Handout for
Creating a Strategic
Direction for Your Troop
Troop One Akron Sample
Policies
Passed by the PLC 11/5/00
This policy applies to all toys and cards. It applies to playing cards, magic cards,
pokemon, or other trading cards, as well as toys such as balls, yo-yos,
Frisbees, and the like.
Toys and cards can be used during free time on campouts and activities,
but never at meetings of the troop unless part of the program plan. Free time is time when there is not another
assigned task at hand. The troop and its
leaders are not responsible for the toys and cards, only the scout-owner is
responsible.
If toys and cards are out at an inappropriate time: For the first
offense, there is a warning, and you will be told to put your toys and cards
away. For the second offense, the SPL
has the option to take them away with the consent of the adult leader. Confiscated items will be held on to by the
adults and will be returned at the end of the meeting or event.
Under no circumstances will the troop allow or condone the exchange or
buying and selling of toys and cards.
All such trades must be done privately and with the full knowledge of
the parents involved.
Passed by the PLC 11/5/00
Normally personal listening
devices (radios, cassettes, CD player, MP3 players and the like) are not
permitted on a campout or other activity.
The outdoors activities are better appreciated when Scouts are not
bringing along their music and other electronic devices. Further many devices are not designd for the
rigors and elements of the outdoors.
Scouts are allowed to bring
their electronics along on a trip where travel is significant (such as an hour
or more of travel), but the devices must remain in the vehicles during the camp
or activity. Headphones or earbuds must
always be used. No speakers are allowed
to be used as it can be distracting to others.
The emphasis is on personal listening devices. Never is the troop responsible for a scout’s
or scouter’s equipment.
On a long encampment such
as Summer Camp or a high adventure the devices may be used with permission of
the senior patrol leader but only during free time. This right can be granted and revoked by the
SPL at will. Abuse will not be tolerated
including listening or using the electronics in a distracting manner or in
place of a planned or expected scout activity.
Other electronics, such as
a weather radio, walkie talkies, cell phones, PDAs, laptops etc. may be brought
to camp and used during free time, or in support of the scouting mission, but
common sense must prevail and if in the opinion of the SPL (in consultation
with the Scoutmaster) the use of these devices detracts from a quality scouting
experience then the devices must be put away.
The best situation is no
electronics and if electronics are used the individual provides absolute
security for the devices.
BSA Policy
Passed by the PLC 11/5/00
BSA policy and guidelines
will rule when this policy is silent.
When in conflict, the BSA policy if required will supercede this
policy.
Shorten departure time
for weekend campouts to 30 minutes.
·
Change permission slips to say when to arrive at
First Baptist and to ask all to be prompt.
·
Stage troop equipment and patrol equipment on the
Tuesday before leaving on the weekend campout.
·
Scouts are asked not to bring dinner with them to
First Baptist unless they intend to eat it in the car after departure and the
driver allows the scout to do so.
·
Use the two Troop Scribes to assign riders and
equipment to cars, vans and trucks. By
use of a form and clipboard, the scribes will record this. In this position the Scribes are working to
support the Troop Quartermaster who is the ultimate authority in travel.
·
Quartermasters are to arrive early with Adult with a
key. Keys for QM parents will be
requested to be given back after the office holder changes.
·
Each patrol is to have their own equipment. Each patrol will be assigned their own troop
gear on a permanent basis. This will
include a patrol box, a standard set of items inside it, a stove, a propane
tank and hoses, a lantern, a dining fly or gazebo, and a set number of
tents. Each item is to be numbered and
labeled, color-coded if possible. These
assignments are made for a period of at least six months.
·
Patrols will camp, eat, and sleep by patrol.
·
Quartermaster meetings are to be held monthly
including the two Troop Quartermasters and the Patrol and Crew Quartermasters
and the adult Quartermaster Advisors.
The major goal is to make sure the standard items are available to each
patrol and to conduct other business as needed.
·
Patrols will have, use and display a patrol flag and
have and use a patrol cheer.
·
At Troop assemblies, especially the opening, there
will be a time of patrol leader reports.
The SPL should set the standard for these reports at the PLCs.
·
Patrols will not be combined with other patrols for
cooking and camping unless the patrol has only one to three members
attending. The SPL should try to get the
1 to 3 person patrol to camp on their own when in the opinion of the SPL that
makes good sense.
Troop meetings will end
on-time 9:00 pm sharp.
·
The PLC will develop a way to keep everyone in Judson
Hall or where they are supposed to be.
·
No announcements will be made at any time during a
meeting without the prior approval of the SPL.
The SPL will set an amount of time the announcer may not exceed.
·
A formal written plan will exist for all meetings
using the Troop One meeting planning form.
·
The troop will have the closing assemble at 8:40 in
patrol lines. PL’s and Venture Crew
Chiefs are responsible for their member’s compliance.
·
The troop meetings will start on time at 7:30
·
SPLs, Scribes, and Service Patrol will arrive at 7:00
pm.
·
All scouts are to arrive at 7:15 pm
·
A PLC will be held at 7:20 pm at the stage every
meeting night. APLs will assist in
lining scouts up.
·
PLs and VCCs are expected to always take charge and
responsibility.
·
The QM is the ultimate authority during departure and
arrival.
·
No one may leave until checked out by QM
·
Only the QM may assign gear to go home or decide that
the gear doesn’t have to go home.
·
The PLC wants patrol gear to be sent home for
cleaning rather than taking up valuable program time in troop meetings. This will require a higher level of attention
and record keeping than in the past.
·
Scouts may only call parents from the church if given
permission by the SM or SPL.
·
QM reports in writing to the SPL a record of what
equipment has gone home with each scout.
First proposed in PLC, passed
September 2001, approved for policy inclusion March 2002 after more than 6
months of trial.
Problem:
Many scouts who complete a requirement are never required to exercise
that skill and be put in the position of a teacher of other scouts. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the
skills most often taught and signed off by an adult. The problem is having all older boys not
being responsible for the advancement of younger scouts.
Policy: Only scouts may sign Boy Scout handbooks
indicating that a requirement has been completed. Adults may instruct but a Scout must
sign. It is our desire that the adults
that have so much to give will concentrate on training the older scouts to
train the younger scouts and to serve as mentors of the teaching process.
Scoutmasters retain the right and
obligation to sign for Scout Spirit and Scoutmaster Conference completion and
the Troop Committee retains the right and obligation to sign for completion of
the Boards of Review.
The only Scouts empowered by the
PLC to sign books are those Scouts meeting both of the following
requirements. (1) The scout must be a
first class scout, and (2) the scout must hold the office of Senior Patrol
Leader, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader, Troop Guide, or Instructor; or be a
Patrol Leader and have the expressed consent of both the Scoutmaster and the
SPL.
Rights to sign can be at
anytime be removed by agreement of both the SPL and the Scoutmaster.
First proposed March 2001,
approved for policy inclusion March 2002 after 12 months of trial.
Problem: Some scouts continually show up unprepared
for campouts either by lack of preparing or lack of understanding.
Policy: It will be the rule of this Troop that anyone
not wearing boots on Friday evening or the date of departure on a trip will be
required to return home to get their boots or will not be allowed to camp. “No boots, no camping.”
Further we travel in full Boy
Scout uniform and we wear scout pants, scout belt and scout socks. Uniform inspections will be regularly held.
Exceptions may be made by the SPL.