OUR PHILOSOPHY
Thank you for your interest in being a part of our SLDC staff!
Spring Lake Day Camp, the finest summer day camp in North Jersey, has been providing children of all ages with extraordinary and memorable summers since 1989! But Spring Lake is not just a special place for children – it is a summer home for our staff, many of whom return year after year and make up an important part of our SLDC family.
Our staff is composed of high school and college students, educators, specialists in their areas and lifeguards. Many of our staff are “home grown,” having previously been campers and part of our leadership training programs. Our team is mature, dedicated and passionate and act as positive role models and mentors for our campers, creating rewarding experiences for not only the children but for themselves, as well.
WHY WORK AT SLDC?
It is not just the campers that benefit from a summer at SLDC.The personal and professional benefits for our staff are many and should never be underestimated! Camp is about friendship and fun but camp is also the ideal setting to develop skills that cannot be taught –skills that can only be gained through experience. No matter what job you do at camp, you will learn to be a team player, to be flexible and creative, to develop a strong work ethic and to sharpen your communication skills. Our in-depth staff training gives you the tools to succeed. In addition, our Leadership Team takes the job of mentoring our staff seriously and is always there to provide guidance, positive reinforcement and constructive criticism. Nothing makes us prouder than to see our staff become self-confident and strong leaders.
We know that our staff is the backbone of our camp and at SLDC we value and appreciate the hard work and dedication that each of our staff members shows. We provide a daily coffee bar each morning, staff appreciation events including a staff breakfast, daily staff breaks at a dedicated break area, “staffles” with amazing prizes and much more. We also provide and pay for certifications for our Adventure Challenge and Aquatics staff.
Spring Lake also believes in giving back to our community. Through our CAMP-KINDNESS-COMMUNITY initiative, we raise funds each summer for pediatric cancer, have made gifts for lonely seniors, collected food and holiday gifts for neighbors in need and even made pet toys to donate to our local animal shelters. We encourage our staff to get involved in our service projects where they have the opportunity to have fun while doing good.
Working at SLDC has been one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. I have worked with the 5 and 6-year-old boys for the past four years. I look forward to working with them once again this coming summer. Through these summers, I have learned many things that have already impacted my life in multiple ways. Spring Lake actually helped me decide to go into the educational field. Initially my choices were business and education. However, working at the camp helped me decide that education was my true passion.
As I transition into my senior year, I couldn’t be more pleased with the decision. Along with helping guide me towards majoring in education, SLDC helped me see the joy I have in working with children and being seen as a role model. With that in mind, it became evident that I wanted to specifically work in an elementary school. Thanks to Spring Lake and my experiences there, I strongly believe I have chosen the profession that will fit me perfectly and be most beneficial for me and those around me.
Jakhari, Ringwood
Camp Dates
All staff members must be available for the 37 days of camp, Wednesday June 25 – Friday, August 15. (Camp is closed Friday, July 4th.) Each staff member is required to attend two camp orientation days held shortly before the start date of camp, which are tailored to prepare them for the upcoming summer. Lifeguards have an additional orientation and training day regarding swim instruction and guarding responsibilities. References are required for all new staff and background checks are performed annually for every staff member.
A Typical Day
SLDC spirit and fun begins the minute the campers get on the camp bus in the morning and ends when they are safely brought back home each afternoon. Our staff members who come by car and are not on a bus are required to arrive at camp before 8:30am and leave after our buses depart at approximately 4:15pm.
Morning meetings for counselors, lifeguards and specialists are at 8:30am every morning, and campers begin to arrive by 8:50am. Each camp — Junior Camp, Girls’ Camp, Boys’ Camp — holds a morning line up to get staff and campers excited for the day. Each day is made up of seven periods – two swim periods, lunch, and a mixture of sports, adventure challenge and arts activities. Our older campers have an option period where they can select an activity in which they have a special interest. Each camp holds an afternoon line up at the end of the day, and gets ready for camper departure at 4:00pm.
In addition to our “typical’ camp days, we have weekly special events, dress up days, spirit days and more.
STAFF RESPONSIBILITIES
Every staff member – from our general counselors to our specialists and lifeguards to members of our Leadership Team – goes above and beyond each day to make the summer a successful one.
Division Leaders are adults who supervise the campers and staff in an entire age group. Division Leaders are the liaisons between camp and our camp families. They make pre-camp phone calls as well as touch base with their campers’ families throughout the summer. Working with the Director of their area, Division Leaders spend their days visiting with each of their groups and help manage camper and staff issues, problem solve, and evaluate the staff under their supervision. Division Leaders attend all Administrator meetings and help in the planning of events for their particular age group, as well as for camp in general.
General Counselors typically work as a team with two other co-counselors, with a group of 12-15 children depending on the age of the group. They are responsible for the daily needs and safety of the group. Counselors will follow their group’s schedule and participate, motivate, and make each camper feel comfortable and confident. In addition to making a connection with and getting to know each camper, our counselors help their campers make friends, actively participate in all activities and specialty areas, and work cooperatively with their co-workers and supervisors.
Lifeguards teach swim instruction to small groups of campers each morning. In the afternoon, our lifeguards are responsible for guarding our five heated pools. Our certified lifeguards not only guard our pool complex but are trained to teach our campers to become excellent and confident swimmers, using the American Red Cross standards and swim levels. Lifeguard certification training is provided to our aquatics staff prior to the start of camp. Our lifeguards also assist in any special event activities that take place in the pools.
Specialists provide instruction to campers in specific activity areas from our numerous art areas, to Adventure Challenge elements, to every sport imaginable. Together with the activity supervisor, they prepare creative and exciting lesson plans/activities for their specialty area and are a vital part of our SLDC team during special event days. Specialists will have the cooperation and assistance of counselors from every group during their activity to support and inspire their campers, as well as support from the Supervisor of the activity area. Those specialists working in our Adventure Challenge Area (ropes course, climbing walls, etc) will be trained and certified in all of our Adventure Challenge areas prior to the start of camp.
Spring Lake also employs individuals in our support areas including Nurses, Office Staff, Maintenance and Grounds Crew, Security and more.
How do I get started?
Working with children is a privilege and our camp is the perfect place for our staff to learn and grow as individuals and professionals. If you would like to make a positive difference in a child’s life, simply CLICK HERE to apply online. In addition to required references and reference checks, Spring Lake Day Camp will perform background checks, including a national criminal background and sex offender check, on all staff. If you have any questions, please call 973-831-9000 or contact us via email at mindy@sldc.com. We look forward to working with you in the future and having you join our SLDC team!
Frequently Asked Questions
For use of the camp facility for private events, visit
