New Hire FAQ

Environmental Educator Fellow Packing List

Cabin Leader Packing List

Outreach Educator Packing List

Generally staff will work Monday through Friday. When weekend events and programs occur you will be given advance notice.

Meals are provided to staff when groups are present onsite. You have the option to sign up for additional meals if they fall outside your scheduled hours. When groups are not present, generally at least one meal will be provided for staff each work day. Outreach Educators are also invited to meals when they are free during mealtimes.

Cabin Leaders stay in cabins with campers during summer camp, and have access to these cabins during time off and weekends. Environmental Education and Outreach Fellows stay in shared housing (private bedroom) near Dunes Learning Center. Each house is furnished with Wi-Fi, laundry, and parking included. There is a $200 security deposit, which is deducted from your first four paychecks ($50 per paycheck).

Two of our housing units are within walking/biking distance of campus. One housing unit is located inside the town of Chesterton and is about a 15 minute drive.

Reliable transportation (car, bike) is highly recommended. Carpooling amongst staff is encouraged.

All staff houses are fully furnished, and you will have your own independent bedroom.

Housing is assigned after completing the housing questionaire and room selection happens on the first day of employment.

Please see your provided packing list for specifics. We recommend that you wait until you arrive to purchase/send bed sheets.

Please ensure that all of your new hire paperwork is completed by calling our Office Coordinator, Doreen. Join the Padlet and GroupMe chat, and complete the new hire, housing, and meet the staff questionaire.

You will have to have your own comfortable hiking shoes, but otherwise, no. Dunes Learning Center will provide everything that you need to complete your responsibilities. We provide resources, water bottles, a backpack, and DLC attire.

Please see our Environmental Education Fellow packing list.

If you are on “support” for a program, this means you will help with program set up, meals, and various projects. If you are on “trail” for a program you are actively teaching programs outside with students.

We take students on hikes at Cowles Bog, West Beach, the Little Calumet Trail that surrounds DLC Campus, and around the Bailly Homestead and Chellberg Farm.

In the summer, Environmental Educators lead their group on day hikes and activities. Hikes include a visit to the river, the dunes, the beach, and other sites around campus. They are engaging kids with team building exercises, exploration opportunities, and games.

Here is a sample schedule for a Frog in the Bog program- our most common program in the fall or spring.

Dunes Learning Center offers winter programs on campus, including “Winter in the Dunes” for grades 3-5, “Dunes Adventure Academy” for middle schoolers, and “Climate Change in the Sugar Maple Range” for high schoolers. When programs are not in session, we work on various projects and engage in professional development opportunities.

There are a few opportunities for educators to create programming. Throughout the summer we have Educator Choice opportunities for campers where they can sign up for an activity of choice by the Environmental Educators. Educators have the chance to create and design activities around the theme of the summer. During the school year, our programs are structured with certain activities that relate to the program, however we work with each educator for their unique delivery of that activity or program.

We have numerous professional development opportunities. Each season we begin with two weeks of training to not only train on the program but also on skills related to the program, like student SEL support, dialogic interpretation techniques, and working with different groups of students. Each first year fellow has the opportunity to attend and become certified as an Indiana master Naturalist on a volunteer basis as long as the course is being offered. Additionally, there are various in-service opportunities throughout the year offering training and information workshops from NPS, the State Park, and other community partners.

Yes, Fellows may apply to stay for up to three years.

Please consult our Cabin Leader packing list.

You will mostly be hiking with campers on night hikes on the Little Calumet Trail that surrounds DLC Campus, or around the Bailly Homestead and Chellberg Farm.

Evening and afternoon activities include water games, movie nights, campfires, night hikes, and tent camping.

Dunes Learning Center has campers from all over the country! They are all enthusiastic and eager to enjoy their time at summer camp.

We begin summer camp with two weeks of training that not only trains on the logistics of the programs of summer camp, but also skills on being able to succeed with camper support.

Overnights in the cabins is mostly a lot of leadership and direction— making sure the campers are showering, brushing their teeth, packing their belongings for the next day, and getting a good night’s rest.

However, our camp leaders find that the most fun and crucial part is being able to build a community amongst your cabin.

Each staff member will receive CPR/First Aid training as a part of their on-boarding, however they will also be supported by our DLC leadership team, and/or our Camp Nurse.

Cabin Leaders are managed by our Onsite Program Coordinator.