njdrt-rdr

Not totally up on all the acronyms. What's a DE? Hopefully we can run with two. I planned on myself mentoring them in the beginning because I don't see either stepping directly into the position. I'm hoping the next flyer will draw more attention and gather up a couple more boys.

ok, so it looks like we're doing pretty poorly in the tiger enrollment this year. It's looking like 2 scouts at the most. I feel bad because one of them, he's been doing stuff with the scouts for years because his older brother is one and he's really excited about being a scout and now there's nobody for a den for him. We sent out flyers, had a initial tiger gathering meeting for info, had a first pack meeting. We had about 6 people sign up as interested at back to school night. Day after back to school a flyer went home with the first graders. 3 attended the tiger info meeting, 2 did actual sign up with BSA forms at our first pack meeting. Both have older kids in scouts. I email contacted all 6 people to try and gather them all together as a group. I got one yes he wants to be a scout response, one no response and 4 people did not answer me at all. So now I'm thinking it will be 2 kids tops. Pretty much it'll suck as a two kid den. Any suggestions what to do? My only other idea is to have another flyer go out maybe with a little more info on it this time. On the other flip side, I know we are going to get closer to 10 kids next year as tigers. Can a second grader join as a tiger if there aren't enough wolves to have a den?

I have a couple BSA questions. Curious about Tiger den leaders. Do they have an actual leader? I'm being told that there is no official "den leader" for tigers, that everyone is an adult parent partner. This is what was also communicated to tiger parents. When we were tigers, we had a leader, myself and a couple other women(who had older scouts, so they knew scouting already and jumped in). We went to leader classes and did all the BSA training required, but I never got registered as an actual leader, it actually took until February or March of the following Bear year for me to get a registration card from BSA saying I was actually a leader. Even though I had been leading the den for over a year and a half. The Bear year, leading by myself as the two other leaders I had left scouts. When I spoke to our CM about it, he says there are no Tiger leaders, they are all parent partners. So my was then if tigers travel on a go-see it to an out of district location. They need to file a tour plan. Nobody in the den can file a tour plan unless they are a registered leader. But now we have some new tiger parents. If there is no leader, what do you do at the very beginning of the season? Who organizes them, set up the meeting times, location, etc...

just a followup for the folks that took the time to answer me on this post. Our Den will stay intact. I had a parent (that had previously said they couldn't do it) step up to be DL for our den. I was very happy as he and I think on the same level and I think he will be great. I also had a parent from another den that I work with very well step up and say they would help me out if I became CM, so I also stepped up to be the CM. Should be a fun couple of years coming up. So much to learn. Thanks, Nick

What is everyone doing for pack websites. Ours used to use a service called packsonline. We used it for schedules and info the pack needed to know, etc. But it's now gone and we are looking for something to replace it. Who's using a service or is everyone building their own? Thanks, Nick

About 45 scouts, chartered by a school PTA

I discount the girls scout leader parents becuase I asked and they said no because they're too busy with girl scouts. our committee chair is non existant. We do have one, but does nothing and I haven't seen at the last 4 leader meetings. I'm not even sure what a COR does so it leads me to think we don't have one. I've been approached mutltiple times by the current CM to become the CM. First time was when I was a 2 month old den leader and I told him maybe in a couple of years. The beginning of this year, I lost my 2 ADL's but also told the current CM that I would be his ACM this year because we don't have one and the CM has too much to do, he was doing alot of stuff he shouldn't have been doing because he had people who wouldn't follow through and it was easier to just do himself. He has 3 kids, 1 cub and 2 scouts and is the troop scout master. He declined my offer saying I couldn't be a ACM and a DL. So now we are to the end of the year and he's leaving at crossover next year and I brought up the subject of who is going to replace him. He asked me if I wanted to take over the pack along with a couple other leaders asked me if I wanted to do it. Since he declined my offer, I just bumped up how much I was invloved and took over more things that he had been doing, I followed through and got them accomplished. Things like paperwork for certain pack events, making sure other people were doing stuff when they should be. Little things, but I guess it give the people the idea that I should be the next CM since my name seems to be on alot of the things going on.(This message has been edited by njdrt-rdr)

I can see that, with the way our pack has been running this year. It's more work being a DL than a CM. I also think that being a DL is more hands on with kids than being the CM is. While he runs our meetings and he does go to the weblos woods (which I know nothing) about. There's not much direct interaction with the kids. I enjoy the den meetings and coming up with things that interest the kids and they have fun with.

I've operated this whole year as the DL with no official assistants. I did farm out some den activities to parents and their scout to help with. That went well and I'm fine going forward as a single DL. Mind you, I have been trying since last August to get someone to sign on as an official ADL. My initial thought was if I had to become CM, then I need someone from my den to lead it. So there's 6 other families in my den. Two families have 4 kids each where the dad coaches 2 sports already, so neither of them are going to volunteer. I also have a family where both parents are Girl Scout leaders, so they are not going to volunteer. So I'm down to a choice of 3 families. One I don't think is a good choice and the other's have told me they can't do it for various reasons. I've asked them face to face. They did offer to help more, but couldn't commit to being a leader. So I'm slowly running out of prospects. I haven't approached the other den about a new leader yet. Mainly because they are a den that meets after school and we are a den that meets at night. We just operate totally different. I'm inclined at this point to just sit it out til the CM leaves and the council comes in and forces the issue. Either every position gets filled or we fold. If musical chairs needs to take place at that time, then so be it. I think the pack needs this re-focus instead of the few doing the majority of the work. My plan is to try again in September at the beginning of the next year with getting the CM to have a parent only meeeting and lay it all out on the table.

Actually, I had thought there was a specific bas rule that said you couldn't hold two positions. At least that's what the current CM told me.

Is 14 too many for a den? So here's the situation. Currently we have two wolf dens(one den is mine) to become 2 bear dens next year. Our CM is leaving mid year next year and has been trying for 3 years to get someone to step up to ACM and CM. But by Sept, the situation will be critical. In my den, I am the only DL, no co DL or assistan DL. So when something happens and I can't do a meeting, we cancel it. The other den has 2 leaders. It looks by all peoples talks, everyone is expecting me to become CM. I don't really want to do it, but I don't want to see the pack fold either. If it came down to folding, I would do it. The problem is that I've told my den multiple times, in person that if I become CM, I can't run the den. We have 7 scouts in my den. I had a face to face with all the dad's in the den last week and talked about this and asked who was going to lead the den. I got 3 flat out "not me" responses and 4 blank stares. So what do I do? My wife has gone as far as telling some of the mom's in the den that if I become CM, my son will transfer to the other den and that will be the end of it. Our den will fold. I'm thinking 14 is too many for one den, although they do have 2 leaders and I would also help, just not be listed as a leader. But I don't know what to do. One part of me says just wait til it become critical next crossover and the crap hits the fan and see who steps up when the pack is on the line. The other part of me says if I wait that long it will wind up being me anyway and I will have lost 6 months of being able to shadow the current CM to see what he does. My main purpose to to make sure my son enjoys scouts and I feel that the best route for that is for me to stay a den leader. Although he does think it would be cool if I were CM. Any suggestions?

not that it makes any difference, but besides by question. Found out at our pack meeting last night that our Bears who just got bear rank awarded on 19th, went to the weblos woods campout on 18th.

I got the answer. Thanks. I'm a den leader of two years and if I can't manage to stay a den leader, I actually will most likely become the ACM and then CM next year since nobody else is stepping up. Although I'd rather be a den leader. If you actually need to know, I've done the den leader training for tiger and den leader both online and in person training, weather hazard training, youth protection training, BALOO will be next fall. Haven't done OWL as I'm still a Wolf Leader. Nor have I done IOLS since I'm in cubscouts and not boyscouts. I'm just a leader who's looking to plan for next year and beyond to see what I'll need. I just didn't know the answer to the question I posed. The idea came from the current bear den leader who's plan was to do that this year after they earned thier badge. It didn't seem correct to me, but thought it if was, it would be fun. Info isn't readily available in my pack so I thought I'd ask here. While there's no hurry, I was just looking for something fun for the kids. The local state park has an observatory and will give the scouts a guided tour and instruction of it and the park also has campsites. Thought it would be fun to tour the observatory on a Sat afternoon and then camp over Sat night. I already know I can't take them camping myself. It would have been me, a co-den leader and some parents. We've been camping before, but at district and pack events. Also not saying there's a rush but if you actually look at it, you can't camp as a den until you are into the 4th year of a 4.5 year cubscout program. My kids like the outdoors. Our fishing and hiking outings are their favorites of the year and they want to know when we are going camping. Previously the only campouts that were done by non Weblos were the once a year family campout. I was able to coordinate two other pack campouts at district events this year and the kids had fun. So I was looking to do something as a den. I'll just skip it till they are Weblos.

When are you technically considered a Weblo? For instance we just finished up the Wolf year. Next year we start Bear scouts. According to BSA guidlines you can't camp as a den until you are Weblos I scouts. So when is that officially, is that at the start of the 4th grade or could that be in spring after they've completed their bear ranks? I'd like to take my den camping the end of next year. But I'm not sure if I can. If I'm not allowed to do it as a den, the only other option is to have a pack overnight campout, correct? Thanks, NXS

Maybe a dumb question, but here goes... In the Wolf electives, there are multiple things listed under each elective. Does the scout have to complete everything under the elective, or one of the things. For example. Do the scouts have to do one of these things to complete this elective, or do all 6 of these things? AMERICAN INDIAN LORE A. Read a book or tell a story about American Indians, past or present. B. Make a musical instrument American Indians used. C. Make traditional American Indian clothing. D. Make a traditional item or instrument that American Indians used to make their lives easier. E. Make a model of a traditional American Indian house. F. Learn 12 American Indian word pictures and write a story with them.