Boy Scout Troop 411 - Information for Parents

FOR PARENTS OF NEW SCOUTS

First, please read the Troop's Rules and Policies and make sure you agree with them. If you do, please read on. If you do not, you may want to consider a different troop. We can provide the locations and contact information for other troops in our locale. Each troop is unique and goes about Scouting in different ways. Both boy and parents should be comfortable with the expectations of the troop they decide to join.

There are always many questions that parents have about what to expect or what is expected of them and their son. You will find the answer to many of your questions here. If you don't find the answers here, please contact me and ask.

Question: What are the Boy Scouts all about?
Answer: The Boy Scouting movement was started by Robert Baden-Powell, a former General in the English Army, around 1900. Retiring from the Army at age 50 after a highly successful career, Lord Baden-Powell wanted to teach all of his outdoor skills and knowledge to boys and create a movement that might lead to promoting peace amongst the world's peoples rather than war. He wanted to take boys from the crowded city of London into the outdoors of the country where they could learn to become independent. His idea became the Boy Scouts. His idea was highly successful and immediately spread around the world coming to the United States around 1910.

Question: What do the boys get out of being Boy Scouts?
Answer: Knowledge and experience in being able to survive and thrive in any environment. The initial Scouting ranks of Boy Scout through First Class are where the boys learn their basic Scouting skills of camping: tenting, cooking, handling knives and axes, making fires, maintaining a clean campsite, knot tying and lashing, first aid and many useful skills that will last a lifetime. The elevated ranks, Star, Life and Eagle, are primarily based on earning merit badges. Merit Badges are awarded upon successful completion of a course of study of various subjects. Many of these subjects are on advanced outdoor skills, while the majority of them are in vocational area or hobbies. These various subjects expose the Boy Scout to potential future occupations and pasttimes that many times influence their choices in education and career. Rather than guessing at various occupations, Merit Badges help a boy explore his own inclinations and interests so he can make an educated decision when he gets to the point where he needs to plan his future.

The other important aspects of Boy Scouting are the character building aspects. Each boy will hold a position of leadership at some time in his days as a Scout. For many boys, this is the first time in their lives that they get to lead anything. It is invaluable in their development as successful adults. The Scout law, motto and slogan all reflect a positive atttitude based on developing better citizens in the community. The boys have greater expectations put upon them to behave as gentlemen and exhibit common decency than their contemporaries. They are expected to live up to the Scout Law and Scout Oath. Community service projects are a required part of Boy Scouting. A belief in God is also an essential part of Scouting. In fact, it is a requirement. While no particular religion is advocated by the Boy Scouts, all are supported and encouraged by Boy Scouting.

Citizenship knowledge is a part of most Boy Scout rank requirements. The Boy Scouts embrace our nation and her ideals. We respect the flag and learn about it's meaning. Patriotism is a key part of Boy Scouting.

Question: What is expected of a Boy Scout?
Answer: Specifically in Troop 411, boys are expected to:

LIVE BY THE SCOUT LAW, OATH AND MOTTO. They are not merely words that are repeated in Scout meetings. Words have meanings and all are expected to live up to these words. By adhering to these basic principles, the boys will behave at Troop meetings and Scouting functions and be active, helpful members of their patrols.

ATTEND ALL TROOP MEETINGS AND SCOUTING FUNCTIONS. There will be conflicts with other interests and family obligations. We understand this and make exceptions when necessary. It is expected that your son will contact his Patrol Leader to inform him when your son will not be able to attend the meeting. This courtesy is merely common decency and helps your son learn to be responsible.

WEAR A COMPLETE SCOUT UNIFORM. We know as well as anyone how expensive a Scout uniform is. If your son is going to be in the Boy Scouts, we expect him to wear a full uniform to Scouting functions and all Troop meetings. The uniform will be worn properly meaning that the shirt will be tucked in. Since uniforms are expensive, we understand that it may take a little while to get all the parts together. That being said, we have a Troop uniform bank with some various size uniforms in it. We encourage you to see if something in the uniform bank will fit your son. By the same token, when your son outgrows a uniform part, please donate the old part to the uniform bank. We can discuss ways to earn money to help pay some of the cost of the uniform, too. A complete uniform consists of shirt, pants, belt, hat and neckerchief. The shirt must have the required patches sewn in the proper arrangement as shown in the front and back cover of the Boy Scout Handbook. Troop 411 wears a red BSA neckerchief with embroidered gold accents. It is available at the Scout Store. MILITARY UNIFORM PARTS ARE NOT TO BE WORN WITH A SCOUT UNIFORM. This means military caps, shirts or pants or jackets. Some military surplus items such as gloves and boots are fine. NO ADVERTISING WILL BE WORN WITH THE BOY SCOUT UNIFORM. This means that hats with company names, shirts with company advertising, etc. will not be worn as part of a uniform. On campouts and particularly at Summer Camp, a Class B uniform can be worn when the regular, full uniform, Class A, is not specifically called for. A Class B uniform consists of BSA uniform pants and a Camp T-Shirt or a Troop T-shirt.

Question: What is expected of me as a parent of a boy in Troop 411?

Answer: Specifically in Troop 411, parents are expected to:

ATTEND TROOP COMMITTEE MEETINGS. The Troop Committee consists of all registered adults. To be registered, you must fill out a BSA adult application form. Parents who are not registered can and should attend the Committee meetings. What you see in a Troop Meeting is the boy part of the Troop. The Committee handles the administrative part of running the Troop. This is where we discuss the things that cost you money, therefore, it is important that you attend. Also, we discuss things that are coming up in the future. By attending these meetings, you will know what is coming down the pike. And the most important part of all, if your son is in the troop it is your responsibility to do your part and pitch in. It is not fair to the other adults to expect them to shoulder all the responsibilities of looking after a troop if you won't help. You don't need any special skills or knowledge, we need adults to help with many areas from fundraising and record keeping to helping fix up the Scout House and building and repairing Troop equipment.

HELP WITH THE TROOP WHEN NECESSARY. There will be times when there will be a need for drivers to help get the boys to a campout or special function. There will be times when we need help getting equipment to a campout. There will be times when we need help with our fundraising efforts. The Troop needs adult help with these items, not to mention the need for adult help on campouts. If you don't do it, who will? You will be asked to help. There is also a need for help on the Troop Committee. There is always a need for Assistant Scoutmasters. The Scoutmaster is not going to try to do everything all by himself. The purpose of the Troop Committee is to help the Scoutmaster by providing the necessities the Troop needs. Our local Council and District provide training for all adults in such areas as Scouting Essentials, Committee Member training, Outdoor Leader Skills and Scoutmaster/Assistant Scoutmaster training. It's all really about supporting your son in his Scouting activities. None of this means that you will spend every waking moment working on the business of Troop 411. The Troop Committee meets once a month, every first Monday of the month, at the Scout Barn at 7:00PM sharp. Also, parents are welcomed to stay during the Troop meetings. We have a large coffee pot and encourage adults to bring a snack (for the adults only). ADULTS NEED TO BE REGISTERED AS ADULT SCOUTERS IN ORDER TO GO ON SCOUTING FUNCTIONS WITH THE BOYS OR TO BE ON THE TROOP COMMITTEE.

ATTEND COURTS OF HONOR. These are the most special events in Boy Scouting. Usually held once a quarter, the Court Of Honor takes the place of a Troop Meeting and is the ceremony by which the boys are recognized for their achievements in the period since the last Court Of Honor. Courts Of Honor will be some of your son's proudest moments in his entire life. It the time when we can call out each boy and tell of the specifics of what he has accomplished in the quarter. We expect parents to attend and all family members are encouraged to attend. Show your son how proud you are of him. We will plan to have a buffet-type meal or snacks and refreshments as the Court Of Honor is a reception for the boys and a great opportunity to meet the other families involved in your son's Scouting life.

HELP WITH AND BE A PART OF OUR FUNDRAISING EFFORTS. Troop 411's history of fundraising is a huge benefit to our boys. With the exception of the Boy Scout popcorn sales in the fall, these are not door-knocking fundraising activities. Instead, these are fun events where we are providing a service to the local community. The best part is that they really do help us keep our costs down. If highly successful in a given year, we could support almost the entire year's camping and outing costs through fundraising alone. You must do your part as each boy will be credited with the efforts he and his parents have made toward the fundraising efforts.

Question: What will all of this cost me?
Answer: As Scoutmaster, I am committed to keeping the cost of Boy Scouting down to as low as possible. We will try To offset costs with fundraising. Please view the Scouting Costs page.

Question: Who can I talk to when I have questions about the Troop and Boy Scouting.
Answer: Contact either the Scout Office at 432-9593 or call the Scoutmaster directly.

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	FOR PARENTS OF NEW SCOUTS

	First, please read the Troop's Rules and Policies and make sure you agree with them. If you do, please read on. If you do not, you may want to consider a different troop. We can provide the locations and contact information for other troops in our locale. Each troop is unique and goes about Scouting in different ways. Both boy and parents should be comfortable with the expectations of the troop they decide to join. There are always many questions that parents have about what to expect or what is expected of them and their son. You will find the answer to many of your questions here. If you don't find the answers here, please contact me and ask.

	Question: What are the Boy Scouts all about? Answer: The Boy Scouting movement was started by Robert Baden-Powell, a former General in the English Army, around 1900. Retiring from the Army at age 50 after a highly successful career, Lord Baden-Powell wanted to teach all of his outdoor skills and knowledge to boys and create a movement that might lead to promoting peace amongst the world's peoples rather than war. He wanted to take boys from the crowded city of London into the outdoors of the country where they could learn to become independent. His idea became the Boy Scouts. His idea was highly successful and immediately spread around the world coming to the United States around 1910.

	Question: What do the boys get out of being Boy Scouts? Answer: Knowledge and experience in being able to survive and thrive in any environment. The initial Scouting ranks of Boy Scout through First Class are where the boys learn their basic Scouting skills of camping: tenting, cooking, handling knives and axes, making fires, maintaining a clean campsite, knot tying and lashing, first aid and many useful skills that will last a lifetime. The elevated ranks, Star, Life and Eagle, are primarily based on earning merit badges. Merit Badges are awarded upon successful completion of a course of study of various subjects. Many of these subjects are on advanced outdoor skills, while the majority of them are in vocational area or hobbies. These various subjects expose the Boy Scout to potential future occupations and pasttimes that many times influence their choices in education and career. Rather than guessing at various occupations, Merit Badges help a boy explore his own inclinations and interests so he can make an educated decision when he gets to the point where he needs to plan his future. The other important aspects of Boy Scouting are the character building aspects. Each boy will hold a position of leadership at some time in his days as a Scout. For many boys, this is the first time in their lives that they get to lead anything. It is invaluable in their development as successful adults. The Scout law, motto and slogan all reflect a positive atttitude based on developing better citizens in the community. The boys have greater expectations put upon them to behave as gentlemen and exhibit common decency than their contemporaries. They are expected to live up to the Scout Law and Scout Oath. Community service projects are a required part of Boy Scouting. A belief in God is also an essential part of Scouting. In fact, it is a requirement. While no particular religion is advocated by the Boy Scouts, all are supported and encouraged by Boy Scouting. Citizenship knowledge is a part of most Boy Scout rank requirements. The Boy Scouts embrace our nation and her ideals. We respect the flag and learn about it's meaning. Patriotism is a key part of Boy Scouting.

	Question: What is expected of a Boy Scout? Answer: Specifically in Troop 411, boys are expected to: LIVE BY THE SCOUT LAW, OATH AND MOTTO. They are not merely words that are repeated in Scout meetings. Words have meanings and all are expected to live up to these words. By adhering to these basic principles, the boys will behave at Troop meetings and Scouting functions and be active, helpful members of their patrols. ATTEND ALL TROOP MEETINGS AND SCOUTING FUNCTIONS. There will be conflicts with other interests and family obligations. We understand this and make exceptions when necessary. It is expected that your son will contact his Patrol Leader to inform him when your son will not be able to attend the meeting. This courtesy is merely common decency and helps your son learn to be responsible. WEAR A COMPLETE SCOUT UNIFORM. We know as well as anyone how expensive a Scout uniform is. If your son is going to be in the Boy Scouts, we expect him to wear a full uniform to Scouting functions and all Troop meetings. The uniform will be worn properly meaning that the shirt will be tucked in. Since uniforms are expensive, we understand that it may take a little while to get all the parts together. That being said, we have a Troop uniform bank with some various size uniforms in it. We encourage you to see if something in the uniform bank will fit your son. By the same token, when your son outgrows a uniform part, please donate the old part to the uniform bank. We can discuss ways to earn money to help pay some of the cost of the uniform, too. A complete uniform consists of shirt, pants, belt, hat and neckerchief. The shirt must have the required patches sewn in the proper arrangement as shown in the front and back cover of the Boy Scout Handbook. Troop 411 wears a red BSA neckerchief with embroidered gold accents. It is available at the Scout Store. MILITARY UNIFORM PARTS ARE NOT TO BE WORN WITH A SCOUT UNIFORM. This means military caps, shirts or pants or jackets. Some military surplus items such as gloves and boots are fine. NO ADVERTISING WILL BE WORN WITH THE BOY SCOUT UNIFORM. This means that hats with company names, shirts with company advertising, etc. will not be worn as part of a uniform. On campouts and particularly at Summer Camp, a Class B uniform can be worn when the regular, full uniform, Class A, is not specifically called for. A Class B uniform consists of BSA uniform pants and a Camp T-Shirt or a Troop T-shirt.

	Question: What is expected of me as a parent of a boy in Troop 411? Answer: Specifically in Troop 411, parents are expected to: ATTEND TROOP COMMITTEE MEETINGS. The Troop Committee consists of all registered adults. To be registered, you must fill out a BSA adult application form. Parents who are not registered can and should attend the Committee meetings. What you see in a Troop Meeting is the boy part of the Troop. The Committee handles the administrative part of running the Troop. This is where we discuss the things that cost you money, therefore, it is important that you attend. Also, we discuss things that are coming up in the future. By attending these meetings, you will know what is coming down the pike. And the most important part of all, if your son is in the troop it is your responsibility to do your part and pitch in. It is not fair to the other adults to expect them to shoulder all the responsibilities of looking after a troop if you won't help. You don't need any special skills or knowledge, we need adults to help with many areas from fundraising and record keeping to helping fix up the Scout House and building and repairing Troop equipment. HELP WITH THE TROOP WHEN NECESSARY. There will be times when there will be a need for drivers to help get the boys to a campout or special function. There will be times when we need help getting equipment to a campout. There will be times when we need help with our fundraising efforts. The Troop needs adult help with these items, not to mention the need for adult help on campouts. If you don't do it, who will? You will be asked to help. There is also a need for help on the Troop Committee. There is always a need for Assistant Scoutmasters. The Scoutmaster is not going to try to do everything all by himself. The purpose of the Troop Committee is to help the Scoutmaster by providing the necessities the Troop needs. Our local Council and District provide training for all adults in such areas as Scouting Essentials, Committee Member training, Outdoor Leader Skills and Scoutmaster/Assistant Scoutmaster training. It's all really about supporting your son in his Scouting activities. None of this means that you will spend every waking moment working on the business of Troop 411. The Troop Committee meets once a month, every first Monday of the month, at the Scout Barn at 7:00PM sharp. Also, parents are welcomed to stay during the Troop meetings. We have a large coffee pot and encourage adults to bring a snack (for the adults only). ADULTS NEED TO BE REGISTERED AS ADULT SCOUTERS IN ORDER TO GO ON SCOUTING FUNCTIONS WITH THE BOYS OR TO BE ON THE TROOP COMMITTEE. ATTEND COURTS OF HONOR. These are the most special events in Boy Scouting. Usually held once a quarter, the Court Of Honor takes the place of a Troop Meeting and is the ceremony by which the boys are recognized for their achievements in the period since the last Court Of Honor. Courts Of Honor will be some of your son's proudest moments in his entire life. It the time when we can call out each boy and tell of the specifics of what he has accomplished in the quarter. We expect parents to attend and all family members are encouraged to attend. Show your son how proud you are of him. We will plan to have a buffet-type meal or snacks and refreshments as the Court Of Honor is a reception for the boys and a great opportunity to meet the other families involved in your son's Scouting life. HELP WITH AND BE A PART OF OUR FUNDRAISING EFFORTS. Troop 411's history of fundraising is a huge benefit to our boys. With the exception of the Boy Scout popcorn sales in the fall, these are not door-knocking fundraising activities. Instead, these are fun events where we are providing a service to the local community. The best part is that they really do help us keep our costs down. If highly successful in a given year, we could support almost the entire year's camping and outing costs through fundraising alone. You must do your part as each boy will be credited with the efforts he and his parents have made toward the fundraising efforts.

	Question: What will all of this cost me? Answer: As Scoutmaster, I am committed to keeping the cost of Boy Scouting down to as low as possible. We will try To offset costs with fundraising. Please view the Scouting Costs page.

	Question: Who can I talk to when I have questions about the Troop and Boy Scouting. Answer: Contact either the Scout Office at 432-9593 or call the Scoutmaster directly.