Day Camp Program achieves American Camp accreditation

Plainfield Park District’s Summer Day Camp program has received its accreditation from the American Camp Association Illinois. The ACA Accreditation process establishes policy guidelines for camp directors on key aspects of camp operations related to program quality, health, and safety aspects for campers and staff.

Recreation Manager Leslie Anderson, who oversees summer day camp operations for the Plainfield Park District, said that the accreditation process took about a year and half, starting in April 2018. Behind the scenes preparations included a 1-day workshop as well as time to prepare documents for review ahead of site visits from ACA staff.

All told, the Park District summer camp program underwent a review of 150 standards to achieve the accreditation, said Anderson. Areas reviewed included: core/foundational, administration, facilities, health and wellness, staff qualifications, training, supervision; program design and activities; and program aquatics.

All of the preparation has been worth it in order to offer parents another level of assurance when they drop their kids off to a Plainfield Park District Summer Day Camp program next year, said Anderson.

“It tells parents, ‘We’re at the safest camp under the American Camp Association guidelines,’ she said. For a parent nervous about choosing the best summer camp experience for their child, this offers another sign of excellence too.

“It means that we are the camp to be at,” said Anderson.

Executive Director Carlo Capalbo said that the new accreditation also serves to further the Plainfield Park District mission and vision of providing quality recreation for residents.