ScouterAdam

howarthe: I am in Pioneer District!

Many Councils have a segment program, so CPCBSA is not the only one.

The beads at Roundtable, from what I have seen is a Cubscout breakout item that allows people to count that you were there. We have since switched to signing the book as you enter.

Also, CPCBSA has a District Patch that is worn in the temporary position. Not every Council has that. I like that since that helps me know where people are from.

Nope, no guns.

No, your correct. I put those types of devices in the same catagory as Archery, BBGuns and Knives. Leave them at home. Knives you have the Whittlin Chit, the rest are done at Council/District Camps/events. Our council had a slingshot range the past couple of years, but it's ran as you would expect.

I have no problem with this.

From the cubscout at the popcorn show & sell: Mr Scoutmaster, I am not going to crossover to your Troop.

SM: Why?

Scout: You yelled at me years ago when I was selling popcorn.

SM:What?

Scout: Yes, years ago apparently we were selling popcorn a day ahead of time and it was an HONEST mistake.

SM: I am sorry about that, but that was the rules.

Scout: yes, but a Scout is Kind and you were not, so I think that if you do that in public, I do not want to be in your Troop. My buddies and I are going to another Troop because of it.

Talk to the Stake President. They generally should know since they do the calling for the Adults. It's called the Primary within the LDS. Plus, it starts on the birthday of the child. So each birthday, the move up in rank. Totally different system.

Intel is in town and had a couple of STEM related outings for the Cubscouts this last year. Bummed. Wonder if that will be affected?

Time to visit your old SM and invite him to see how he's done. Mr #12.

I sent flyers to the parents via email. Asking them to forward it on the boys's Playdate/School Friends....(Yes, I said playdates..ugh.)

That's how I get around the system of sending flyers home sooner and quicker. The district allows flyers in backpacks, but this is a good way to get info out. Use the Parents Network....

Yeah, this is NOT COOL! Thanks for bringing this to my attention. I left a note about how I do not approve of this.

Kimble: Your in a tough spot. Thanks for reaching out.

Since you have three churches just merge, reach out to those pastor's who came in. Do they have Scout Units?

I would if possible, stand up in church and ask who is an Eagle Scout and in Girl Scouts as a Boy/Girl growing up. Then tell them about the Pack. Invite them to a Parent meeting about joining. You just had two other churches merge into one. So, you have more people at church.

This is a great time to advertise.

What you do need is to reach out to the Charter Org Rep, District Exec and the Unit Commissioner (if you have one). They can bring the help you need.

You cannot do this alone, you need to reach out to the Church/Pastor to get the word out.

Are you trying to get the Scouts to earn the Kickball Pin? In those requirements, you can play 5 games.

GSUSA is totally different.

Plus in the Oregon/Washington Council, they just had a 15% staff reduction and closed 3 service centers.

It's $20 more. Big deal.

In our Pack, it's either the Den Leader or myself (Cubmaster) who picks up all the awards/bling. Parents are not allowed to buy awards. Pack pays for all awards and receipts are required for payment.

I would not want them both in one Den. Unless it's a very large Den.

If they were Webelos II, I would want them to look at what Activity Pins were left to earn for Arrow of Light. Also include fun ones. That's first on my list. Then, I want them to include what the Eagle Scouts really like. If they play Magic, play Magic. If they work skills for the Scout/Tenderfoot Rank, do that as well.

So, besides the basics show them what fun things they did in Boy Scouts. The Den Leader is still in charge. So, the Eagle Scouts get their orders from there. But, it can be a partner ship.

Howarthe: I would seriously look into the Pack Meeting plans that I gave very early on in the thread. They came out in 2010 and I used them as a guideline as to what I could offer. I don't use them verbatim, but the ideas are good.

This is my last year, after four years being Cubmaster. I have pretty much had an idea of what each Pack Meeting would be about. Leave No Trace, First Aid, Cooperation....something with "A Game with a Purpose" to it. So, when I say THEME, that is what I mean.

This year, I am working the 12 Core Values into each Month. The first is Cooperation.

Just having a game is not good enough. That's called recess. Going to a Pumpkin Patch is fine, we have done that too. But, that's outside of a Pack Meeting. That's a Pack Outing/Activity. We changed up the Pumpkin Patch event since everyone does it. We started a Pumpkin Cart Race, which had boys paint their pumpkins and race them down the School Drive way. If they were not demolished then, we had a Launcher we shot them out of afterwards. Think "ANGRY BIRDS" with Pumpkins. We are doing that again in Oct, but I am going to talk about STEM. Plus, I am hooking up the Cubmaster Pumpkin with a GoPro!

So, those are Activities. Not a Pack Meeting.

You need to have a PACK MEETING that is where you hand out awards and perform ceremonies. I love that you want to do it outdoors. Being from Portland, I get the weather issue. I push our Pack Meetings out in the Spring since the weather is way nicer.

Also, the Bobcat award is the first Rank that any Cubscout will get. It's just as important as the Arrow of Light. Do a ceremony for them. Making it special for them will keep them in.

So, every month has a Pack Meeting. Every month can have an Activity/Outing. They are separate.

I guess my question is, what do you do during a Pack Meeting? This is besides: Flag/Announcements (A horrible way to die) /Awards?

Do you have a theme? A Game? A Skit? A Song?

Always have a Pack Meeting where advancement is handed out. A Pack Activity is seperate from the Meeting. Meaning if there is a Hockey Night, Pack Overnight, Crossover, Hike or snow day that are on the weekends.

As for Summertime Pack Awards, those are activities.

So, yes, in my estimation your Pack is doing it wrong.

Try looking at this for help.

http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/CubScouts/Leaders/DenLeaderResources/DenandPackMeetingResourceGuide.aspx

I would highly limit the information as to where it is located. Keep it in the records and off a website. Packmaster is really the only place we keep ours besides the paper files. There again, it's password protected and I limit who gets to see everything. We do not even put in the SSN# in.

Back to the real question. I know it's a digital world out there and a lot of kids are on the Internet. My kids do not have email. They want it, but I have yet to find a secure service that I like and trust. (Webelos II & Brownie ages).

If you want to say Happy Birthday to a Scout, do it at a Den or Pack Meeting. Sing a Song and/or give a Birthday Card to them.

Overall, this is not School or a playdate. It's Scouting. I do not bring in Birthday's into a Meeting. It detracts from it. I have had a couple of times where a Scout tells me it's his Birthday during a Meeting. I congratulate him and we sing. Done and over. I do not ignore if the Scout brings it up.

As to the Youth Protection thing....yeah, emailing ecards to them if they have an address, is creepy. I would copy the Parents as part of Two-Deep Leadership.

Here is info that helps guide me. http://www.scouting.org/sitecore/content/Home/Marketing/Resources/SocialMedia.aspx

Sure, why not? Put all the stuff that they do on the flag.

Hi there:

I generally agree with what many of the contributors here have stated.

Apparently the CC/CM forsee an issue within how your Troop is run. Troop Meetings are not there for Merit Badge work. Merit Badges are done outside of Troop Meetings. If a Scout wants to work on a MB, then follow the procedure of the Scout asking the SM (or unit leader) for a list of MBC's and they contact the MBC and go from there. It is up to the MBC to sign-off.

If your SMC/BOR's are set-up to re-test what is learned for rank/MB, that is really not the point of them. It is a review of how the Scout is doing within the Troop and their goals. It is also time to guide them on how to better improve their skills. It should be before that point of the SMC/BOR that the Scout is tested to pass those requirements so they are signed off on. If the Scout is lacking in said skills, and is sign-ed off on, then look toward those who are signing off. I suspect THEY need more attention to detail.

That could be a valid reason that you do not see and they do.

Taking over the Troop Leadership of the smaller Troop. Sure, why not. If the other Troop sees the CC/CM coming and they want to invite them into a leadership position, that is up to them. It's not Red Dawn and they cannot just come in and TAKE YOU OVER.

Journey to Excellence is a wonderful program. Yes, it helps the District Exec and other metrics. Yes, it can show how good you are on several points. Can it be manipulated. To some degree, yes. But, it can help a Unit fix areas. It is also a good tool for Parents/Scouts to judge you on. It forces the Unit to have a list of what they do during the year. It's no the end all be all deciding factor to join. You could have very boring outings that include going to the same car camping state park that is 20 miles down the road each year.

As to getting the CC/CM relieved of their duties. What will that do? It will just piss them off even more and spread bad tidings towards your Troop. Is this the only Pack in the area? What about other Packs? What are you doing there? Are your Den Chief's any good? Are their complaints about them? Den Chief's represent your Troop. Maybe the Den Cheif's are complaining about you?

As a Cubmaster myself, I do not advocate for just one Troop. 97219 is my area, look it up on beascout.org. I have been pointing the Webelos to various Troops. Our main one that we have been going to since I have been in the Pack is not my first choice. I have my issues with them. Yes, my DE knows it. I also have been indirectly offered the Scoutmaster position. Do I want it? No. But, I am not pointing people away from that Troop. I include them and another in Pack Meetings and events.

If you have a program that stands on it's own sans JTE, then the Scouts will come.

What can you do with the current Pack Committee? Not much. You could ask their Unit Commissioner what they know about the situtation. Since your a parent in the Pack, start asking the parents at the meetings. Surely they know your the CC of a Troop.

Besides, if the Scouts who crossover into that other Troop don't like it. It's only $1 to transfer to yours.

There was a class at the Washjam on Joint Base Lewis McChord over this weekend that offered it. Many Scouts were able to complete the MB. The Bluecards are posted dated. Apparently the local Council had to get specific permission from National to offer it.

Pretty Cool

This was offered over the weekend at Washjam on Ft Lewis in Washington. The local Council had to get permission from National to make it happen. One Scout that I know of earned it. I suspect others did too. Though, the Blue Card is dated 8/20 and it was earned on 8/18.

An ASM posted a photo of the card...

I forgot. Check with those in your Council who are very knowledgeable about these things. Longtime Scouters should know about these. You might find a professional who knows, but more than likely it's a Volunteer.

The WashJam is every 5 years. It's just before the National Jamboree. I am not aware of others in Oregon. I am in Portland. I know that the Canadian's hold a Jamboree every year in many places. Those are good to go to. I am hoping to get to one soon when my son crosses over this next year.

I know that there are several Canadian Units coming for WashJam. Look them up and ask them about their Jamborees.

Oh, and bring a lot of patches...

Good that your concerned about training. Take the required ones on Myscouting.org. There are others there too. Those are good as well.

OWLS helps you be a better teacher and gets you to understand the Webelos Program better. As others have said, it's not required. Ok, well if your going after the Webelos Den Leader Knot, then it is. (Which is now the Den Leaders Knot...but that's a different story.)

GO to Webelos Woods. Within our District, the parents are highly encouraged to come so they can see what the transistion to Boy Scouts is going to be like and what Boy Scouts really is. It's NOT Webelos III.

Outside of that, get the books people have said to get. This link is also a great resouce: http://meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php/Webelos_Den_Leader_Portal