Jump to content

When is last date to work on Wolf electives?


Recommended Posts

When is the last date a Cub Scout may work on Wolf electives?

 

I've assumed that it's the last day of 2nd grade, since the next day they are 3rd graders and, I think, technically Bears. Our pack leadership wasn't sure, and they've had a flexible approach, for example allowing Wolf scouts to work on Wolf electives until the 3rd grade school year starts.

 

Is there any authoritative guidance on this?

Link to post
Share on other sites

Technically June 1 is the promotion date of tiger, wolf, bear to the next rank as far as Scoutnet goes..... But if an advancement report gets turned in over the summer the local Scout office will usually accept it.

 

When I was CM I only accepted electives needed to advance rank after the last day of School. Otherwise I directed Cubs to work on the next rank.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Since you can't work on two ranks at once, it stands to reason, that if you've advanced to being a Bear Cub Scout, then you can't earn Wolf electives.

 

The 'switch over' date in the National Council's computers is June 1 - as far as they're concerned, Cub Scouts move to the next level on that date.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Cub Scouts is grade based, not age based. Therefore, calendar dates are meaningless. The real question becomes what grade is a boy in the summer? For example, does the next grade take effect after the last day of school or the first day of school?

 

It really doesn't matter because to earn Bear, one does not have to have earned Wolf. When I was a den leader, I tried to make sure they completed their rank requirements before the end of the school year. However, I had one rare case where a boy did not and I told him I would let him complete the rank requirements that summer. As a den, we were active all year round.

 

P.S. Yes, I know that an eight year old kindergarten student can become a Wolf but let's don't go there.

Link to post
Share on other sites

If a cub has been working on his rank and needs a little more time, then why not encourage him? In my experience, these scouts need just another week or two. If a scout hasn't been working on his rank, missed meetings etc. then in my experience he will either not finish it over the summer OR his parents will report that magically he has completed everything. I'm not so supportive in this case.

Link to post
Share on other sites

This is one of those grey areas since it is a grade based advancement.

 

Our Pack, and most other Packs advance the boys to the next rank at the end of the school year (actually at the awards banquet in April. After this they can work on the next rank as out grade year is complete).

 

Some Packs advance at the beginning of the school year.

 

Nationals advances all boys on June 1, although council will usually accept advancement items after that.

 

As far as Resident Camp is concerned, they are the next rank before they go to camp.

 

What I did as Cubmaster is on the rare instances that the boy had just a few items left, I let them finish them over the summer. It's all a judgement call...do what's best for the boy!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Sounds like the consensus is that June 1 or the last day of the boy's current grade's classes should officially be the last day for arrow points. However, also sounds like a lot of packs give significant latitude on this, so in practice, the last chance to get arrow points is in fact late summer, before classes begin for the next school year.

Link to post
Share on other sites

This was addressed in the the "old" Cub Scout Leader Book, I can't find it in the 2010 version. However, that could be because, with the new Cub Scout program, all Cubs are expected/required to have completed their rank awards by February.

 

In the pre-2010 version, it stated that if your Cubs had not finished the requirements for the rank award of their current Cub level by the end of the school year they could have a few more weeks to work on it, but ONLY on the rank award. No work on electives, or any other awards for the "old" level, or the "new" one.

 

Basically, Cub Scouts is an age appropriate program, and you can not go back and earn awards for a younger age, or work in more than one level at a time.

Link to post
Share on other sites

On a very rare occasion a scout might be given a few extra weeks to finish up a rank, though moving to the next rank is not dependent on earning the previous rank.

 

Any electives worked on over the summer should be for the next rank.

Rank year June 1 - May 31. When a scout earns a rank, all the electives he has completed since June 1 can then be applied to tiger tracks/arrowpoints. The scout can continue to work on electives to apply to tracks/points until the end of the school year.

 

Presentation of the rank or the pack's banquet does not signify that a scout is to start working on the requirements for the next rank- not until June (or day after last day of school, which in some areas may be in the end of May).

Link to post
Share on other sites

Another thing to consider here is this:

 

Have you already held a graduation ceremony yet? If so, then it's done if he has already been promoted to the next rank.

 

Really, I wouldn't have an issue with a boy working a extra week or so on his rank. Granted, he won't have a ceremony over it, but at least he could put the patch on his shirt with the rest of the patches.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I don't see the harm in letting the boys choose what they work on over the summer.

 

At the cub level, I want the boys excited about scouting. So, whether it's adding any arrow point or two from Wolf over the summer or getting an early start at Bear, I don't see a harm in going either way. I think even a little of both is OK - because at least they are working on something scouting related and presumably having fun!

 

Just my .02.

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

I had no problem accepting Cub Scout rank awards over the summer especially. After the new school year started, I encouraged parents to work on the new rank. But if they wanted to complete the previous one, that was OK with me.

 

Never had anyone turn in electives late. I'd be inclined to draw the line there.

 

If I was a SLACK Cubmaster, so be it.

 

I'd save being a stickler on advancement for Boy Scouts, and Eagle Scout in particular.

 

 

(This message has been edited by seattlepioneer)

Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...