What is Difference between SM Conference and BOR

[MrsSmith]

What is the difference between SM Conference and BOR, particularly in terms of what is covered? I have been following the thread about who sits on a BOR and am totally confused. I see the ASM, unregistered parents, and the Committee Chairman all sitting on ours. But this is more evidence of the disarray the troop is in -- someone said they wonder how many troops out there are just doing their own thing without regard to the BSA way. I know of one. Help.

[boleta]

The BOR is made up of Registered Committee Members. Any parent can attend a Committee meeting. In some Troops the ASMs can do Scoutmaster Conferences, but in others, only the SM can do the conference. It should be in the Troop Bylaws.

Recent discussions have confused me, though. Several ranks require that a Scout "participate" in a SM Conference. It does not say "pass" a SM Conference. But the SM must sign off before a BOR can be held. The recent discussions suggest that a BOR should be held whether or not the SM says the Scout is ready to advance. This does make sense as it allows the BOR to assess the Scouts progress even though he may not advance.

[Fat Old Guy]

The Scoutmaster Conference is an opportunity for the SM to sit down with a Scout and get a feel for what's going on with him and how well he's doing in Scouting. A Scout can neither pass nor fail a Conference but that's usually when the SM signs off on Scout Spirit and if a Scout has been a troublemaker or a slacker, he doesn't get Scout Spirit signed off.

 

A Board of Review serves many purposes. One is to verify that the Scout did indeed pass the requirements. If the board determines that a Scout didn't actually do the work but was just signed off by a buddy, they can send him back to do the work. Another purpose of the BOR is to get an idea of the Scouts like the program and how things are going with the troop. The Board of Review, by the book, consists of at least three and not more than six registered Committee Members. The SM, ASM and parents/guardians/relatives of the Scout being reviewed may not sit on a BOR.

[Bob White]

Mrs. Smith

The purpose of the Scoutmaster Conference is for the Scoutmaster to learn more about the needs and characteristics of the individual scouts in the troop. This allows the Scoutmaster to make sure each scout is getting the program elements, resouces amd opportunities he needs to reach achieve scoutings mission based on the individual scout. The Scoutmaster also makes sure that a scout has completed all requiremnets for his next step in advancement, and helps the scout to set goals for further advancement.

 

The Board of Review is made of a minimum of three registered committee members and a maximum of 6 registered committee members. Their job is to insure that the scout did the work tasks of advancement as they are stated in the advancement requirements, to learn how the scout is growing through the use of the scouting program, and to evaluate the troop program and its leaders through a scouts viewpoint. The BOR can be held not only for scouts who are advancing, but also for scouts who are not.

 

Both the scoutmaster sonference, and the board of review, are ways we evaluate a scouts personal growth.

 

Does this answer your question?

[MrsSmith]

The makeup of each is clear now. It sounds like in both conferences there are two parts. In Part One, both give the boys a "final exam" on the skills they were supposed to learn. In Part Two, both conferences focus on the boy, how well he is doing in the troop and the boy's feelings about the troop program. Additionally, the BOR gets feedback on the adult leadership.

 

Working hard out here to catch up. Thank you all for your feedback. Have a Blessed Easter.

 

[Fat Old Guy]

". In Part One, both give the boys a "final exam" on the skills they were supposed to learn."

 

No, we don't give a final exam although that might not be a bad idea, it isn't how the program is designed. In a BOR we ask questions to find out if the boy actually did the work like, "So what did you do for the cooking requirement?" or "How long did it take you to learn the bowline?"

 

Quite often, the Scout will say, "I didn't actually cook anything, I just watched the ASM cook breakfast for us." or "Mr. Brown didn't make us learn how to tie the bowline, he just showed it to us." That's when you have the hard call to make. Here's a kid who's been told that he's completed a requiement but the adults or youth leaders have let him slide. The right thing to do is to send the kid back to really do the requirements and then strike the AMS vigorously about the head and shoulders whilst explaining to him the idea of "Never do for a Scout what a Scout can do."

[MrsSmith]

FOG, in a BOR you ask questions to find out if the boy actually did the work? I am really confused. What's the point of having the book initialed? Are these really just surreptitious checks and balances to prevent the "boy run troop" from running amok? Again, I am just trying to learn the theories behind the procedures.

[acco40]

In our troop (and most I believe), the Scout schedules his BOR via the Advancement Chair. Just the other month, a Scout scheduled his BOR and then participated in it (and passed mind you) BEFORE he had his SM conference and Show Scout Spirit requirements signed off. The advancement chair was not present (illnes) but three committee members (registered committee members is a redundant statement) were present. As SM, I was not to happy. The BOR SHOULD have reviewed his BS Handbook, found out not all requirements had been signed off and politely excused the boy.

 

There is a check and balance being preformed by the SM conference and the BOR. The BOR, which should not include any SAs or the SM (or their spouses for that matter - my preference, not the BSAs) should try to get feedback from the Scout on how the SM and SAs are performing their duties.

 

I'd like to add somewhat to BW statements about a SM conference. Not only does it allow the SM to get to know the Scout better, it allows the Scout to get to know the SM better. That is why as SM, I usually have an SA give my sons their SM conference, not me. Of course, less formally, I have a "SM conference" on an almost weekly basis, if not daily, with them.

 

P.S. Your pies are awesome!(This message has been edited by acco40)

[MrsSmith]

acco40 "Your pies are awesome". In English, please.

I have reached the part in both handbooks that we are now discussing and I see where it says this is not a retest. But I think I also understand how the SM is being given an informal performance review at the BOR. Very clever. Oh, that our troop followed the BSA model.... Sorry for wasting everybody's time. I will try not to ask questions until I research it first from now on. Thanks for the input though.

 

[Marty_Doyle]

P.S. means "post script", Latin (?) for after the letter.....

Or did you mean the joke about the Mrs. Smith's prepared pies available at your local grocers?