Chapter 8 - Program Year Calendar

The calendar in this chapter may be used to plan future leadership development programs. It assumes an August camp event, but is of course easily adapted to other weeks during the summer. This calendar is a model and subject to amendment as required. It sets an example for the approximate time table for events during staff development and preparation for Candidate Day (C-Day—an introduction to the program) and the summer camp itself.

It is our experience that when these events are carried out in the order described, and the youth staff is trained and prepared in the manner described elsewhere in this book, that these development experiences will lead to a top-notch summer camp program.

This schedule has been derived from eight years' practical experience and from the study of numerous calendars prepared by many people over 39 years. It hopefully represents the best thinking of all of them.

The youth staff develop each year's week-long summer camp program, relying on the adults' guideance and the youth's previous experience. An example of a previous year's summar camp program is available upong request. Please contact us to request a copy.

Bold letters indicate a meeting or event to be held.

September

10 Closing inventory; tentative list of next year's needs made.

10 Staff sign-ups from camp forwarded to Indaba committee.

10 Indaba announcement sent to previous year participants.

10 Adult nominating committee names, selections begun.

15 New Post Advisor selected.

15 Post-week follow-up with candidates; evaluation sent to unit leader.

15 Prospective staff list assembled; incumbent Advisor invites them to Indaba. Personal follow-up to insure good turn-out.

30 New Phase Advisors selection initiated; nominating committee determines potential role assignments, advises Post Advisor.

30 Summer Camp evaluation by Advisor due to Post Committee.

October

1 Program Director, Phase Advisors are selected by the sponsoring organization.

15 Summer Camp evaluation is conducted by youth at Indaba.

15 Staff interviews held at Indaba.

15 Post committee roles, assignments tentatively determined.

15 Tentative site for summer camp reserved.

15 Indaba. Agenda includes:

• Summer camp graduates follow up on Leadership Growth Agreements
• Adult staff conference
• Awards, program update
• Post (youth) meeting
• Staff recruitment
• Post committee meeting
• Preliminary staff organization by phase, including
  • Roles and responsibilities.
  • Initial calendar for staff training events set (for at least first three months)
  • Phase programs coordinated
  • Preliminary goal development (adult staff)
  • Discussion of summer camp location alternatives based on evaluation to date of last year.

16 Staff Development Event. Agenda includes:

• White Stag Philosophy
• Goals development discussion
• Uniforming
• Post organization, structure, membership qualifications and requirements.
• Meeting calendar set for program year

November

13 Staff Development Event. Agenda includes:

• Rechartering begun, call for post dues to all members.
• Youth staff training begun; needs assessment conducted.
• Review youth staff attendance, recruit additional members as required.
• Set yearly calendar through summer camp.
• Phases finalize goal, begin work on objectives.
• Preliminary skills and leadership development begun.

14 Post Committee Meeting. Agenda includes:

• Selection of meeting sites for staff training events.
• Summer camp evaluation
• Selection of summer camp site
• Committee roles and assignments
• Rechartering
• Review of previous year's budget
• C-Day site selection

December

15 Post Committee Meeting. Agenda includes:

• Budget review complete, new budget drafted.
• Summer Camp site selected, reservations made and confirmed.
• Equipment inventory completed; input to budget for new purchases.
• Post rechartering continued.
• C-day brochure design committee organized.
• Goals are final; phases set agendas for training meetings.
• Phase adult staff roles tentatively set.

28 Annual White Stag Dinner

January

15 Staff Development Event. (Tri-Phase)

16 Summer Camp evaluation method for coming year is designed as goals and objectives are drafted.

• Adult staff training and development.
• C-Day Prospect list assembled, target units and other groups identified.
• C-Day goal drafted by Post and Phase Advisors.
• Leadership development continues.

Post Committee Meeting:

• Set target dates for summer camp fees payment.
• Program brochure is completed, sent to printers.

15 Deposit sent to council for camp; contract signed.

February

12 Phase C-Day goals completed.

• Phases draft C-Day plan.
• Program brochure completed, to printers; mailing labels prepared.
• Leadership development continues.
• Adult staff finalize their roles, input to post committee.

30 Program brochure with C-Day, Summer Camp reservations and information included is mailed.

March

12 Expendable supplies reordered.

13 Staff Development Event. (Tri-Phase)

• C-day purpose, plan review and coordination.
• C-Day plans completed.
• C-Day material requirements phases to post committee.
• On-site of C-Day, terrain review.

12 Staff Development Event. (Tri-Phase)

13 Camping skills development

• Day One of summer camp plan drafted by each phase.

April

2 Staff Development Events

9 First draft Day One complete in each phase.

• Outline for week complete.
• Input to post committee for review and coordination.
• Leadership development continues.

May

6 C-Day reservations deadline.

14 Candidate-Day (C-Day)

• Practice Patrol Counselor/Patrol Leader roles.
• Practice activities for week.
• Candidate interviews.
• Adult leader/parent orientation, recruitment.

15 Staff Development Event

• C-Day evaluation.
• Week planning.
• Staff evaluation.
• Leadership development continues.

June

1 Food brokers contacted, orders completed, delivery arranged.

• First draft complete week program for all phases. Input to commissary re: days in and out of camp for meals.
• Week equipment lists due to Quartermaster.

14 Staff Development Event.

• Review and add details to week plan and equipment list
• Review site location for ceremonial purposes
• Feed special menu request to commissary director
• Final staff development

July

15 Staff summer camp fees due.

• Final draft week plan is complete; input to post committee
• for review and coordination.
• Make tentative arrangements with drivers for transportation of equipment to camp and back.
• Campsites for summer camp location determined.

30 Preference deadline for discount payment.

31 Menu reviewed and revised based on last year's evaluation.

August

1 Tentative phase/patrol assignments made for candidates as reservations are received.

5 Program, meal and supply requirements reassessed based on enrollment input.

12 Deadline candidate fees cancellation without penalty.

12 Preliminary food order developed, reviewed.

12 Final check in support areas:

• Health and Safety
• Quartermaster, including transportation
• Commissary, including purchasing

12 Final count to commissary director for food purchasing.

20 Post Committee Meeting. Agenda includes:

22 Summer Camp

• Coordination of phase ceremonial sites, main HQ and phase HQ, program areas (adventure trails, and so forth)
• Camp setup.
• Distribution of Phase equipment for staff (notebooks, waist-ropes, candidate necker-chiefs, and so forth
• Adult staff neckerchief ceremony.
• Distribution of phase week plans to support.

Candidate Arrival

• Registration
• Collect medical forms, parental consent forms, personal
• Resource inventories, if not on hand.
• Leader and parent orientation.

27 Awards ceremony.

• Leader and Parent orientation.
• Candidate sign-up for staff.

28 Preliminary evaluations of week.

• Closing camp inventory.