SAFETY FIRST
This policy helps protect campers and staff by ensuring no one is ever alone one-on-one.
What is the Rule of Three?
Counselors should always maintain these with campers to help create a safe and respectful environment.
Professional Boundaries
This spreads quickly at camp, both positively and negatively.
What is your energy?
When counselors focus on phones during camp, they become disconnected from this.
What is the group/the campers?
What does the “C” in CALMM stand for?
What is Connect?
Active supervision means that counselors should have campers within range what two things at all times.
What are sight and sound?
This behavior can unintentionally make other campers feel excluded or less important.
What is Favoritism?
When counselors communicate, support one another, and step in to help, they are demonstrating this.
What is teamwork?
This is one major reason cell phones are restricted during camp hours.
What is camper safety?
(Also acceptable:
engagement,
active supervision,
professionalism)
Which CALMM step focuses on clearly explaining expectations or directions?
What is
L- Lay Out the Expectation?
You are walking your group to lunch. Two counselors stop to talk while several campers move ahead around a corner. What safety issue is beginning to happen?
What is a loss of active supervision/blind spots during transition?
A counselor constantly jokes with one specific camper and gives them special treatment during activities. Even if the counselor means well, what potential issue is being created?
What is an unhealthy dynamic/favoritism/unprofessional boundaries.
A counselor says, “That’s not my job,” while another counselor in the group is struggling during a difficult transition. What mentality is hurting camp culture in this moment?
The lack of teamwork. Putting yourself before the good of the group.
A counselor quickly checks a text message during free play and misses two campers beginning to argue nearby. What important responsibility was affected?
Active supervision/being fully present.
A camper says:
“This game is stupid. I’m not playing.”
According to CALMM, what should happen BEFORE correcting behavior?
What is Connect/Acknowledge?
A camper asks to go to the bathroom during an activity. What should happen NEXT?
The Rule of Three needs to be followed before the camper leaves the group.
A camper shares something personal and emotional with a counselor and says, “Please don’t tell anyone.” What is the BEST response?
Support the camper calmly while understanding that some situations may need to be shared with leadership/support staff to help keep the camper safe.
Why can one counselor’s attitude significantly affect an entire group or team at camp?
Because campers and staff feed off energy, attitudes spread quickly, and negativity or positivity can influence the whole environment.
How can phone use by counselors negatively affect MORE than just safety?
Because it also affects engagement, teamwork, professionalism, camper connection, and camp culture.
A counselor says to a camper:
“Hey, you have been asked to not splash other campers. I would appreciate it if you turned on your listening ears and stopped splashing or you can sit out for a few minutes until you are ready to try again.”
Which CALMM step is being used?
What is
M- Manage the Choice?
Why can transitions become one of the highest-risk times at camp even when counselors feel things are “mostly under control”?
Because attention drops, counselors bunch together, campers spread out, and unsafe situations can happen quickly during movement and distractions.
Why are strong boundaries important even when counselors build close and positive relationships with campers?
Because boundaries help maintain emotional safety, professionalism, fairness, consistency, and trust for everyone involved.
A counselor is exhausted, frustrated, and starting to mentally check out. What are two leadership choices they could make that would positively impact camp culture instead of negatively affecting it?
Answer:
Examples:
A counselor knows that they need to receive an important phone call later that day. How can they professionally do this?
Give the site office number to people who need to contact you in important situations. Directors can call you to the office to receive the call.
A camper is frustrated, raising their voice, and refusing directions during a transition. The counselor immediately raises their voice back and threatens punishment. According to CALMM, why is this usually ineffective?
Because escalation often increases emotional dysregulation, damages connection, and makes it harder to guide the camper back successfully. Instead follow CALMM in an effort to regulate the situation.