Dear Friend,
Communication is key at Ghostlight. It's how we work together as a team to provide an incredible summer for our campers. It's also how we support our campers to make them feel at home at camp.
Read below to learn more about how we'll communicate this summer; in particular, check out some details about our staff Slack including the link to join. We're also sharing some tips on working and communicating with neurodivergent campers, a topic we'll revisit during staff training.
Please continue to reach out with any questions coming up, and please take a moment to visit your Staff Dashboard if you haven't already to work on your staff forms including travel confirmations, t-shirt sizes, and more. Some forms are due this week on May 15!
Your friends,
Alexa & the Ghostlight Team
🗣️ Communication at Camp
Communication at camp is crucial, and it's important that we share information succinctly and effectively, especially when challenges arise like rainy day location changes. At Ghostlight, we use several methods of communication to ensure everyone is in the loop.
- 📌 Posted Schedules —As campers cannot access devices, the daily schedule is posted each morning at the Office, Theater, Pavilion (Dining Hall), and Rehearsal Studios. Changes to the schedule will be shared during announcements after meals.
Slack — see below!
- 👥 Face-To-Face — Nothing beats the sharing of information face-to-face. At camp, counselors and non-cabin staff will each have a daily meeting to check in and share announcements. Our leadership team will also share information by traveling around to each location, especially in urgent or emergency situations.
Slack
During the summer, staff will use the app Slack as a way to communicate and stay organized. Some channels will include the full staff while some will be for specific staff groups — for example, lifeguards will have their own channel and each show will have a channel to share rehearsal reports, production meeting notes, and more. You do not need to regularly check Slack before arriving at camp, but please take a moment to set up your Slack profile before your arrival so we're ready to go! Slack accounts for returning staff have been reactivated.
Quick note: If you've already begun the pre-camp training modules, please take a quick look again at the Slack module. Some additional text instructions have been added as has the link to join the Ghostlight Slack!
💬 Communication with Neurodiverse Campers
During staff training, we'll spend several sessions focused on supporting our campers. Staff will learn skills including active listening, mediating conflict, and navigating heightened emotions. Here's a few strategies (compiled from a recent training session) to consider when communicating with neurodivergent campers. At Ghostlight, we believe that these strategies are also best practices to support all of our campers.
- ❓Be careful about "stacking" multiple questions. Stick with one question at a time.
- 🎧 Meet your campers where they are. Consider how you might change an overstimulating environment to best support the campers rather than asking campers to adapt to the environment.
- ℹ️ Front-load information. Take campers on a tour and share about each location and the camp schedule. Make plenty of time for questions and validate that asking questions is both welcomed and encouraged.
- ✋🏽 "Thank you, Five!" Give campers reminders of how much time is left in a class or activity to avoid abrupt or jarring endings.
- ✅ Support campers during challenging moments
- Offer a safe and comfortable space where the camper can process and self-regulate.
- Take cues from the camper about when they're ready to talk. When they're ready, ask what has helped when they've felt this way before.
- Validate the camper's feelings. Let them know you're there for them.
- Know that you're not alone — members of our leadership team are always available to help support you and our campers.
🗂️ Message Archive
You can easily find all our previous emails on the Messages and Updates page here.