Scoutmaster Ron

Great story..here's raising my cup of coffee to you!!

Good for you foto, have fun, leave a legacy I used to be an owl

P.M. when you get a chance..take in mind I cant seem to convince the troop to use the 3 types of patrols 6 Life's 1-Star 2-Tender's 1-Scout..as always tks for sharing

I know this is off topic but Bob can you tell P.M. on how this was achieved "A troop of 11 scouts was having problems with retention. Troops around them in their community were all growing and theirs was not. Following a roundtable presentation the troop instituted a more rigid Patrol Method including using the three levels of patrols. Four years later they were more than 50 strong"

It's now been 6 months and wanted to update everyone on this. Since this happened and the new rule on what defines active we have had 8 scouts transfer out and 3 ASM's to other troops. We have gone from 22 to 10 scouts in the troop 3 due to Eagle's. Of the 10 remaining only about 4-6 show up to meetings which seem to be no more than a social hour there really is no meeting planned. This last week while the S.M. was unable to make the meeting I was asked to be there. While rearranging other committments no on showed for the PLC when I asked the scouts they replied "I forgot" & "no-one called me" this is NOT the first time it's happened. Well the meeting that occured after that was an hour of making candy apples followed by a game (which acutally was about 4 scouts talking outside). It's now been 8 days since I sent an e-mail to the CC and the S.M. and have yet to get a reply. 1/3 of the current S.M.'s are NOT TRAINED" I have decided to take the month of Nov to look at other troops. I'm going to go back to the last meeting in Nov and see if anything has changed, after 4 years in the troop it saddens me to start preparring a resignation letter.

What I dont understand about UW is are they seperatly ran? I hear all the time this UW not supporting scouts and then this one does each UW decide on this?

Catching on to this topic kinda late but, thanks Bob you helped clear some items up for me. What I would like to ask the board is it's NOT a requirment for the uniform but I know I read somewhere that for a BOR " a scout had to be properly dressed" Now I'm interpeting that as full class A Can a BOR be postponned say if a scout is wearing jeans? And that the CO has not implementated such a policy of complete uniforms

If it is discussed at a troop meeting or included in the weekly troop announcement e-mails it can be easily implied that it's a sanctioned event

Next Monday is my company's schedule time do pledges, does anyone have any creative statements or questions to ask the UA rep?

fling..After you have attended training, it's time to train the boys have a Troop JLT make sure they scouts are in their patrols throughout. Then seek more training for yourself! Once you have completed that sit down with the SPL & ASPL's and find out what THEIR goals are for the troop/make sure THEY have a monthly theme offer advice and assistance only when THEY need it. Meet with them before and after each meeting ask how THEY felt the meeting went, what can be done better to enhance their program. At the end of each meeting provide them with a S.M. minute get THEM thinking, shouldn't be hard there are hundreds on the internet not to mention books you can purchase. Assign ASM's to each patrol, encourage your ASM's to be trained. Sit down with each boy call it a S.M. conference but just talk to them learn about each boy in their troop remember you are there for them. Then seek even more training for yourself! I would encourage your PLC to meet off-site O'h dont forget to bring along another ASM treat them to pizza be a bystander and watch the boys work together. Then in about a year have the senior scouts in the troop do the JLT (Bob White has mentioned a new sylabus coming soon) Let the boys train the boys and so forth. Be sure to read the S.M. P.L. & SPL's handbook, cover to cover I learned alot from that and also the board especially!! Hope this helped I know everyone on the board will help also.

Ask the individual scout what he considers active, believe me he wont advance anyway if he's not there..hence he will not be considered for leadership positions out of site out of mind. The troop I'm serving has gone from 23 to 10 within the past 4 months due to 50-50 active rule and not allowing females to go on outings.

Ask the scout what is active..The troop I'm serving requires 50% meetings and 50% outings personally I disagree with this. A scout recently transfered out due to this he was 80% meetings and 40% outings and was denied a S.M. conference. We were told by our council/DE that troops can define "what is active"

What about having the younger scout in the new scout patrol and the older brother be troop guide?

I forgot an item on a camping trip the S.M. picked it up and was returning it to me at the meeting and I told him NO, you know what I have to do for it. I sang for my item in front of the Scouts, It was all in good fun. We have had scouts in the past sing for list items (only if they wanted too) One Scout forgot items quite regulary and in support his entire patrol sang with him. We have since stopped this practice. As to the Cub Scouts flipping how wopuld you handle a scout that was overweight? Would you need two adults? wouldn't that be humilitating?

"the den leader doesnt have control over the boys the assistant more or less just has scream bouts(and i mean scream to scare the boys) when the boys dont listen" This is very concerning..in no way should he be SCREAMING at these Bear ScoutsI think if you use the ideas you mentioned candle etc should work better also the marble jar is another one, as each boy arrives give them 3 marbles and at the end of the meeting if they dont have any taken away they put them in a jar, when the jar is full a special treat.

denmom, you dont mention training..get as much as you can you'll also be in contact with other dl's and tap into them for advice on den meetings and the best way to deliver the program, another idea is to work with the local troop maybe a den chief can be of assistance to you. Good luck and good scouting

I may be wrong on this but when fundraising doesnt the scout/pack have to either provide a service or a product? How does bike riding satisfy that? With popcorn and candy bar fundraisers I would think that those two alone should satisfy the $40.00 Just floating this idea but you could have them provide "Halloween insurance" that if a resident was the victom of T.P. the pack would clean up the house?

We use 3 forms of communication..announcements at the meeting, troop calendar and e-mail( parents only) if they dont get it thru those means what else can you do?

I'll take a stab at it 1.Yes, but remember he does receive a reward at the end 2.Yes 3.No, the scout received payment 4.Possibly, did the S.M. approve this prior? 5.No

If you read the article remember Lil had not planned on wearing the uniform while the game was on, she had been told they were only going for a publicity photos and was then told "game on jump overboard"

I get my beads this weekend Owl's rule the roost

The needs of the few outweigh the needs of the many? 75% want to go? The PLC planned this and committee wants to change it? you're not longer moving towards a boy-run troop they just shot down their plans. They'll be hesitant next time to come up with an outing next time. If they want to plan a beach outing for November let them do it and learn from their mistakes.

Wente Scout Reservation, Willits California

While it may be important for others what patrol they were in it was more important for me what I learned and how I can bring those leadership skills and vision back to the scouts/unit I serve. WE32803 Go Owls

Eammon, Very well said, were you refferring to my post? I share your ideas however I am struggling with those in the unit I serve that we need to treat each of the scouts as individuals that providing these "rules" are creating additional hurdles.