TMSM

As SM this is your program to run. Start by asking other adult leaders if it would make sense to run the troop by the book, the way BSA describes. Forget about the details, at a high level scouting has a framework and get them convinced that this framework works for any troop that uses it. Once convinced make changes based on BSA guidelines and best practices ant disagreements can be settled using what the book says. 

-Be prepared to lose some older scouts

-Understand that you will make mistakes

-Thick skin is recommended

- Its your vision that the troop follows, get advice, stay the course.

-Train the boys, let them lead

OldScout448 - You are in the wrong troop. If this is the only troop available you need to step in and move them back to the patrol method.

Did the BSA provide any information on how much it cost to make the changes to allow girls enter Boy Scouts? Just curious on the return of investment and if there is any correlation between $ spent and scouts the number of new scouts. 

My prediction is slow growth for girl troops maybe adding 1 to 3 girls per year although that will put some into the double digits. My hope is that in 3 years they can grow to have enough scouts for 2 Patrols and an SPL.

There have been boys that have planned and made it through to First Class in record time so no doubt a girl who mayor may not be driven to be "First" can do this also.

If the girl troops are smaller there are more opportunities to get requirements signed of like first class 2e - On one campout, serve as cook. Supervise your assistant(s) in using a stove or building a cooking fire. Prepare the breakfast, lunch, and dinner planned in First Class requirement 2a. Supervise the cleanup.

If everyone in your Patrol is trying to 2e  signed off and you have 8 in your patrol it may take 6 months to get this.

2 minutes ago, mrjohns2 said:

You had me until point 3. Why do you think it is ok to not follow the mandated rules? 

I don't think this rule is meant for PLC meetings, the SM is only needed so why do I need 2 leaders? There is always other adults within hearing distance so I'll break the rule that I need 2 leaders.In fact I usually excuse myself from the meeting after the first 10 minutes and come back at the end to get the details. The scouts run the troop - so let them.

Sorry I am a bit of a rebel you should follow the rules.

38 minutes ago, CarlosD said:

So my question is can the SM snd SPL overrule a PLC decision we feel is damaging our Scouting program?

Yes, you can over rule but you could also share what you have learned here and from  other scouters and use it to revisit their decision.

In my opinion the more adults you add to a PLC meeting the more likely they will add to the conversation, As SM I rarely speak unless the PLC is hung up on an issue or needs guidance. I always answer thier questions with a question to get them to make up their own minds. I am not sure how adding an ASM would help the PLC. The quickest way to adult led troop is to have 8 or 9 ASMs for a 40 person troop and allow all to guide the scouts at the PLC.

Reasons to allow an ASM in a PLC: 1. It will help the ASM know how a PLC meeting is run by the SPL. 2. The SM may be away on business for a few weeks and the ASM should understand fully the PLCs ideas and plans. 3. You actually are following the new rules that mandate 2 adults (I don't)

I have worked hard to recruit in house MBs for all Eagle required badges (except swimming) so we try to keep them from taking those at MBUs. My biggest issue is that scouts will sign up and take the class then come back to me with a "blue card" to sign. No guidance, no choice of MB counselor all legit according to the rules.

21 hours ago, Tpherr said:

Does anyone have a recommendation on a brand of trailer? 

A trailer is a pretty simple design so I am not sure if the brand will make much difference. Here are some things to consider:

Doors - how many and how do they open. We like a side and 2 back doors that swing open - not the ramp kind of door. Its easy to get what you want, easy to load etc. A ramp may be hard for scouts to open and may need clearance in back to open.

Axels - the more you have the bigger the trailer which means bigger vehicles to pull.

Hieght - we currently have 2 trailers The one that is 7 foot tall is easy to organize and load but not great to tow. The other trailer is lower 5' and requires crawling if you need to organize but it tows like there is nothing behind you.

 Tires - make sure to get good tires rated to go the speed you plan to go.

Tounge/hitch - I prefer a wheel on the front end vs a foot. This allows you to maneuver the trailer easier when it is not hooked up.

Wrap vs paint - wraps will fade much faster than paint.

Shelves/storage - lots of good ideas online, try Pintrest

1 hour ago, Treflienne said:

Is there any better way?   Alternatives  I have seen are:  storing everying in a trailer parked at a different location than your meeting place,  and storing everything in someone's garage.   Both seem worse.

 

Why not organize the supply area by patrol? ID all equipment by patrol so everything has an owner and a place? If you have a Scout QM use 1 from each troop to focus on G or B patrols. Shared gear like HA tents, pioneering supplies can be split amounst the QMS.

1 hour ago, Treflienne said:

I agree about patrols having their own gear and being responsible for it.   But why not put a wolf on it?  or a cobra?

Its better to use symbols or in our troops case colors to represent Patrols so that they can change the name of the patrol  if they wish and the gear IDs will still work..

34 minutes ago, bsaggcmom said:

Our council banned this skit.... 

Council can ban skits? I think half of our skits could be banned if you applied this kind of logic. German biker gang, scout masters brain, Hanz the german, ugliest human. I could go on and on.

For sure now we are keeping the JCPenny skit.

2 hours ago, MikeS72 said:

 .

G2SS & YPT cannot possibly list every single situation that may pop up, I would think showing your scouts the line under Barriers to Abuse / Program Requirements "Appropriate attire is required for all activities" should be clear enough for them.  I might also ask them if they consider walking down the sidewalk in their underwear appropriate, or more importantly, would their parents consider being in any setting other than one where lack of dress is normal, would be appropriate.

 

I am good with letting the scouts (boys) do this, I think appropriate attire is a stretch. The boys think its funny, it hurts no one and the scout is in his underwear for less than 3 seconds. Scouts is not coed in my area and we dont plan on this anytime soon.

Thanks for all of the responses. I was more concerned about  being pulled into a council meeting because I have scouts doing skits in their underwear. I have a few moms that skip asking questions to the committee and go right to council. Now that I know there are no specific rules against doing a skit in your skivvies I will let them do it. I'll buy a pair of shorts or boxers that they can use and if they go briefs thats up to the scouts. 

20 minutes ago, mashmaster said:

And, you might want to mention that the skit isn't very original and funny......   Move on to the invisible bench.....

They do both - in my opinion jCPenny is funnier and I am surprised they even know what this store is. 

We have banned the "I have come to marry the princess" skit because I find it very boring and not funny at all.

2 minutes ago, RememberSchiff said:

Scout Law #7.  A Scout is Obedient.

 

Sure that's what I used for now - but I am not a "because I said so type of guy"

My Scouts have a skit called JCPenny. in the skit the first scout comes by with a nice shirt and the Boy #1 says nice shirt where did you get that and he says JCPenny, second scout comes by with and scouts # 1 says nice pants where did you get them - JCPenny. At the end of the skit a boy runs on stage in his underwear and scout number 1 says who are you - answer - I am JCPenny.

Due to YP I have asked the bos not to do this skit anymore or at least use gym shorts instead of underwear. They have asked to see the specific rule, page number where BSA does not permit this. - Can anyone help?

19 minutes ago, mrkstvns said:

Not at all "for sure".

 

Chicago area council has 0 Hornaday advisors.

Its hard to encourage Hornaday projects when you live in urban areas - less available advisors for sure. You can also double dip with your Eagle project.

A much higher achievement in my opinion is the National Outdoor Award Medal not as rare for sure but does prove that you indeed worked hard at scouting and didnt just check the boxes. 

1 hour ago, 5thGenTexan said:

I can't have my own tent or hammock.  Not now anyway.  I have a Wolf now who will be a Bear next year.  There is no way he is staying in a tent alone. 

wow you have 3 years left to suffer on the ground. There are lots of options - 2 hammocks with a spreader bar between worked for me. 1 giant tarp over both of us. I sleep well in a hammock. Now that my son is in a troop I sleep solo in a hammock and haul my turtle dog stand in the troop trailer.

If you can find a nice cot that you can sleep on thats great too, Dont worry about hauling too much when car camping. A 3 inch memry foam topper works great for me in my camper.

We have CCS tarps in 4 different colors and each patrols has their gear color coded. We set these up at every campout so the scouts can practice their knots. At the end of each campout they untie all guy lines and remove all taut line, bowline and 2 half hitches. Then the next month they tie the knots again. This allows the scouts to learn and demonstrate the practicle uses of each knot. 

As a side note CCS does provide a scout discount and the many tabs provided allow for many different ways to set up the dining fly.

If you would discourage a scout from wearing a Hope T-shirt then you should also discourage the MAGA hats. Politics dont really need a place in scouting there are many other things to focus on. As a conservitive I bite my lip and shoo away parents from talking politics as I get enough of that from working with progressives. We have much too learn from each other outside of politics and its a lot more fun learning scout skills or just doing scouting.

1 hour ago, mrkstvns said:

Guess it's time to get over to REI and sign up for some of their basic scouting skills classes before I go make a fool of myself trying to teach my fellow adult scouters...

Here is some help on teaching compass - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yymedzg6Gxo&feature=youtu.be

1 hour ago, mrkstvns said:

I would like to see a good navigation class offered at my local University of Scouting. Lord knows I'm bored senseless by all the bureaucratic nonsense about the politically correct policy du jour and learning more about the irrelevant tangent award du jour. Basic OUTDOOR skills are painfully lacking in our council's University of Scouting.  Navigation is just one of many useful basic scouting skills that scouters could use some brushing up on... 

The best way to make this happen is to volunteer to teach it. I teach 3 classes each year on scouting skills and they are always packed. I am not sure why because these are things you should know as a scouter.

This has been a problem with our troop for the last few years. Our older scouts did not have this requirement and have no idea how to teach this. Typically they (first class and above) sign off on requirements and we had a few sign off on the use of a car GPS using a street address. As SM I feel that the BSA is an outdoor program and a handheld should be used in the back country or while camping for 4b. Our solution was to have a meeting with the scouts and discuss what they felt should be taught and learned in this requirement. The consensus was to learn waypoints, lat/long, working the interface on a hand held so that GPS skills would be ready for high adventure. We also talked abput maps vs GPS which was very interesting.