Camp Tawonga

Current Job dates:

Currently recruiting for the season that runs from May 21st, 2024 to August 10th, 2024.

Kitchen
Alternative Foods Cook
$6,030.00 / season
Groveland
Job Title: Alternative Foods Lead Cook
Employment Dates May 21, 2024 -August 10, 2024
Job Responsibilities
• Team Work and Leadership
• Trains and supervises Prep Cooks

• Role modeling, tone setting, time management, and working alongside other cooks to execute daily tasks and clean-up.

• Creates positive relationships with wilderness team and staff picking up pack-outs.

• Having a good attitude, it spreads to others.

• Friendly and constant communication with your team, as well as other Kitchen Supervisors and Cooks on shift.
• Initiative and Responsibility
• Responsible for all campers’ allergens: educating staff and assuring the safety of alternative eaters at every meal and with every pack-out.

• Plan the weekly Alternative Foods menu and review with the Kitchen Manager.

• Prepare, cook, and serve vegan and vegetarian options, and all allergen-free food options.

• Supply all the food (“packouts”) that will be served or made outside of the Dining Hall and/or main camp meals. This includes packed food to be taken out of camp (e.g. for backpacking trips), packed food to be eaten outside of the Dining Hall (e.g. unit dance), and supplies for cooking activities.

• Take regular inventory of pack-out and Alternative Foods specialty items and communicate with the Kitchen Manager.

• Being on time and prepared: being on time means ready to go with a prep list written and organized before the scheduled shift begins.

• Always doing your best, taking pride in a job well done, asking for clarification if you don’t understand what is expected or how to do it safely/correctly.
• Physical Work
• You will be on your feet for 8 or more hours in a hot kitchen.

• You must be able to lift up to 50 lbs. at a time.
• You are removed from the campers. Find ways of making your work fit into the mission in a supporting role.
• Member of Kitchen Supervisor Team
• Have regular check-ins with the Kitchen Manager and/or Assistant Kitchen Manager to ensure the smooth running of the kitchen; give input for the weekly menu.

• Attend weekly all-staff meetings at 10:15p every Wednesday. Attend weekly kitchen supervisor meetings at 8:15p every Monday. Attend and participate in running weekly kitchen staff meetings at 1:45p every Tuesday.

• Train and support Prep Cooks scheduled to work in the Alternative Foods kitchen and write evaluations of supervisees two times over the summer.
 
Day in the Life
• Each Alternative Foods Cook is scheduled daily on one of two shifts

  • AM Shift: begins between 5:00a and 6:00a (depending on menu). Responsible for preparing, serving, and clearing Breakfast and Lunch. Prepare and deliver lunch for the Challenge Course. Prepare and distribute packouts.

  • PM Shift: begins at 1:45p. Responsible for preparing, serving, and clearing Dinner. Prepare and distribute packouts.

• Experiment with new recipes for main Dining Hall meals throughout the summer.

  • Take notes on all recipes

  • Type notes and mastered recipes to be saved for future use/Kitchen Cookbook
 
The Alternative Foods Lead Cook is listed 6 days/week on the kitchen schedule. You must be ready to work at the listed start time of each shift. It is your responsibility to know your schedule and show up for work on time, well rested, fed, and ready to work.
 
Tawonga requires staff to be up to date on vaccinations and staff may be required to participate in COVID-19 testing and health screening.
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Kitchen
Assistant Kitchen Manager
$7,550.00 / season
Groveland
Job Title: Assistant Kitchen Manager
Employment Dates May 21, 2024 - August 10, 2024
Job Responsibilities
• Teamwork & Leadership
• Covers Kitchen Manager duties on Kitchen Manager time and days off. Uses own judgment to decide which decisions should be made immediately and which should wait until the Kitchen Manager returns.

• Supports and works with other Kitchen Supervisors and Prep Cooks, collaborating, communicating, and helping with the smooth running kitchen.

• Is part of the Camp Management Team and a general liaison between the kitchen, the rest of camp, and the directors.

• Works with the Kitchen Manager to solve problems that arise regarding any aspect of food service.

• Is scheduled as the Lead Cook two to three times per week. Leading a shift with 3-5 people including tone setting, time management, assigning tasks to prep cooks, providing supervision and coaching to prep cooks, and working alongside them to execute meal preparation, service and clean-up.

• Supports Kitchen Supervisors through regular observation, communication, and formal and informal check-ins.

• Having a good attitude, it spreads to others.
• Initiative & Responsibility
• Being on time and prepared: being on time means ready to go with a prep list written, if needed, and organized before the scheduled shift.

• Responsible for inventorying all kitchen items 1-2 times per week, as needed.

• Coordinates, organizes, and ensures smooth service of special meal programs (e.g. International Dinner, Deck-O Beef) with help from the Kitchen Manager.

• Gives input to the Kitchen Manager for the weekly menu.

• Collaborate with the Kitchen Manager to write a weekly kitchen schedule.

• Directly supervises other Kitchen Supervisors.

• Contribute to the creation of camp session allergy and alert list. Facilitate the distribution of this information to all Kitchen Supervisors.

• Always doing your best, taking pride in a job well done, asking for clarification if you don’t understand what is expected or how to do it safely/correctly.

• Paying careful attention to allergens and communicating this information to the dining hall lead before meals begin.
• Physical Work
• You will be on your feet for 8 or more hours in a hot kitchen.

• You must be able to lift up to 50 lbs. at a time.
• You are removed from the campers. Find ways of making your work fit into the mission in a supporting role.
• Member of Kitchen Supervisor Team
• Act as a role model for staff at all times, upholding the values of Camp and the Tawonga Kitchen.

• Have regular check-ins with the Kitchen Manager to ensure the smooth running of the kitchen; give input for weekly menu.

• Attend weekly all-staff meetings at 10:15p every Wednesday. Attend and co-run weekly Kitchen Supervisor meetings at 8:15p every Monday. Attend and co-run weekly kitchen staff meetings at 1:45p every Tuesday.

• Train and support Prep Cooks and Kitchen Supervisors.

• Write evaluations of Kitchen Supervisors two times over the summer.
 
Day in the Life
• The Assistant Kitchen Manager will be scheduled 1-2 times per week on one of three shifts Lead Cook shifts:

  • AM Shift: begins between 5:00a and 6:00a (sometimes earlier, depending on menu). Responsible for preparing, serving, and clearing Breakfast and Lunch 

  • PM Shift: begins at 1:45p. Responsible for preparing, serving, and clearing Dinner

  • Late Shift: begins at 3:45p. Responsible for preparing, serving, and clearing Late Night Snack and Breakfast prep for the next day

• Facilitate all meal preparation, cooking, serving, clearing, and cleaning by executing some tasks and delegating others to Prep Cooks throughout the entire shift. Additionally, if there is extra time, prepare items for the following meal.

• For AM Shift: Oversee that all surfaces are cleared and bleached, floors swept, trash emptied, trash cans relined, entire Dish Room cleaned, Dining Hall service counter wiped down, and Coffee Bar cleared, organized, and restocked.

• For PM Shift: Same as AM plus floors mopped and plates, bowls, cups, and dish racks put back in their place in the kitchen.

• For Late Shift: Oversee that all surfaces are cleared and bleached, floors spot swept, entire Dish Room cleaned, Dining Hall service counter wiped down, and Coffee Bar cleared, organized, restocked, and shut down for the night.

• On days when not leading a shift, the Assistant Kitchen Manager will share the responsibilities of kitchen supervision with the Kitchen Manager.  

  • Taking inventory on days when a food order needs to be placed.

  • Receiving and putting away deliveries, as they come in.

  • Support and collaborate with Kitchen Supervisors leading a shift to ensure their shifts are running smoothly and that meals will be prepared and served on time, following all food quality and food service systems within the kitchen.

  • Act as liaison between the kitchen, the rest of camp, and the directors.

The Assistant Kitchen Manager is listed on the Manager Schedule 6 days/week, including 1 to 2 days/week covering other Kitchen Supervisors on their days off. You must be ready to work at the listed start time of each shift. It is your responsibility to know your schedule and show up for work on time, well rested, fed, and ready to work.
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Assistant Unit Head

$5,200.00 / season

Groveland

Job Title: Assistant Unit Head

Employment Dates: May 23, 2024 - August 10, 2024

Job Description: Assistant Unit Head is a leadership position with supervisor responsibilities. Assistant Unit Heads need to be able to keep up with the intense and fast pace of camp in order to effectively support the Unit Head with managing 4-5 camper cabins and 10-12 Bunk Counselors, and 2-4 Unit Counselors. Must be able to maintain open communication with the Unit Head and Camp management team about staff and campers in the unit. Great communication skills, 2 yrs. college (or equivalent), and previous counselor experience required.

 

Job Responsibilities

Unit Heads and Assistant Unit Heads have responsibilities in the following four areas:

1. Staff Supervision

• Share in direct supervision of bunk counselors, unit counselors and inclusion counselors. This includes:

  • Regular observation

  • Mid-session check-in with each person you supervise

  • End of session written evaluations

• Organize unit coverage, time off, and administrative time off (including for postcard and camper observations) each morning at breakfast with bunk & unit counselors.

• Supervise meals as scheduled & share coverage of your unit w/ UH during all meals.

• Complete paperwork including:

  • Counselor observation follow-up

  • Formal evaluations for counselors 3 times throughout the summer

• Emergency coverage.

• Create daily schedule for unit staff; meet with staff each morning to go over schedule

1. Direct Observations & Interventions with children

• Knowledge of all campers in your unit and of their emotional and physical well-being at all times. Proactively work with campers who need more attention than counselors can give, and manage case-specific camper issues as they arise.

• Review “alert” list and files.

• Complete paperwork including the following:

  • Unit head camper alert form

  • Accurate and thorough record of contact with parents

1. Unit Program Planning and Implementation

• Lead unit meetings and training during staff-training week. 

• Assist UH in planning and implementing unit activities.

• Arrange unit R&R.

• Plan and implement Unit Kabbalat Shabbat.

1. Participation in All-Camp Management Team

• Attend Management Team meetings at 5:00 on Mondays, Thursdays and UH day off.

• Respond quickly to staff in the CT office about camper inquiries.

• Fire drill route.

• BBQ on Shabbat.

 

A Day in the Life of an Assistant Unit Head

7:00AM – Wake up: get ready for the day 

8:00AM – Breakfast (followed by song session): Create daily schedule, meet with unit staff to go over coverage schedule, check in with Unit Head

9:30AM – Activities Begin: observe staff and campers, provide support

12:30PM – Lunch: supervise unit, make sure the campers are eating and drinking, provide support when needed

1:30PM – Rest Hour: this is the time when campers are resting at their bunk. It is a good time for Unit Heads to make phone calls home, complete paperwork, plan activities, check in with staff, or rest.

2:30PM – Activities: observe staff and campers, provide support, complete paperwork or phone calls, plan activities, rest

3:45PM – Snack 

4:00PM – Free Swim or Floats (Floats is a time when campers choose individual activities) This is a good time to complete paperwork or phone calls, plan activities, rest

6:00PM – Dinner (followed by song session): supervise unit, provide support when needed 

7:30PM – Evening Activities: good time to lead unit activities such as s’mores or stargazing 

9:15PM – Bedtime: check in on bunks and support with bedtime rituals

10:00PM – Unit Heads are off when bedtime rituals are done. Unit Heads occasionally supervise bunk coverage from 10pm-12am

 

Additional Responsibilities:

• Assistant Unit Heads occasionally supervise meals, including coordinating with the kitchen, leading campers in the blessing before and after the meal, and overseeing a smooth clean up after the meal. Can expect to supervise meals multiple times throughout each session.

• Assistant Unit heads occasionally supervise bunk coverage at night from 10PM-12AM. Can expect to do this 5-6 times a summer.

• Ability to live in a cabin with others, eat meals in a large, noisy dining hall, address stressful situations appropriately in a fast-paced, interactive environment required.

• Assistant Unit Heads should be comfortable navigating across a variety of terrain while employed at camp, ensuring access to different program areas around camp.

 

Tawonga requires staff to be up to date on vaccinations and staff may be required to participate in COVID-19 testing and health screening.

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Counselor

$3,550.00 / season

Groveland

Job Title: Counselor

Employment Dates: June 2, 2024 - August 10, 2024

Job Description: Tawonga counselors live in camper cabins and work with bunks of 12 campers.  Counselors strive to raise self-esteem and foster the bunk group dynamic by actively participating in all camp activities offered by specialists, including: ropes course, backpacking, arts & crafts, Jewish programs, and more, as well as creating programs of their own. Counselors work most sessions as a Bunk Counselor (with a co-counselor in a 12 camper cabin), but may also spend one or more sessions as a Unit Counselor supporting multiple bunks. There are three main responsibilities of being a counselor at Camp Tawonga: 

• Parent

• As a parent you must be aware of the physical and emotional well-being of all 12 campers’ at all times. 

• Physical needs: Ensure campers have everything they need to stay healthy at camp 

• Emotional needs: Make sure that the campers are feeling good about themselves, understanding that campers’ identities are multifaceted, and their relationships in the cabin.

• Being a “parent” to 12 kids, 19 hours a day means giving kids plenty of TLC (tender loving care) and forming relationships with every camper in the cabin. 

• Cheerleader

• Be excited and positive about the day’s schedule regardless of what your personal feelings are. Be positive about both the bunk as a whole and individual campers.

• Bring positivity, energy, enthusiasm, and excitement! Make it fun!

• Limit Setter 

• Make sure that the campers are on time and prepared for each activity. 

• Use different tones and energy for different activities such as a sports block versus a  meditation block. 

• Manage camper behavior, enforce rules and hand out appropriate consequences as needed. 

 

A Day in the Life of a Counselor 

7:00AM – Wake up: get entire bunk of kids up and ready for the day 

8:00AM – Breakfast (followed by song session): ensure all campers are eating and engaged 

9:30AM – Activities Begin: your role is to support the facilitator or facilitate and encourage all campers to participate 

12:30PM – Lunch: make sure the campers are eating and drinking, serve food and talk to kids 

1:30PM – Rest Hour: this is time for campers to clean the bunk, read mail, relax or write home 

2:30PM – Activities 

3:45PM – Snack 

4:00PM – Free Swim or Floats (Floats is a time when campers choose individual activities) 

6:00PM – Dinner (followed by song session): serve food, ensure all kids are eating, talk to kids 

7:30PM – Evening Activities: good time to do stories, yoga, campfires, and mellow activities 

9:15PM – Bedtime: set the right tone, do a closing ritual, put kids to bed 

10:00PM – Counselors are off when bedtime rituals are done. Counselors occasionally have bunk coverage from 10pm-12am

12:00AM – Counselors check in to their cabins and go to sleep with the campers


 

Additional Responsibilities:

• Paperwork – writing camper observation forms and postcards home.

• Shmira – bunk supervision between 10pm-12am. Counselors have 5-6 shmira shifts a summer.

• Communication with Co-Counselor – working to have a healthy professional relationship with your co.

• Communication with supervisor – Bring concerns or questions to your supervisor, there for support and advice.

• Unit Counselor – Counselors are assigned to be a bunk counselor or unit counselor. A unit counselor lives in a bunk with campers, but rotates between all four bunks in a unit, keeps track of camper medications, and maintains constant communication w/ bunk counselors.

• Ability to live in a cabin with others, eat meals in a large, noisy dining hall, address stressful situations appropriately in a fast-paced, interactive environment required.

• Counselors should be comfortable navigating across a variety of terrain while employed at camp, ensuring access to different program areas around camp

 

Tawonga requires staff to be up to date on vaccinations and staff may be required to participate in COVID-19 testing and health screening.

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Driver

$3,750.00 / season

Groveland

Job Title: Driver

Employment Dates: June 1, 2024 - August 10, 2024

Job Responsibilities

• Safety

• Safety must come first ALL of the time.

• Drivers follow required systems carefully, for example doing a pre-trip vehicle inspection before every drive and making sure everyone is wearing seatbelts on every trip.

• It is imperative to be well rested, alert, and focused.

• Team Work

• Working cooperatively in a small group with the same people all summer.

• Having a good attitude, it spreads to others.

• Sharing the desirable and less desirable work.

• Initiative and Responsibility

• Being on time and prepared.

• Going above and beyond.  When one task is done, asking for the next.

• Department Area Skill 

• Be able to drive large SUVs and passenger vans with up to 10 people in the car at a time on windy mountain roads for up to 2 hours without a break. 

• Drive a vehicle towing a trailer, with training provided.

• Drive staff and campers to drop-off and pick-up locations up to 5 hours away from camp for out-of-camp trips, run errands, drop off recycling, escort the camper buses to and from the Bay Area, and drive campers and staff to medical care when needed.

• Attend overnight camper car camping trips - drive campers, help as requested by wilderness leader on the trip, sleep overnight at campground site.

 

Qualifications

• Must be 21 years old or older

• A safe driving record

• Be able to lift up to 50 lbs

 

Day in the Life

5:30AM – 6:00AM – Wake up after a good/restful night of sleep (eight hours)

6:00AM – Pre-trip vehicle inspections

6:30AM – 7:00AM – Depart on morning drives

9:00AM – 10:00AM – Drop off campers, eat breakfast with campers at trailhead 

12:30PM – Pick up another group of campers in Yosemite and drive them back to camp

2:30PM – Return to camp, refuel vehicles

3:30PM – Break

6:45PM – Daily driver meeting. Find out where you are going the next day, review maps.

9:15PM – Bed time so they can get eight hours of sleep!

In general drivers should expect to drive 4-8 hours a day (not in a row). If they only have one drive, they may do vehicle maintenance or help in the office. If not dropping off trips they may run errands for camp or serve as “driver on duty”.

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Head Nurse

$12,500.00 / season

Groveland

Job Title: Head Nurse

Employment Dates: May 23, 2024 - August 10, 2024

Location: Groveland, CA in the Sierra Mountains just outside of Yosemite National Park

 

Position Qualifications: Licensed, Registered Nurse. Pediatric, ER, and/or camp experience helpful. Supervision experience is a plus. Wilderness First Responder recommended (Camp Tawonga will pay for you to receive this training if you do not already possess it). 

 

Salary: $12,500 or more DOE, plus room and board for you and immediate family members (partner and or children), plus childcare for your children (if applicable). High speed internet is available for family members needing to work remotely. 

 

About Camp Tawonga: Camp Tawonga is a residential children’s summer camp located outside Yosemite National Park. The campers range in age from 7-17 and participate in 1-week, 2-week, or 3-week programs throughout the summer. The Camp Tawonga Staff is a dedicated group of 200+, working together to create a vital Jewish community where children thrive. This outstanding team includes people with both Jewish and non-Jewish backgrounds. 

 

Camp Tawonga’s mission is to foster positive self-esteem for campers, create a cooperative community committed to justice, equity and inclusion, teach children to live in partnership with nature, and offer children a positive experience of spirituality and Jewish identity. The work at Camp is demanding, with long hours, high intensity, and little privacy. The rewards are great: the joy of helping children grow, the beauty of the mountains and river, and the camaraderie of working with other enthusiastic and caring staff. 

 

Job Responsibilities

• Act as the primary health care provider at Camp and run the Health Center in it’s day to day operations 

• Oversee daily clinics for campers and staff with injuries or symptoms of illness, aka “health call” 

• Oversee daily camper medication distribution and maintain Medication Administration Records. 

• Read camper and staff medical files to understand the health conditions and treatments of the community

• Supervise, support and train  four Health Technicians who are WFRs or EMTs

• Conduct training for staff on Basic First Aid, a supplemental wilderness first aid session for the Wilderness staff, and additional training for drivers, lifeguards and kitchen staff.

• Act as a host & liaison for visiting MD each week

• Maintain and update camper and staff health forms and files.  Log patient interactions, maintain daily records in ACA log, and complete online forms when referring patients for outside care. 

• Communicate with camper parents 

• Be on hand for any emergencies and to care for any patients.

• Order medical supplies throughout the summer as needed and keep accurate inventory.

• Coordinate all hospital visits 

• Coordinate pickup of new prescriptions from local pharmacies.

• Attend and participate in daily 5:00 management team meetings.

 

Tawonga requires staff to be up to date on vaccinations and staff may be required to participate in COVID-19 testing and health screening.

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Head of Maintenance

$4,560.00 / season

Groveland

Job Title: Head of Maintenance

Employment Dates: May 23, 2024 - August 10, 2024

Job Responsibilities

• Team Work and Leadership

• Trains and supervises Maintenance Crew.

• Role modeling, tone setting, time management, and working alongside Maintenance Crew to execute daily tasks and clean-up.

• Creates positive relationships with the team.

• Friendly and constant communication with your shift, as well as with other Maintenance Leads when passing off between AM/PM shifts.

• Having a good attitude, it spreads to others.

• Initiative and Responsibility

• Being on time and prepared.

• Schedule your crew members shifts and days off.

• Lead weekly meetings with the crew.

• Weekly check-ins with staff and end of summer evaluation

• Take regular inventory of supply closet(s) and communicate with the Kitchen Manager items that need to be ordered.

• Always doing your best, taking pride in a job well done, asking for clarification if you don’t understand what is expected or how to do it safely/correctly.

• Physical Work

• You will be on your feet for 8 or more hours, mostly outside.

• You must be able to lift up to 50 lbs. at a time.

• You are removed from the campers. Find ways of making your work fit into the mission in a supporting role.

• Recycling: 

  • Facilitate camp’s recycling efforts. 

  • Teach campers and staff to recycle based on local requirements. 

  • Work with the Head of Transportation to make sure recycling is sorted and dropped off to Mather/Big Oak Flat/Sonora.

• Janitorial Work:

  • Bathroom & Dining Hall Janitorial

  • Cleaning guest cabins

  • Trash collection and disposal

  • “MOOP Scoops” - return items to where they belong throughout Camp

  • Deep clean of all camp between sessions

• Buildings & Grounds Work:

  • Pine needle and brush clean-up 

  • Firewood cutting

  • Maintenance and repair projects as needed 

  • Support with new construction projects

  • Help in an emergency (i.e. fire suppression, shut off power)

• Program Support:

  • Luggage loading/unloading

  • Mail pick-up & delivery

  • Food & Water Delivery (to barbecues around Camp, etc.)

  • Beds & Furniture moving

  • Lead Tikkun Tawonga blocks with campers (train crew members to do this as well)


 

Tawonga requires staff to be up to date on vaccinations and staff may be required to participate in COVID-19 testing and health screening.

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Head of Transportation

$4,560.00 / season

Groveland

Job Title: Head of Transportation

Employment Dates: May 23, 2024 - August 10, 2024

Job Responsibilities

Safety and Risk Management are the top priorities in this job. 

• Supervise team of drivers.

• Role model appropriate Driver behavior at all times.

• Ensure that all Tawonga transportation policies are being followed by all drivers.

• Co-lead driver training for all summer staff who may drive Tawonga vehicles.

• Report any concerns about driver performance or safety to your supervisor immediately.

• Schedule all vehicles and drivers for camper transportation and other transportation needs and communicate the schedule to all parties involved.

  • Collaborate with Backpacking Supervisors to create a schedule. Be in constant communication to keep the schedule updated and posted. 

  • Do not schedule anyone who has had an evening drive (after dinner) for an early morning drive (before breakfast departure) the following day without approval.

  • Coordinate regular, emergency and as needed drives including trips to pick up wilderness permits, shopping, recycling, mail, etc. 

  • Consolidate trips when possible, i.e. Sonora Run can drop off recycling in Big Oak Flat on the way, and when picking up a backpacking trip in Yosemite, recycling can be dropped off at Mather on the way. 

• Recycling: Facilitate camp’s recycling efforts. Work with Maintenance Supervisors to teach recycling, and make sure recycling is sorted and dropped off to Mather/Big Oak Flat/Sonora.

• Coordinate Driver on Duty - DOD (make sure whoever is on shift as DOD knows they are the DOD and understands the expectations).

• Attend 5 o’clock meetings as needed to get additional drivers.

• Lead daily Driver pre-trip meetings. Attend backpacking destination pre-trip meetings

• Observe Drivers directly and elicit feedback on Driver performance and safety from staff passengers (i.e. Co-pilots, Counselors on backpacking trips). 

• Have a casual check-in with each Driver daily and an official check-in with each Driver weekly to exchange feedback. Provide written evaluations halfway through the summer and at the end of the summer to evaluate job performance of all Drivers.

• Ensure that anyone who will be driving a Camp Tawonga vehicle:

  • Is safe to drive

  • Knows where they are going (including park entry locations and trailhead locations)

  • Knows what time they are expected to depart/arrive/return

  • Knows what to do with vehicle and keys when they return

  • Knows what to do in case of an emergency

  • Has a co-pilot if possible

  • Completes required paperwork

  • Daily pre-trip and post-trip inspections

• Organize and upload/submit all receipts and oversee Drivers in uploading receipts

• Vehicle damage reports, when needed

• Be aware of changing road conditions, road closures, construction, and detours and communicate this information to drivers. 

• Distribute vehicle keys to Drivers.

• Inspect vehicles upon delivery to camp and complete Vehicle Delivery Reports.

• Take pride in vehicles, maintaining cleanliness and addressing any problems immediately.

• Submit VINs to AM Skier & receive certificates of insurance, place in all vehicles

• Inspect vehicles weekly, noting:

  • Condition of vehicles, any damage

  • Oil levels, tire pressure

  • Appropriate signage

  • Emergency equipment is present (triangles, first aid kit, sanitation supplies)

  • Required paperwork is being completed

  • Document these inspections

• Submit mileage reports to Enterprise as requested

• Ensure vehicles are cleaned and inspected for damage before being returned to Enterprise

• Coordinate maintenance of all vehicles. Gas vehicles as necessary.

• Drive to drop-off and pick-up locations (backpacking trips and day trips), errands, Ruach Ride (bus duty) and emergencies, camper car camping trips (including spending the night, supporting the trip as requested by the Wilderness Leader).

• Respond to any vehicular breakdowns and emergency situations appropriately

• Assist with Gate, Phones and Radio Coverage, mail sorting, and other office functions

• Get adequate rest in order to drive safely. If you are not safe to drive, tell your supervisor who will assist you in finding a substitute.

 

Tawonga requires staff to be up to date on vaccinations and staff may be required to participate in COVID-19 testing and health screening.

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Health Technician

$3,750.00 / season

Groveland

Job Title: Health Technician
 

Location: Groveland, CA in the Sierra Mountains just outside of Yosemite National Park

 

Dates of Employment: June 1 - August 9, 2024

 

Salary: $3750 plus room and board, more DOE 


 

About Camp Tawonga: Camp Tawonga is a residential children’s summer camp located outside Yosemite National Park. The campers range in age from 7-17 and participate in 1-week, 2-week, or 3-week programs throughout the summer. The Camp Tawonga Staff is a dedicated group of 200+, working together to create a vital Jewish community where children thrive. This outstanding team includes people with both Jewish and non-Jewish backgrounds. 

 

Camp Tawonga’s mission is to foster positive self-esteem for campers, create a cooperative community, teach children to live in partnership with nature, and offer children a positive experience of spirituality and Jewish identity. The work at Camp is demanding, with long hours, high intensity, and little privacy. The rewards are great: the joy of helping children grow, the beauty of the mountains and river, and the camaraderie of working with other enthusiastic and caring staff. 

 

Health Tech Position Overview: Camp Tawonga Health Techs get hands-on experience working with patients ages 7 - adult. The Camp Tawonga Health Center runs like a rural Health Clinic where the Health Center Team (two nurses, four Health Techs, one volunteer MD/NP and directors) treat as much as possible onsite and for more critical medical situations, triage to the nearest hospital 75 minutes away.  Health Techs provide excellent patient care within the scope of their license, give campers ages 7-17 extra love, attention and comfort, distribute daily medications, organize and help clean the Health Center among other tasks. The right candidate loves working with kids, is interested in medicine or some kind of medical care, is detail oriented and a team player. See details below. 

 

Job Responsibilities

• Medical Skills

  • Distribute daily medications to campers during breakfast and dinner

  • Pack out medications for out-of-camp trips

  • Provide routine medical care and be prepared to respond in an emergency

  • Escort patients to definitive care outside of camp when needed

  • Ensure thorough documentation including charting patient interactions, completing medication administration records, and other paperwork. 

• Working with campers

  • Maintain confidentiality about both staff and campers

  • Provide loving attention and medical care to campers and staff, listen to and support kids, providing reassurance, caring, and patience

• Team Work

  • Working in a small group with the same people

  • Knowing when to use your skills and when to defer to the doctor or nurse

  • Completing daily chores to keep the Health Center running smoothly including laundry, sanitizing equipment and surfaces, checking equipment, and other tasks

• Initiative and Responsibility

  • Be on time and prepared

  • Go above and beyond, when you complete one task ask for another

 

Qualifications: You must have one of the following qualifications: Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), Wilderness First Responder (WFR), RN, or fourth year Bachelors of Science in Nursing student. You must be 21 or older, and we prefer applicants with a valid driver’s license and clean driving record.

 

Day in the Life: There are three shifts that rotate daily, so it is always different. There is a morning shift (8:00AM – 2:00PM), afternoon and evening shift (2:00PM – 8:30PM), and the overnight shift (8:00PM – 8:00AM). On a typical day each medical assistant is “ON'' for 1–2 shifts, “ON RADIO” for 1 shift, and “OFF” for 1 shift (although some days an “ON RADIO” shift replaces the “OFF” shift due to day-off coverage). “ON” means being on duty at the health center to care for admitted patients, triage patients who come seeking medical attention, and take care of all daily chores. “ON RADIO” means carrying a radio and being on call to respond in an emergency or assist at the health center as needed. When you are “ON RADIO” you can be anywhere on camp property where you can hear your radio. Med Call and Health Call require all hands on deck – all medical assistants are on duty for medication distribution during breakfast and dinner, and for clinic immediately following breakfast and dinner, even if they are “on radio” or “off” according to the shift schedule, unless it is their day off.

 

Typical Day

8:00AM – Breakfast and set up for daily medication distribution to campers, aka med call.

8:25AM – Med Call begins: distribute medication to campers, make sure everyone who is expected to take daily medication shows up and all meds are distributed.

9:00AM – Report to Health Center to assist with Health Call. Triage campers who are waiting to see the doctor, pull charts, take vital signs, and administer first aid as needed.

10:00AM – Morning shift: do laundry, clean and sanitize exam rooms and patient rooms, ensure all first aid kits are stocked, check equipment, attend to admitted patients, assess in-coming patients and determine whether or not to radio the doctor, provide TLC and hang out with admitted patients, pack out medication for out of camp trips.

12:30PM – Lunch and check on admitted patients, bringing lunch to anyone who is admitted.

2:00PM – Shift pass-off to medical assistant who is taking over for the afternoon shift.

2:00PM – 6:00PM – On radio: relax around Camp, keep your radio nearby in case you are needed at the Health Center.

6:00PM – Dinner and set up for daily medication distribution to campers, aka Med Call.

6:25PM – Med Call begins: distribute medication to campers, make sure everyone who is expected to take daily medication shows up and all meds are distributed.

7:00PM – Report to Health Center to assist with Health Call. Triage campers who are waiting to see the doctor, pull charts, take vital signs, and administer first aid as needed.

8:00PM – OFF for the rest of the evening. 


To Apply: Learn more at www.tawonga.org. Complete our online application to apply, or contact Ashley Costello, Senior Director, at ashley@tawonga.org with questions.

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Lead Nanny

$4,560.00 / season

Groveland

Job Title: Lead Nanny

Employment Dates: May 23, 2024 - August 10, 2024

The Lead Nanny supervises a team of up to 10 nannies and oversees the nanny department, ensuring that all children of staff members are cared for. The Lead Nanny supports nannies with responding to challenging child behaviors, develops age-appropriate programming for children and nannies, and acts as a liaison between nannies and staff parents. 

 

The Lead Nanny has responsibilities in the following five areas:

1. Staff Supervision of Tawonga’s Nanny Program

•  Oversee and lead training for camp nannies  (during staff training and ongoing)

  • Communication with parents training and maintaining confidentiality

  • Age group expectations training

  • Scheduling ideas

  • Tone setting training

• Daily observation of nannies

• Mid-session check-in with each supervisee

• Written evaluations for nanny supervisees

• Provide time off coverage to other nannies as needed

• Coordination of roaming nanny schedule

• Daily check-in with nannies to discuss daily schedule and time off coverage

• Organize nanny R&R

1. Direct Observations & Interventions with children

• Daily nanny observation – providing support and feedback to nannies

• Work with nannies and parents to develop appropriate interventions in response to behavioral challenges

• Act as a roaming nanny and provide coverage, as needed

1. Creative Program Planning and Implementation

• Take the lead on staff kids’ clearinghouse schedule and help plan and lead activities

• Create a schedule for staff kid groups (one preschool aged, one elementary school) and oversee program quality and execution 

• Connect with specialists before activities to plan age appropriate activities

1. Participation in All-Camp Management Team

• Participate in Camp Management Team – supporting the high level smooth functioning of all aspects of camp, supporting supervisor peers in creative problem solving and idea sharing

• Attend daily management team meetings, as needed (for example, when nannies can offer extra bunk coverage to coordinate with Unit Heads)

1. Parent Communication/Partnering and Scheduling

• Daily communication with camp parents

• Manage daily nanny coverage and communicate coverage plan with parents

• Coordinate coverage time off/day off coverage with nannies, directors, unit heads and guests

• Connect with families prior to their arrival to learn about children and review expectations

• Prepare nannies to greet guests and their families

Day in the Life of a Lead Nanny

7:00 AM – Wake up and get ready for breakfast (support families if early care is needed)

8:00 AM – Breakfast: check in with nanny team and families to communicate schedule and coverage for the day; support nannies with childcare

9:30 AM – Observe group activities and provide interventions as necessary. Plan to lead some activities for groups as well.

12:30 PM – Lunch: Check in with staff and families. Make sure the children are eating and drinking, serve food and talk to kids, help with getting food and clean-up.

1:30 PM – Rest Hour: This is time for resting, napping, reading, swimming..etc depending on family schedules. This is also a good time to take time off for yourself.

2:30 PM – Observe group activities or have check-ins with staff.

3:45 PM – Snack

4:00 PM – Observe group activities, check in with staff, or take time for yourself.

6:00 PM – Dinner (followed by a song session): Check in with staff and families, communicate coverage schedule for the following day, support with childcare as needed.

7:30 PM – Evening Activities: mellow activities, bed time

10:00 PM – Off for the night. Occasionally supervises bunk coverage 5-6 times throughout the summer.

 

Additional Requirements:

• Ability to live in a cabin with others, eat meals in a large, noisy dining hall, address stressful situations appropriately in a fast-paced, interactive environment required.

• Lead Nanny should be comfortable navigating across a variety of terrain while employed at camp, ensuring access to different program areas around camp

 

Tawonga requires staff to be up to date on vaccinations and staff may be required to participate in COVID-19 testing and health screening.

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Wilderness
Lead Naturalist
$4,940.00 / season
Groveland
Job Title: Lead Naturalist/Teva Supervisor
Employment Dates: May 23, 2024 - August 10, 2024
Every program in the Wilderness Department is designed both to create stronger, well-bonded groups and to foster a respect, appreciation and stewardship of nature.
 
Job Responsibilities
• Training and Supervision: Lead workshops and training during Wild Week and Staff Training for all Wilderness Leaders, as needed. Lead Wilderness Department meetings and ongoing training. Hold and co-lead daily meetings with Tevat Teva and Garden staff to review schedules and address departmental challenges. Observe staff daily. Prepare written evaluations of staff.  Provide additional training and supervision to the entire wilderness team as needed.

• Collaborate very closely with Farm and Garden Supervisor, as direct supervisor of the Lead Naturalist/Teva Supervisor.

• Backpacking, Quest and Challenge Course: Support other wilderness supervisors with coverage as needed. 

• Nature: Supervise Naturalists. Ensure a variety of high-quality, nature-based programming is being offered, including Tikkun Tawonga, floats, and livnot. Provide on-going training, observation, feedback, formal and informal check-ins and written evaluations for staff. Assist with tip sheets, rotations, clearinghouse, and schedules. Support staff and lead/co-lead blocks, assist with planning blocks, and help with farm and garden labor as needed. Approve purchases, help staff locate and obtain resources at camp, maintain safety of all equipment, facilitate gear sign-out including wilderness library. Organize resources for Teva including curriculum/programming resources. Conduct beginning and end-of-season inventories and create a wishlist for the following year. 

• Farm and Garden:  Follow lead of Farm and Garden Supervisor in these areas.

• Sustainability: If we decide to collect compost for farm animals, assign Teva staff to be at the Post in the Dining Hall/Pavilion at meals to collect scraps and teach what can be included.

• Other: Meet with the Wild Supervisor Team, as needed. Report significant counselor or kid events to the 5 o’clock team, and all staff/safety issues to a supervisor, maintain records (schedules, certifications, incidents, and purchases). Day/night Toran as assigned. Provide coverage for other Wild Supervisors as needed, e.g. BP departures/returns, attending daily 5 o’clock meetings, etc., and drive, lead trips, assist with Challenge Course, lead BP prep or gear return, if needed.
 
Tawonga requires staff to be up to date on vaccinations and staff may be required to participate in COVID-19 testing and health screening.
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Maintenance Staff

$3,550.00 / season

Groveland

Job Title: Maintenance

Employment Dates: June 2, 2024 - August 10, 2024

Job Responsibilities

• Team Work

  • Friendly and constant communication with your team.

• Working on a shift with 3-5 people.

• Have a good attitude, it spreads to others.

• Sharing the desirable and less desirable work.

• Initiative and Responsibility

• Being on time and prepared when your shift starts, meaning you have your work clothes and shoes on at least five minutes before the start of your shift.

• When one task is done asking for the next, take initiative!

• Always doing your best, taking pride in a job well done, asking for clarification if you don’t understand what is expected or how to do it safely/correctly.

• Physical Work

• You will be on your feet for 8 hours doing manual labor in hot weather.

• You must be able to lift up to 50 lbs. at a time.

• Being outside in the elements, you must be aware of staying hydrated, operating machinery safely, wearing sunscreen, and communicating with others if you need help.

• Always maintain safety as the top priority

 

Day in the Life

• 2 shifts: shifts rotate daily, so it is always different

  • AM Shift: 7:30 AM – 3:00 PM 

  • PM Shift: 2:00PM - 10:00PM 

• Each shift includes:

  • Trash runs (taking out 30-40 bins of trash)

  • Cleaning bathrooms (4-5 bathrooms)

  • Mopping dining hall floors (after meals) and cleaning Dining Pavilion tables and area

  • Other tasks as needed (i.e. chopping wood, moving heavy furniture, weed eating, guest cabin cleaning)

  • AM Shifts can include ‘tikkun blocks’ cleaning bathrooms with campers’ help

  • Both shifts periodically can include other activities with kids such as kickball or dodgeball.


Maintenance Crew shifts are listed 6 days/week. You must be ready to work at the listed start time of each shift. It is your responsibility to know your schedule and show up for work on time, well rested, fed, and ready to work.

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Nanny

$3,550.00 / season

Groveland

Job Title: Nanny

Employment Dates: June 2, 2024 - August 10, 2024

Job Description: Each summer Tawonga hires nannies to care for the children of senior camp staff. These children range in age from infants to teenagers. Rather than being in charge of 12 campers at a time as bunk counselors are, most nannies will be assigned to small groups of  children or work one on one with younger children. Nannies provide loving care  for children, and work with specialists and the rest of the nanny team to offer fun and creative age-appropriate programs that fulfill the Camp mission. You may be responsible for the same children all summer or for different children from week to week. Because the number of children in the nanny department varies from week to week, you may also work some days or weeks as a unit counselor working with campers and bunks as needed. You live in a cabin with other staff, not in a camper cabin. Patience, creativity, flexibility and strong communication skills are helpful. If you enjoy working with children 1:1 or in small groups, enjoy developing creative programs, and/or if you enjoy working with younger children, this could be a great job for you! There are three main responsibilities of being a counselor at Camp Tawonga: 

• Parent 

• As a parent you must be aware of the physical and emotional well-being of the children at all times and  communicate with parents about specific needs.

• Physical needs: Ensure children have everything they need to stay healthy at camp

• Emotional needs: Make sure that the children are feeling good about themselves and their relationships at camp

• Being a “parent” during your working hours means giving kids plenty of TLC (tender loving care) and forming relationships with the children, parents, and fellow nannies.

• Cheerleader 

• Be excited and positive about the day’s schedule regardless of what your personal feelings are

• Bring positivity, energy, enthusiasm, creativity, and excitement! Make it fun!

• Limit Setter 

• Make sure that the children are on time and prepared for each activity (especially when there is a specialist leading the activity)

• Use different tone and energy for different activities such as a morning circle to begin the day versus a silly obstacle course activity.

• Manage children’s behavior, enforces rules and hand out appropriate consequences as needed.  Communicate with families about behavioral supports and styles that they prefer.

 

Day in the Life of a Nanny

7:00 AM – Wake up and get ready for breakfast (support families if early care is needed)

8:00 AM – Breakfast: ensure all children are eating and engaged, help families get food, support clean up of children and families

9:30 AM – Activities by group: Plan to lead some of the activities yourself, and to assist and support the children in the activities that are led by other specialists. Adapt activities to be age-appropriate for the children in your care.

12:30 PM – Lunch: Make sure the children are eating and drinking, serve food and talk to kids, help with getting food and clean-up.

1:30 PM – Rest Hour: This is time for resting, napping, reading, swimming..etc depending on family schedules

2:30 PM – Activities (see description above)

3:45 PM – Snack

4:00 PM – Activities (see description above)

6:00 PM – Dinner (followed by song session): Serve food, ensure all kids are eating, talk to kids, help with clean-up

7:30 PM – Evening Activities: mellow activities, bed time

10:00 PM – Rotating night time support as needed for families

 

Additional Requirements:

• Ability to live in a cabin with others, eat meals in a large, noisy dining hall, address stressful situations appropriately in a fast-paced, interactive environment required.

• Nannies should be comfortable navigating across a variety of terrain while employed at camp, ensuring access to different program areas around camp


 

Tawonga requires staff to be up to date on vaccinations and staff may be required to participate in COVID-19 testing and health screening.

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Nurse

$6,750.00 / season

Groveland

Job Title: Nurse

Employment Dates: May 23, 2024 - August 10, 2024

Location: Groveland, CA; in the Sierra Mountains just outside of Yosemite National Park

 

Position Qualifications: Licensed, Registered Nurse. Pediatric, ER, and/or camp experience helpful. Supervision experience is a plus. Wilderness First Responder recommended (Camp Tawonga will pay for you to receive this training if you do not already possess it). 

 

Salary: $6,750 or more DOE, plus room and board for you and immediate family members (partner and or children), plus childcare for your children (if applicable). High speed internet is available for family members needing to work remotely. 

 

About Camp Tawonga: Camp Tawonga is a residential children’s summer camp located outside Yosemite National Park. The campers range in age from 7-17 and participate in 1-week, 2-week, or 3-week programs throughout the summer. The Camp Tawonga Staff is a dedicated group of 200+, working together to create a vital Jewish community where children thrive. This outstanding team includes people with both Jewish and non-Jewish backgrounds. 

 

Camp Tawonga’s mission is to foster positive self-esteem for campers, create a cooperative community committed to justice, equity and inclusion, teach children to live in partnership with nature, and offer children a positive experience of spirituality and Jewish identity. The work at Camp is demanding, with long hours, high intensity, and little privacy. The rewards are great: the joy of helping children grow, the beauty of the mountains and river, and the camaraderie of working with other enthusiastic and caring staff. 

 

Job Responsibilities

• Act as the one of two nurses who provide health care at Camp and run the Health Center in its day to day operations. 

• Oversee daily clinics for campers and staff with injuries or symptoms of illness, aka “Health Call”. 

• Oversee daily camper medication distribution and maintain Medication Administration Records. 

• Read camper and staff medical files to understand the health conditions and treatments of the community.

• Supervise, support and train two to four Health Technicians who are WFRs or EMTs.

• Conduct training for staff on Basic First Aid, a supplemental wilderness first aid session for the Wilderness staff, and additional training for drivers, lifeguards and kitchen staff.

• Act as a host & liaison for visiting MD each week.

• Maintain and update camper and staff health forms and files. Log patient interactions, maintain daily records in ACA log, and complete online forms when referring patients for outside care. 

• Communicate with camper parents. 

• Be on hand for any emergencies and to care for any patients.

• Order medical supplies throughout the summer as needed and keep accurate inventory.

• Coordinate all hospital visits. 

• Coordinate pickup of new prescriptions from local pharmacies.

• Attend and participate in daily 5:00PM Management Team meetings when working afternoon shifts.

 

Tawonga requires staff to be up to date on vaccinations and staff may be required to participate in COVID-19 testing and health screening.

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Prep Cook

$3,550.00 / season

Groveland

Job Title: Prep Cook

Employment Dates: June 2, 2024 - August 10, 2024

Job Responsibilities

• Team Work

• Working on a shift with 3-5 people.

• Having a good attitude, it spreads to others.

• Sharing the desirable and less desirable work.

• Friendly and constant communication with your team.

• Initiative and Responsibility

• Being on time and prepared: being on time means ready to go at the time the scheduled shift begins – hands washed, apron on, ready for a task!

• When one task is done asking for the next, take initiative!

• Always doing your best, taking pride in a job well done, asking for clarification if you don’t understand what is expected or how to do it safely/correctly.

• Physical Work

• You will be on your feet for 8 hours in a hot kitchen.

• You must be able to lift up to 50 lbs. at a time.

• You are removed from the campers. Find ways of making your work fit into the mission in a supporting role.

 

Day in the Life

• 3 shifts: shifts rotate daily so it is always different

  • AM Shift: begins at 6:30a. Responsible for preparing, serving, and clearing Breakfast and Lunch

  • PM Shift: begins at 2:00p. Responsible for preparing, serving, and clearing Dinner

  • Late Shift: begins at 4:00p. Responsible for preparing, serving, and clearing Late night snack and contributing to Breakfast prep for the next morning

• Jobs that will be assigned while on shift include but aren’t limited to:

  • Preparing the meal

    • Chopping veggies

    • Making salad dressing

    • Running dishes

    • And more!

  • While serving the meal 

    • In the front window giving kids food and refilling emptied items.

    • In back cleaning dishes.

  • Cleaning up meal 

    • Washing dishes

    • Cleaning kitchen

    • Putting leftovers away


Prep Cooks are listed 6 days/week on the kitchen schedule. You must be ready to work at the listed start time of each shift. It is your responsibility to know your schedule and show up for work on time, well rested, fed, and ready to work.

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Songleader

$3,550.00 / season

Groveland

Job Title: Songleader

Employement Dates: June 2, 2024 - August 10, 2024

Songleaders bring music to camp in many different ways including but not limited to leading all camp song sessions and activity blocks with bunks of campers. Each bunk will be of a shared age which can range from around 8-17 years old. Songleaders can expect to lead multiple activity blocks a day as well as supporting Jewish Programming with their activity blocks.  As well as musical programming Songleaders will be called upon to support with bunk coverage and other all camp activities. Songleaders live in shared staff housing. 

 

Job Responsibilities

• Teamwork

• You will be working in a small group with the same people all summer.

• Having a good attitude, it spreads to others. 

• Sharing the desirable and less desirable work.

• Friendly and constant communication with your team.

• Initiative and Responsibility

• Making sure you are on time and prepared.

• Going above and beyond, when one task is done, asking for the next.

• Working with campers

  • You will be teaching and leading activities to kids of all ages and genders to engage campers with music. Activities may include teaching songs, sing-alongs, drumming, guitar instruction, song-writing, and new creative programs.

• Planning ahead the appropriate activities and adapting on the fly if it’s not working.

• Frequent bunk coverage instead of or in support of counselors.

• Department Area Skill 

• Must be able to sing and play guitar.

• Be able and willing to learn and play new songs on guitar.

• Be able to lead a song session alone for 200 campers and staff a few times during the summer.

• Lead activities for bunks (12-24 campers) and support unit programs (for 50-60 campers).

• Work with Jewish Programming staff to plan and execute Shabbat including: Torah Services, Ruach Hour, Kabbalat Shabbat, Freylach, and Havdalah.

 

Day in the Life

8:00AM – Breakfast Meeting, be on time and ready to start the day

8:30AM – Set up musical equipment

8:45AM – Song Session

9:30AM – Morning Blocks (9:30AM – 10:45AM and 11:00AM – 12:15PM)

12:30PM – Lunch

1:30PM – Sometimes there is a break, sometimes there is a block

2:30PM – 3rd Block

4:00 PM – Camper free choice time (lead drop in activities)

6:00PM – Dinner 

6:30PM – Set up musical equipment

6:45PM – Song Session

7:30PM – Evening Blocks (7:30PM – 8:15PM and 8:30PM – 9:15PM)

9:30 PM – Off (occasional  bunk coverage and/or other duties)

 

Physical Requirements

The physical demands listed below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential function of this job. Reasonable accommodations will be made that enable people with disabilities to perform the essential functions:

 

• Transport, set up and breakdown musical equipment like mic/music stands, XLR cords and guitars. 

• Move equipment and supplies weighing up to 20 pounds across camp property

• Move around camp property to support Music programming across camp

• Be able to communicate information and ideas so others will understand. Must be able to exchange accurate information in these situations

• Work in outdoor weather conditions

 

Tawonga requires staff to be up to date on vaccinations and staff may be required to participate in COVID-19 testing and health screening.

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Specialist & Counselor In-Training (SCIT) Staff

$440.00 / week

Groveland

Job Title: SCIT Staff 

SCIT staff play a dual role of Counselor and Supervisor for our Specialist and Counselors in Training (SCIT). SCIT staff lead trainings for their campers in the first week of the program and then observe and give feedback to SCITs throughout the remainder of the program. SCIT staff live in separate staff housing within “Teen Village.”

 

Job Responsibilities

Collaborate with IT Supervisor to run SCIT Program, this includes:

• Teaching and Supervision

  • Teen Training Week

    • Develop program outlines for teen trainings

    • Lead trainings

  • Ongoing support and supervision of ITs

    • Ensure ITs are on time, appropriate, and prepared for each activity. Manage IT behavior, enforce rules and deliver appropriate consequences as needed. *note: this is similar to the drill sergeant role, and involves additional coaching and supervision so the ITs understand their sense of responsibility 

    • Observe ITs working with their assigned bunks and campers

    • Write evaluations of ITs

    • Provide consistent feedback and coaching of ITs

    • Help ITs reflect on how they responded to camper issues and how they could improve

    • Interface with department heads and counselors regarding IT performance

  • Role Modeling

    • Teens will be watching everything you do as an example of how to be a great staff member, even when you don’t realize they are watching

  • Evening Supervision  

    • Spend time with ITs in Teen Village from 10:00pm-11:00pm. As long as campers are in bed, staff can hand off to Shmira for 11:00pm-12:00am (One staff member per night)

    • Check in and sleep in Teen Village at 12:00am (One staff member per night)

• Logistics

  • Support with IT daily schedule and assignments

  • Support with logistics and programming for IT rafting trip

• Parent 

  • Knowledge of all ITs, and support of their emotional and physical well-being at all times

  • Responsible for observing IT group dynamics and helping to build community

  • Connect authentically with the IT group as a whole and individual teens

• Cheerleader

  • Plan fun activities for ITs!

  • Positivity, energy, enthusiasm, and excitement! Make it fun!

Physical Requirements

The physical demands listed below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential function of this job. Reasonable accommodations will be made that enable people with disabilities to perform the essential functions:

 

• Participate in White Water Rafting Trip

• Move around all of Camp Tawonga

• Be able to communicate information and ideas so others will understand. Must be able to exchange accurate information in these situations

• Work in outdoor weather conditions

 

Tawonga requires staff to be up to date on vaccinations and staff may be required to participate in COVID-19 testing and health screening.

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Specialist & Counselor In-Training (SCIT) Supervisor

$575.00 / week

Groveland

Job Title: SCIT Supervisor 
 

Job Responsibilities

SCIT Supervisor supports SCIT staff in their dual role of Counselor and Supervisor for our Specialist and Counselors in Training (SCIT). SCIT staff lead training for their campers in the first week of the program and then observe and give feedback to SCITs throughout the remainder of the program. In addition to many of the responsibilities of IT Staff the IT Supervisor also manages the responsibilities included below. This position reports to the Assistant Director of Teen Programs and is responsible for supervising 3-5 IT Staff.

 

• Supervise CIT Program

  • Plan and implement IT Rafting trip

  • Plan, oversee and coordinate IT training week

  • Oversee IT daily schedule and assignments

  • Coordinate IT program schedule and ongoing trainings

  • Oversee ongoing assessment of program quality 

• Supervise IT Staff

  • Observe and evaluate IT Staff

  • Support IT Staff professional development 

  • Coordinate IT Staff roles and responsibilities during IT training week

  • Oversee IT night time Shmira schedule

• Attend daily 5 o’clock supervisor meetings

• Interface with department heads and counselors regarding IT performance

 

Physical Requirements

The physical demands listed below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential function of this job. Reasonable accommodations will be made that enable people with disabilities to perform the essential functions:

 

• Participate in White Water Rafting Trip

• Move around all of Camp Tawonga

• Be able to communicate information and ideas so others will understand. Must be able to exchange accurate information in these situations

• Work in outdoor weather conditions

 

Tawonga requires staff to be up to date on vaccinations and staff may be required to participate in COVID-19 testing and health screening.

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Unit Head

$6,030.00 / season

Groveland

Job Title: Unit Head

Employment Dates: May 23, 2024 - August 10, 2024

Job Description: Unit Head is a leadership position with supervisor responsibilities. Unit Heads need to be able to keep up with the intense and fast pace of camp in order to effectively manage 4-5 camper cabins and supervise an Assistant Unit Head, 10-12 Bunk Counselors, and 2-4 Unit Counselors. Must be able to maintain open communication with AUH and Camp management team about staff and campers in the unit. College degree (or equivalent) and 3 yrs. residential camp experience required. Graduate training in a related field or social work experience is helpful.

 

Job Responsibilities

Unit Heads and Assistant Unit Heads have responsibilities in the following four areas:

1. Staff Supervision

• Supervise all bunk counselors, unit counselors, inclusion counselors and AUH in your unit. This includes:

  • Regular observation

  • Regular informal check-ins with each person you supervise

  • Mid-session formal check-in with each person you supervise

  • End of session written evaluations 

• Lead unit meetings and trainings during staff-training week.

• Coordinate your supervisees’ days off.

• Twice daily check-ins with AUH plus breakfast meetings with AUH and unit counselors.

• Complete paperwork including:

  • Counselor observation follow-up

  • Formal evaluations for counselors and AUH 3 times throughout the summer

1. Direct Observations & Interventions with children

• Knowledge of all campers in your unit and the condition of their emotional and physical well-being at all times. Proactively work with campers who need more attention than counselors can give, and manage case-specific camper issues as they arise.

• Review “alert” list and files.

• Supervise meals as scheduled & share coverage of your unit w/AUH during all meals.

• Complete paperwork including the following:

  • Unit head camper alert form

  • Accurate and thorough record of contact with parents

1. Unit Program Planning and Implementation

• Plan and implement unit activities and programs.

• Plan and implement unit Kabbalat Shabbat.

• Arrange unit R&R.

1. Participation in All-Camp Management Team

• Attendance and participation in all daily Management Team meetings and inform AUH of meeting agenda items.

• Emergency coverage and Fire drill route.

• Respond quickly to staff in the CT office about camper inquiries.

• Join in counselor pairing meetings.

 

A Day in the Life of a Unit Head

7:00AM – Wake up: get ready for the day 

8:00AM – Breakfast (followed by song session): Meet with unit staff to go over coverage schedule, check in with AUH 

9:30AM – Activities Begin: observe staff and campers, provide support

12:30PM – Lunch: supervise unit, make sure the campers are eating and drinking, provide support when needed

1:30PM – Rest Hour: this is the time when campers are resting at their bunk. It is a good time for Unit Heads to make phone calls home, complete paperwork, plan activities, check in with staff, or rest.

2:30PM – Activities: observe staff and campers, provide support, complete paperwork or phone calls, plan activities, rest

3:45PM – Snack 

4:00PM – Free Swim or Floats (Floats is a time when campers choose individual activities) This is a good time to complete paperwork or phone calls, plan activities, rest

6:00PM – Dinner (followed by song session): supervise unit, provide support when needed 

7:30PM – Evening Activities: good time to lead unit activities such as s’mores or stargazing 

9:15PM – Bedtime: check in on bunks and support with bedtime rituals

10:00PM – Unit Heads are off when bedtime rituals are done. Unit Heads occasionally supervise bunk coverage from 10pm-12am

 

Additional Responsibilities:

• Unit Heads occasionally supervise meals, including coordinating with the kitchen, leading campers in the blessing before and after the meal, and overseeing a smooth clean up after the meal. Can expect to supervise meals multiple times throughout each session.

• Clean grills on Shabbat.

• Unit heads occasionally supervise bunk coverage at night from 10PM-12AM. Can expect to do this 5-6 times a summer.

• Ability to live in a cabin with others, eat meals in a large, noisy dining hall, address stressful situations appropriately in a fast-paced, interactive environment required.

• Unit Heads should be comfortable navigating across a variety of terrain while employed at camp, ensuring access to different program areas around camp

 

Tawonga requires staff to be up to date on vaccinations and staff may be required to participate in COVID-19 testing and health screening.

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Wilderness Leader

$4,940.00 / season

Groveland

Job Title: Wilderness Leader

Employment Dates: May 23, 2024 - August 10, 2024

Every program in the Wilderness Department is designed both to create stronger, well-bonded groups and to foster a respect, appreciation and stewardship of nature. Wilderness leaders rotate during the summer through a combination of the four roles, outlined below.

 

Job Responsibilities

• Backpacking Trip Leader

• Solo lead groups of 12 campers and 2 counselors on 1-2 night backpacking trips in the Yosemite area and surrounding wilderness areas. You are the primary leader on these trips.

• Get camper medical info, meds, and diet/allergy info. Stock and carry a first aid kit.

• Transportation: Know departure and pick-up times and route, drive safely.

• Maintain safety throughout trips.

• Provide fun, experiential and educational outdoor programming.

• Challenge Course Leader

  • Lead each bunk through a full day of initiatives, low and high elements on the Camp Tawonga Challenge Course.

  • Set up and take down the course daily and maintain equipment to ensure safety.

  • Meet with counselors to review the goals of the day, their role, and belay skills.

  • Facilitate sharing, listening, safe risk-taking, reflection and fun.

  • Check in with your co-facilitator(s) each day. 

• Quest Leaders

  • Co-lead a group of teenagers on one, two or three week van trips through California or the Pacific Northwest.

  • Drive passenger vans, keep financial accounting records, write in daily journal, manage group dynamics and individual needs, communicate with camp, offer creative programming, provide medical care, and represent Tawonga’s interests, image, and character with campers, families, outfitters, and the general public.

  • When you are a quest leader you are a counselor, specialist, cook, health center and more! 

• Teva/Naturalist or Farmhand

• Create new nature based programming and lead programming around the property.

• Weave new and traditional Jewish ways of enjoying, respecting, and caring for the natural world into your activities.

• Care for Tawonga’s farm and garden spaces.

 

Qualifications

• Must be 21 or older

• Must have current certifications:

  • Lifeguard Certification (LGT) 

  • Wilderness First Responder Certification (WFR)

  • ServSafe Certification

  • A safe driving record 

• Experience with children and prior experience backpacking are essential. 

• Experience with rock climbing and belaying, natural history, environmental education, and Judaic knowledge are helpful.

• Be able to lift 50 lbs

* If you do not possess these certifications Tawonga may help cover the costs of obtaining them. 

 

Day in the Life (Backpacking)

6:00AM – Wake up early to mountains and rivers in the backcountry; pack personal backpack and get water boiling.

6:45AM – Wake up bunk and help them get packed up.

7:30AM – Yummy backcountry breakfast as the sun hits your breakfast spot.

9:00AM – Stretch and get hiking! Hike through the Yosemite wilderness.

12:00PM – Lunch at the trailhead, meet your driver and load those packs!

2:30PM – Back at camp, unload and take a break.

4:00PM – Greet your next bunk and help them get prepared for backpacking.

6:00PM – Dinner at Camp, prep for your backpack trip and get a good night's rest!


 

Tawonga requires staff to be up to date on vaccinations and staff may be required to participate in COVID-19 testing and health screening.

Read more