KoreaScouter

Semper P, you silver-tongued rascal! I'm printing that and putting it in my SM Minutes folder for solemn delivery leading up to elections. thanks! KS

I recommend getting the BSA pub on dealing with Scouts with disabilities. It's been revised recently, and while it doesn't pretend to give all answers to all questions on all disabilities, it does give a unit leader a great place to start. Specifically, it advises unit leaders to conference with the parents regarding the boy and his disability. Follow the guidelines in the pub for the conference, and you'll be well on your way to understanding what his capabilities really are, and can begin to build an alternative advancement plan for him, if warranted. The conference should also spel

And three-way tins at that -- those things are dogs! KS

Yep, I saw it in the catalog too. My question is, why NOT the uniform shirt of the very immediate future? KS

Amen to that. As far as I'm concerned, we should all wear what we're entitled to. For one thing, if I meet you for the first time and you're wearing your knots, I know at a glance which portions of the program you've worked with, if you're an Eagle Scout, and so on. In other words, it's an instant visual resume' -- if you're wearing the Webelos DL and/or Cubmaster awards, I know I don't have to teach you a ding-dong school on AOL and it's relevance to crossover...saves me some time. Second, a knot symbolizes a lot of hours of unpaid service; wear it with pride because you've earned it. Sa

I think it's a safe assumption that there are no Law MB counselors among this crowd... KS

Thanks, Rooster, I saw it live. You got it right. KS

(What software do you use?) Our committee keeps track of fundraisers using the fundraising module in TroopMaster. It doesn't do the treasurer's entire job, but does enable them to apportion fund raising proceeds to particular Scouts. (What % of the fundraiser do your scout keep? How much goes into troop's general fund?) Depends on the fundraiser, and the committee decides that well beforehand. Sometimes it's 100%, sometimes less than that, sometimes the Troop gets it all (rarely). (What is the withdrawal process?) Summer camp's a given, as are OA section conclaves. Any other w

We decided to form a VP with some trepidation; we could still smell the smoke from a failed attempt at a Venture Crew that resulted in only the loss of a good leader, 3 older scouts, and lots of bad and very recent memories. Nonetheless, our older Scouts needed and wanted an older Scout program. We had the same concerns about loss of leadership and "cliquish" behavior. We didn't carve them out into a separate full-time patrol, but left them in their permanent experienced patrols. They serve in Troop and patrol PORs, but break out into a VP during skill instruction, and have done separa

Have you checked the "Good Turn for America" Web site? They have ideas/suggestions, and have also posted letters from national organizations that have pledged their support for GTFA. KS

I've been my son's Cubmaster and SM (twice). I like to think that unless you knew he was my kid, you wouldn't know it from watching either of us at meetings/outings. I don't follow him around, and he doesn't follow me around. I don't let him get away with anything the others don't, and I try not to hold him to a higher standard either -- although he does understand that as the SM's son, he plays a bit of a "barometer" role. I'm not hyper-sensitive about avoiding the appearance of favoritism by deliberately deflecting conferences, counseling, and other tasks onto another leader -- but

I don't think you can convince someone to get trained. That you need training has to hit you like Peter being smitten on the road to Damascus. Personally, I've taken all the training I could ever get, in a blatant attempt to make up for my lack of experience. Regarding other leaders I've worked with, I've tried all the arguments, including the verbal equivalent of smacking someone with a rolled-up newspaper when they do something hare-brained, that they wouldn't even have suggested if they were trained. It doesn't work. And, simply going through a training class doesn't mean that behavior

That's a District issue, in my opinion. Since MBCs who aren't dual registered as unit leaders are registered only with the District, not with an individual unit, there's no other way to "recharter" them and cleanse your roster, other than getting some sort of commitment. I've seen it where MBCs get letters each November, asking if they want to continue -- please return this form in the enclosed postpaid envelope. Whether it's the MBC form, a letter, or an adult application, they all do the same thing, basically. KS

Debate is healthy if done within bounds; it makes you think. When it degenerates into name calling, it can ruin friendships, and even worse. Without knowing any of the people involved, I might suggest that you approach your adult leaders again, especially if it's getting un-Scoutlike. I would also suggest your Troop consider Communications and/or Public Speaking as monthly program features, and collectively learn to practice debating skills in a controlled manner. good luck... KS

Sounds like a control freak; had one of those in a previous unit, who didn't want anyone doing a single keystroke in TM except her. OK, fine. Here's what I need, and laid on my requirements for rosters, reports, and so on. To her credit, she kept up, and turned everything I needed. Still, it's a single point failure node, and not the optimal way to do business. (Besides, I'm told that as soon as her son earned his Eagle, she ran like someone was chasing her). Currently, our CC runs TM and does the updates, then exports the files to me on my thumb drive. We've talked about going to

Mine was the week-long, but it had to be, because it was in Okinawa, and many of the participants had to fly in from Korea or Japan. One round-trip plane ticket was bad enough, two would have made it too painful to go. Our council does a week-long course, too...same reasons: transportation costs. KS

I wouldn't put anything sensitive enough to warrant password protection on a web site. Ours is mainly a repository for forms, calendars, reference material, and general unit info for people looking for a unit. If you throw up too thick a firewall, it may keep people out who may not be unit members, but want to get to know you or just get contact info. For unit specific stuff, advancement info, etc., you can always do PackMaster on the Web, separate from your web site, that allows people you identify to view, update, and work with that information. KS

I would ask your friend if he's had an OA election team come to a Troop meeting, show the video, give the presentation, and hold an election. If so, he has an idea of what election means, and that OA is an honor camping society with cheerful service as one of it's foundations. If he knows that, and is still asking why he should belong, then he should probably decline if he gets elected... KS

I'm also a relatively new Boy Scout Roundtable Commissioner; dual hatted as a unit level Scoutmaster. My predecessor gave me the 2-year roundtable plans, and a little continuity stuff. He didn't need a lot of books, since he was a long-time Scouter and RT Commish who was very knowledgeable. The first thing I did was ask my District Commissioner for anything he had that would help me. He didn't have anything, so I presented myself to the council service center, and they opened up their bookcase. I asked for copies of anything that had "commissioner" in the title, and they gave me an armloa

We have a group talk with all our bridging Webelos Scouts (SPL takes them aside) and with the parents at the same time (that's my department). Explain the differences between Cub and Boy Scouts, and what role parents play. Importantly from my point of view: it's not like snapping a light switch on and off, and it isn't just mommies, either. What I do know for sure is that I've got enough work to do without trying to redesign families' relationships. In other words, I don't have a big enough ego to think I can "undo" what took 11 years to "do". I agree with the other posters who say

OK, I'm home from Roundtable, and have a chance to look this up. The Handbook says, on P. 61, under Complete your Board of Review: "Once you have accomplished all the Tenderfoot requirements, and have participated in a Scoutmaster conference, your Scoutmaster will arrange a board of review for you." That's exactly what I do. If your unit uses a different technique to arrange it, everybody's comfortable with it, and it works for you, then that's fine as far as I'm concerned. I wasn't trying to start a controversy over this, just answering a question about multiple-rank BORs. Can we

The difference between our two examples (SM tells committee a Scout is ready for BOR, and Scout contacts MB counselor) is that in the case of the latter, the MB section of the handbook (starting on P 185) includes a checklist that tells the Scout to call the counselor. To my knowledge, no such requirement for a Scout to schedule his own BOR. I agree with you SR540, there should be a single standard for TF through Eagle on this matter. We schedule Eagle BORs with our District Advancement chair -- don't expect Scouts to do that one either. Barry: ultimately, adults do choose when S

"...shouldn't the Scout and not you, request a BOR?" I don't know; the advancement requirement is to complete one. Somebody with a Handbook in front of them, what's the body of the Handbook say? If it's silent, then it's a unit policy, right? As far as I'm concerned, the Scout is by default asking for a BOR when he completes his SM conference. Unless, there are Scouts who want a SM conference, but don't want a BOR -- never met one, though. To me, sitting back and silently waiting for a Scout to personally ask the committee for a BOR reminds me of playing Stump the Dummy. We do t

I've had several situations with Scouts ready for multiple BORs. Our committee normally does them a week apart, not for some artificial separation, but to give the Scout an opportunity to prepare for just one at a time. I can imagine a lad meeting three in one night, but that's a lot of pressure on him. Our committee schedules BORs based on me telling them that a Scout has completed his SM conference. It's normally no more than a week or two afterward, but depends on them being able to assemble the board members (like most, our committee members are busy people). They try to include

I think we may be underestimating how resilient the boys can be. They deal with win/loss situations all day, every day, at school, at the playground, with siblings, in sports, and so on. I doubt that the boys who "melt down" at a PWD similarly melt down in all these other settings where they don't come in first. Then, why does this happen? It isn't the BSA intent to create this drama. It obviously isn't the committee intent, either. I look to the parents, who are likely building this expectation of "we're gonna kick tail", then if they don't, it's a huge disappointment. You can't co