evaluate Staff and Campers Emily Golinksy, Camp Starfish executive director and Michelle Cyr, MSW
Saturday, 2:15-3:45 - CEO
Learn simple but powerful grid-based techniques that will help you build capacity in two key areas: analyzing your supervisory relationships with staff and evaluating the root cause of camper behavioral situations. Put these great tools in your pocket and help leadership staff back at camp quickly implement these techniques.
Be Sure to Wear Your Belt and Suspenders!: Teaching Your Staff How to Be “Constantly Vigilant" Steve Maguire, camp consultant and speaker
Saturday, 2:15-3:45 - Salon B
It’s a camp’s worst scenario: a camper gets hurt — or worse — because someone isn’t paying full attention. The minute any member of your staff lets his or her guard down, a crisis could occur. This session will provide key elements to teaching your staff how to stay on top of their game and provide a safe and fun experience for everyone.
Booze, Bikinis, and Bad Attitudes: How to Advise Your Counselors in a Positive Direction Angela Marzilli and Jamie Cluchey, staff advisers, Camp Runoia
Saturday, 2:15-3:45 - Dartmouth
Are you a camp director receiving feedback from unhappy counselors? Maybe you are returning to your camp for your first summer working mainly with counselors, not campers. Campers benefit the most when counselors feel appreciated and supported in their work, but often, busy camp directors
can’t provide the amount of support counselors need. Come hear about one model for staff support and mentoring and share ideas of what works at your camp.
ROUNDTABLE: Facing the Facebook Phenomenon — A Guide for Talking to Counselors Ian Moorhouse, Hill House, and Donna Lockington, ACA New England Saturday, 4-5:30 - CEO
Join us for a timely, interactive discussion about how to deal with the new technological realities of your campers' and counselors’ worlds. Posting photos, emailing, IMing, poking...what's going on out there? During camp or the off season, what role (if any) can or should the camp director take in monitoring communications, photos and information within the camp community? What policies and programs should you put into place … and will your campers and staff pay attention? This is a topic you can't afford to ignore. Technology is NOT the enemy … find out how to make it work in positive ways for your camp.
Now You Know Everything, Here Come the Kids!: Creating the Best Staff Training for Your Camp Steve Maguire, camp consultant and speaker
Saturday, 4-5:30 - Salon B
It’s time to mix up your training! Staff training can be the lifeline of your program. However, less is more. The quality of your staff training can be greatly enhanced by facilitating some simple changes in your approach. Come join us for a creative, fun, and positive approach to staff training.
Camp Cocktail: Mixing Veteran and Rookie Staff Alexandra “Alex” Thomas, DOAC owner/director
Saturday, 4-5:30 - Hale
Join us in the “shaker” as we mix up a batch of creative ideas for helping veteran and rookie staff work well together to make summer smooth and delicious! Come prepared with a few ideas of your own and we’ll share our best recipes for success!
Stop, Look and Listen: Mediate Camper and Staff Conflicts Jill Massa, alternative conflict resolution specialist
Saturday, 4-5:30 - Suite 301
Learn a quick, easy-to-remember method your staff can use to help mediate camper conflicts. Practice perfecting your mediation style on role plays that can be adapted for both day and resident camps. This method can also be adapted for supervisors to use with staff.
