Counselor Job Description
Desired Qualifications
Responsible to
Specific Responsibilities
Essential Functions
Typical Class Day schedule for a cabin counselor
Below is the typical daily schedule for a cabin counselor on a class day. We average 5 class days out of 7 (during the summer there are four trip days and four special event days in which counselors participate). Of eight daily activity periods counselors will be assigned duties for an average of five. The remaining three hours will be unassigned and can be used for class preparation, individual practicing, rehearsals for staff concerts, writing letters, spending time with campers, etc. Lower camp counselors are not assigned duties during rest hour and supervised practice. Upper camp counselors are not assigned duties after lunch or during the lower camp dinner. These free times may be used for practicing, socializing etc.
7:30 AM Reveille – wake up yourself and your campers
7:45 AM Breakfast
8:15 AM Cabin cleanup
9:00 AM Activity period
10:00 AM Activity period
11:00 AM Activity period
12:00 PM Lunch
12:45 PM Lower Camp rest hour
1:00PM Upper Camp activity period
1:45 PM Lower Camp group meeting
2:00 PM Activity period
3:00 PM Activity period
4:00 PM Snack in dining hall
4:15 PM Activity Period
5:15 PM Activity Period
6:15 PM Supper
6:45 PM Lower Camp supervised practice, Upper Camp free time
7:30 PM Evening Activity begins
8:30 PM Lower Camp bunk time, Upper Camp activity continues
9:00 PM Lower Camp lights out, Intermediate bunk time, Senior Activity
9:30 PM Intermediate lights out, Senior bunk time
10:00 PM Senior lights out
11:00 PM CIT curfew
Approximately twice a week cabin counselors are on duty and must supervise the cabin area.
The other nights after lights out counselors have free time.
- Desire and ability to work with children
- Ability to relate to one's peer group
- Ability to accept supervision and guidance
- Ability to teach or assist teach an activity or activities
- Good character, integrity, flexibility, and adaptability
- Enthusiasm, sense of humor, patience, and self-control
- High School graduate or equivalent
Responsible to
- Head counselor and/or director
Specific Responsibilities
- To be primarily concerned with the health, safety and general welfare of the campers
- To live in a cabin with 4 to 12 campers
- To learn the likes/dislikes of each camper
- Recognize and respond to opportunities for problem solving in the group
- Provide opportunities for the group so that each individual experiences success during camp
- Provide opportunities for discussion of individual or group problems or concerns.
- Encourage respect for personal property, camp equipment and facilities
- To supervise the campers with their daily hygiene: make sure they are showering, changing their clothes, brushing their teeth, etc.
- To make sure campers' dirty clothes are sent to the laundry each week and that their sheets and clothes are changed on a regular basis
- To make sure the campers are appropriately dressed for the weather and activities of the day
- To supervise the daily clean-up of the cabin
- To eat meals with the campers, make sure they are at each meal, and make sure they are eating properly
- To inform the head counselor, nurse and/or directors of any concerns regarding the campers in their bunk
- To assist the head counselors with the implementation of the 4 special events days
- To attend all concerts with the cabin group, and insure proper concert etiquette at the concert
- To attend and chaperone weekly dances
- To assist on 4 trip days based on the schedule set by the trip leader
- To attend the weekly cookout and campfire and assist the head counselors
- To be on duty one night a week to supervise the cabin areas
- To assist in any other camp-wide activity
- To set a fine example for the campers' behavior based on one's personal behavior
- To have, on average 5 hours per day of scheduled teaching or administrative work. (see additional job description)
- To write an evaluation for each camper in the cabin at the end of the session
- These are not the only duties to be performed. Some duties may be reassigned and other duties may be assigned as required
Essential Functions
- Ability to communicate and work with groups participating and provide necessary instruction to campers
- Ability to observe camper behavior, assess its appropriateness, enforce appropriate safety regulations and emergency procedures, and apply appropriate behavior-management techniques
- Visual and auditory ability to identify and respond to environmental and other hazards related to the activity
- Ability to assist campers in emergency (fire, evacuation, illness, or injury); observe loading and unloading of buses and vans; and possession of strength and endurance required to maintain constant supervision of camper
Typical Class Day schedule for a cabin counselor
Below is the typical daily schedule for a cabin counselor on a class day. We average 5 class days out of 7 (during the summer there are four trip days and four special event days in which counselors participate). Of eight daily activity periods counselors will be assigned duties for an average of five. The remaining three hours will be unassigned and can be used for class preparation, individual practicing, rehearsals for staff concerts, writing letters, spending time with campers, etc. Lower camp counselors are not assigned duties during rest hour and supervised practice. Upper camp counselors are not assigned duties after lunch or during the lower camp dinner. These free times may be used for practicing, socializing etc.
7:30 AM Reveille – wake up yourself and your campers
7:45 AM Breakfast
8:15 AM Cabin cleanup
9:00 AM Activity period
10:00 AM Activity period
11:00 AM Activity period
12:00 PM Lunch
12:45 PM Lower Camp rest hour
1:00PM Upper Camp activity period
1:45 PM Lower Camp group meeting
2:00 PM Activity period
3:00 PM Activity period
4:00 PM Snack in dining hall
4:15 PM Activity Period
5:15 PM Activity Period
6:15 PM Supper
6:45 PM Lower Camp supervised practice, Upper Camp free time
7:30 PM Evening Activity begins
8:30 PM Lower Camp bunk time, Upper Camp activity continues
9:00 PM Lower Camp lights out, Intermediate bunk time, Senior Activity
9:30 PM Intermediate lights out, Senior bunk time
10:00 PM Senior lights out
11:00 PM CIT curfew
Approximately twice a week cabin counselors are on duty and must supervise the cabin area.
The other nights after lights out counselors have free time.
