Some thoughts on how to evaluate a Scout Troop as a visiting parent

First, I found these 10 points helpful.  They are from Clarke Green's Scoutmaster CG blog, which I've found to be an EXCELLENT source and he's one of my regular reads.  (This particular post seems no longer to be present, but I still use it)

• Ten points to gauge the health of a troop (from the Scoutmaster CG Blog)
• Ask a random scout the date of the next camping trip, where they are going, what they will do there and what it costs.  Where did he learn this information?
• Ask a random parent what rank their scout holds and what they need to do to advance to the next rank.  Ask their role in advancement.  Ask when the next parents’ meeting is scheduled.
• Ask the youngest scout how to go about earning a merit badge
• How long will current Scoutmaster, Committee Chair and Chartered Organization Rep commit to staying in those positions?  Who is the next Scoutmaster, Committee Chair and Chartered Organization Rep?  Is there a transition plan?
• Ask the patrol leaders’ council to list the last 5 times they were told they could not do something or that their decision was overturned, or they were told to do something they’d rather not.
• What is the next step in training your adult leaders?  What are they doing to increase their knowledge and skill over the next six months?  The next 12 months?
• What is the year-round active recruiting plan?
• Why did the last five scouts who dropped from the roster leave?  Did they age out, or leave for other reasons?  Were those reasons discussed and addressed by the Scouters in the unit?
•  Ask a patrol leader the name and rank of each member of his patrol, and what each member needs to do for his next rank
• What is the long-range calendar?  What happens over the next five years?  What are your high adventure, advancement and participation goals
• See scoutmastercg.com/10-point-troop-checkup

Questions to ask each troop:

•  How many members, in how many patrols?  (Want to hear at least two patrols and 10-15 members minimum.)  How many new Scouts do you expect this year?
•  How many WEBELOS joined a year ago, how many are left, and what is their rank?
•  How many adults are on the Troop Committee and serving as ASM?
•  How long has your Scoutmaster been in position, average tenure of Assistant Scoutmasters, Committee Chair and members?
•  Are new adults welcome on committee and as ASM?
•  How many adults have a trained strip?  Scouter’s Training Award?  How many have completed Wood Badge?  How many committee members have completed Troop Committee Challenge?
•  How often does the PLC meet?  How is the annual program planned?  (Expect monthly PLC and youth led annual planning conference)
•  Have youth leaders completed ILST?  NYLE?  Trainer’s EDGE?  (If no one has done ILST, that’s very bad.)
•  How long has the SPL been in office?  How is he trained?  Did the adult leadership stay out of the SPL’s way during the meeting?
•  How long has the Troop Guide been in office?  Been in Scouts?  What level of training has he had?  May we meet him?
•  Which adult leader advises the Troop Guide?  How long has he been working with New Scouts?  Has he had ILOS training?  Earned his Trained Strip?
•  Will our WEBELOS be in a New Scout Patrol, or with older boys?   If a New Scout Patrol, will they be mixed with Cubs from other Packs?
•  What are dues and fees?   Average annual cost?  How is fundraising handled?
•  How often does the troop camp, and where?   High adventure?  Summer camp? Can we have a copy of your calendar?
•  What is the level of troop participation in District and Council events (Camp-o-ree, Klondike Derby, First Aid Meet etc)?  How many troop members attended an OA event in the last year?
•  Is there equipment enough for the whole troop?  Is it in good repair?  Is there sufficient budget to maintain the current equipment, plus regularly update it?  Where is it stored, and how is it transported to camp outs?
•  Is the troop in uniform?  Can scouts wear jeans with their uniforms?  Athletic shorts?  White socks, or no socks at all?
•  Is there a written discipline policy?  How does it account for scouts with behavioral problems?
•  Does the troop follow Troop Program Features for meeting plans, or use its own plan?  Advancement work in meetings or not?
•  What is the average length of time to reach First Class Rank?
•  What was your JTE Score last year and the year before?  Can I have a copy of the score worksheet?

Advice WEBELOS for parents on choosing a Scout Troop

First of all, remember that the transition is for you and your Scout to choose -- the fact that I look for specific attributes in a  Scout Troop does not necessarily mean you should.

My guide is also somewhat geared toward the fact that we are in a metropolitan area of close to 150,000 people in a BSA District that has about 30 troops in two counties.  About 20 of the troops are within a 20 minute drive of our Pack's meeting place, and many of them are closer to our members homes than our chartering organization.  (Side note, there are two local troops chartered to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  Because their Scouting program is slightly different and includes slightly different ages for joining, I chose not to list them.  If you're an LDS Scout, check with your local council and congregation for more details)

The following is a two-page handout that will be going to my younger son's 4th grade WEBELOS Den in about 3 weeks at our Blue and Gold Banquet.  We've already made one troop visit, and last weekend observed at the Council's Klondike Derby.  We had four specific troops we intended to observe, but the boys liked a patrol from a 5th troop, and we spent a large part of our morning with them.

A few things you should know about choosing a Scout Troop:

• Our WEBELOS Den is NOT required to all join the same Scout Troop.  Although often in the past, all of the New Scouts from Pack 38 have gone to the same troop; there is no requirement to do so.  It is well worth your time and effort to consider each troop we have visited (and potentially others, as well) before determining which troop is the best fit for you and your scout.
• Consider geography.  There are scout troops all over Springfield, and in Sherman, Riverton, Rochester, New Berlin and Pleasant Plains, plus three in Chatham.  Choose a troop a comfortable distance from your home, and be aware of which school district most of the troop members attend.
• Consider troop size.  Scout troops vary greatly in size.  Some units, like Troop 210 at Asbury/Jerome UMC, are very large.  Others are much smaller.   Larger troops typically have more resources and may provide more programs to their scouts.   Smaller troops generally provide more individual attention to each scout, and tend to provide more chances for individual achievement.
• Consider the troop calendar.   Scout troops have a great deal of individual freedom in how they run the basic BSA program.   All troops will offer a long-term camp during the summer.  Some may offer multiple chances to attend long-term camp.  Some may offer a “high adventure” camp in addition to (or in place of) the basic summer camp.  Many local troops have 12 or more camping trips in a year, but some have fewer.  (Troops can have as few as 4 in a given year.)  Most troops meet year-round instead of taking the summer off like Cub Scouts.  In some cases, missing lots of summer activities may slow your scout’s advancement.
• Consider program costs.  The minimum cost for a Scout in any troop is $36 a year ($24 for National Registration and $12 for Boy’s Life).   Some troops charge the minimum, and then any additional costs are passed on following a “per scout, per activity” basis.  You’ll pay for each troop activity as it happens, and only if you participate.   Other troops follow the model that Pack 38 uses and charge an annual fee that includes the majority of annual program costs.  In these troops, you’ll pay a single annual fee that includes some specific activities.  Some troops offer a blend of these.  Most have some fund-raising to offset some costs.
• Consider uniform and equipment costs.   Most, but not all, scout troops locally expect their members to wear the full uniform (uniform shirt, uniform pants or uniform shorts and uniform socks, uniform belt and hat).   You may wish to find out if the troop you are considering maintains a “uniform bank” where uniforms are donated when no longer needed.  Scouts may take uniforms for their own use from the uniform bank if they wish.  Many troops also have troop T-shirts.  You should find out if the troop you’re considering has one of these and what costs are involved.  (Some provide a shirt as part of the annual program costs).  Likewise, find out what camping equipment the troop expects each scout to have.  (Most expect you to have a backpack, sleeping bag, mess kit, flashlight, and rain gear.)
• Consider a troop’s discipline policy.  Boy Scouts are expected to be more mature than Cub Scouts.  Ask what rules of behavior a troop expects its members to follow.  Ask what a troop’s policy is for those times when a scout doesn’t follow the troop’s rules.
• Consider the tone and general feel of a troop.  Some troops are very formal, others more casual.  Some spend half of the meeting playing a game; others spend lots of time on instruction.  Some are quiet and others boisterous.   Some have different meeting plans for summer.
• Consider the leadership of the troop.   Boy Scout Troops are supposed to be run by the boys, with advice and counsel from the adults.  When visiting, look for evidence that the program is planned and run by the boys, rather than the adults.  Be aware that sometimes a boy-run troop can be a bit more chaotic than an adult run troop . . . but in the end, your scout will get more out of the boy-run troop.  Consider also the adult leadership, and their length of service/future plans.   Joining a troop whose Scoutmaster is marking time until his son earns his Eagle and quits next summer may result in a rude shock.  Look for a troop with several trained and committed leaders, who DON’T have 16 or 17 year old sons.
• Consider the training level of the troop.  It’s mandatory that the Scoutmaster and Assistant Scoutmasters have completed BSA Youth Protection Training.  You should ask what level of additional training the adults have.  (In particular, look for adults wearing a “Trained” strip on their sleeve and for adults wearing a leather thong around their neck with wooden beads hanging from the thong).   Ask how many youth in the troop have been trained, and to what level.  Most troops provide some training in the troop.  Ask about ILST “Introduction to Leadership Skills – Troop,” the basic course available for troops to use to teach leadership.  Well run troops send one or more youth to “NYLE” the “National Youth Leadership Experience” which is offered annually by each council.  Exceptional troops will have sent an occasional member to NAYLE – the National Advanced Youth Leadership Experience, offered at one of the BSA National Level camps.  These scouts serve on staff for the local training course.
• Consider quality.   There is no single metric for the quality of a troop’s program, but a close approximation is in their Journey to Excellence score.  Don’t be afraid to ask if they qualified for JTE last year, and at what level.   They should be able to tell you bronze, silver or gold for the last several years.  You could also consider asking how many Eagle scouts the troop has produced in the last several years, and when was the most recent.
• Consider the environment in which the troop meets and camps.  Do they have a clean, spacious, well-lit meeting area?   Is the troop’s equipment stored in a trailer, or a garage, or a storeroom in the building . . . or is it in the Scoutmaster’s garage or even sent home with various families?   Is the troop’s equipment in good shape?
• Consider tradition, family and friends.   It goes without saying . . . but if your scout’s father and grandfather were in a troop, you should consider joining that troop.  If your church or social organization sponsors a troop, you should consider joining that troop.  Troop 3, at Douglas Avenue UMC, is the oldest continuously active troop in the Abraham Lincoln Council (Founded in 1915, and in continuous service since 1942).   If your scout’s best friends joined a specific troop, you may consider joining that troop as well.

Once you’ve chosen a troop:

There are things you need to do once you’ve chosen a troop.

•          Inform your Den Leader. 
•         Inform that troop.  They should have an application and medical forms for your scout.  (Parts A and B you can fill out right away.  Part C must be completed by a doctor before summer camp.)  Probably, they will also have an adult application for you. 
• .       Confirm your new troop’s meeting time and location.   Find out what time is the earliest you can drop off, and the latest you can pick up.  You don’t want to wait 20 minutes in the car before someone arrives, or worse - arrive mid-meeting.  Likewise, if you’re the last to pick up your scout, two adults will have to wait with your scout until you arrive.
• .       Make sure you have an up-to-date Troop Calendar. 
• .       Get to know five people, right away.  The adults you should know are the Scoutmaster, the Assistant Scoutmaster running the New Scout program, and the Troop Committee Chair.  (These three adults will have all the information you need, and will be glad to listen to your questions and/or complaints.)   The other two you should know are older boys.  The Senior Patrol Leader is the boy who runs the troop.  You should know who he is.  (Look for a patch on his left sleeve with a silver-colored Boy Scout Symbol over three equal bars.)  The Troop Guide is the boy who will be working most closely with the new scouts.  (Look for a patch on his left sleeve with a bright red Boy Scout Symbol over three equal bars.)   Everyone else can wait . . .
• .       Confirm your new troop’s policy on uniforms, and any suggestions on camping equipment.  Some troops don’t expect new scouts to wear their uniform until they earn Tenderfoot rank, others will expect WEBELOS Crossing over to be in correct uniforms right away.   Some units will need you to have proper winter camping gear right away, others will expect very minimal camping gear, or may have gear to loan.
• .       Confirm summer camp dates, and dates for any deposits.  Confirm with the Pack any camp fees that they might forward to your new troop, and under what conditions.

WEBELOS Transition Introduction.

For several years, I've been adding to a collection of information about transitioning boys from Cub Scouts (4th and 5th graders are WEBELOS -- for WE'll BE LOyal Scouts) until they complete their Arrow of Light or turn 11 years old or complete 5th grade.  When one of those conditions is met, they can join a Boy Scout Troop.

Some background is in order -- for those who don't know, I was a Cub Scout starting in 2nd grade (1976) until I turned 11 in 1980.  My Pack was having some difficulties at the time, and I didn't earn the Arrow of Light (nor did anyone else).  I was the only member of my pack to join the troop I joined in January 1980 (someone fudged the requirements a little, and I attended a camp out as a "Scout" about 3 weeks before I was eligible to join).   In January 1981, after a move, I joined a troop where I spent the next 6 years and earned my Eagle Scout Award.

I was very lucky as an 18 year old college freshman, and another student observed that I was wearing a National Scout Jamboree T-shirt my first day of classes at college.  Long story short, he gave me a ride to a meeting that night at a local troop and I served through the next 3 years as their Assistant Scoutmaster working with the first year scouts.  (Wisely, our Scoutmaster didn't want an 18 year old working with the 16 and 17 year old junior leaders).

After finishing college, I served a year as an Assistant Scoutmaster at Troop 3 in Springfield IL, and then 5 years as their Scoutmaster before moving to Bloomington IL and serving 6 years as Scoutmaster of Troop 18.

Troop 3 was notably successful in recruiting and integrating WEBELOS into the troop and Troop 18 was not.  As a result, Troop 3 grew from 4 scouts in the fall of 1990 to 45 scouts when I left in December 1995 (and my successor grew the troop to nearly 70 scouts at one point).  Troop 18 wavered between 10 and 14 scouts the whole time I was involved.

After my involvement with Troop 18 ended due to professional commitments, I wasn't directly involved with Scouting until my older son became a Tiger Cub in 2011.

Our Pack does not have a co-sponsored troop, so we continually have to evaluate where our WEBELOS will go when they leave the pack.  Since 2011, we've had boys join (or commit to join next month) four separate troops, and there are two others in the running for future scouts.

I've been advising parents informally since the fall of 2012 regarding troops to visit and how to choose.   The following items are the current results of that work.  (By the way, for those who are deeply involved with Scouting -- this collection of information is being organized into a "WEBELOS Parent's Orientation" as part of my Wood Badge Ticket)

First -- general information from a course in the topic that I took in January 2015 at a University of Scouting event hosted by the Lewis and Clark Council of the Boy Scouts of America.  (Note that anything in parenthesis with my initials "prp" is my addition or editorial comment rather than course material as given)

From Lewis and Clark Council University of Scouting, January 31, 2015

The importance of the WEBELOS Leader

·         Must provide a good outdoor program

·         Should enjoy a good relationship with a Boy Scout Troop (or two – prp)

·         Should have completed Scoutmaster Position Specific training if possible

WEBELOS Den Leader’s Job

·         Have the den function like a Boy Scout Patrol

·         Offer multiple opportunities for WEBELOS to camp

·         Ensure necessary scoutcraft skills are taught

·         Become familiar with local troops (through roundtable or other adult training opportunities)

·         Recruit a Den Chief

·         Plan bridging ceremony (or ceremonies)

·         Verify transfer of records to the troop after crossover

Receiving Scoutmaster’s role

·         Include WEBELOS den in summer camp reservations and promotions (less of an issue with winter crossovers – prp)

·         Discuss camp, troop activities and costs with WEBELOS parents

·         Invite the WEBELOS and parents to troop meetings and some outings – AND BE WELCOMING (emphasis added – prp)

·         Become part of the pack graduation ceremony

·         Assist in finding Den Chiefs for the WEBELOS Dens

·         Ensure all forms are completed

·         Must understand the good in having WEBELOS observe the troop

·         Invite the WEBELOS Den Leader to become part of the troop (preferably observing older scouts at first – prp)

·         Hold a pre-summer camp orientation for Scout skills to make sure new scouts are ready for long term camp (Again, this is less of a problem with early crossover – prp)

Assistant Scoutmaster’s role

·         Help to form the new scout patrol (or patrols – prp)

·         Make sure WEBELOS Feel welcome and that they are part of the troop

·         Advise the Troop Guide in planning instruction of Scout Skills and patrol learning

·         Assist with advancement through First Class (Scout, Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class)

·         Verify and reinforce good Scout Skills – be a role model

The Den Chief’s role

·         Resource for Scout Skills (Across all dens, not just WEBELOS –prp)

·         Help form WEBELOS Den into a patrol and instill patrol spirit

·         Help WEBELOS Patrol operate with Patrol Method

·         Assist at Ceremonies

·         Be a good role model

Cubmaster’s Role

·         Fall and Winter – Develop a point of contact with local troops, examine membership levels and schedules (can be delegated to others, but CM should have this knowledge in the long term – prp)

·         Summer – Confirm WEBELOS on target for outdoor program (especially with the 2015 WEBELOS Requirements – prp)

·         September – Confirm potential crossover dates with WEBELOS Den and Troops, encourage visits to troops (for BOTH 4^th and 5^th Graders – prp) and confirm 5^th Graders have made at least tentative decisions about where to transfer.

·         September-April – Ensure Arrow of Light is completed, AOL is recorded and all records are transferred to the troop.

Suggested Transition Plan

·         Plan should be finalized in November or December (read this as “60 days before crossover” – prp)

·         Pack shares roster (address, phone, email) with troop

·         Troop provides camp plan and fees (and troop calendar! – prp) to the pack before crossover

·         Within the last 60 days before crossover, set a date for the Scoutmaster(s) to meet with WEBELOS Parents (familiarization, camp promotion, general orientation)

·         The FOLLOWING year’s WEBELOS (4^th graders) should visit the troop within 30-45 days of crossover (this was not in the original notes, but developed from a post-course discussion with the instructor – prp)

“Graduation Briefing”

·         Remind the WEBELOS that Merit Badges are similar to their activity badges

o   Accuracy is important

o   Neatness is important

o   Timeliness is important

·         Provide a copy of the “Scout” rank requirements (especially important for 2016 crossovers, as the requirement changed 1/1/2016 – prp)

·         Remind them that this is the continuation of a journey, not something new.

·         Remind them that the Scoutmaster and Junior Leaders have been recruiting them for a year or more – they ARE wanted in the troop.

Recommended timeline

·         Fall 4^th grade, visit first troop.  WEBELOS should visit at least two troops.  Troops being considered should be visited more than once – the first time by prior arrangement and the second visit by “surprise” (less than a week’s notice – so the troop can’t plan something special, but with enough warning that you’re not showing up on a night they aren’t meeting or are conducting an election or something like that)

·         Fall 4^th grade, den should have an overnight (WEBELOS Resident camp or WEBELOS Woods both count for this – prp).  Den should act as a patrol, plan menus with the help of Den Leaders, Troop Guides, etc.)

·         Winter 4^th grade, den should choose a name, make a flag, create a yell and start wearing their patrol emblem on the right sleeve (optional, for Tan uniforms).   Especially recommended that the den begin using a rotating Denner as “Patrol Leader” (note that when this class was given, the requirement to do this for “Scouting Adventure” was not known yet – prp)

·         Spring 4^th grade, visit second troop, and have 2^nd (surprise visit) to the troop visited last fall.

·         Spring 4^th grade, additional overnight den outings, as needed to complete requirements (course materials mention “Outdoorsman” from 2003 requirements, but apply now to Cast Iron Chef, WEBELOS Walkabout, Camper and Scouting Adventure – prp)

·         Spring 4^th grade, joint camp with one of the troops visited.  If possible, camp as an extra patrol in their troop.

·         Summer after 4^th grade, resident camp

·         Fall 5^th grade, second (surprise) visit to second troop.   Visit additional troops as needed.

·         Fall 5^th grade, joint camp with second troop visited.  (Additional camp outs beyond this one are good, unless they interfere with the troop or pack schedule)

·         Late fall 5^th grade, final visit to troop chosen to join.

·         Winter 5^th grade, crossover

·         Spring 5^th grade, Pack adult leadership follows up with troop