Troop 5749: Overview for Families



Troop 5749: Overview for FamiliesThank you for joining the Troop, and for supporting your daughter. As a new member of Troop 5749, your family is joining a group of girls and adults who share your interests in the outdoors, adventure and learning. It is important that whole families become involved in the Troop by attending parent meetings, keeping up to date on Troop communications, providing positive support and encouragement to your Scout to be a self-advocate, and to join in to celebrate her and her friends’ achievements at Courts of Honor. BasicsOur goal is to create a fun Scout program where girls will want to make life-long friends and become 1st Class Scouts as soon as they can. We will encourage all girls to go as far as they wish in the program, but we have a support structure specifically in place to get them to 1st Class. The key thing out of our goal is that the girl has to want to participate in the program. Parents can support, but they cannot do the work for the girl. Website and Communication MethodsAll things pertaining to the Troop can be found at . Please bookmark this site and sign up for the distribution lists (DLs) so that you know what is going on in the Troop. EmailThe primary communication vehicle for the Troop is email. Through this group, an archive of past messages is maintained and available at all times. groups.group/TROOP5749/FacebookSocial discussion, and real-time chat with other T5749 parents! Troop pictures and general Scouting news items would be posted here. IronScouts TroopmasterScout progress, family contact information, Merit Badge Counselor lists – everything you need to know for your Scout can be found in Troopmaster, the online database used by the Troop. When you join the Troop, the registrar will send you login information – don’t’ lose this! Troop5749Troop Meeting TimesGeneral meetings are held every Monday night from 7pm until 8:30pm. Rough Scout meetings (a time when Scouts who are not yet 1st Class can work on advancement) occur before general Troop meetings, beginning at 6:30pm. If LWSD/ISD is not in session (either due to holiday or school closure), there is a high likelihood that there is no Troop meeting for that particular Monday. Make sure to check the Troop calendar on the website for more information. Troop Meeting LocationsUnless otherwise specified, all Troop meetings are held at Mary Queen of Peace in C103/104/105 in the lower level of the building. Outings typically meet in the parking lot for the church as a central meeting point prior to departure – but each outing permission slip will contain specific instructions on meeting place and times. Parent Membership Please remember that this is a volunteer organization. All of the girls as well as the adult leadership are here because we want to be, but we want to be here as an “extra-curricular” activity. , We give of our time since we all believe in the BSA program, but the more volunteers involved – to help drive Scouts to outings, to teach Merit Badge courses, to be a member of the unit leadership – the more likely we will be successful in our goals. To paraphrase the first Cub Scout President, “ask not what your Scoutmaster can do for you, but what you can do for your Scoutmaster.” ParentWhen your daughter joins the Troop, you are still just considered a “parent.” Parents are welcome to attend all meetings (youth, ASM, TCOM meetings) and join along on some outings – but only as an observer. If you would like to do more than just be a parent, you can register to be a Scouter with the Troop. Be a ScouterA Scouter is an adult who is registered with the BSA in one of several roles. All adults registering with the Troop complete an application (which includes a background check) and Youth Protection Training, an online “class” from the BSA. There are several roles a Scouter plays within the Troop. ScoutParentScoutParent is a parent or adult mentor, participating in Troop experiences along with their Scout. We encourage at least one parent in each family to be an active ScoutParent to fully support their daughter. scoutparents.aspx. Merit Badge CounselorA Merit Badge Counselor, or “MBC, has a certain affinity for one of the 128 different subjects for which Merit Badges (MBs) are offered. Each MB has a booklet and corresponding worksheet published by the BSA to provide information and guidelines for the topic, as well as the specific requirements for earning the badge. An MBC works with two or more girls to go over the pamphlet material and to review their progress on the worksheet. scoutsource/BoyScouts/GuideforMeritBadgeCounselors/MBCounselorGuide.aspx. Troop CommitteeThe Troop Committee is responsible for conducting the business of the Troop, setting policy, and helping the Scoutmaster and Scouts with the outdoor program and other planned activities. The Committee also has the responsibility to provide adults for Boards of Review. This is an important responsibility and is one area where help is always needed and appreciated. The Committee consists of parent volunteers who fulfill various roles. wiki/index.php/Troop_Committee Scoutmaster and Assistant Scoutmasters – aka “The Iron Relics”The Scoutmaster /Assistant Scoutmasters make up the adults who works directly with the Scouts. The Scoutmaster works through the Scout leadership to mentor them and ensure the program achieves the BSA goals; ASMs are assigned tasks by the Scoutmaster and provide guidance to the youth leadership. usscouts/boyscouts/bstroop.asp wiki/index.php/Assistant_Scoutmaster Youth MembershipGirls 10?a through 17 are welcome to be Scouts. We make every effort to keep Scouts of the same ages and schools together in Patrols, while giving the girls a chance to meet and make new friends in all of the Patrols in the Troop. New ScoutsNew Scouts can join the Troop year-round. Troop as Arrow of Light recipients joining in the spring are called “Rough Scouts,” and they work on requirements before they are put into a full Patrol. Through the weekly Rough Scout meetings, they learn the program and their first rank badges with the assistance of Troop Guides and Troop Instructors. Once one of the Rough Scout group has reached 1st Class, they can form their own Patrol. Scouts joining at other times of the year may be slotted into an existing Patrol, but will still get the same level of support from the Troop Guides and Instructors on her journey to 1st Class. PatrolsScouts are assigned to group of similarly-aged girls called a Patrol. Each Patrol has its own identity, its own leadership structure, and should have its own meeting plan. All duties for Patrol activities are assigned by the Patrol leader, who is a 1st Class or above Scout, elected by her peers to serve a six-month term. PLs give leadership to the Patrol, representing them at the youth leadership group, the Patrol Leadership Council. Scout LeadershipThe Troop is youth led, but adult mentored. That means the key leader for the Troop is the Senior Patrol Leader – she determines the direction for the Troop. The SPL works with the Scoutmaster, but the SPL is the one who calls the shots by leading the Patrol Leadership Council. The PLC as a group plans and runs the Troop meetings, outings, and other activities. Troop Meeting StructureThe youth leaders run the troop, each leadership position has an expectation/job description sheet that describes what the responsibilities are. All Troop meetings are planned and carried out by the PLC. In general, Troop meetings consist of the following structure: 7pm – Regular Meeting7pm – Opening (flag ceremony, Benediction, greetings, announcements)7:10pm – Patrol corners (review Patrol status/issues, plan for meetings), outing prep7:30pm – Program/Inter-Patrol activity8:15pm – Closing (Patrol activity results, reminders, Scoutmaster minute, flag ceremony) 8:20pm – CleanupFor every meeting, please ensure your Scout has her Scout Handbook, and is wearing proper uniform (Scout shirt at a minimum, full uniform if she has requested a Scoutmaster Conference or Board of Review). Parent’s Responsibility During Troop MeetingsScouts should be dropped off and picked up in the scout meeting room. Please do not drop off your Scout in the parking lot, as we need to be sure each Scout has adult guidance at all times. Parents are welcome at all Troop meetings, but are asked to follow the same rules of conduct as their Scouts (respectful and quiet – and leave the electronics OFF, please).Advancements and AchievementsThe Scouts BSA advancement program provides a ladder of skills that a Scout climbs at her own pace. As she acquires these skills she moves up through a series of ranks, for which she is awarded badges: Scout, Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, Life, and Eagle. While doing so, your daughter learns skills and demonstrates this learning, is reviewed by the Scoutmaster, and is recognized for her achievements. Scouts participating will advance naturally as part of the Troop program. Support to 1st ClassAs noted, the Troop is interested in ensuring that every Scout makes it to 1st Class within the first 6-18 months, depending on if the Scout is involved in sports or other activities which keep her from making all Troop meetings/functions. The sooner the girl learns these basic Scouts skills (cooking, first aid, citizenship, and fitness skills), the sooner they feel like a “complete Scout.” Remember, the Troop Guides and Instructors are there to help your daughter – please let them do their work! If you have questions, find the Scoutmaster or an ASM. Merit BadgesThe goal of the merit badge program is to expand a Scout’s areas of interest and to encourage the Scout to meet and work with adults on a chosen subject. Merit badges are earned by a Scout working with a registered Merit Badge Counselor. Certain Merit Badges are required to reach Eagle Scout (21 total, with 11 specific badges); the rest of the 128 current MB’s are Scout choice!SafetySafe ScoutingIn accordance with BSA or Troop 5749 policies, the following are prohibited at any time: Sheath knives or knives with blades longer that 4” Fireworks Firearms (except under very narrow conditions when participating in a shooting activity) Swimming in an unauthorized area Hazing of any type Illegal drugs, alcohol, or tobacco use is strictly prohibited and use of such during any Scouting activity by either a girl or adult will result in immediate expulsion from that activity and may result in further action by the Troop Committee (note: while use of tobacco products by adults is discouraged, adults can discretely use tobacco products away from Scouts)Inappropriate behavior is defined as behavior unbecoming a Scout (e.g. behavior not in accordance with the Scout Law, Scout Oath, or Outdoor Code) during meetings or activities. SupervisionA minimum of two adults are required to stay with Scouts during Troop meetings and watch interactions between Scouts and overall Troop behavior. Further Reading:Web Resources: – Troop website. Has in-depth information and resources for all Scouts and their families.Scoutbook – the location for reviewing your Scout progress, family contact information, and all other official business – contains a record of all Troop communicationshome.aspx – Home page of our chartering organization, Mary Queen of Peace.scoutsource/BoyScouts/TheBuildingBlocksofScouting.aspx – Great website on the overall building blocks for Scouting. Resources.aspx – Scoutparent information resource.scoutsource/BoyScouts/GuideforMeritBadgeCounselors/MBCounselorGuide.aspx - Merit wiki/index.php/Troop_Committee – TCOM usscouts/boyscouts/bstroop.asp – overall Troop structure information, including Scoutmaster, Assistant Scoutmaster, etc.wiki/index.php/Assistant_Scoutmaster – another overview of ASMTroop Library Resources:aScouts need to be 11 years old or have completed 5th grade to join – unless they have their Arrow of Light, awarded at the Cub Scout level. Scouts may continue in the program until their 18th birthday. ................
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