Hello everyone!

 

I've just been asked by our Camp Director to attend National Camp School starting next week. I'll be this year's aquatics director. I'll be headed up to Nebraska. Has anybody here on the boards been to Camp School?

 

Details, I need details, as I won't be able to talk with the Camp director again until later this week.

 

YIS

 

Cary

 

I went to one several years ago prior to serving as a camp director for a Cub Scout day camp. They had a variety of breakout sessions for camp directors, program directors, etc. Very important in terms of accreditation for your camp. A lot of safety things you probably never thought of are usually covered as well. It still ranks as one of the better scout training activities I've participated in.

 

I imagine someone in the camping hierarchy at your council office can provide additional details.

 

It has been many moons since I taught camp schools. What I remember of Aquatics Director was that it was an intense waterfront experiance (as it should be). Hopefully the water is warm. They will give you several large binders of materials, so depending how your travelling, be prepared for this.

 

It is a fun time. You'll meet scouters from all over. Some of the sessions will be shared with the other school participants.

 

Congratulations by the way. It is quiet an honor IMHO.

 

Overtrained

Dang it Purcelce...

 

I'm not one to like the water much. And I'm not that great of a swimmer. Now, I know what I get to listen to when we take our swim tests;)

 

 

Well chances are you're already or have been by now but in case anyone else was wondering.

NCS works a lot like JLT for camp staff directors.

Most directors positions require camp school training, (camp dir, ranger, program dir, waterfront, shooting (not archery), climbing, cope, nature(there is another options)), commissioner (one)). There are also cources for chaplains, trek, and outdoor adventure (scoutcraft), and camp accredatation teacm leader.

 

It's a great experience, You get to be on the scout side of things for a bit, being in a patrol, etc. One of the goals is to show what a week of camp is like for new staffers who may not have experience. There is often a wide range of experience represented, I've meet people who have never warn a scout uniform to those that have been waring one longer then my parents have been alive.

 

When I went to camp school some guy gave a speech of how important it was to make sure staff wash there hands after using the rest room.

 

When I was in the rest room later that day, I saw the same guy that gave that speech, leave the rest room without washing his hands!

Perhaps his speech was a joke?

I went to NCS in 2002 for Program Director, and now I have to go again for Camp Director. I really enjoyed my time there. Six of us from my council went for various trainings, only it was for a long weekend, not a week. This time, I have to go for a week. The only issues we had, was a lot of the training was geared to a paid staff, and we are all volunteers. We went to the Geneva Center in Rochester, Indiana. I think that is where I will be going again.

Cheryl

Does anyone know when you get your cert for NCS?

 

My son is aquatics director this year and went to camp school in the spring. He said he was in the water every day, almost all day long. Very intense aquatics training. Not much classroom type instruction, except for CPR certification and going over the standards. Every department in camp has a set of standards it must meet in order to pass inspection.

 

He received his NCS certification before he left.

Been to Camp School twice now, got my Camp School Certification card before I left both times.

 

Are we talking The pocket card that says you are a Camp School graduate or some other certificate that may be comming from a non-BSA organization?