Head Camp Counselor - New Town Day Camp
About The Position
New Town Day Camp (NTDC) at the 14th Street Y, a vibrant Jewish community center in the East Village, provides a fun and safe environment where children can celebrate summer, make new friends, and enjoy enriching activities. Our campers explore and play in the 14Y’s excellent facilities, including a heated indoor pool, gymnasium, and well-equipped, air-conditioned classrooms. A highlight of each day is time spent on our beautifully designed rooftop playground, featuring sprinklers and shaded areas for outdoor fun. To foster social connections, campers are grouped by age. Children ages 3-5 participate in swim activities with the support of their counselors, while those under three enjoy daily sprinkler play on the roof. We are seeking Head Counselors who will be responsible for ensuring the well-being and safety of all campers at NTDC. Head Counselors create an environment that encourages inquiry, exploration and respect, while nurturing each child's natural curiosity. They maintain open communication with families, document campers' experiences, and collaborate with the camp team to design plans and projects tha reflect the open-ended, process-driven, child-led philosophy of the 14Y early childhood program.
Requirements
- Pursuing or holding a MA in education or related field and/or five years plus experience working full-time Preschool/School environment
- Minimum 3 years of professional teaching experience in an early childhood setting
- Strong oral and written communication with families, children, and co-workers
Responsibilities
- Assume the responsibility for the health, safety, and well-being of campers. (Including a record of incident/illness and concerns.)
- Document camp activities and share daily with camper’s families.
- Plan weekly brief morning chats with your camp team to discuss concerns and plans.
- Plan a camp environment with inquiry, exploration, and respect in mind.
- Create a warm, inclusive camp where children and families feel welcome.
- Organize physical camp with materials in a way that is inviting and accessible for children.
- Speak and listen to children with respect and mindfulness.
- Manage the whole group while giving individual attention.
- Manage transitions, routines, and support camp activities, led by experts in swim, soccer, art, music, and more.
- Engage students in exploration in encouraging process, not product.
- Coach children through understanding their feeling and creating space to problem solve conflicts with their peers.
- Build respectful and reciprocal relationships with families.
- Communicate consistently with families with pictures and updates.
- Collaborate with staff and manage professional relationships with colleagues
- Mentor Associate and Assistant counselors
- Be reflective, asks questions, willingness to explore new options, and make mistakes
- Show professionalism, including integrity, ethical conduct, and decision making
- Participate in all camp activities, including swimming in the pool
- Attend all days of staff orientation
- Commit to all seven weeks of camp
