Staff Reviews

As if this week isn't crazy enough with the modified schedule and me being gone two days for ACA visits, it also mid summer staff review week.

Mid summer staff reviews are a great time to check in with the staff, give them feedback and give them the professional experience of having a review. They have to fill out a review of themselves and then I fill out the same sheet. We meet and go over their comments and mine.

I don't always do a good enough job of giving staff positive feedback throughout the summer. Even when I am impressed by something they've done above and beyond, sometimes camp gets so hectic and I don't take the time to say, "you did a really great job with _____." I am quick to redirect people and give them feedback on things that need to change, but positive feedback is something I am still working on.

It's been really great to talk to the staff one on one this week and give them a lot of praise. This group of staff is exceptional. I am constantly impressed by their energy, enthusiasm, creativity and the work they are doing. It's actually been a little bittersweet because we only have 3 weeks of summer left and I don't feel ready for it to be done. They are just starting to be really confident and comfortable and let their creativity flow. I don't want them to leave yet!

Perhaps in 3 weeks, I will have had my fill, but I feel a little cheated by the summer. We are supposed to finish the summer exhausted because we've done so much. I'm exhausted and emotionally drained, but when it is because a flood takes away three weeks, it isn't as satisfying as when you have given everything you have to the campers.

I'm so impressed by this group of staff. Despite the flood, the clean-up, the lost stone house, and all the rest of the drama, they have been positive, hard working and have done exceptional work all summer. I hope that the last 3 weeks even better.