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CORRESPONDENCE
Winter Address (until June 7th):
Camp Cedar
1758 Beacon St.
Brookline, MA 02445
Winter Phone: (888) 844-8080
or: (617) 277-8080
Winter Fax: (617) 277-1488
Email: campcedarjobs@aol.com
Summer Address (after June 7th):
Camp Cedar
112 Camp Cedar Road
Casco, ME 04015
Summer Phone: (207) 627-4277
Summer Fax: (207) 627-4152
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CAMP DATES
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE DATES
Arrival to camp for all staff members is expected
by 5.00 p.m. on Friday, June 19th. The campers will arrive on Saturday,
June 27th. The first week of orientation is used to help get you
trained for the job and prepare for the opening day of camp (see
Orientation Week below).
Please review the STAFF CALENDAR
and the dates of your contract. If for any reason you must arrive
late or leave before your contract is completed, you must arrange
this with camp prior to arrival.
Once your arrival date is determined, please plan to arrive at
camp by 5.00 p.m.
Departure from camp on the final date of your
contract must be planned for after 1:00pm. Please realize that the
Portland airport and bus station are an hour from camp and make
your plans accordingly. Camp will provide transportation to the
bus station or airport after 1:00pm on your final
day of work.
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TRANSPORTATION
TRANSPORTATION TO CAMP
There are several ways to get to camp; own car, carpool, bus, plane
(see suggested plane and bus routes on the TRAVEL
OPTIONS TO CAMP) . You are responsible for arranging your own
transportation to camp. If you are coming by bus or by airplane
to Portland, ME, we will be happy to pick you up at a pre-arranged
time. Please reconfirm the pick-up date and time with us a few days
prior to your arrival to ensure of a timely pick-up.
If you would like to try to carpool with another staff member from
your part of the country or are having difficulty making travel
arrangements, please let us know early so that we can try to help.
International staff, please review the INTERNATIONAL
STAFF TRAVEL sheet before making final arrangements.
DRIVING DIRECTIONS TO CAMP
Please see the form labeled DIRECTIONS
TO CAMP for the best route. Again, please plan to arrive to
camp by 5:00pm unless otherwise discussed.
SHIPPING LUGGAGE TO CAMP
If you do not bring your luggage with you, we suggest that you send
it by mail or UPS. Be sure to mark it “STAFF” and send
so it will arrive at camp before you do. Do not use trunks. It is
best to use large duffel bags. The shipping address is Camp Cedar,
112 Camp Cedar Road, Casco, ME 04015.
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ORIENTATION
ORIENTATION WEEK
Our orientation time is 8 days in length and is mandatory. During
this time, you will meet the rest of the staff and begin to plan for
the summer ahead. We pride ourselves on doing an excellent and thorough
job of training the staff for the job of being a camp counselor. Issues
including; team building, teaching practice, activity planning, risk
management, bunk management and much more are covered during this
week. This is really the time for the staff to get to know one another
and to develop as a team.
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BUNK LIFE
ACCOMODATIONS
As a counselor, you will be assigned to a bunk (cabin) and will have
primary responsibility for taking care of the boys’ in your
bunk. Each bunk has approximately 10-16 campers and 2-5 counselors
(depending on the age of the boys). Male counselors live and sleep
in the bunk with the boys. Female counselors sleep in their own separate
cabin. All bunks are comfortable, free standing, wooden cabins with
electricity and plumbing.
STAFF CLOTHING / EQUIPMENT LIST
We do not have a counselor uniform, except for Staff T-shirts. Everyone
is required to buy 3 shirts, which we sell at our cost of $15.00.
Camp will provide 3 staff T-shirts as well for a total of 6. Though
our dress code is casual, we do expect that you will dress neatly
and appropriately. The STAFF
CLOTHING / EQUIPMENT LIST will give you some idea of what to
bring with you. You can use your own judgment about most of the
articles listed. We provide sheets and pillowcases for everyone.
If possible, you should bring three blankets or a comforter for
a single bed, a pillow, and towels. We recommend that you bring
a bedside clip-on light for reading at night after the kids have
gone to bed. DO NOT BRING ELECTRIC BLANKETS, STEREO SYSTEMS OR TV’s
TO CAMP.
LAUNDRY
You can choose to have your laundry done for you once a week in
our own laundry facility. Please bring a labeled laundry bag. Because
we do a great deal of laundry every day, some of your things can
get mixed in with others. So that you are able to get your clothes
returned, it is imperative that everything you bring is clearly
labeled. Nametags work better than indelible markers, which tend
to wash out. There are also Laundromats in the local area where
you could do your own laundry if you choose.
HEALTH
We have a doctor and three nurses on staff. You have access to them
if you have any sickness or injury. If you take any prescription
drugs, bring a copy of the prescription with you. Infirmary hours
will be explained at camp.
HEALTH AND ACCIDENT INSURANCE
All staff members are completely covered by Workman's Compensation
for any accident that occurs while performing camp duties. You are
required to have health insurance and must provide a copy of your
insurance information.
If you are coming through an international exchange program that
includes health/accident insurance (BUNAC, CCUSA, Camp America,
InterExchange), you do not need to provide proof of insurance.
Domestic and Canadian staff, please fill out the STAFF
INSURANCE FORM (go to Forms Section & see NECESSARY FORMS
/ IDENTIFICATIONS) and send or fax it to us prior to your arrival.
SPECIAL DIETS
Because we feed over 400 people daily (with campers and staff),
it is impossible for us to cater to special diets. Our menu is well
balanced and nutritious, and we know that there is something served
at each meal that everyone can eat. We usually have a salad bar
and a pasta option at lunch and dinner.
CAR KEYS
If you drive to camp we strongly suggest that you bring an extra
set of your car keys with you, and give one set to us for safe keeping.
CAMP DRIVERS
Only those who are 21 years of age with a clean driving record may
drive camp vehicles. If you are 21 and have a valid drivers’
license, you must send or fax us a copy of your license, which we
will use to run a license check to determine your eligibility to
drive camp vehicles. We will also ask you to take a Camp Cedar “driving
test” so we are sure you are familiar with our vehicles. When
not needed for camp business, our vehicles may be available during
the evenings for local use by authorized staff.
GUESTS
You are welcome to have occasional visitors during the summer but
they should not interfere with your work. Please do not invite guests
to sleep at camp. We ask this in order to maintain the complete
safety of our kids. Let us know if you intend to have guests, and
be sure to introduce them to us when they arrive.
E-MAIL
We have 4 computers available in the staff lounge for email for
use on your time off only. We suggest that you open an account (if
not already done) with hotmail.com, yahoo.com or any mail service
provider that can be reached via the internet. We will ask that
everyone be very sensitive to the needs of others and limit you
time online accordingly.
TELEPHONE CREDIT CARDS
We have several pay phones for outgoing calls that can be used for
collect & credit card calls on your time off. If you do not
have a telephone credit card to use this summer, you may purchase
a “Global Key Phone Card” at camp. These cards are in
denominations of $10 or $20 and can be purchased at our camp office.
Rates are very reasonable.
PERSONAL CASH AND VALUABLES
We strongly suggest that only a limited amount of cash be kept at
camp and recommend you bring traveler’s checks instead of
cash. Cash advances from your salary will be available regularly.
We also recommend that you leave items of monetary or sentimental
value at home. Cameras and all other equipment should be marked
with your name (we have an engraver available at camp). Camp is
not responsible for items lost or stolen at camp.
A camp locker will be assigned to you for your valuables with a
$10 key deposit which will be returned to you at the end of the
season.
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SCHEDULE / TIME OFF
ACTIVITY ASSIGNMENTS / DAILY SCHEDULE
We have activity guides for all camp activities, and part of the
orientation is set aside for program planning built around these
guides. We encourage you to bring ideas and drills so we can incorporate
them into our teaching plans.
Please refer to the DAILY SCHEDULE in the Staff Experience section
for a glimpse of a typical day. There are 6 periods a day. Some
periods will be teaching, others may be coaching or refereeing depending
on the activity. You are being hired to work primarily in a specific
activity department (baseball, swimming, tennis, etc) and can expect
to be assigned daily to that activity. There may be times and instances
where you will be assigned to other activities as well. Please be
sure to make camp aware of skills and experience you have outside
of you primary activity.
TRIP DAY
Wednesdays are often Trip Days at Cedar. This is an opportunity
for the campers and staff to leave camp and visit a local attraction
or park. Trips go out to rivers for canoeing, the beach, water parks,
hikes and more. You will have the opportunity to go on several of
these trips and will share responsibility for supervising the campers
while out of camp.
RAINY DAY SCHEDULE
Rainy days at camp, though infrequent, can offer the opportunity
to take a break from the regular schedule. Typically, indoor games
substitute for the normal outdoor activities on rainy days. It can
also be a terrific opportunity to teach a game (e.g. card game)
or skill (i.e. instrument) that you have. Please think of ideas
for rainy days and bring them with you.
BUNK RESPONSIBILITIES
All counselors will be assigned to a bunk. Each bunk has approximately
14 campers and 2-5 counselors (depending on the age of the boys).
These are the kids you will spend the most time with and likely
form the closest relationships with. You and your co-counselors
will be responsible for getting them going in the morning and putting
them to bed at night. There will always be at least one counselor
‘on-duty’ in the bunk every night. When you are scheduled
to be ‘on-duty’ in your bunk, you will be expected to
bring your bunk to the evening activity, get them ready for bed,
read a story and stay in the bunk to supervise them. There is a
rotation that puts you ‘on-duty’ approximately every
other night. On evenings that you are not ‘on duty’,
you will off starting after 6th period.
DAYS OFF
We know that it is important to take time off and recharge throughout
the summer. During the course of the summer, you will have 4 assigned
days off. These days off dates are determined during the orientation
week. We assign the days off to spread them over the summer and
overlap as little as possible with bunk co-counselors or activity
staff members. Any particular day off requests related to family
functions, events, etc. should be made before camp starts as the
days off schedule will not be able to be changed once it has been
determined.
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CAMP POLICIES
WATERFRONT
The head of our waterfront is in charge of all waterfront activities.
Camp is on a beautiful lake, and the waterfront is made available
to the entire staff. There are a few rules that need mentioning.
The only time anyone is allowed on the waterfront
is when a lifeguard is on duty. Also, we always
use the "buddy" system so no one may ever swim alone.
Anyone at Cedar who wants to use the waterfront for swimming, boating
or skiing must take a swimming test to make sure they will be safe
in the water. The boats and water-skiing will be made available
at assigned times for those who have passed the test.
SMOKING
We strongly discourage smoking. Smoking is not allowed while you
are working with our campers. The only smoking allowed on campus
is in the designated smoking area at the far end of the staff parking
lot after taps (around 9:15pm) only if you are off duty. Smoking
is not allowed in or near any buildings, including your cabins or
wherever children are present.
ALCOHOL AND ILLEGAL DRUGS
The drinking age in Maine, as in the rest of the U.S., is 21 and
no one under age is allowed to drink at any time. Maine alcohol
laws are some of the toughest in the US and are strictly enforced.
There is no drinking on camp property. If you are of age, we expect
you to keep your drinking to moderation. No one may return to camp
intoxicated. Use or possession of illegal drugs is not allowed.
Violation of any of these rules may be cause for automatic dismissal
and/or appropriate legal action.
CURFEW
At camp, we have a curfew for all staff of 1:00am. We need our entire
team to be fresh and alert for the benefit and safety of our kids.
If you go out of camp for an evening, you will need to be back by
1:00am.
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As always, please email (jobs@campcedar.com)
or give us a call anytime with any questions.