scheduling for BOR's

[blw2]

So how does your unit do it?

• have a standing "committee is available on the 3rd meeting of the month"?
• require scout request?
• SM arranges it?
• parent request?

 

Our unit was having a problem of scouts popping up during a meeting, needing a board, and then the committee members scrambling because often there wouldn't be three members available at the troop meeting.

So, others on our committee instituted a policy requiring the scouts to EMAIL the committee ahead of time requesting a board.  So far it has been sketchy, with scouts not following through with it, parents continuing to request, etc....  

BUT my issues are

• there is no protocol of who or how the request is to be handled.... it's still a free-for-all to see if there will be three at the meeting
• and it just seems like a "make-work" to me.

 

so I'm wondering how other committees are doing it....

 

I received my first email from a scout requesting a board the other day.

and with no protocol, I responded to him saying I'm planning to be there. (also asked him to clarify which rank since he didn't say)

 

[Tampa Turtle]

We have had better luck on blocking out time before the meetings for SMC and during or after meetings for BOR. Scouts can go online and schedule the blocks. Sometimes they fill up early and sometimes a scout jumps on an empty time slot at the meeting. (We use Trooptrack BTW) We do this now through-out the year instead of the 'Review-fests' we used to have. Sometimes a boy shows up, sees that everything is full, and goes online on the spot and signs up for next week. (which I take as progress)

 

We also expanded our informal 'pool' of BOR members; if you are a parent hanging around the building expect to get roped in once in a while.

 

The current system seems more fair to our SM and CC as they know they will show up early on a regular basis and spreads it out over the year...

[qwazse]

If there are three MCs and a quarter of an hour to spare, they will drop everything and have the board on the spot. (What else are they going to do? The boys are running the meeting.) Lacking that, the CC will will make sure adults are available next meeting.

 

My troop growing up, the committee met on one meeting night every month. Reviews would start after the meeting. Boys would wait downstairs and go upstairs when called. Then SM would give his report and the meeting would be closed. I remember because my dad was an MC, so I sat downstairs after the troop meeting waiting for them to finish.

Edited November 29, 2016 by qwazse

[NJCubScouter]

We ask the boys to either send an email (hopefully by 3 days before the meeting although I don't know if that is ever stated, it's just sort of understood that a little advance notice is helpful and friendly, not to mention courteous and kind) or to ask a committee member at the troop meeting BEFORE the one where the BOR is to be held.  The advancement coordinator then either emails or calls other committee members on the "BOR team" to make sure enough people will be there.  There are often at least 3 committee members at a troop meeting anyway.  If the request is made at a meeting where there are enough committee members present, and it is early enough in the meeting, the advancement coordinator will often ask the Scout if he wants to have the BOR on the spot.

 

I think we make fairly clear that it is the Scout and not the parent who is supposed to request both the SMC and BOR.  If a parent makes the request, it will often be gently suggested to them that the Scout needs to tell the appropriate person that he is ready for the SMC or BOR.  But I will admit there are times that we do not "stand on ceremony" on this point.

[NJCubScouter]

My troop growing up, the committee met on one meeting night every month. Reviews would start after the meeting. Boys would wait downstairs and go upstairs when called. Then SM would give his report and the meeting would be closed. I remember because my dad was an MC, so I sat downstairs after the troop meeting waiting for them to finish.

 

It's funny, I remember so many things from when I was a Scout, but I do not remember whether BOR's were done at troop meetings or some other time.  I don't think they were done at committee meetings because the PLC always met in the same building at the same time as the committee (with the SM shuttling back and forth), and doing BOR's of PLC members would have been kind of disruptive.  Also, during "my time" is when the BSA decided that BOR's for T-2-1 would be done by higher-ranking Scouts instead of adults, so those must have been done at the troop meetings.  My guess is that Star and Life BOR's were done at the troop meetings too.  (Ok, at the time (after 1972) they were called Progress Awards instead of ranks and Personal Growth Agreement Conferences (or something like that) instead of BOR's, but of course everybody called them by their old names, and probably did so until the BSA changed them back.

[blw2]

.....

 

We also expanded our informal 'pool' of BOR members; if you are a parent hanging around the building expect to get roped in once in a while.

 

.....

 

So do you register these parents as committee members?

That seems to be a hurdle we flip and flop on.... several committee members are registered but are completely inactive, and teh committee seem to flip and flop about registering others....but no, can't because they haven't done the training &/or CO required background check.....but we should register them so they can do BOR's..... but....

ugh, I find it so tiring.....

[SSScout]

""The Work Is Done By Whoever Shows Up.""

 

If your Troop establishes guidelines and hold to them fairly, so be it.  Teaches responsibility, discipline, etc.  

 

My home Troop holds BoR when requested, "if possible", whenever the Scout(s)  ask for it.   ComChair or his designee heads, available Scout parents (anyone is considered a "committee member" if they attend)  sit in.  It tends to be educational for any parent who "dares" to be available during a Troop meeting....   We are not bashful in asking.

[Eagle94-A1]

Troop has a designated meeting nite, 4th Monday of the month.  Scouts have until the 3rd Monday to notify the SM he wants a BOR.

[CalicoPenn]

Billy Scout asks SM for SMC before the meeting starts.  The Scoutmaster will hold the SMC during the meeting (no reason for the Scoutmaster not to do so, he's not running the meeting, the SPL is).

 

Once the SMC is completed, the Scoutmaster informs the Advancement Chair that a BOR for Billy Scout is needed at the next Troop meeting and the Advancement Chair arranges for the BOR to be there.  the BOR is done during the meeting (may as well, the committee members are running the meeting, the SPL is - they have plenty of time during the meeting to do so).

 

Why doesn't the Scout ask the Advancement Chair of the BOR?  Because it's not his responsibility - the Scoutmaster is the bridge between the Scouts and the Commitee - and the Scoutmaster asking verifies to the AC that the lad is ready for the BOR.

[Stosh]

When a boy completes all the requirements for rank advancement, I notify the CC that he needs a BOR.  The CC gathers up 2 other parents from those dropping the boys off and the BOR is held during the troop meeting time.  Most of our parents are registered and trained so as to do a BOR as needed.  It's no big deal and no one has ever complained.

[fred johnson]

Billy Scout asks SM for SMC before the meeting starts.  The Scoutmaster will hold the SMC during the meeting (no reason for the Scoutmaster not to do so, he's not running the meeting, the SPL is).

 

Once the SMC is completed, the Scoutmaster informs the Advancement Chair that a BOR for Billy Scout is needed at the next Troop meeting and the Advancement Chair arranges for the BOR to be there.  the BOR is done during the meeting (may as well, the committee members are running the meeting, the SPL is - they have plenty of time during the meeting to do so).

 

That's the same as our troop.  The only difference is, if possible, we do the BOR the same night.  But it's not always guaranteed as we don't always have the right people or the SMC happens too late.  

 

IMHO, that's also what the GTA advises.  Read GTA section 8.  http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/33088.pdf  

 

Why doesn't the Scout ask the Advancement Chair of the BOR?  Because it's not his responsibility - the Scoutmaster is the bridge between the Scouts and the Committee - and the Scoutmaster asking verifies to the AC that the lad is ready for the BOR.

 

That's what I remember reading.  I was looking and can't find the BSA document that says it.  I remember BSA doc saying:  it is not the job of the scout to request the BOR.  It is the scoutmaster's job to see that one happens after the SMC is done.  ... or similar wording ...

[blw2]

so it seems a lot of you just pull form any available adult.  For some reason our troop (since before my time with it) seems to think that the board must be made up of registered committee members.

 

Not sure how I feel about it.  

I haven't been a fan of the idea of registering committee members that have no intention of doing a job, just so that they can be available for reviews.  I also am definitely not a fan of any old parent that knows nothing about the program taking a part in it.  It seems to me that it's far to easy for well intentioned but wrong ideas to get pushed onto scouts and even other adults.

As far as I understand it, part of the point of the BOR is for the committee to "check-up on the troop's program to verify that it's running ok, so that they can advise the SM.  Can't do that well if you don't understand how the patrol method works. (although even a lot of registered and trained adults don't get that it seems....)

but

on the other hand I think a well rounded board makes sense.... like in the days of old when the board would be community leaders not directly tied to the troop.

 

Maybe a good idea would be to have some basic training for parents on how it should go and the sort of questions to be asked and the sort of advice to be given the scout....before they sit on one....

 

 

..... Why doesn't the Scout ask the Advancement Chair of the BOR?  Because it's not his responsibility - the Scoutmaster is the bridge between the Scouts and the Commitee - and the Scoutmaster asking verifies to the AC that the lad is ready for the BOR.

this seems very logical in my thinking.  Just smells like a better approach than what we are trying to push.

 

Guess I'll file this away to be dusted off if I'm ever again the CC

[rfd536]

In our troop it is up to the scout to request a BOR once they have completed the SMC.  They are responsible for asking the advancement chair for a BOR, normally it takes place during the next troop meeting.  If it is during the summer and the troop is not having weekly meetings, the advancement chair will work with the scout and the committee to get a BOR set up as soon as possible.  Normally, even the summer ones will take place within a week of the scout's request.

We do not allow parents or thSM to make the request.  The scout needs to learn to approach adults and make the request.  If it is a younger or shy scout a parent or the SM might approach the advancement chair with the scout, but the scout is expected to make the actual request.

[Stosh]

Since requiring the boy to request a BOR is adding to the requirement, we don't do it. 

[DadScouts]

After SMC Scout emails Advancement Chair no less than one week prior to BOR requested date.  BORs concurrent w/meetings.  A parent is often grabbed as a 4th member observer, particularly parents of younger Scouts, to sit on Star & Life BORs to give them an orientation on how the unit develops members in leadership as they age.  Scouts working on Tenderfoot are not held to the email requirement and the TGs work with them proactively and request the BORs for them.