To select candidates.
Please make every effort to be present, and if you cannot make either meeting, please ask someone to attend in your place so that every district is represented!
We are delighted to invite you to join us for the 51st Annual Conference and Exhibition, scheduled for February 22-25, 2026, at Harrah’s Waterfront Conference Center in Atlantic City, NJ. This event will gather over 400 professionals from state, county, and municipal sectors.
Our exhibit hall, featuring 120 select vendors, is designed to maximize your exposure with dedicated hours for high-impact interactions. NJRPA values commercial vendor products and services. We strive to provide a platform for you to showcase your services to our attendees.
As an exhibitor, you can take advantage of additional sponsorship and advertising opportunities, engage in networking socials, and participate in the prize drawing to attract more visitors to your booth. We are committed to your convenience and security, offering 24-hour exhibit hall security, free Wi-Fi, and charging stations. Additionally, we will provide an electronic delegate contact list before the conference, allowing you to connect with our distinguished members.
All the information you need to schedule your participation is included in this brochure. If you also would like to be a sponsor at the conference, sponsorship fees are only accepted by check for 2026. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact the NJRPA Office at 609-356-0480. We look forward to your involvement.
Summer Camp Success: Best Practices for a Recreation Program
12:30pm-3:30pm / Wildwood 10 / .3 CEU
Running a great summer camp is more than just managing schedules and activities — it’s about building a community where campers thrive, staff feel supported, and every experience fosters growth, safety, and joy. In this session, participants will learn from a panel of New Jersey Recreation & Park professionals as they share their experiences and best practices for creating and managing outstanding summer camp programs. Panelists will discuss effective strategies for planning, staffing, programming, and evaluation that help ensure a safe, engaging, and successful camp season from start to finish. Whether you oversee a large municipal camp or a smaller community program, this session will provide practical insights, creative ideas, and proven approaches to strengthen your camp operations and enhance the experience for both staff and campers.
Implement effective strategies for programming, staffing, and evaluating summer camp operations to create an engaging and high-quality experience for both campers and staff.
Apply safety protocols, emergency procedures, and legal regulations to create a secure and inclusive camp environment.
Design age-appropriate activities, promote inclusivity, and foster positive camper experiences while engaging parents and staff effectively.
Presenters:
Erika Bozza, CPRE, Monmouth County Park System
Janet Dellett, CPRP, Middletown Parks and Recreation
Debbie Oliver, Clifton Recreation
$99 Member
$125 Non-Member
Aquatic Boot Camp!
10:30am-3:30pm / Wildwood 7 / .4 CEU
Whether you are new to aquatics or you just want to increase your knowledge in aquatics service delivery, Aquatics Boot Camp is for you! A panel of New Jersey’s best and most experienced aquatics managers and directors will fill your day with the latest best practices for pools, family aquatic centers, and waterfronts. With an emphasis on the latest safety issues, a variety of topics will be discussed, including lifeguard training, onboarding and retention, managing swim teams, learn- to-swim classes, special events, services for seniors and members with special needs, and maintenance topics. A binder with handouts including checklists, requirements, and resources will be included in your registration.
Define industry best practices and incorporate them into aquatics operations.
Establish operating procedures for safety, maintenance, and personnel management.
Design and deliver diverse aquatic programs and services.
David Jacobs Kotz, National Safety Training Center, PA, Judith Leblein Josephs, JLJ Enterprises LLC, Christine Palma, OC Waterpark,
John Roche, CPRE, East Brunswick Recreation and Parks, and Cait Waxler, NJ Swim Safety Alliance (NJSSA) & American Red Cross
$99 Members
$125 Non-Members
ADA Puzzles: Making Parks, Programs, Facilities, and Policies Compliant
10:30am-3:30pm / Wildwood 14 / .4 CEU
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is not crystal-clear about every topic. Understanding what a fundamental alteration is would be a prime example. Another might be whether a new trail in New Jersey must be accessible. However, many ADA terms and mandates are crystal clear. What is a service animal? Are one-on-one staff required for recreation programs? When can an agency deny a request for reasonable modification because of cost? Is holding and presenting Rx medication a requirement in summer programs? Where does a NJ agency have the best chance of winning an ADA dispute? Using court decisions, the federal regulations, and settlement agreements, we will explore parks and recreation scenarios that have won…and lost…in real ADA disputes. Bring your favorite puzzle for the speakers to solve for your agency.
Describe how the ADA is enforced and which method of enforcement is preferred by parks and recreation agencies.
Discuss basic ADA mandates and identify and discard faulty approaches to compliance.
Through an analysis of the disputes, identify the most common errors made by parks and recreation agencies.
John McGovern, JD, and Tatum Storey, MSW, CADAC,WT Group AEC, IL
NJRPA – Park Resource Trainings 2026
VOLUNTEERS & STEWARDSHIP
March 25, 2026 (9am-Noon)
Somerset County Park Commission Environmental Education Center
190 Lord Stirling Road, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920
· Leveraging Volunteers to Accomplish More – presented by Dan Ross, Somerset County Park Commission Environmental Stewardship Supervisor
Program will showcase strategies for managing volunteer groups and how to utilize outside organizations to help accomplish park tasks. Learn what to expect when working with volunteers, how to set your organization up for success, and better understand the tangible benefits of working with volunteers. Field observations of successful projects accomplished through collaborative efforts will be included.
Dan Ross manages stewardship projects across 500-acres of swamp habitat at Lord Stirling Park. He leads volunteer and corporate workgroups, mentors Eagle Scouts, and chairs the Go Green Committee. His work includes invasive species control, native plantings, habitat restoration, nest box monitoring, prescribed burns, and deer management. A licensed NJDEP Commercial Pesticide Applicator with extensive land management experience, Dan holds a B.S. in Environmental Policy from Rutgers University and enjoys exploring trails and the outdoors.
· The New Jersey Invasive Species Strike Team – presented by Alyssa McCormick, Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space and the NJ Invasive Species Strike Team
The New Jersey Invasive Species Strike Team, a program of Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space, is dedicated to preventing the spread of invasive species throughout New Jersey. We develop prioritized stewardship plans for public and private landowners and deploy a team of land stewards to implement strategic eradication efforts. This talk will provide an overview of invasive species identification, prioritization, and management techniques and highlight the power of Volunteer Stewardship Teams for achieving habitat restoration goals.
Alyssa McCormick is a Land Steward with Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space, committed to protecting New Jersey’s biodiversity and natural heritage. With hands-on experience in invasive species management, forest health research, and trail maintenance, Alyssa is dedicated to advancing science-based stewardship and fostering connections with nature in her community.
Lunch Provided
The Certified Playground Safety Inspectors (CPSI) Course and Exam, hosted by the New Jersey Recreation and Park Association and sponsored by the National Recreation and Park Association, is the most comprehensive and up-to-date training program on playground safety issues including hazard identification, equipment specifications, surfacing requirements and risk management methods.
The course requires advanced reading and 15 hours of training that will prepare you to take the Certified Playground Safety Inspector Exam at the culmination of the certification course. Certification, with passage of the exam, is valid for three years.
Participants will receive:
ASTM F1487 Standard Consumer Safety Performance Specifications of Playgrounds for Public Use
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Handbook for Public Playground Safety
1.5 Continuing Education Units through NRPA
A candidate who has a disability may request special accommodations; the request must be submitted in writing at the time of course or exam registration. The request form is available online at www.nrpa.org/cpsi. In order to properly accommodate all persons with disabilities, requests should be made 45 days prior to the scheduled date for the course and exam.
The Playground Safety Standards and CPSI examination are available in Latin American Spanish for those interested. Please request this option through the course host at the time of registration.
English as second language (ESL) candidates may request a time extension and/or the use of a strict translation dictionary. Request forms/fees must be submitted to NRPA no less than 30 days prior to the exam. The request form is available online at www.nrpa.org/cpsi.
The option to take the CPSI exam via computer-based testing is available through the NRPA. To obtain additional information please visit www.nrpa.org/cpsi. Please be advised if you register to take the examination with the course, you will not receive a refund to take your exam via computer-based testing later. Please decide now if you would like to take the exam on Day 3 of the course or via a computer-based exam later.
Registration Deadline: March 31, 2026
Course Schedule:
Wednesday, April 22, 2026 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Introduction to History
Injury Statistics
Hazard Identification
Safety Surfacing & Use Zones
Thursday, April 23, 2026 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Friday, April 24, 2026
* The option to take the CPSI exam via computer-based testing is available through the NRPA. To obtain additional information please visit www.nrpa.org/cpsi. Please be advised if you register to take the examination with the course, you will not receive a refund to take your exam via computer-based testing at a later date. Please decide now if you would like to take the exam on Day 3 of the course or via a computer-based exam at a later date.
Location:
Township of Hamilton (Mercer County) Nottingham Fire Co., 200 Mercer St., Hamilton, NJ 08690
Hotels:
Hilton Garden Inn, 800 US-130, Hamilton, NJ 08690, (609) 585-6789
Courtyard Hamilton, 530 US-130, Hamilton, NJ 08690, (609) 581-1880
Homewood Suites, 960 US-130, Hamilton, NJ 08690, (609) 689-1260
Cancellation and Transfer Policy:
No refunds will be made once text resource materials have been shipped. If you do not cancel by March 31, 2026 or do not attend you are responsible for the full payment.
Participants registering after March 27, 2026 must pay an additional fee for the overnight shipping of resource materials of $35.
If it is past the cancellation date registrants may transfer to a later CPSI Course and Exam hosted in New Jersey. A $135.00 transfer fee shall apply.
Sponsored by:
Ben Shaffer Recreation/Burke and General Recreation, Inc.
New Jersey Recreation & Park Association | 1 Wheeler Way Princeton, NJ 08540
Phone: 609-356-0480 | Email: info@njrpa.org
