Upcoming Events & Trainings
EVENT OVERVIEW
Curious about The Director's School is but not sure if it's the right fit for you? Join us for an information session where you'll get the full picture before you apply.
EVENT DETAILS
We'll cover what TDS is and how it's designed to develop the current and next generation of camp professionals, why it's worth the investment of your time (and your camp's), what the application process looks like and how to put together a strong one, and time for your questions along the way.
Whether you're considering applying for the upcoming session or just want to know more about the program, this is a great low-pressure way to get informed.
This session will be held with cameras off, but Q&A will be open throughout — feel free to bring your questions.
Please note: this session may be recorded.
LOCATION & TYPE OF WORKSHOP
This session is a live, virtual events and will utilize the Zoom Meeting platform.
Please Note: ACA Illinois may record this event.
THE FINE PRINT
Please Note: By registering and attending an ACA Illinois event or meeting, virtually or in person you are agreeing to all the event policies listed here. These policies include photo release, refund, link sharing, Code of Conduct, and other relative policies.
HOW TO REGISTER
You must have a Member Profile in our registration system to register for this event. If this is your first event with us, please click here to create a profile. It's free!
Meet up with other camp pros from the local area. Colette Marquardt, our CEO will be at each one with special guests from our board and other friends of ACA Illinois. This is your chance to connect with us, network with others, and be in community with other camp pros!
WHAT TO EXPECT
You just show up. Everyone pays for their own food and drink then we hang out for a bit. We can network, tackle challenges and questions that you may want to bring up, support each other, and best of all - meet others who understand the power and effort behind our work in camp.
No RSVP or registration is necessary. You do not have to be a member to join us at this event.
WHO & HOW TO ATTEND
This is a FREE event open to all camp professionals.
WANT A REMINDER?
You must have a Member Profile in our registration system to receive a reminder for this event. If this is your first event with us, please click here to create a profile. It's free! If you need help, email Kelly at registration@acail.org.
The goal isn’t to reinvent your camp. It’s to make sure every summer leaves you better prepared for the next one.
This three-part series will explore how to capture lessons while they’re fresh, identify the systems behind recurring challenges, and make intentional changes that strengthen hiring, training, supervision, and leadership practices. Along the way, you’ll discover opportunities to reduce recurring frustrations, build leadership capacity, and create a camp that is easier to lead – not because camp gets easier, but because you’re no longer solving the same problems year after year.
Whether you’re a seasoned director or stepping into a new leadership role, The Camp Reset series will help you turn summer experiences into practical improvements that support both your camp’s success and your own sustainability as a leader.
Thursday, October 1, 2026 from 10:00 to 11:30am ET
Every summer leaves clues. Some point to systems that worked better than expected. Others reveal recurring frustrations, unmet needs, or opportunities you don’t want to miss. This session creates space to step back from the day-to-day demands of camp life and take a thoughtful look at the season you’ve just completed – while the lessons are still close enough to be useful.
Tuesday, November 17, 2026 from 10:00 to 11:00am ET
Once you’ve identified the clues, the next step is making sense of them. This session focuses on the recurring challenges, frustrations, and successes that shape a camp season and asks a simple question: What might they be trying to tell us? By looking for patterns rather than isolated events, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the systems and practices that influence your staff experience, operational effectiveness, and leadership workload.
Tuesday, January 12, 2027 from 10:00 to 11:30am ET
Insight alone doesn’t create change. The real value of reflection comes when it shapes the way we hire, train, communicate, supervise, and lead. In this final session, we’ll focus on translating what you’ve learned into practical action – identifying a handful of meaningful changes that can strengthen your camp, support your staff, and make next summer a little easier to lead than the last.
This event is hosted and facilitate by ACA New England.
Participants can register for one individual session, or for the full three-part series bundle. If you’d like to attend two of the three sessions, please reach out to Gillian (gillian@acanewengland.org). Participation in all three parts is not required but it is recommended. This is a 200-level offering best suited for those with hands-on experience.
Part 1 Only: Member $30/non-Member $45
Part 2 Only: Member $30/non-Member $45
Part 3 Only: Member $40/non-Member $55
Series Bundle: Member $80/non-Member $125
A recording of each session will be available to registered participants for 30 days.
If you register after Parts 1 or 2 have taken place, recaps will be available to catch you up.
Registration is non-refundable but may be transferred to another member of your team prior to the start of the session. To transfer a registration please email gillian@acanewengland.org
Click here to register
Gather with other ACA Illinois volunteers as we kick off the year ahead in this meeting and training update. It's important to ACA Illinois that we build a community focused on our values. This meeting is designed to provide transparency, education, and space for feedback.
During this meeting, ACA Illinois volunteers will gain access to updates from the association, what to expect, meet staff they will be interacting with, and a review of policies that ensure that the ACA Illinois volunteer experience remains safe, welcoming, and mission focused for all.
There will be space for feedback and networking to get to know your fellow volunteers and the ACA Illinois staff.
This event is open to active volunteers for ACA Illinois.
Please Note: ACA Illinois will not record this event.
WHAT TO BRING TO WEBINAR & HOW TO PREPARE
Come as you are! We recommend attending via a computer because there will be moments of interactive activities and breakout rooms.
Thank you for being a member of our amazing ACA Illinois Visitor Crew this summer!
Join us at Maryknoll Park Clubhouse for a party celebrating YOU - our Visitor Crew! All Visitor Crew members who participated in reviewing AARs or helped with our Onsite Visits can join us for this exclusive party!
We’ll have food, disc golf, mini golf, raffles, and swag for everyone!
Wednesday, October 21, 2026
11AM - 2PM
845 Pershing Avenue, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137
This is a FREE event. We ask that if you register and then find out you cannot attend, that you let us know ASAP so we can try to recoup the cost of your space and meal.
The registration deadline for this event is October 12th, 2026.
Want to join the Visitor Crew with ACA Illinois? Apply to join the Visitor Crew by signing up for a training course today!
If you need help registering, please email us at registration@acail.org.
LOCATION & TYPE OF EVENT
This workshop is a live, in-person event taking place at the Maryknoll Park Clubhouse at 845 Pershing Avenue, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137.
You must have a Member Profile in our registration system and be a 2026 Visitor Crew Visitor to register for this event.
WORKSHOP DETAILS
Do the phrases of career advancement or career pathway elicit confusion, overwhelm or uncertainty? Developing one’s career path is more than changing jobs, achieving promotions, or making that one single decision that alters your life trajectory. There are many considerations and decisions made over time that direct your career pathway. This session will pull back the curtains on the actual process to developing one’s career path by contemplating needs, wants, interests, and skill development. Attendees will receive and use a workbook to enhance their learning in this session.
Together we will:
Gain a deeper understanding of the process involved in career development.
WORKSHOP HOST
This event is hosted by the ACA Illinois Young Professionals Board.
Are you 35 or younger and want to gain even more executive-level skills? Click here to learn more about the ACA Illinois Young Professionals Board!
ABOUT THE SPEAKER: MEGAN OWENS
Dr. Megan Owens is the Founder and Principal of BlueSky Recreation Consulting, LLC. With over two decades of experience, Megan’s expertise spans the park, recreation, and camp systems of non-profit, government, and for-profit organizations. What began as a college summer job for an overnight camp led to a career of recreational and educational design, research, and leadership across communities and states. At BlueSky Recreation Consulting, Megan brings a systems approach to supporting organizations and the professionals that provide recreation, nature, and out-of-school time experiences. Providing both organizational alignment and career coaching services, Megan’s wide expertise and unique talents enable professionals to create a more strategic pathway toward achieving their personal, career, and agency goals.
This workshop is a live, virtual event and will utilize the Zoom Meeting platform.
Please Note: ACA Illinois will not record these events.
This is an interactive training course. Each person should be prepared to have their camera on, access to audio (including the ability to speak and hear,) and interact within the Zoom room via a computer. Bring a notebook/paper and pen for activities.
This event and workshop series must be paid for at the time of registration. If you would like to pay by invoice and/or check, please contact registration@acail.org before registering.
Financial Assistance is available by emailing registration@acail.org.
COURSE OVERVIEW
Join the ACA Illinois Visitor Crew and experience the #1 volunteer role in the field of summer camp! As an Accreditation Volunteer with ACA, you’ll have the opportunity to serve as a peer reviewer in the Annual Accreditation Report, Written Documentation, and onsite Visit process. Along with another Visitor, you’ll see behind the scenes of other camps, grow your professional network, gain new ideas, and provide unparalleled service & support to the community. It's a win-win-win-win!
Additionally, folks who serve as Accreditation Volunteers for ACA Illinois (known as the ACA Illinois Visitor Crew) will have access to exclusive programs, discounted professional development, and so much more! (limited edition exclusive swag!)
SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT THIS COURSE
This course date is hosted by the national office and will include folks from all over the country. You should apply/register directly here.
ABOUT THE COURSE
About 4-6 weeks before the course date, you will receive a copy of the Accreditation Process Guide and access to the pre-work through our online learning systems. Trainees will need to complete the online pre-work no later than 1 week before the date of the training. You must attend all portions of the course in order to pass.
HOW TO APPLY/REGISTER
Complete this application. Within 7 days of your application, you will receive confirmation of enrollment into the date of your choice.
This is a free course.
REQUIREMENTS TO ME TO BE TRAINED
Must be a current member of the American Camp Association with a member number.
Must be 21 years of age or older.
QUESTIONS
ACA Illinois Volunteers, Members, & Visitors can contact Kyla at kyla@acail.org.
All other Accreditation Volunteers & Visitors should contact accreditation@acail.org.
THE DIRECTOR'S SCHOOL OVERVIEW
The Director’s School (TDS) is committed to developing the current and next generation of camp professionals.
For over 140 years, the camping movement has grown in complexity yet still serves the basic purpose to engage campers in supportive settings with caring adults. The Director’s School addresses a gap in professional preparation for those individuals developing and leading camp programs. The curricular focus will be administrative operations that are grounded in the understanding, connection, and application to the principles of positive youth development, which are at the heart of camp program design. The Director’s School will become a three-level learning experience so that students will continue to level up their skills as their knowledge and practical skills grow.
We invite you to explore the website for more information.
HOW TO APPLY
For more details on the application process, go here. To complete your application, select the registration button. You must have a Member Profile in our registration system to register for this event. If this is your first event with us, please click here to create a profile. It's free!
This course date is hosted by the ACA Illinois office. You should still apply directly here through the National Office.
ABOUT THE FORUM
The ACA Illinois day camp conference experience returns with the Great Lakes Day Camp Forum this March. Join us for education session breakouts, keynotes, networking, and more!
Centering the voices and experiences of day camp professionals, this event will drive innovation, tackle challenges facing our camp pros, and bring together our remarkable community.
Included in your fee:
Click here to learn more about the Great Lakes Day Camp Forum, including the schedule, hotel, venue, and other planning details!
Register before November 1st and receive a stainless steel water bottle!
Group pricing is available for 5+ participants from the same organization. Contact registration@acail.org to learn more.
Financial Assistance is available. Reach out to registration@acail.org for more information.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
The Forum is for all who work in the Day Camp space from on the ground staff to seasoned directors and owners.
This event is a live, in-person event. ACA Illinois will not record this event.
You must pay for this event at time of registration. If you would like to pay by invoice/check, please contact registration@acail.org prior to registering.
By registering and attending an ACA Illinois event or meeting, virtually or in person, you are agreeing to all the event policies listed here. These policies include the photo release, refund, link sharing, Code of Conduct, and other related policies.
You must have a Member Profile to register for this event. If this is your first event with us, please click here to create a profile. It's free!
Mailing Address:
American Camp Association, Illinois I PO Box 5412, Evanston, IL 60204
American Camp Association, Illinois
5 S Wabash Ave
Suite 1406
Chicago, IL 60603
Phone: 312-332-0833
Email: info@acail.org
Website: acail.org
