lost advancement records

[Trevorum]

We all know that teenagers loose stuff all the time. Including, now and then, their Scout books. What do you recommend we do for a fellow who is all set for his 1st Class SM conference but can't find his book? He's been active for 14 months and has been to summer camp and most of the campouts; we know (or very strongly suspect) that he has done all the requirements, but he has no surviving documentation ...

 

 

 

[SueM]

Trevorum,

 

I assume that your troop is not using TroopMaster or some other record keeping software to fall back on...what about a Troop record book?? Do you use one of those? Or a wall advancement chart? As far as the other ranks go, can you go to your council office and have them print out what they have for him?? It should give you the dates that he achieved his Scout, Tenderfoot and Second Class ranks at least..if they have those dates then he has achieved the rank! (If he still has the rank cards you could use them too...we always make a point to tell our boys to keep those in a safe place just in case we need them for verification purposes later) Then if any of your adult leaders can verify the missing info that might help too. We just had a boy transfer into my troop who was in a similar situation. Before he did it though he got a new book and sat down with the adults and they signed off on those requirements that they KNEW that he had done and left open any that they had doubts about.

 

Sue m.

[Trevorum]

Yes, we use TM, but update the database upon rank advancement, MB award, or new PoR, not for each requirement. The question is about the individual requirements that had been signed off in his book while working towards 1st Class.

[GernBlansten]

I would think if this scout has done all his requirements in your troop, the leader(s) who signed off the requirements the first time would be happy to sign them off again. Just make it somewhat painful for him by making him grovel before each one.

[John-in-KC]

When I was advancement coordinator, I rounded up the books by patrol several times a year, to help manage requirements.

 

Now that I'm a tad wiser, I might help make the Troop more boy led by charging the Scribe with responsibility to send updates to me from the PLs...

[Trevorum]

I think we're going to do just that, but the problem is that ASM Bill signed some requirements, ASM Bob signed some, PL Mike signed others, and Troop Guide Matt signed some too... All over the space of the last 14 months !

[Eagledad]

>>Now that I'm a tad wiser, I might help make the Troop more boy led by charging the Scribe with responsibility to send updates to me from the PLs...

[GernBlansten]

I doubt anyone questions this scouts story do they? Make him go see each of the ASMs and ask them if they would be comfortable signing some of the requirements. If he finds himself with one or two not signed, then work it with him. I do like the idea of having the troop scribe do all the data entry though.

[FScouter]

The boy's book is not "lost". He just doesn't remember where he left it. Maybe suggest to him that he is responsible for his book, and his advancement. And maybe he could spend a little time thinking about what he was doing when he last had his book, and maybe look for it? Surely finding it would be less work on his part than being re-tested.

 

Of course it is a whole lot less work for him if a troop full of adults scramble to cover his fanny.

[Trevorum]

I don't agree that adults should "scramble to cover his fanny". In contrast, I think Gern's advice is solid.

[Venividi]

Perhaps its old age, but I found it difficult to remember every requirement for each scout for which I signed off. Some were memorable, but say, a new scout campout 12 months ago and watching multiple scouts do multiple requirements - I would be lucky to recall all the scouts that attended, let alone what they did.

 

If I remembered, I would sign, otherwise I would have a talk about trustworthyness, if the scout felt he was trustworthy, and why I should sign based on his word. Then I would probably sign.

[John-in-KC]

Barry,

 

(Wearing my COR hat) ... in the current legal environment I am loathe to let a minor child within arms distance of other people's privacy related information. This includes Social Security Numbers, insurance information, and adult Medical information.

 

Not that our Scouts are not Trustworthy ... but that someone who gets upset will use *any* excuse to fish a legal action against the unit, its leaders, the Chartered Partner, or the local Council.

 

As a COR, one of my duties (or so the man said at TRAINING!) is to constantly evaluate operations against the best interests of both BSA and the Chartered Partner.

 

Hence... a Scribe should feed to the Advancement/Membership coordinator, but not have direct access to data entry or report output.

 

My considered thoughts.

 

YIS

[Newbie Den Leader]

"we know (or very strongly suspect) that he has done all the requirements, but he has no surviving documentation ... "

 

If you and the other leaders are confident that he has done the requirements, then have him buy another handbook and select one of the leaders to sign-off on the requirements. If there is uncertainty about some requirements, then verbally quiz him on the spot.

 

Don't hold him back from getting his 1st Class just because he was the only one holding all of his advancement records. The Troop should have been keeping a record of when he earned his Tenderfoot and 2nd Class.

 

 

[oldsm]

I really, really like the idea of having the troop scribe update TroopMaster.

 

I haven't actually used the new 2005 on-line version (Troomaster DotNet 2005), but it is structured to address the privacy issues. From their website (http://www.troopmaster.com/products/troopmaster/dotnet.html):

 

For each Data Access Password, simple checkbox options allow you to block users with that password from even being able to see sensitive data items, such as social security numbers and driver's licenses. There's a separate checkbox for each sensitive data item, so you have full control.

 

Perhaps this is not the correct forum for a TM discussion, but I believe is provides a good solution to the problem.

[OR Pioneer]

Here's one plan --

 

 

Hold a special board of review for him to help him with his problem. There should be no expectation that he will be passed for the rank at this board. It is just a strategy session.

 

Start by asking HIM to outline his problem and what ideas HE has for beginning to solve it.

 

Help by continuing to ask questions of him about how he can move forward. Develop a way that he can get people to vouch for him on each requirement or that he can demonstrate his skills again.

 

Finally, ask him how he is going to avoid being in such a situation again.

 

Always stay on his side. You don't need to tell him he's in a mess or that he shouldn't have lost his book. He knows that. Focus on the opportunity for him to learn to recover from a bad situation. What a wonderful life lesson.

 

 

Celebrate his ability to figure things out and arrange for the Board to meet with him in a week or two to continue the discussion and perhaps pass him.

 

 

Berk Moss,

Newberg OR