New to this-- troop calander

[Eagle309]

We are forming a new troop. When setting up plans/a timeline I made the comment that once a PLC is elected/trained, they need to create next years calander and present it to the committee for approval. That is how I understood things should be done when I had training. I was told that it is not done that way-- that the committee develops the calander and the boys work out the details of the actual events? Are they way off base or did I misunderstand something in the process?

[dan]

PLC should create the calender. You should have the PLC brings in the school calender and try to work around the school year, plus they should bring in any other calenders that are revelant.

The committee should look over the calender, not to approve it, but to look for issues with time and safety. the committee than should work on removing any road blocks. Set up drivers when needed. Make sure tour permits will be ready.

At least that is how I understand it, cannot say that I have seen any troops do it this way.

[SemperParatus]

Your understanding is correct. Your committee is overstepping and taking away an important leadership opportunity from the scouts.

[scoutingagain]

In a perfect boy run world, the PLC should make up the calender and actvities for the upcomming year.

 

However, at least in the troop I serve, this is where a little reality sets in. The committee, with input from the SM and ASMs, will set aside dates where we can be reasonably assure adult support in the way of adult participation and transportation and do not conflict with major school or community events and provide the dates, sometimes with suggestions on outings, to the PLC. It is not productive for the PLC to come up with dates that the adults can't support, only to be told, go back to the drawing board. There have been an occaisonal council or district activity that we have not been able to attend because the council or district did not consult our adults on our availability and we were not able to come up with enough adults to support the trip or the event conflicted with a major school or community event. (Written tongue in cheek, but true.)

 

Many of the adults most active in the troop that support outings, work weekends or travel. They need to coordinate the timing of weekend outings with each other and their employers so we can be assured of enough support. Those units fortunate to have adult leadership that is independantly wealthy or work 9-5, Monday thru Friday may not have this problem.

 

It may not be the perfect boy run way, but it assures the scouts have an opportunity to do an outing at least once a month. They get to choose where and what to do, the adults have other commitments(like supporting their families) so they get to choose when.

 

So to answer your question, no it is no unheard of for the adults to set the timing of the schedule and there are practical reasons for it.

 

SA

[Hunt]

We have used a bit of a hybrid approach in my son's troop. The boys have identified the events they want to do for the year, and roughly when, and then the Committee has worked up a calendar. So, for example, the boys might decide that they'd like to do a backpacker in October at XYZ Park, and the committee will figure out what weekend it can happen, taking into account school schedules, Jewish holidays, district and council events, and availability of adult leaders. I agree that it would be better for the PLC to take more charge of this, but I agree with scoutingagain that practical realities mean that the adult leaders have to be heavily involved in the details of scheduling.

[OneHour]

In our troop, at the annual planning conference, the boys got the calendars together (school and our District calendar). In addition, they have the planning guides (I don't remember the exact title), camps listings, and if they're lucky a laptop to do some searches. The SPL set out a skeleton calendar together, populated with holidays, school days and district activities, and fundraiser dates (we plant US flags on holidays for the neighborhood). They would sit and determine the activities that they want to do for each month (including listing out troop meetings and PLC). There are two adults in the conference, not participating, unless a question is asked. We make sure that the activities are within the G2SS guidelines. If one isn't, we simply ask them to come up with a plan (outside of the conference) to satisfy the G2SS requirement that is in question. Usually, we ask them to have an alternative plan just in case that first plan can not meet G2SS.

 

As for the activities, they usually reserve 3rd weekend to be a campout unless it is superceded by a District event or it happens to fall on an extended vacation weekend (ie. Spring Break, Thanksgiving, etc.).

 

They finalize the calendar and present it to the Scoutmasters. We look it over to make sure that the activities are still workable. The SPL then present it to the Committee to work out the logistics and finance. The only input that the adults have is summer camp. We (adults) got together to decide when is the best time that most adults can be free to take a vacation with the boys. We provide them with that week.

 

We usually have our drivership issue square away a week before If comes time to leave and we do not have enough drivers, we simply take it on a first come first served basis (i.e., if you turn your permission slip in early, you get a seat belt). We don't like to turn boys away and we haven't had to (knock on wood) ... nevertheless, if it does occur, we will immediately appeal to the committee at its next meeting. Again, we have a great group of supporting parents. Some just drive 4 hours to the camp to drop the boys off and come back to pick 'em up on Sunday.

 

The boys own the process and the product!

 

Good luck,

 

1Hour(This message has been edited by OneHour)

[EagleInKY]

Dan described the process pretty well. That's the way we do it in our troop. The PLC puts together a calendar - they meet twice a year. They schedule the next 6+ months to some detail. Then they rough out ideas for the following six months. That is then presented to the committee. If they have concerns (costs, timing, safety, etc.), they discuss it. Sometimes tradeoffs are made, but - for the most part - they go with what the PLC comes up with.

[EagleInKY]

OneHour makes a great point. The boys own the product. The guys decide what they want to do, not the adults. There is much greater buy-in this way. And, the guys are learning that we'll try to do what they come up with. (Well, except for the one lad that is constantly coming up with unrealistic ideas.)

[FScouter]

The Scoutmaster Handbook devotes an entire chapter to troop program planning. Its a process that works well for our troop.

[gazoo]

I have just been elected SM and the first project for our PLC was the troop calendar for 2006. In our troop the PLC picks the outings for the following year and SM does the deconfliction with school, community and work schedules. It went really well. The PLC has been around long enough to know the places we attend and were able to add a couple of alternates. The boys did a very good job.

I would like to ask a question from some other SMs about the troop "responsibility" to the associated Weblos and Cub Scouts. Every year we do a Family Camp and invite the Weblos to our "Winter Camp." Prior to my assuming the reigns as SM the "committee" had wanted to take our troop to a "camporall." This was done at the angst of the boys. The PLC had decided to move one of our more adventurous outings to the same month (a romp in the Appalachians in OCT vice Mar). We have done this outing many times in March and have frozen our rearends off. The PLC decided that OCT would be a better time (warmer and leaves changing). I agreed with the boys, deconflicted the schedule and will present it tomorrow night. I have been forewarned this schedule will be met with stiff resistance. We have a great relationship with our pack and they always crossover a lot of boys. This camporall would be a first and would not beeffect their arrow of light badge.

Anyone else having to deal with a "strong armed" committee?

[Greying Beaver]

You are correct. They are way off base. A troop is a boy-run organization. The boys decide what they want to do and the troop committee acts as the facilitator for the PLC's program. The TC can advise on the feasibility of activities on an activity-by-activity basis. The only time that I can think of when the TC can have any kind of say in the troop calandar is for summer camp. Going out of council will be expensive (tranportation costs primarily). Show the TC your training material. Advise your Unit Commissioner. If you are forming a new troop, your district should have a Unit Commissioner asigned to your troop. If not, let the District Executive know. Stick by your guns. This ain't no cub scout pack you're in. "Boy-run" and "Boy-led" mean exactly that. So when are the boys going to get those leadership opportunities that BSA talks about?!