SM/SA Meetings?

[SWScouter]

I'm curious what types of meetings the adult leaders have for the troops you work with. Namely, is there a meeting for the SM and SAs to meet to figure out the direction to point the troop in?

 

Currently I'm an SA for the troop my son crossed over to last February. The troop has monthly committee meetings, but this doesn't seem like the proper forum for the SM and the SAs to develop the troop program. By this, I don't mean to plan the outings or troop meetings, but instead to look at the current program and see where improvements may be made and how to go about instigating these changes. For example, if there is a weekness in the Patrol Method, the adult leadership may need a meeting to recognize this, and come up with a plan on how to steer the PLC into developing stronger patrols. At the least, these meetings can be used to develop a vision on where the troop should head and have the SM and all the SAs on the same page.

 

Thanks,

SWScouter

[baden]

I meet with my #1 ASM every month on the way to and from Roundtable. We ride together (35 minutes each way) and get quite a bit out every month.

[acco40]

When I first joined the troop with my oldest son, I (as an SA) felt totally in the dark about the "vision" of the SM. The SM and one SA (there were about 5 SAs who showed up to most meetings) pretty much ran the show. When I became Scoutmaster, the first thing I did was hold a monthly (first Sunday evening of every month) Scoutmaster meeting. The SAs should really not attend troop committee meetings, that is the function of the SM. At our SM meeting, I make sure we present the Scoutmaster and Assistant Scoutmasters "view" on the program and our concerns at to our troop committee. I also have the troop scribe present a quick synopsis of our PLC meeting and the troop quartermaster provide a quick review of supplies. Our troop committee meets at the same time as our troop meeting, something I don't relish.

[Eagledad]

Hi All

 

Looking back, I've come to believe that 50% of the Scoutmasters job is to work with the adults: Partly to evaluate the performance of the programs and partly to reaffirm the vision of the program. I can't say that we had any kind of planned meeting to do this, but I do remember that we evaluated the program a lot after troop meetings, on the way to camps and from camps, at campfire after the scout went to bed, and even through Email. I think we were a bit anal about it really, especially the first few years because we knew to achieve the kind of boy run program we envisioned, we needed to change as performance indicated. We gradually learned that the adults had to change faster than the scouts learned just to stay out of their way.

 

If I were ever a SM again, I would try to make some kind of planned agenda for such meetings. But it is important that the meetings have purpose because we are a busy society and I hate to take time from others just so I can preach. I would likely have those meetings at my house with the barbecue fired up in the backyard.

 

I only want to add, that the troop adults need to understand the troop program well enough to explain it to the parents, a lot. Most problems that occur between the parents and troops occur from misunderstandings. I even handed out a copy of the Aims and Methods to my parents every six months, which Im sure most threw away. However, as we did this, we found that misunderstandings were replace with total support of our program.

 

Great question.

 

Barry

 

[SemperParatus]

We have quarterly Scoutmaster Staff meetings to review program, set directions, inform and mentor new SAs, discuss initiatives, and identify individual scouts that may need more personal attention and motivation (i.e., lagging advancement, reduced attendance, personal issues, etc.)

[EagleInKY]

This was an area where our troop was struggling. I realized that the ASMs didn't necessarily understand/share my vision. We were out of synch on a few occasions. Now we have a quarterly "Scoutmaster's Summit". It's usually a few hours long, and we have plenty of sweets & coffee. I'll work in a little training, and then have an agenda of topics to discuss. It's usually focused on issues in delivering the program, scouts who may be having issues, brainstorming opportunities to do things better, etc.

[oldsm]

For the past 2 years or so I have been having SM/SA meetings for exactly the reasons so many others do. We call them ALCs (Adult Leader Councils). They're held at a regular time (3rd Monday of each month) so they don't conflict with troop or committe meeting, and they are published on on troop calendar. These meetings are especially important since I can't seem to get anyone other than my CC to attend roundtables.

 

If you're not holding meetings like this, I encourage you do to so. It is time well spent.

 

[SR540Beaver]

Acco,

 

I have to disagree with you about ASM's attending committee meetings. Committee meetings should be open to all concerned parents and as a parent, I should be able to attend. That being said, only the SM should have a place on the agenda to give a report. Well attended committee meetings are a mark of a healthy troop with committed and caring adults.

[LongHaul]

SR540Beaver,

IMO committee meetings should be open to all parents just as sessions of Congress are open to the public. The public may sit quietly and observe but do not participate in the business being conducted. I have spent too much time at committee meetings explaining to parents that they have no say in how the troop is run and that the committees role is to support the SM not dictate to the SM. You want to voice an opinion take a position on the committee, you will then be allowed to report on your area of responsibility and have a single vote on general issues before the committee. Try attending a school board meeting and speaking without being on the agenda. Try attending a town council meeting and speaking without being on the agenda. If a parent has an issue about which they want to address the committee we will make time but monthly troop committee meetings are scheduled to address the operations of the troop not the concerns of the parents. A well staffed and functioning committee is a sign of a healthy troop, spectator attendance is not necessarily condusive to that end.

LongHaul

 

[SR540Beaver]

Longhaul,

 

We have a troop of 63 scouts. Without active parents, the registered leaders jobs would be difficult to do. They pitch in to help with things like fundraisers, COH's, transportation and serving as MBC's. Don't get me wrong, we have many registered leaders, but the parents are a valuable asset to the health of the troop. I was the committee chair of our pack and an ASM ever since we crossed over a few years ago and I rarely miss a committee meeting and I mostly just soak up the info. Every committee meeting should have an agenda. Most agendas have a new business segment where anyone present can address what ever they like. I'd never try to make parents feel excluded from what is going on in the unit. We want them involved and active. That is where we get new registered leaders from once they decide to take the plunge. If you want to cause real trouble, tell parents that they are can spectate if they feel they must, but to sit down and keep quiet.

[acco40]

SR450Beaver, on the surface, I agree with you 100% (Committee meetings should be open to all concerned parents and as a parent, I should be able to attend.) The only problem I have is like I mentioned before, our committee meetings coincide with our troop meetings (something I don't like). So, I should have stated that I prefer that the SAs stay with the boys and only one of the Scoutmasters/Assistant Scoutmasters - attend the committee meeting (it is usually me, the SM).

 

Should SAs attend troop meetings? Yes. Should they be able to attend committee meetings? Yes. In our case, they can't attend both without cloning themselves. My preference is to have the majority of the SAs attend the troop meeting.

 

Longhaul, I'm find my self waffling between your view (about 60% of the time) and SR450Beaver's view (about 40%) of the time. But since the committee meeting is not my meeting (I confer with the CC and he bounces the agenda off me in advance and he will happily put something on the agenda for me if I request it) I keep my mouth shut. Yes, I get frustrated when parents, who regularly don't attend things and question some of the things we do because they don't understand the BSA program (Why do the boys eat as patrols? Wouldn't it be much cheaper if the whole troop just ate the same thing? There would be less dishes too!) Sheesh. I seem to have to address that at least three times every year! However, patience isn't one of my best virtues.

 

SR450Beaver, our troop is not quite as large (about 30 boys) and unfortunately, if a parent is not a registered leader (CM or SA) they rarely help out with anything! Not our troop policy but just a fact of life. Believe me, I would gladly welcome their support. But, when the parents just like to kibbutz, usually in a critical fashion, during committee meetings, I tend to lean toward Longhauls opinion (observe with your mouth shut!) However, when they ask good questions, especially if it is about something I or someone else should have communicated to them or their sons in a better fashion, I'm glad they spoke up, registered leader or not. Of course, it is better to err on the side of letting a few yahoos pop off than to exclude a parent that really has something to add.

 

One thing that we do as a troop is have quarterly parent meetings. These are really no different than the troop committee meetings but we do ask for more parental participation during these meetings. Still, sadly, only about 50% of the families attend.(This message has been edited by acco40)

[SWScouter]

Everyone,

 

Thanks for the discussion. I've been thinking of suggesting some sort of meeting of the adult leaders (Oldsm, I like ALC) to the SM. It seems that we adults (SM and SAs) don't have a clear vision on where we should guide the troop. I think we all have similar notions on where the troop is strong and what are its weaknesses but no idea on which trail to take to improve.

 

It seems the consensus here is that it is important for the SM/SA staff to meet regularly to work these things. I think that now I will talk to the SM at the next troop meeting about setting something up.

 

Thanks,

SWScouter

[SR540Beaver]

acco,

 

Let me urge you as strongly as I can to move the committee meeting to a different night from the troop meeting. Our first troop (note I said first) did this which led to all of us crossovers leaving within 6 months. Why? We met in a church that like most churces uses those extremely thin divider walls that slide on tracks. The committee was on one side and the boys on the other. The troop treasurer (SM's wife who had some serious issues) got ticked off at the committee chair (one of the crossover parents) and started screaming at her about how much she hated her and how we were ruining their troop and proceeded to throw some three ring binders across the table before storming out. Rare that something like that would happen in a troop committee meeting? Yes. Did it? Yes. Other than the obvious, what was bad about it? The boys had about 1.5 inches of wall between us and them and heard the whole thing. Even if that hadn't happened, young ears tend to tune in when adults are talking and some discussions are not for their consumption. They can be sneaky little devils at times even if your meeting is held some distance from where they are "supposed" to be. I know the argument that some people make that it makes it convenient to do it all at the same time, but it really doesn't. They need to be held at different times so each can be given its proper attention.

[acco40]

SR450Beaver, I agree the only problem is that it isn't my meeting. As Scoutmaster, I'd be overstepping my bounds if I demanded that the committee move their meeting time. I've asked and will ask again.

[Eagle76]

I'll just add my data point.

 

As an ASM, I discuss our troop program and vision with the SM and the other ASM's frequently, though informally. We have discussed getting together regularly and formally to discuss these things, and I am in favor of it, but we haven't started it yet.

 

Regarding attendance at committee meetings:

I used to attend regularly so I would know what was going on; minutes from committee meetings are not distributed to everyone, so if you don't attend, you often would miss the word on things. Then they moved the committee meetings to the same time as troop meetings. This has had the positive effect of boosting parent attendance at committee meetings, but I wish they hadn't, as I decided my place was at the troop meeting. The SM attends the committiee meetings, makes his report, etc, and I try to find out from him what's going on.