BEST YEAR EVER! PLAN YOUR - More Resources Atlanta Area Council
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More Resources at https://www.southfultonscouting.com/node/4577 PLAN YOUR BEST YEAR EVER!
TODAY’S TAKE-A-WAYS Key Scouting + Other Guidance on Activities An Annual Activity Calendar You Can Use A Menu of Activity Ideas (Build Your Calendar) Planning Methods – Surveys and Sharing (Ways to) Help Your Local Den Leader Budget, Awards and Other Tools Resources for All of the Above
Takeaway Page
TODAY’S TAKE-A-WAYS
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Goal No. 1: Build Your Best Plan (There is no “One” Best Plan) All Scouting is Local
Goal No. 2:
KISMIF, not KICMEH
Keep It Simple – Make It Fun
not
Keep It Complicated – Make
Everything Hard (Kick Me)
Goal No. 3: Know This: If it’s Fun for Kids, Fun for Families, and Safe Then it’s Cub Scouting!
AIMS Character growth Citizenship training Personal fitness
Living the Ideals
Belonging to a Den
Advancement
Family Involvement
Activities
METHODS Serving the
Community
The Uniform
For Your Best Year: Scouting = Outing! (Be Outdoor Dens + Packs) (Make That Our Brand)
An Annual Activity Plan
• April: Easy For Next Week • October: To The Tents!
o Hike Near Home o Hikes at Camp(s)
• May: Flying Things o Bert Adams Campout
o Kite Fly / Rocket Launch • November: Salute!
o End of Year Party (B&G?) o Veteran’s Parade
• June: Out ‘n’ About o Marbles Mania
o Day / Twilight Camp • December: Holidaze
o Night-time Star Saunter o Holiday Party
• July: Scout it Out o Family Cooking
o 4th of July Picnics • January: Big Overnight?
o Resident Camp o Boat/Zoo/Space/Cave?
• August: Back to Pack • February: Serve/Race
o Swim Party(ies) o Scouting 4 Food
o Day with the Braves o Pinewood Derby
• September: Outdoor Sports • March: Madness: Go Fish
o Soccer? Golf? Discs? o Fishing Outing
Kickball? Rackets?Alt Annual Activity Plan
• April: Outdoor Sports • October: Outdoors @Nite!
o Soccer? Golf? Discs? o Woodruff Campout
Kickball? Rackets? o Campfire
o May: End of the Year • November: Button Up
o Fishing Fun Day o Bike Rodeo
o Graduation Park Picnic o Outdoor Cooking
• June: Dive In • December: We Wish You…
o Pools Open (we hope) o Eldercare Service
o Day / Twilight Camp o Ski Trip to NC
• July: Scout it Out • January: Derby Daze
o Parades / More Sports o Cutting + Racing
o Resident Camp • February: Faith + Fun
• August: School Days o Scout Sunday
o Bike Ride Roundup o Nite @ the Museum?
o Fishing Party • March: Away and Awards
o Sept: Ease into the Outdoors o End of Winter Walk
o Hikes Near Home o Blue + Gold BanquetThose are Just Two Examples
Your Plan Will Be Better
Use Your ResourcesMyth: Blue & Gold Timing Q: A Blue & Gold Banquet in May! Doesn’t B&G have to be in February? A: Nope. A Pack can do this event at any time, or not at all. It’s your Pack. B&Gs started as a birthday party for the BSA (DOB 2/8/1910) back when advancement work was done at home – before rank work became a den leader job. B&Gs later came to be a target date for awarding Rank badges. Problem: Many Den Leaders face a crisis – it’s often hard to complete a Rank by February. (More on this later.) Solution: If setting up a B&G as the Big Rank Award night brings Advancement Anxiety, do it later. It’s OK.
Outdoor Ideas
• Hiking • Spectator Sports • Scavenger Hunt • Flag Football
• Camping • Kickball • Softball • Cricket
• Fishing • Soccer • Tennis • Lacrosse
• Biking • Ultimate • Table Tennis • Bouldering
• Boating • Disc Golf • Golf • Archery
• Swimming • Four Square • Skating • BB Shooting
• Scooters • Croquet • Horse Rides • Slingshots
• Skateboards • Badminton • Cornhole • Track/Field
• Skiing • Volleyball • Horseshoes • Skygazing
• Snowboards • Geocaching • Basketball • Yoga
• Sledding • Orienteering • Rain gutter • Kites
RegattaAround Town Places to Go
• Georgia Aquarium • Atlanta Zoo • Chattahoochee Nature
CNN Center Center
• • King Center
Civil Rights Museum • Skyline Park (PCM)
• • Conyers Monastery
• College Football Msm • Reynolds Nature Center • Peachtree-DeKalb
Airport
• Arabia Mountain • Oakland Cemetery
• Neighborhood Festivals
• Stone / Kennesaw Mtns • Sweetwater St. Park
• Mini Golf / Bowling
• Botanical Gardens • Centennial Park
• Movie Nights!
• Fernbank Museum • High Museum of Art
• Climbing Gyms
• Bike on the Beltline • Children’s Museum
• Local Parades
• SE Railway Museum • World of Coca-Cola
• Tour d’ Playgrounds
• Atlanta History Center + • Wren’s Nest
Cyclorama • Where do your
• Center for Puppetry Arts Families want to go?
• Tellus Museum
• Your Local Parks* = Hopefully Opening Soon
Overnight
Destinations*
Space Camp –
Huntsville, AL GA State Parks:
Patriots Point – • Group Camps
Charleston • The “Hike Inn”
• Yurt Camps
Zoo & Museum
Overnights – ATL, Cave Tours – TN
Birmingham, Rock Ranch – Barnesville
Chattanooga, etc.
Battleship - MobilePick Activities that are: Fun For Kids Fun For Families and Safe
Sweet Sixteen of BSA Safety
1. Qualified Supervision 9. Weather Check
2. Physical Fitness 10. Planning
3. Buddy System 11. Communications
4. Safe Area or Course 12. Plans and Notices
5. Equipment Selection and 13. First Aid Resources
Maintenance
14. Applicable Laws
6. Personal Safety Equipment
15. CPR Resource
7. Safety Procedures and Policies
16. Discipline
8. Skill Level LimitsNUMBER ONE SAFETY RULE Use Common Sense
Myth: G2SS is Only Safety Rules For example, “Overnight camping by Lion, Tiger, Wolf, or Bear Cub Scouts as dens is prohibited”, says the Guide to Safe Scouting? Q: Is this because it is unsafe? A: No. It is a statement of a “program” decision about who can camp. Does This Mean: 1) A Pack of only 10 Tigers cannot camp? They can. 2) A Pack Campout with a 25-person attendance limit must cancel if only Wolf families sign up? No. Camp.
Pandemic Safety Are We Allowed? (Chartered Org, Event Location) How Will We Do It Safely? Guidelines: • Outdoor Better than Indoor • Smaller Better than Larger • Masks and Physical Distancing • Adult Health Supervision • More Parent Participation “Eyes” • Hygiene, Cleaning and Disinfecting Will People Attend?
CUB COVID CONCLUSIONS
Maybe:
• More Outdoor Activities? Few or No Indoor?
• Small Events – More Focus on Den Activities?
o Or “staggered” starts, “satellite” events?
Maybe:
• Required Parental
Attendance?
• Every Parent Helps?• What Did We Do Last Year?
Let’s Plan a Sequel!
Planning • What Did He Have On Slide 9 –
Or Slide 10 – Do We Need To
Routes Do One of Those?
• Let The Leaders Plan It Out
• Let’s Collect Ideas + Feedback
From Everyone – Leaders and
FamiliesPlanning Tip:
If It’s
Really
Hard
Why Are
We Still
Doing It?Where Should You Want to Be? • Poll your Families: What Events Are Fun? • Poll your Leaders: What Events are Hard to Lead (not Simple)?
Cost Aspects of “Simple” • Disney World is Fun, but it Costs a Ton • Exploring a Park on a Hike is Free
Do Your
Events
Spark Joy?
The “KonMari” method of “decluttering” or “tidying up” your life is:
• Gather your things, evaluate each, one by one: Does It Spark Joy?
• If it does, keep it. If it does not, thank it for its service, and let it go.
• You can de-clutter your Pack Activity Calendar too – does it spark joy?What Does Joy Have To Do With Pack Planning? More Joy means More Participation and Retention
Pack Program Planning
Pack Chair leads, working closely
with Pack Committee, Cubmaster, Did You Know?
Den Leaders, Assistants • Cubmaster, Den
Leaders +
• Pick dates convenient for leaders! Assistants are
automatically
Invite all parents to attend and part of the Pack
participate Committee?
• They have ideas about what to doWhen To Hold Your Program Planning Conference? Or: How Soon is Now? • PKO is in April … to Foster 2021-22 Planning Now! • Develop and Share Summer + Fall Highlights • Finalize all in June (July) • Winter: Update Again
• School Calendars:
o Open House, Start Day,
Holidays, Last Day
Pre- • Council and District:
o Key Events You Might Do
Planning: o Training, Fundraiser Dates
Key • Other Organizations:
o Church, Community Events
Dates o Religious Holidays
• Leader Calendars:
o Block Out Dates When Key
Leaders Can’t Attend• Feedback is a Gift …
o … Surveys Can Deliver
Pre- • Feedback After Events:
o Did you like it?
Planning: o Scale: 1 = Awful to 10 = Love It!
o If we repeat, how to change?
Surveys • Before Annual Planning
o What would you like to do?
o Where would you like to go?
o When would you like to go?Myth: No Out-Of-Council Activity Q: We’re Only Allowed To Camp at AAC Camps, Right? A: Nope. You can attend events and camp in other Councils. • Now, Atlanta Area Council events and camps are excellent, but other Councils have fine events too. It’s OK to “Scout Out New Places”. • Just sign up on their websites and follow their rules. What This Means: You’ll get to do something different. • And probably you’ll tell other Packs “you gotta check out our camps”. (Thank you for being an Ambassador.)
Invite Everyone to Give Their Ideas and Attend How Many People Needed To Plan?
Pre-Conference Planning:
• Mesh Dates and Survey Results:
o Survey May Be Clear
Frame The o Or Narrow to Final Choices
Planning • Add Other Elements
o Event Leaders / Teams
Conference o Open Den and Pack Leader
Roles
o Den Meeting Dates
• Budget and Fundraising
• Other Pack Policy IssuesFill the Calendar • Pack-wide Events o Month by Month o Activities? Meetings? o Advancement Activity? o Recruiting Events • Other Events o District/Council/School • Den Activities (“meetings”) o All Same Day/Time? o Or Each Den Decides?
Myth: Must Do 8 Pack Meetings Q: Doesn’t JTE Category 9 say “Hold eight pack meetings a year”? A: Yes. But … that’s not all it says. • That’s in the category called “Pack and den meetings and activities”. • Page 2 clarifies: “Have at least eight pack meetings or activities within the past 12 months” (emphasis added) What This Means: A Pack schedule of Pool Party> Hike> Campout> Bike Ride> Park Service Project> Derby> Scouting 4 Food> Fishing> Campout > B&G> Kites/Rockets > Fun Field Day … need not add indoor Pack “meetings”.
I am all in favor of Pack Meetings.
If they are fun.
Obligatory I like Awards and Cheers and
Skits and Songs and Walk-Ons.
Pack So:
Meeting • If you like Pack Meetings, and
they are fun, do them!
Statement • If they are a struggle, and not
fun, consider maybe … not.
P.S.: I like Awards, Cheers, Skits,
Songs + Walk-Ons most at a
Campfire! Fire Good!!!!Den Gatherings: Which is Better? Meetings? … or Adventures? Indoors? … or Outdoors?
Apply the Funmeter! As you finalize your calendar: • Look at your Calendar of Activities • Is it Exciting and Appealing to Kids and Families? • Will New Families Want to Join You?
Den Gatherings: Which is the Right Way? 1) Once a Week 2) Every Other Week 3) Once a Month Answer: That’s a Trick Question. Each is fine if that works for your Den Families and Leaders.
Program Planning + Den Meetings
(Den Adventures)
Pick a Plan – or Plans:
• Maybe All Dens Meet at • Maybe Lions and
One Time in One Place Tigers Can Do a “Tour
(spread out safely)? de Playgrounds”
• Maybe They Pick Their • Maybe Weekday Dens
Own Time and Place (or and Weekend Dens
Places to “Scout out”) • Sports Team = A Den?Pandemic Program Options
Many More Atlanta Area
Council Resources for All:
Scouting on Demand:
Supporting • Family-Led Plans, Videos, Adventure
Boxes, Suggested Activities and More
Family Led • www.atlantabsa.org/ScoutingOnDemand
Activities Cub Scout Advancement Resources:
• Adventure by Adventure Resources
• Simpler Plans, including Family-Led,
videos, website resources and more –
helps Dens and Parents
• www.atlantabsa.org/CubScoutAdvance
45Support Your Local Den Leader • Pack “Every Parent Helps” Policy • Share Adventure (meeting) Resources o Share with Leaders o And with All Parents
Advancement Anxiety:
Q: How Many Meetings
Needed to Earn a Rank?
Printed Den Scoutbook Streamlined /
Leader Guide Meeting Plans Family Plans
Lion 10 10 5
Tiger 18 12 6-9
Wolf 18 15 7-10
Bear 19 14 7-10
Webelos 15 12 7-10
Arrow of Light 13 13 6-9
A: Depends on “which” plans.Route One: BSA Den Leader Guide Plans
• Many Meetings (18+ T/W/B)
o Typical Plan is 2 Indoor Meetings,
then an Outing
• Maybe Too Many Meetings?
o Especially if Dens Don’t Meet
Every Week (Most Don’t)
• More Labor-Intensive Elements
o Detailed Gathering Activities
• To Share w/Parents, Copy Pages
o To Edit, Markup By HandDLG Tigers in the Wild Plan (11 p., 3 Mtgs.)
Route Two: Scoutbook DLE Den Mtg Plans
• Web Based Tool: App-like
• Slightly Fewer Meetings
o 12 – 15 in T/W/B/W
o Same Pattern: Indoor then Outing
• One Topic at a Time View
o Click-Box Site Design
• Can’t Share Plan w/Parents
o Cannot Revise or Mark-up
• Does sync with SB ReportingSB Tigers in the Wild Plan (40+ Boxes, 2 Mtgs)
Route Three: Streamlined Plans + Family-Led Plans
• Found on District Website
• Not Split Multi-Meeting
o Tips on If and How to Split in 2
• Easy to Share with Parents
o Word Versions Allow Custom Edits
• Encourages Outdoor Activity
o No “indoor” meeting mandates
• Simpler Delivery
o Activities are not in “Gathering”
• Prompts for Parent ParticipationStreamlined Tigers in the Wild Plan (6 p.)
Streamlined Adventure Plans “Required” T/W/B/W Adventures – pdf + Word
Family-Led Tigers in the Wild Plan (5 p.)
Family-Led Adventure Plans All 96 Cub Scout Adventures – pdf + Word
Adventure
• Rank by Rank (including Bobcat),
Resource Adventure by Adventure – 97 in all
PagesAdventure Website Pages • Requirements • Streamlined Plans (for Required Adventures) • Family-Led Plans (for Every Adventure) • Den Leader Guide 3-Meeting Plans • Videos and Other Links
Which Plans Might You Use?
If You Want: You Might Use:
More Meetings Den Leader Guide Plans
Web Access for Den Leader SB DLE or Streamlined/Family
One Topic at a Time View Scoutbook DLE
Easy To Share with Families Streamlined + Family Plans
Ability to Edit/Personalize Streamlined + Family Plans
Almost Automatic Reporting Scoutbook DLE“Out Of Handbook” Adventures Someone Says: At a Pack Bike Rodeo, only 1st Graders can earn the biking Belt Loop, because the only Adventure about riding a bike is in the Tiger Handbook. Nobody else can earn that Loop!!! Nobody! Response: Lighten up, Francis. Gee whiz, if other Scouts complete the Requirements, recognize them and award it! For them, it’s just a Loop To Keep It Simple, Make It Fun at a Bike Rodeo: • “Simple” equals One Award for All • “Fun” equals no one left out of recognition for achieving. Easier than making up different requirements + awards.
Pack Budgeting After All, Somebody’s Got To Pay For All This
Budget Basics Treasurer Budget Process: • Project your costs • Determine dues/revenue Collection Options • Annual Payment? Monthly Dues? • Payments for individual items? • Fundraiser (Popcorn, Camp Cards) Accounting Reports • Budget, Collections, Payments
Expenses A
Pack Must Pay
A Program Year Budget Must Include:
• BSA Registration Fees for the Next
Program Year:
o Unit Recharter Fee = $75
o Youth Registration Fee = $66*
o Adult Registration Fee = $42*
• There are more costs you will likely
want to include in the budget.Do Prorated 2021 BSA Fees Belong In Your 2021-2022 Budget? You don’t need to include 2021 Dues in your 2021-22 Program Year Budget – for: • Current Members paid for 2021 fees (@ Recharter) • New Members in 2021 who pay w/Online Registration If you collect a check with Paper Applications, then you need to add $$ for those youth and adults.
• Handbooks • Pack T Shirts
Expenses A • Badges, Loops, Pins • Event Costs (Key
Events)
Pack Might • Other Awards (JTE
o B&G Banquet
Patch? AoL Arrows?)
Pay Directly • Some Uniform Parts o Derby
Out Of Pack • Scout Life Magazine • Other Events?
o Key Campouts
Budget • Adult Registration
Fees, Training Costs • Stuff Costs (Trailer,
Gear, Flag, Décor)
• Program Stuff (Books,
Kits, Admissions) • Pack Funding Help
• Admin Stuff (Website, • Leader Awards /
Photo Site, Software) Thank You GiftsRevenues
Choose (combine) from these:
• Pack Dues (annual, monthly or
other)
• Consider ease of
collection/administration
• Council-Approved fundraising:
• Camp Cards and Popcorn Sales
• others need plans and approval
(no “soliciting”)
• Fundraising offsets Pack Dues
otherwise due, event costs
• Goal: make Scouting affordable to
everyone:Balancing the Budget
Granular Details on Expenses:
• Project Your Pack Size – that Dues Calculation – Start With:
$75 Unit Fee is: (Total Projected Expenses)
• $1 per Scout w/75 Scouts divided by (Total Scouts)
• $7.50 per Scout w/10 Scouts Equals: Per Scout Cost
• Advancement Bling:
• How Many? No Fundraiser? That’s Your Dues!
• Every Adventure? Fundraiser? Then Estimate
• Or “enough for the Rank Total Per Scout Collections for
plus 1, 2 or 3”? Your Net Dues Number
• Other Pack Expense Items
• Individual Scout Accounts?JTE: Will This Plan Score? Yes, Naturally. Guaranteed Points With This Plan: 1. Planning + Budget (add a leader meeting for Silver, and 6 Committee meetings for Gold) 2. Recruiting (have a recruiting event or a BeAScout process – growth gets you to Gold) 6. Outdoor Activities (3 in a year is easy – 5 is Gold, but 5 outdoor activities is still too few!) 8. Service Projects (2 is easy, 3 still too few, but 3 with 1 conservation project is Gold if recorded) 9. Meetings and Activities (8 Pack activities in a year, 2 Den activities a Month during School Year)
JTE: Other Categories Likely Points – Depending on Attendance and Leaders: 3. Retention (a fun for kids and family program should retain 60%/65%/75% at least) 4. Webelos-to-Scout (60% crossover for Silver, 80% for Gold – your Scouts should want more Scouting) 5. Advancement (50% earning a Rank is easy – some will earn 2 with Bobcat – Gold is only 75%) 7. Day/Resident/Family Camp (33%/50%/75% – note: “overnighting” not required, but fun) 10. Leadership Recruitment (Recharter w/an ACM is Bronze – every Den with a Leader by Halloween is Gold) 11. Trained Leadership (Cubmaster or ACM or PT is trained is Bronze, all DLs for Silver, + 67% of Committee for Gold – depends on Leader Follow Through)
Myth: Pack Overnighters ≠ JTE Q: Our own Pack “Overnighter” Campouts don’t count for JTE, right? A: While JTE refers to “in-council or out-of-council Cub Scout day camp, family camp, and/or Cub Scout resident camp”, that should include “Pack Overnighters” too. (With BALOO trained leader.) • And that’s how the AAC will accept your JTE score. What This Means: Do both AAC “Family Camp” and your own Overnighters with your BALOO trained leaders. • More safe camping is Excellent for your Journey!
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