BOY SCOUT TROOP 432
ELKRIDGE, MARYLAND
Baltimore Area Council, BSA
PARENTS' HANDOUT
March 2000
This handout is designed to provide an overview of Troop 432
responsibilities, operations, and activities. We welcome
recommendations from Scouts and parents on new
programs/activities.
Scout Responsibilities: Each Scout should participate in planned
Troop and Patrol meetings, campouts, hikes, civic events, money-
making projects, and conservation & service projects. Scouts are
expected to wear the uniform correctly to all events requiring
it, and live the Scout Oath and Law in daily life, particularly
at all Scout related activities. Boys and their families are to
learn and follow the ideal of participation in a boy led troop.
Troop Responsibilities: The Troop will provide a planned program
with emphasis on character development, citizenship growth, and
physical fitness. The program is planned and run by boy leaders
who are trained and guided by the Scoutmaster and his
assistants. Emphasis during Troop meetings will include
preparation for outdoor activities, maintaining the "outing" in
Scouting through regularly scheduled hikes/campouts, and a
chance for boys to become leaders and better citizens in a
controlled environment. The major event each year will be a
long-term camping experience.
Parents' Responsibilities: Parents should support their Scout
son(s) in all Troop endeavors, provide transportation to/from
Troop scheduled events on an equitable basis with all other
parents, and actively participate in Courts of Honor (held
approximately 2 times per year) and money-making projects. When
asked by either the Scoutmaster or the Troop Committee, parents
should provide assistance as needed. Parents will be advised
if/when their son(s) may demonstrate improper attitude or
behavior. If any Scout becomes too unmanageable at a Troop
function/activity, his parents may be called to get him.
(SPECIAL NOTE: Parent of every Boy Scout are requested and
needed to participate in Troop activities -- this will assure
that sufficient adult supervision will be available at each of
the Troop's activities.)
Meeting Place: Scouts should gather for the meetings between ten
to fifteen minutes prior. Promptness is expected on each end of
the meeting on the part of those providing transportation.
(* Due to Privacy Reasons please see Scoutmaster for exact
time/location)
Troop Uniform: A used uniform closet is maintained by the Troop.
Contact the Scoutmaster or Troop Committee Chairman for more
information. We encourage parents to donate uniform items that
no longer fit their sons.
Leadership: The elected Senior Patrol Leader, in conjunction
with the appointed Assistant Senior Patrol Leader, Troop Guides
and the elected Patrol Leaders will run the Troop. Scouts will
be expected to cooperate when working/playing under their
leadership. The Scoutmaster, Assistant Scoutmasters, Junior
Assistant Scoutmaster(s), and other boy leaders will also
provide training, leadership, and guidance to all younger
Scouts.
Troop Warrant Positions: These positions are appointed by the
Senior Patrol Leader. They are: Quartermaster, Scribe,
Librarian, Historian, Bugler, and Chaplain Aide.
Patrol/Troop Structure: All Scouts will be assigned to a Patrol,
under a Patrol Leader and Assistant. Each Scout will be expected
to participate in Patrol meetings and/or Patrol events as
scheduled. We expect all Scouts to cooperate with these leaders.
Elections for Troop positions normally occur twice a year, and
all registered/active Scouts in the Troop may be eligible to
compete for Troop and Patrol positions.
Scout Participation: Our Troop Committee has adopted the
following policy concerning eligibility for boys to participate
in our outdoor program. Our program is open to all boys, but we
strive to assure our parents that behavioral problems will not
affect the quality of the program for other boys.
Scouts must be approved for weekend campouts based upon
behavior at the troop meetings, prior campouts, and other scout
related events. Those with marginal behavior will require a
parent to attend the next campout, until a better determination
can be made as the scout matures and becomes accustomed to our
program and the responsibilities.
Scouts must have successfully attended two weekend
overnight campouts before being allowed to attend the annual,
full week, summer camp usually at Camp Horseshoe. If the Troop
Committee determines that your son may not be ready for a week
of summer camp, or has reason to believe that your son's
attendance may hamper program goals, our Scoutmaster and
Committee Chair will meet with you and your son (at your choice)
to discuss your options. We will make every attempt to include
every boy in our extended camp program, but as young men mature
at different speeds, some are just not ready for a long stay
away from home and parents. For these scouts, more time in our
monthly weekend outings will help them mature and prepare for
the next year at summer camp. Most scouts attend four to five
summer camps in their scouting career, so they will have ample
opportunity to reap the benefits summer camp has to offer, even
if it is at a later date. If a scout is at summer camp, and is
not behaving properly, creates a health or safety concern, or
continues to act in a way that prevents the continued operation
of our boy led program, we will ask the parents to pick up their
child at the earliest available time.
Joining Fee: All prospective Troop 432 Scouts will be required
to pay a registration joining fee of $45.00 at the time of
initial registration. This fee will be used for registration,
subscription to Boys' Life magazine, and selected Troop insignia
(Patrol patch, badge of office [when needed], and badge of rank
[when earned]). A Recharter fee will be paid every year in
April. These fees cover the cost of all earned rank badges,
merit badges, mother's pins, cards, and other selected awards.
Money-making Projects: Appropriate projects will be selected by
the Troop's adult leadership, boy leaders, and Troop Committee.
EVERY SCOUT is expected to participate in equal amounts, since
the benefits (new/replacement Troop equipment, and camping
costs) are for all Scouts. Special fund raisers for summer camp
and high adventure activities are included in these projects.
Outdoor Activities: Troop 432 has an active outdoor program
consisting of camping, hiking, orienteering, canoeing, and other
special activities. There is at least one of these activities
every month all year-round. The Troop provides tents, tarps,
cooking stoves, lanterns, Patrol cooking/clean-up equipment, and
other items needed for a fun and safe camping environment. Each
Scout needs to provide his own eating utensils (plate, cup,
knife, fork, spoon, etc.). In addition, parents must ensure
their son(s) have clothing and sleeping bags appropriate to the
season. Every Scout should acquire a backpack during his first
year in Scouting. The Troop maintains an inventory of donated
equipment (backpacks, sleeping bags, etc.) for use by Scouts.
(For a more detailed list of camping equipment see pages 224-227
in the Boy Scout Handbook.). Every activity outside of
Troop/Patrol meetings will have an information sheet/permission
form detailing dates, times, place, cost, emergency phone
numbers, etc.
Troop Equipment: The Troop maintains an extensive inventory of
common camping gear, including tents, tarps, lanterns, patrol
boxes, cooking gear, etc. After each campout, we may require
each Scout who attends to take home various items of Troop
equipment to be cleaned or hung up to dry. We ask parents to
ensure that their son(s) take these responsibilities seriously,
and to return all assigned equipment promptly. Some of this
equipment is very expensive to replace so we need everyone's
cooperation.
Advancement: Advancement in Boy Scouts is not automatic. It is
absolutely essential for each boy to use his personal initiative
if he intends to advance in rank. Troop 432 provides ample
opportunity for each boy who joins to advance all the way to
Eagle Scout if he so chooses. However, we do not force any Scout
to advance. Each Scout must set his own goals. Advancement can
be broken down into two categories:
a. Rank Advancement: Each rank (Scout, Tenderfoot, Second
Class, First Class, Star, Life, Eagle) has a specific set
of requirements which must be met before the Scout can earn
that rank. The last two requirements for every rank except
Scout are: "participate in a Scoutmaster Conference" and
"meet with a Board of Review." To have a Scoutmaster
Conference, a Scout must have completed all but the last
two requirements for the rank he is working on. A Board of
Review consists of adults from the Troop Committee who
review a Scout's record and performance, and the board
members decide whether he has learned/retained enough
knowledge to justify earning that rank. If a Scout passes a
Board of Review he will be awarded his new rank
immediately. If he does not pass he will be told exactly
what is expected of him to pass the next time he meets the
board. Boards of Review are held at the last Troop meeting
of each month and other times when deemed necessary. To
meet a Board of Review a Scout must have had a Scoutmaster
Conference, be in full "Class A" uniform, and have his Boy
Scout Handbook with him.
b. Merit Badges: Earning merit badges is required for Star,
Life, and Eagle ranks. A Scout wishing to earn a merit
badge must secure a Merit Badge Request Form from the
Scoutmaster, obtain the name of and contact a merit badge
counselor, acquire a merit badge pamphlet and comply with
the requirements for that badge. A merit badge is not
complete until the requested form is returned to the
Scoutmaster, signed by the counselor. Counselors will only
work with a group of at least two Scouts to comply with the
BSA Child Protection Policy. Merit badges are awarded only
at Courts of Honor. The Troop maintains a merit badge
pamphlet library and our Scouts can check out any of the
pamphlets they may need to work on merit badges. These
pamphlets must be shared with all Scouts in the Troop and
should be returned on a timely basis. Parents may choose to
purchase merit badge pamphlets for their son(s) at the
Baltimore Area Council Scout Shop. The Troop welcomes
donations of any pamphlets to expand our library.
Safety: The safety of all Scouts in the Troop is of primary
concern to the Troop leadership. Because of this, non-folding
sheath knives, fireworks, and martial arts weapons (throwing
stars, nun-chucks, etc.) will not be permitted at any Troop or
patrol functions. Firearms and archery equipment are allowed
only at those events specifically scheduled for the use of such
items, even then, only under qualified adult supervision. For
more information see the Guide to Safe Scouting.
Troop Committee: The Troop Committee works for the chartering
organization and is primarily responsible for supporting the
Scoutmaster in delivering a quality Troop program and handling
Troop administration. Some of these responsibilities include:
providing adequate meeting facilities, carrying out policies and
regulations of the Boy Scouts of America, providing adequate
funding and disbursements in line with the approved budget plan,
obtain/maintain and properly care for Troop property, and
recruit & train quality adult leadership. All parents of Scouts
registered with the Troop are considered members of the Troop
Committee, and we encourage any and all to become registered
with the Council. All parents are encouraged to attend the
monthly Committee meeting which are held on the 3rd Tuesday of
each month at 7:00 PM. There are a variety of jobs that need to
be accomplished to make the Troop function efficiently, and it
takes more than just a few parents to do this. All positions are
held by volunteers -- there are no paid positions. Interested
volunteers may fill vacant positions at any time. Positions can
be shared amongst volunteers to help with time constraints.
Contacts: Have a question? Need information? Please contact
either one of the following:
PAT ELZA DONALD WECKER
Committee Chairman Scoutmaster
(410) 796-4474 (410) 379-5613
(
geocities.com/troop432)