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GreatSchools wrote an article discussing ten questions you should consider when choosing a summer camp for your child. In the article, the GreatSchools staff mention the American Camp Association, which is community of camp professionals who, for 100 years, have joined together to share knowledge and experience and to ensure the quality of camp programs.

Shepherd’s Fold Ranch is currently undergoing the ACA accreditation process. We are very excited to become a part of this great organization.

The questions from the GreatSchools article are broken into several posts into several different posts. Below is Part 2 of the questions the GreatSchools article suggests being asked before signing up to a summer camp. I have answered the questions for SFR. Feel free to contact the office 918.263.3622 with any further questions. The SFR team is happy to help!

 2. How does the camp recruit, screen and train its staff?

You can find a detailed SFR Staff Qualifications HERE.

3. What about return rates?

This summer (2013) we have 58% staff returning! The ACA says at most camps, 40-60 percent of the staff returns.

4. What’s the ratio of counselors to campers?

Shepherd’s Fold Ranch abides by the American Camp Association for camper to staff rations, which are as follows: ACA guidelines for overnight camps call for a 1:6 ratio for ages 6-8, 1:8 for ages 9-14; and 1:10 for ages 15-18. Day camp guidelines call for 1:8 for children ages 6-8; 1:10 for children ages 9-14; and 1:12 for ages 15-18.

5. How old are the counselors?

The ACA recommends that 80 percent of the staff be 18 or older and that all staffers be at least 16 and a minimum of two years older than the campers they supervise. All staff members are graduated from high school. Less than 1% of staff members are 17, simply because of the way their birthdays fall. SFR honors the ACA recommendation of counselors being at least two years older than the campers they supervise.