Troop Policy: >50% Attendance Req'd. for Advancement?

[boleta]

It is quite clear that Bob White has a tremendous amount of experience and skill as an adult leader. We have units in danger of folding because they need an adult to come forward and take the position of Scoutmaster. These leaders usually are not trained yet and do not have the experience Bob has. I get the message of this thread but still feel that bylaws are very useful tools to help with the smooth running of the unit.

 

[Bob White]

Trust me boleta, there are leaders with as much or more experience than I have. What skills I have are not my own but loaned to me by those who trained me and from the scouting program I follow. It is the program that has brought the units I have served whatever successes they have enjoyed. You will find in any good unit the most common thread is that the follow the program closer than other units.

 

The ability to follow the program has less to do with skill and more to do with simply making the decision to follow it.

 

Every moment you spend trying to "improve" what already works just fine, is a moment spent not delivering the program, not because of lack of skill but through choice.

 

(This message has been edited by Bob White)

[boleta]

cool.

[scoutldr]

boleta, I took a look at your Troop by-laws and the first thing that jumped out at me is that you require Class 1 and Class 2 medical forms to be notarized. Do you also enforce that for adult physicals? Just curious as to what prompted this rule and how do you enforce it. BSA does not require it, and if I required that in our unit, no one would go to camp.

[boleta]

I just completed the Venture Leader Specific Training course. The new permission form for activities has a section for a notary!! Our activity chair is a pediatrician. She has told us that many Emergency Rooms and Insurance companies require notarization of the physicals to allow for treatment. I don't agree with this but accept it as a possibility. It is my understanding that this varies from state to state. We have therefore placed it in the bylaws for the protection of the youth even though it is not (yet) required by BSA.

[boleta]

There is not an issue of permission for treatment of adults as they can give consent. Notary of the adult physical is therefore not necessary.

[2Eagle]

Thought I'd answer the question...I find "active" to be a fuzzy word but don't attach a number to it in our by-laws. We use the word regular. Less than 50% ain't regular. Interestingly enough we tell them the same things they hear from coaches. You don't come, you don't play. Make a choice. We also tell them that Boy Scouts has much more benefit in later life than any sport they play unless they are the rare individual who will make a living at sports. The boys came up with an 80% attendance requirement to be a leader. Works for us. We have high attendance rates at everything. What's really important though is not any rule but to make Boy Scouts so much fun and adventurous that they put it first in their choice list instead of last. We actually have boys who choose Scouting events over Saturday games in their seasonal sport. We have others who have given up a seasonal sport all together because it conflicted with Boy Scouts. You and I as adult leaders are in a hot competition with a whole lot of other influences on these boys, few if any of which will benefit them as much as Scouting. You gotta find the adventures that appeal to your boys and deliver. A real good start is to try real hard to have a boy run troop and let them decide. Works great.

[Scoutmaster Ron]

2Eagle says "I find "active" to be a fuzzy word but don't attach a number to it in our by-laws. We use the word regular. Less than 50% ain't regular."

 

But arent you doing just that putting a number to active or are you putting a number to regualar ? Does regular mean active to your unit? Active means that active not regular, or should be here or participates or better be here and no where else.

[2Eagle]

Scoutmaster Ron,

Not sure I exactly understand your question but I'll try an answer...I had to go back and read our by-laws. We use the term 'regularly attends" to mean "active" and do not assign a number to it. Point is, however, it hasn't been a problem. There is always some distraction that causes boys to miss events but I truly believe if the troop program is exciting, adventurous, fun, etc...they will come.

[Scoutmaster Ron]

2Eagle,

I dont see how regular relates to active, a scout may attend meetings but may not participate. Let me give an example we recently had a Life Scout transfer in, this kid rarely talks to anyone, does not interact with the other scouts, does not play in the patrol games however just because he walked in the door your unit would call him active.

You say your unit calls active, regular and you mentioned that under 50% isn't regular and if your not regular your not active. Please correct me if this is not accurate I may have misunderstood but isnt that putting a number too it?