Our Mission: The National School of RV Park & Campground Management enhances the skills of its students through a high-quality educational program focusing on business management principles and practices as applied to the RV park and campground industry. This is accomplished in a professional educational setting providing formal and informal student contact with an experienced, interdisciplinary faculty including park operators.
The School: Co-sponsored by the ARVC Foundation (an affiliate of the National Association of RV Parks & Campgrounds – ARVC) and The National Training Center for Public Facility Managers (NTCPFM), it is a 50-hour, intensive two-year program conducted for one week each year. The school offers park owners, operators and managers a structured program covering a wide array of management and operations topics, including finance and administration, marketing, customer service, recreation management, maintenance, personnel management, retail and food service operations and more.
Certificate and CPO Credits: Students are awarded a Campground Management Certificate upon successful completion of their second year. Students who are enrolled in the Certified Park Operator (CPO) program will earn 25 credits each for completion of Year 1 and Year 2. Graduates with at least 24 months of campground management employment plus attendance at a minimum of two state, regional or national conventions, qualify for immediate CPO recognition through the CPO Fast Track program (a separate Fast Track application will need to be completed). Those who complete the Graduate Program earn 15 credits toward their CPO certification or re-certification. For those not enrolled in the CPO program, separate registration materials and fees are required within 60 days of school completion for CPO program credits. CPO is the only professional designation in the outdoor hospitality industry. Contact the National Association of RV Parks & Campgrounds (ARVC) for CPO registration information or a CPO Fast Track application at (303) 681-0401 or www.arvc.org under Education.
The "Oglebay Experience": The school is offered in a retreat setting that takes advantage of the dynamic and diverse group of instructors and students. Both the formal class sessions and the multitude of informal networking opportunities contribute to an experience that is not avaliable elsewhere. Students often cite the relationships and personal interactions with fellow industry professionals as the most valuable part of their school experience.
