njdrt-rdr Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allensz Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 I have been using google sites for the past year, which is free, but now I am switching the pack www site to scoutlander (www.scoutlander.com). It is now free and I like the fact that a secure section can be set up for parents and leaders to keep track of who is active and individual scout accounts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basementdweller Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 why not just create a facebook group? We are playing with it now. Has calendar photo gallery and docs.....We currently use google calendar and google sites. Most of our families are on facebook any how. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fred8033 Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 We use www.soarol.com. Works great. It does cost money, but the extra features are well worth it. And no 3rd party advertising on it. Our pack and troop has been on it for 5 or 6 years. Works great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allensz Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 re basementdwellers post regarding facebook, I forgot to mention we also have a facebook page for the pack, just set it up as a 'closed group'. it is a good way to post pictures and also to set up a rsvp for pack events. also, google calendar can be set so that it shows up in other www sites such as scoutlander. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Blancmange Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 I forgot to mention we also have a facebook page for the pack, just set it up as a 'closed group'. You should be aware that this violates BSA's new Social Media Guidelines: Therefore, no private channels (e.g., private Facebook groups or invite-only YouTube channels) are acceptable in helping to administer the Scouting program. http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/Marketing/Resources/SocialMedia.aspx Note that I am not offering any opinion on whether this policy makes any sense or whether, from an outside standpoint, there is anything wrong with what you have done; I am merely pointing out the policy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perdidochas Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 The Facebook public only guidelines are absurd and lead to less youth protection from the outside world. I was thinking about a private facebook page only open to parents and scouts, as I know many of our parents and scouts use it, but have abandoned the idea as I feel a public page is dangerous. I do admit that the whole part about having two admins, etc., made great sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
83Eagle Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 Too many families not in Facebook so we use scoutlander. However scoutlanders photo albums are difficult to use so we use picasa which is super easy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scoutfish Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 We use a website through Soar and we also just started using facebook also. It's a privite group that can only be joined or accessed by active parents within the pack. That serves two purposeds: It helps enforce YP and helps prevent unwanted persons( ie predators) from getting s an A list of kids meeting somewhere.Notice I said helps, not completely prevents. And this does not violate any policy because it is not our only or first means of communication, but only a secondary ( well, actually a trimary after our private website) means of passing along what we already mention at; pack meetings, at den meetings,leaders meetings, post on the pack bulletin board during meetings , and send to all pack members by e-mail.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scoutfish Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 BLANC, But if you read the entire passage in context, then you get a different picture. A private facebook group is "public" among all members of the group. On our facebook page ( as well as other groups I am a member of) Anything I typew will be seen by all members of the group. Therefore, it is open to all members of our pack and no different than me talking to any youth in front of the pack during any pack meeting. As far as private instant messages, I can do that to anybody in any group of the wide open facebook public wall - and still, only the person I am messaging will see it. So even being wide open public allows for totally private conversation. But since our entire pack ( with computers) can be part of our group...it is no more private than me talking to a scout in the middle of the crowd during a pack meeting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scouting4Ever Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 We use Google sites and are working to use the Google products like Picasa, Gmail, Google calendar for our Pack. We use Scoutmanage for administration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fehler Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 Hey, while we're talking about what we use for our sites, how about posting some of them? Using Google Sites, with Picasa and YouTube and Google Calendar. The "comments/join now form" is a form/spreadsheet in Google Docs, which is set up to send me an e-mail whenever it gets modified. Site is hosted by GoDaddy. www.bsaPack38.org Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allensz Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 Blancmange, thanks for pointing that out. even though the facebook page is a 'closed group', it is open to all members of the pack, which is similar to what scoutfish said. The facebook page is just one of our methods of communicating for the pack along with printed newsletters, emails, www page, and text messages for parents without internet access. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Blancmange Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 Blancmange, thanks for pointing that out. even though the facebook page is a 'closed group', it is open to all members of the pack, which is similar to what scoutfish said. Is that what it says? I don't know. There are only 3 privacy settings for a FB group: "open" "closed" or "secret." Is closed synonymous with private? A closed group requires an invitation to join, like the language they use for the You-Tube channels. A policy from National that is subject to more than one possible interpretation? Say it ain't so! DISCLAIMER: Again, by no means am I suggesting I think it would be a good idea to prohibit the type of group suggested here, but rather I am pointing out that is what the policy appears to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scoutfish Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 Nah, you can use that kind of group as long as you don't hold a sheath knife in your left hand while clicking your mouse with your right hand! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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