Work Schedule

What does our schedule look like for Activity Staff?

All Activity Staff are placed with a specific department and work there throughout the summer. Each of our activities is open Monday through Saturday, and campers may attend any activity they want, whenever they want, and for however long they want. When a camper shows up, department counselors are there to help them get set up, teach them new skills, or otherwise offer support. In general, activities require no scheduling or sign-ups; the only exceptions are theater rehearsals and riding lessons. Activity staff must attend all meals and community-wide events such as Theater and Ledger.

What’s unique about this structure?

By forgoing a traditional schedule in favor of our Freedom of Choice Plan, we’ve found that our campers are truly interested in what they’re learning. Giving our campers ownership and autonomy over their own learning experience allows our staff to work with girls who are interested, engaged, and excited to learn. Our job as Counselors is to meet each camper where she is — offering instruction based on her own pace of learning and skill level. To provide direction and motivation, we have developed three levels of competency in each activity (basic, intermediate & vanguard) which campers may work toward. Some campers enjoy the structure these competencies provide; others prefer to work outside them. Either way, we as counselors are there to support all campers as they determine their own goals and challenges.

What does our schedule look like for Support Staff?

Support Staff must attend all meals and community-wide events such as Theater and Ledger. Working hours for support staff depend on the area of camp in which you work. A more detailed schedule will be provided during our interview process.

A Typical Day at Brown Ledge

Morning Routine

7:15am Reveille – First bugle of the day. There are a few more calls before breakfast but this first call helps us all to start waking up.

7:45am Breakfast – We eat all of our meals together in the dining hall; family style. 2 or 3 counselors share a table all summer. The campers rotate on a weekly schedule.

8:25am End of meal – Time to head back to your cabins to straighten up and change for the day.

9:00am Land Activities Open – Campers go where they like for as long as they like.
*Only riding lessons are scheduled.

9:30am Waterfront Activities Open – Campers go where they like for as long as they like.

12:00pm All Activities close

12:30pm Lunch – Announcements are made after every meal to update campers on important information.

Afternoon Routine

1:30pm Rest Hour – Activities are closed and staff are free to do what they please.

2:30pm All Activities Open – Often rehearsals for theatre are in the afternoon.

5pm All Activities Close

5:00pm – 6:00pm – Free time for staff and campers

6:00pm Dinner – Every Thursday, campers change tables and sit with a new group for the next week. Counselors stay at the same table all 8 weeks.

Evening Routine

7:15pm Evening Activity – Non-cabin counselors share the responsibility of hosting an evening activity. This tends to rotate on a weekly schedule. This, like much at Brown Ledge, is optional for the campers to attend. Rehearsals for theatre may be scheduled.

8:45pm Call to Cabins Bugle – This call reminds campers that they need to prepare to head back to their cabins for the night.

9:00pm Counselor Time** – Cabin counselors visit their camper cabin for a half hour.

9:30pm Taps – The final bugle call of the night is blown. Counselor time ends. Campers can socialize quietly with each other and with neighboring cabins until lights out.

10:00pm Lights Out for Skunk Junction – This is where our youngest campers live.

10:30pm Lights out for all other Campers

**Counselors do not live in the cabins with campers.

**Evening duty: Two senior, and two junior, staff members have “evening duty” every night between 9.30 – 11.00 pm. Their task is to make sure that campers settle down and go to sleep after lights out. Cabin Counselors can expect to have evening duty at least twice during the 8 weeks of camp.

**One of the nurses is on call every night in case of a medical emergency.

Weekends

Saturdays

The activity schedule on Saturdays runs precisely as it does on the weekdays (Mon-Fri) with the exception of theatre at 8:30pm. We are very proud of our Theatre Arts program. Each week, the theatre buzzes with activity as sets are built, costumes and props prepared, and a wide variety of one-act plays rehearsed. On Saturday evening, the entire Brown Ledge community gathers for the opportunity to watch the fruits of these labors. Throughout the summer, the theatre puts on an impressive set of performances: Along with the weekly one-acts, a larger 3 act play or a full-length musical are also performed at the end of each session.

Sundays

The daily schedule runs a bit different on Sundays. All departments are closed in the morning. Campers and staff are free to do as they please. Some wish to sleep in until lunch or spend time in their bunk reading books; others hang out with friends in the Grove or down on the vista; still others take advantage of a movie screening in the Clubhouse.

9:00am Breakfast – Served buffet style in the dining hall. Optional for both campers and staff* to attend.

12:30pm – Lunch – As a tradition, we wear all white to this meal on Sundays (khaki shorts/pants are acceptable).

1:30pm – Chapel – Each week, a group of campers or counselors choose a theme and read something out loud to the audience. Often, they share reflections on their time at camp. Optional to attend.

2:30pm – 5:00 pm – Waterfront Opens – The waterfront is open to campers, but only for leisure. The activity departments do not conduct basic testing.

6:00pm – Cook-out-Dinner – Down at the field, staff fire up the grill and prepare a cook-out meal for all of camp.*
Counselors that are not helping out with the cook-out are free to choose between staying at camp for dinner or leaving/making their own plans.

8:00pm – Ledger – Ledger can be described as a variety show where campers and counselors can sign up to perform on our theatre stage. All of camp will gather together for Ledger on Sunday night.

*All senior staff are assigned to help out with either Sunday dinner or Sunday breakfast one Sunday per summer. A duty roaster will be posted in the counselor bathrooms.

“Being a counselor at Brown Ledge gave me the opportunity to become the leader I always knew I had the potential to be. It’s an unbelievable pleasure to have the chance to work with passionate, hard working, and dedicated young women in an environment that encourages independence, responsibility, and community. Brown Ledge is a place where I developed strong managerial skills which allowed me to ultimately succeed as a teacher and mentor. I learned about how dynamic of a learning community Brown Ledge is, the camp truly develops future leaders who engage critically, act globally, and perform ethically. I took great pride in the fact that I helped many campers achieve great accomplishments that they all should be proud of. There’s a reason why people just can’t get enough of Brown Ledge!”