scheduling boards of review

[eisely]

This is a spin off from another thread that raises indirectly a related question.

 

How does your troop schedule boards of review? Do these occur at troop meetings or at separate designated times? If not at troop meetings, how often are BORs offered to the scouts? Who handles the scheduling? Who sits on the boards? How are BOR members recruited?

 

While a willingness to offer BORs at every troop meeting without prior notice makes it easy and convenient for the scouts, I can see a variety of negatives to this practice. Most important is keeping control of the process so the advancement coordinator is able to preserve some measure of sanity. Further I think it would send a different message to scouts about the seriousness of the BOR if these are not done on a "pickup" basis.

 

I could see offering BORs as often as monthly on a scheduled basis. This should be sufficiently frequent to accommodate the scouts and facilitate their taking on positions of responsibility on a timely basis. One could recruit and train the members of the BOR and also get a more consistent quality of the BOR process.

 

Thoughts anyone?

 

Buehler? Buehler?

[Basementdweller]

The scout asks the CC for a BOR and the CC gives him a date and time generally the next week half an hour before or after the troop meeting..

 

Don't make it harder than it needs to be......I know some troops that only do them once a month and then they only have limited time slots every month.....just flat silly.....Just like adding a requirement the rank.

 

 

 

[Buffalo Skipper]

Upon the completion of the Board of Review, I give the scout a sheet of paper indicating their completed SMC. It has the name and phone number of the Advancement Coordinator, whom the scout is now responsible to contact (she is usually at the meeting, so only rarely is a phone call necessary). The Advancement Coordinator sets up the BoR for the scout.

 

The BoR usually takes place at the next meeting. The Advancement Coordinator contacts committee members, and invites them to the BoR. Most frequently the adults are the Advancement Coordinator, Treasurer, Webelos Coordinator, Outdoor Activites Coordinator and/or Committee Chair. Others are contacted if necessary. If the scout's SM conference was before the meeting, it is not uncommon for the Advancement Coordinator to arrange the BoR on the spot the same evening. Our Treasurer and Outdoor Coordinator attend most campouts, so if another committee member is present, sometimes a BoR may take place at a campout if the SM conference was conduced while out in the field.

 

Last summer, our Chaplain (committee member) was also at summer camp, so we had 4 Tenderfoot BoRs at summer camp. Immediate recognition was given to the scouts at flags the following morning. Two sewed on their patches before dinner that evening. Good summer camp.

[Twocubdad]

Ditto BuffSkip -- down to the Tenderfoo BORs at summer camp.

 

Our AC usually schedules the BORs within a week or two, depending on prior commitments and the ability to get a board together.

 

We've recently added one step to the process which is for the Scout to check with any one of several folks with access to TroopMaster to make sure he is ready to advance and that troop records are up-to-date with what's in his handbook. The boards used to do this, but we had a couple instances where we found at the BOR that a Scout was missing a requirement or two.

 

All these folks are generally hanging around during troop meetings, so it's no inconvenience for a Scout to make the contacts.

[fred8033]

GTA says ... "Section 8.0.0.2 Boards of Review Must Be Granted When Requirements Are Met A Scout cannot be denied this opportunity. When he believes he has completed all the requirements, including a Scoutmaster conference, it is up to the unit leader and committee to assure a board of review is held. Scoutmasters, for example, do not have authority to expect a boy to request one, or to defer him, or to ask him to perform beyond the requirements in order to be granted one."

 

In our troop, a scout asks the scoutmaster for a conference. Right before the SMC or right after the SMC, the scoutmaster will let the committee members present know that a scout needs a BOR. We then do our best to get it done the same night. Almost always, scout willing and scout's parents willing, we can get it done the same night.

 

The BOR process (requesting and scheduling) is not a scout responsibility and definitely should NOT be used to teach the scout a lesson in responsibility and accountability.

 

I should note that, in our troop, the scout handbook is the ultimate authority. Now and then we might borrow the scout handbooks from the scouts to double check TroopMaster. But even then, it's more of a double check as the list of MB completed is driven by advancement and council records. The camp attendance is from event records. We don't track individual rank requirements in TroopMaster such as "Served as cook ..."

 

Ultimately, many troops find reasons to add steps to the process. Does BSA allow it? No. Should they? I don't know. I'm just following what BSA publishes. Is it really that big of a deal? I'll also leave that to your troop leaders and your scout parents to decide. For me, yes it is a big deal. I've seen a situations and attitudes that just make me cringe. As such, I'd rather let BSA documents set the rules.

 

Buffalo Skipper: So cool. I was really happy when I read ... "Last summer, our Chaplain (committee member) was also at summer camp, so we had 4 Tenderfoot BoRs at summer camp. Immediate recognition was given to the scouts at flags the following morning. Two sewed on their patches before dinner that evening. Good summer camp."

 

That's how it's suppose to work.(This message has been edited by fred8033)

[Eagle732]

How does your troop schedule boards of review?

Ours are the second meeting of the month.

 

Do these occur at troop meetings or at separate designated times?

During troop meetings.

 

If not at troop meetings, how often are BORs offered to the scouts?

Once a month but more can be added if needed like after summer camp.

 

Who handles the scheduling?

Advancement Chair schedules boys for BORs. After a SMC a boy contacts by email the AC to request a BOR.

 

Who sits on the boards?

Committee members

 

How are BOR members recruited?

Recruited from the parent pool, usually when their new scout son joins the troop.

[eisely]

Boards of review should not be arbitrary barriers to advancement and opportunities for BORS should be frequent.

 

I don't think it is necessary for all the adults in a troop to drop everything and do a BOR right now just because some scout or parent demands it.

 

I have seen it done at troop meetings the same night as the request, depending on the availability of adults. I have also seen it done on a monthly basis where BOR dates were established on the troop calendar just like any other event. I don't think it would be adding to requirements to go with a fairly rigorous schedule, as long as scouts are not being held back by arbitrary constraints.

 

The troop I was with several years ago in southern California did the monthly thing. It was not uncommon to have three or four boards running simultaneously on the designated evening. As far as I know all the scouts were accommodated on a timely basis.

 

I also have seen a different problem more recently at the district level regarding eagle BORs. One large troop was making a practice of holding back eagle applications, often for months and submitting large batches of candidates for BORs and then not understanding when they can't all be done immediately. I think this is a very bad practice for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is the potential problem of something happening to the paperwork while it sits around awaiting submittal.

 

BORs should be held timely, but I think troops have some flexibility in managing the overall process. Another reason for avoiding troop meeting nights is interfering with other planned activities for the troop meeting.

 

The idea of holding some BORs at summer camp as described in an earlier post has a great deal of appeal, depending on the availability of adults. That would make summer camp an even more special activity for the scouts involved.(This message has been edited by eisely)

[qwazse]

Where three or more committee are gathered, there we may have a BOR. They seem to take pride in being available to the boys, dividing and conquering if necessary.

[Eagle92]

I'm curious as to when adults became responsible for scheduling BORs? With the exception of EBORs, which involve district/council folks, I have been taught and have repeated that "it's his BOR, his responsibility. And even with the EBORs, some of them do have the Life scout doing all the contacting.

 

Anyway growing up the troop scheduled BORs the week after the committee meeting. We'd tell the CC we are ready the nite of their meeting, and they would get the adults there.

 

It was always on a meeting nite as from when I joined until 1991 or 92, Scouts served on BORS up to FC. It took some time for the 1989 rules to take affect with us for whatever reason. I think that it was a mistake to take older scouts off the BORs.

 

An aside to the 1989 advancement changes. We did know that with the removal of time requirements it was possible for a scout to go from Scout to First Class in a single nite, but we didn't know how to go about it. We had one new scout, he'd been with us offically since May, but had been visiting us with his Webelos den or by himself on and off since Feb or Mar do just that. A few weeks after summer camp he had met all of the requirements for T-2-1 and approached the CC for his BORs. First time it happened to use, so we had him in for Tenderfoot, let him have a break while we did the next one, had him do Second Class, another break for the next Scout's BOR, then the new Scout had his third BOR. Later found out that we could have done 1 BOR for all three.

 

Anyway absolute worse BOR situation I ever saw was one new troop couldn't get enough adults together to conduct one. The poor scout had waited 2 months for one, and finally the SM had enough, asked if it would be OK if several folks from outside the troop could do it at a camporee. So he had 2 SMs from other troops and a discom member on the BOR. THANKFULLY that situation has corrected itself and the troop doesn't have that problem.

[Pack212Scouter]

How does your troop schedule boards of review?

There is a binder on the counter, when a Scout is ready, he signs the binder for the upcoming week that he wants it.

 

Do these occur at troop meetings or at separate designated times?

During troop meetings.

 

If not at troop meetings, how often are BORs offered to the scouts?

Winds up being three times a month.

 

Who handles the scheduling?

Board of Review Chair

 

Who sits on the boards?

Three committee members designated for boards.

 

How are BOR members recruited?

They are specific committee positions.

[IM_Kathy]

How does your troop schedule boards of review?

 

from tenderfoot-first class a scout sends out a message through our message board/email system that he is ready for SMC and that if he passes he'd like a BOR that night if people are able. It's very rare for a boy to not pass a SMC.

 

for star and life they must go through the Adv. Cord. first as they are the ones with the computer records of dates in positions, merit badges, and such - if that person is at the meeting they can sign off. if not then they need to get an email from them stating that scout has met these requirements. Once all signatures or email is recieved the boy does as the lower levels.

 

for eagle the boy works with the district person that will attend and contacts the other people he would like to sit on his board on the date and time.

 

Do these occur at troop meetings or at separate designated times?

 

usually troop meetings or 30 mins before or after.

 

Who handles the scheduling?

 

the boys

 

Who sits on the boards?

 

any committee member the boy asks or any committee member that is available, except of course their own parent. Most of the adults that stay at meetings are signed up as committee members if they aren't ASM or SM.

 

How are BOR members recruited?

 

CC notices who hangs out at meetings and just sits around in back and recruits them... we have them sit in as an extra adult on a board or two to see how easy it is... then let them know that the training they need is all done online and is very easy - they then take YP and Committee Member training and get registered.

[Tampa Turtle]

How does your troop schedule boards of review?

We have a "BOR night" typically on the PLC night after a campout. We also have one a week or so before the COH.

 

Do these occur at troop meetings or at separate designated times?

Both, During troop meetings, or on special BOR nights.

 

If not at troop meetings, how often are BORs offered to the scouts?

Adults will make great efforts to round up a committee. We will also do one at a campout or summercamp in special cases.

 

Who handles the scheduling?

Advancement Chair schedules boys for BORs. After a SMC a boy contacts by email the AC to request a BOR. Some boys will go up to the advancement chair who will grumble but do it anyway. We will do it right away if they ask; we err on the side of accommodation.

 

Who sits on the boards?

Committee members, sometimes ASMs. We do not let ASM's who work with the boys (say a NSP ASM)sit on one and adults to recuse themselves discretely if they have a bias pro/con.

 

How are BOR members recruited?

Recruited from the parent pool, it is an ever-present danger for parents standing around outside the scout hut. If a parent does a good job he will get recruited more often.

 

While I am not happy with our COH schedule and delayed recognition folks will work hard to get the proper BOR done. We are a big Troop you can have a 6-12 a night. A few boys had back-to-back BOR (2nd class/1st class).

 

Boys are expected to be in uniform with proper rank and POR on uniform (this may require a trip to the stapler). If a boy is missing a part (especially Star+) we will not reschedule but pause to let the boy scavenge the part from the uniform closet/friend.

[perdidochas]

We schedule BORs right after the Scout has a Scoutmaster conference. Sometimes we can convene a BOR in the last 15 minutes of a meeting after the SMC. Other times it might take a few weeks. We have a lot of committee members (4 or 5) usually present at meetings. They are there to do what they can for the boys.

[Engineer61]

So, a quick glance at the Google Calendar shows that the Troop does BOR's once a month, usually the third Monday of the month.

 

I know the board consists of the AC, but I don't know who else.

 

Seems like a reasonable setup.

 

"I don't think it is necessary for all the adults in a troop to drop everything and do a BOR right now just because some scout or parent demands it. "

 

I, in fact think it imperative this not be the case... it's a bad lesson to teach that the world revolves around an individual. Most of our politicians have that view.(This message has been edited by Engineer61)

[Tampa Turtle]

I think we use a sliding scale. If the boy is a known procrastinator--maybe not. If the boy had a good reason for being out of sync or was making an extra effort and trying to squeak in the deadline--probably.