TROOP 444 Guidelines, Policies, and Procedures
Troop 444 uses the Scouting program to develop successful young men. As boys pursue their quest of self-discovery through Scouting, first as experiential learners/followers, then as resourceful, self-sufficient mid-career Scouts and finally as leaders/guides at the highest level, their adult leaders provide opportunities for friendship, fellowship and fun.
As in all organizations with high aims, certain policies, procedures and guidelines must be followed to maintain the credibility of the Scouting program and the overall safety of the boys. These follow the principles of good Scouting as shown in the Scout Oath and Law, the Boy Scout Handbook and the Aims and Methods of Scouting as set forth in the Scoutmaster Handbook. Practical principles also follow the Guide to Safe Scouting.
Boldface type identifies policies only alterable by the Troop Committee. Regular type identifies guidelines and procedures open to some level of interpretation in implementation.
Parents are asked to personally review the following information with their scout.
ORGANIZATION
1. The patrol, with a patrol-elected Patrol Leader (PL) is the basic unit of our troop organization. Patrols consisting of seven to ten boys typically are the New Scout Patrol(s), the Senior Patrol and one or more patrols for boys in the middle of their Scout careers. Older boys serve as Troop Guides (TGs) to some of the patrols.
2. The Patrol Leaders’ Council (PLC), which plans and runs the troop programs and activities, consists of the Senior Patrol Leader (SPL), the Assistant Senior Patrol Leaders (ASPLs), and the PLs. The SPL may request that boys in other positions of leadership attend regularly or occasionally. TGs may attend the PLC as advisors to their PL. The PLC is typically consulted regarding yearly camping program planning.
3. Scoutmaster (SM) and Assistant Scoutmasters (ASMs) serve in advisory capacity to the SPL and the PLC, consistent with these policies and procedures and directives of the Troop Committee.
4. The SPL, with the advice and approval of the SM, shall appoint ASPLs, Troop Guides, Instructors, Scribe, Quartermaster, Librarian, Historian, Chaplain’s Aide, and Bugler. To be eligible for appointment as an ASPL, a Scout must meet the same requirements as an SPL candidate must meet.
DUES
1. Dues for both Scouts and Adults are due on 1 February of each year at Troop recharter. Notification will be by announcement at Troop meetings, e-mail, phone and/or postcard in the discretion of the Treasurer.
2. For a Scout to continue to be enrolled in Troop 444, he must pay his dues by the last day of February of the charter year. In appropriate circumstances of financial need, upon request, the Troop Committee Chairman has sole discretion to negotiate dues special arrangements, including forgiving dues amounts in excess of the Council dues partially or completely. Special arrangements are subject to the conditions set out in paragraph 3.
3. A Scout who owes dues after the end of February of the charter year forfeits his place on any high adventure crew, on any camping contingent and at all Troop activities other than regular Troop meetings as long as dues are owed. Blue cards to start new Merit Badge work will not be issued while a Scout owes dues. If a Scout owing dues is reimbursed any prepayments for any forfeited activities, the reimbursed funds will be applied to the Scout’s dues.
4. Scouts in their first year and Scouts who will turn eighteen years of age before dues are again due, will pay one half of the regular dues.
5. Regular dues for Scouts are $100. Regular dues for adult leaders are $10.
MEETINGS
Regular Troop meetings will be held at the Arapaho United Methodist Church on Monday nights from 7:30 PM to 8:30 PM. Any intended deviation from this schedule will be announced at least one or two meetings in advance. We will make every attempt to see that the boys complete their regular meeting activities by 8:30 PM. Special merit badge work and advancement training not of interest to the entire group will be done before the meeting. These activities will normally begin at 7:00 PM. We will provide notice of any merit badge work well in advance. Scouts should plan to be at the meetings no more than five to ten minutes before 7:30 unless they are attending an announced merit badge or advancement training session.
The PLC will hold at least one meeting per month to plan and discuss the next month’s program and to conduct other Troop business as required.
Each Patrol will hold at least one patrol meeting per month to discuss the next month’s patrol activity and to conduct other Patrol business as required. This is usually done during normal troop meetings. The Troop encourages other patrol meetings and activities outside of Troop meetings/campouts.
ATTENDANCE
Each scout is expected to maintain a 60% attendance record at Troop functions (meetings and campouts) to receive credit for a position of responsibility and be eligible to attend special events such as high adventure. A scout must also maintain the 60 % attendance record in order to fulfill Star, Life and Eagle Requirement 1, concerning serving actively in the Troop. An adequate performance of leadership requires the scout to perform his leadership duties at Troop functions. Therefore a scout may be denied credit for a position of responsibility, due to excessive absences from Troop functions during the period when the scout is holding that position of responsibility. Troop positions are required for advancement for all scouts, so it is unfair if a scout holds the position and fails to perform it, thus depriving another scout of the opportunity to fulfill a leadership requirement. Also, the Troop suffers due to lack of leadership.
The Troop maintains a list of make-up opportunities that a scout may attend and use to substitute for missed meetings or campouts in documenting attendance for earning credit for a position of responsibility or for establishing that the scout has fulfilled Requirement 1 for Star, Life and Eagle. Make-up activities must have occurred during the time period the scout is documenting.
The list of substitutes for meetings and campouts below is not meant to be exhaustive. The scout should check with the Scoutmaster if he wants credit for some activity not on the list. Any activity listed as a substitute for a campout also substitutes for a meeting.
Oak Leaf as candidate (must complete) counts as campout.
Golden Acorn (must complete) counts as campout.
OA Ordeal (must complete) counts as campout.
December "Outdoor Activity" counts as meeting.
Winter Camp counts as campout.
National Jamboree counts as campout AND one meeting.
High Adventure trip counts as campout AND one meeting.
Summer Adventure trip counts as campout AND one meeting.
NAYLE (must complete) counts as two campouts.
Oak Leaf as staff counts as campout and two meetings.
Golden Acorn as staff counts as campout and three meetings.
Camporee as staff counts as campout.
Winter Camp as Staff counts as campout and one meeting.
Summer Camp as (unpaid) staff counts as one campout and three meetings.
OA Chapter meetings count as one troop meeting each, but only for the OA Rep.
Scouting for Food counts as one meeting for each weekend worked.
If a scout anticipates an extended absence, he is asked to contact the Scoutmaster (SM), to take a leave of absence. A leave of absence does not relieve a scout of paying any troop dues and/or fees on time. A scout will not be credited for advancement purposes with any position of leadership to which he may have been elected or assigned if part of the term of the position falls during a leave of absence. The purpose of a scout’s arranging a leave of absence is to explain any gaps that a scout’s record may reveal in terms of advancing or participating in the Troop (Scout Spirit).
The Advancement Chairman maintains records of Scout attendance. He will initial the Scout’s book to show the Scout met attendance requirements. The Scoutmaster will sign the Scout Handbook that a Scout has fulfilled Requirement 1 of the Star, Life and Eagle ranks. If an adult leader is mentoring a position of responsibility, he/she will sign the Scout’s Scout Handbook to show completion of the position of responsibility. If there is no mentor, the Scoutmaster reviews and signs. Attendance is only one requirement for completing rank requirements. Scout Spirit and performance of the duties of the positions held are also required.
ELECTIONS
Elections for Senior Patrol Leader will be held by secret ballot once a year and for Patrol Leaders twice a year.
To be eligible for nomination and election as Senior Patrol Leader, a Scout must meet the following qualifications
Have the approval of the Scoutmaster.
No Scout may be Senior Patrol Leader for more than one consecutive term, unless the Scoutmaster approves such eligibility. No Scout may be Senior Patrol Leader more than twice.
To be eligible for nomination and election as Patrol Leader, a Scout must meet the following qualifications:
Have the approval of the Senior Patrol Leader and the Scoutmaster.
No Scout may be Patrol Leader more than three times
ADVANCEMENT/ MERIT BADGES
When a rank advancement or merit badge is earned, the Scout receives the badge (patch) at the next Troop meeting. He receives the signed certification card at the next Court of Honor. In the event that the Troop or Council records do not indicate completion of a rank or merit badge, the signed certification card, in accordance with BSA policy, will be the best evidence that the Scout has earned the rank/merit badge. All Scouts should keep the certification cards as long as they are registered as Scouts.
Earning Merit Badges
To earn a merit badge the Scout:
Gets a blue merit badge card from the Advancement Chairman or Scoutmaster, fills in the front and asks the Scoutmaster to sign it.
Gets contact information for a qualified counselor from the Advancement Chairman, if the Scout has not already made arrangements with someone.
Contacts the counselor and sets up a meeting.
Along with a buddy (another Scout, family member or friend) meets with the counselor. The counselor will explain the requirements for the badge and help the Scout get started.
Works on the badge requirements until they are signed off, meeting with the counselor (along with his buddy) whenever necessary.
Makes sure the Counselor 1) signs off all requirements, 2.) signs the blue card showing completion of the badge and 3.) keeps the Counselor’s section of the card.
Brings the completed blue card to the Scoutmaster for signature
Brings the signed card to the Advancement Chair, who will keep the Troop section and return the Scout section to the Scout.
The Counselor
Will notify all Scouts who have indicated that they want to work on a badge of the meeting time/place in those cases where the counselor is offering a merit badge class
Must require that the Scout complete all stated requirements and satisfy all the standards of each requirement.
May keep the blue card(s) of the Scout(s) he is working with during the pendency of merit badge class work.
May encourage (but may not require) Scouts to do more that the requirements state.
May in his discretion accept a Scout’s work done for a prior merit badge counselor if the Scout holds a signed and dated blue card showing the Scout initiated working on the badge.
May in his discretion accept verifiable work done prior to a Scout’s receiving a blue card as meeting merit badge requirements. It is expected that less than ½ of the requirements should have been completed prior to the Scout obtaining a blue card and that no requirement should have been completed more than six months prior to the Scout obtaining a blue card.
May in his discretion vouch for work that a Scout has done by signing off requirements on a new blue card in cases where a Scout has lost his original blue card.
A parent may not sign his own son’s Scout Handbook to indicate completion of any requirement for advancement. A parent may not conduct a Scoutmaster Conference with his own son. A parent may not serve on his own son’s Board of Review. If a parent is Merit Badge counselor and his/her own son is taking the Merit Badge, the parent must have another adult auditing, who will work with that scout.
PHILMONT TREK PARTICIPATION
In filling the available spaces on any Troop 444 Philmont crew, priority will be given to first time Philmont trekkers (both youth and adult) who are active in Troop functions. The Troop Committee will determine eligibility. A closed roster available only to eligible Scouts and Scouters will be maintained for a time period to be set by the Troop Committee. A space on the roster is only assigned after payment to the Troop of the first of the scheduled trek payments. After the closed roster period has expired (if spaces are available), any Scout or Scouter in good standing may join the Crew by paying all trek payments due at the time the Scout or Scouter joins, first come, first served.
CONDUCT AND DEPORTMENT
The scouts and adults of Troop 444 are expected to conduct themselves in a way that reflects the ideals of scouting. Failure to do so may result in a telephone call to the parents of the boy requesting them to come and remove him from the activity or campout. Each boy must have on file a troop medical release with two current telephone numbers where parents may be reached in case of an emergency or in the event that they are needed for disciplinary reasons. Boys that continually have conduct problems may be allowed to participate in troop activities only if their parents are present. If necessary, the troop committee may ask a boy to leave the troop. Examples of improper conduct are:
Fighting
Cursing or profanity
Disrespectful behavior toward adults or other scouts
Destruction of property
No rock throwing at any time or under any circumstances.
By National Policy, no scout may be in the direct procession of any of the following items at any scout meeting or activity:
1. Liquid or gaseous fuels including charcoal lighter fluid. Stove fuel (i.e., Coleman fuel) will normally be brought to the activity by adults and will remain in adult possession at all times. It is the responsibility of the patrol grubmaster to ensure that stove fuel will be available, but they don’t bring or possess it themselves.
2. Any filled liquid or gas powered stoves, lanterns, heaters or warmers. Stoves and lanterns will be filled by adults and used by scouts under adult supervision.
3. Products packaged in aerosol cans, including stove fuels and insect repellant.
4. Firecrackers or any type of fireworks.
5. Tobacco, Illegal Drugs, or Alcoholic Beverages.
Any abuse of this policy may place more than a single individual at risk. . Further, the troop practices a zero tolerance policy for the possession or use of any type of illegal drugs or alcohol, which will subject the scout to expulsion from the troop.
By troop guidelines, no scout may be in the possession of any of the following items during any Scout activity:
Medications without knowledge of Adult leadership, particularly the assigned Medical Officer (MO). The Scout only with permission and knowledge of the Adult leadership may keep these. The Patrol Leader need not be told, though it is highly recommended.
Radios, tape players, MP3/CD/DVD/iPOD players, or electronic games during an outing. These are acceptable during transport with concurrence of the adult driver.
Axes or hatchets of any type.
Sheath knives
Pocketknives without a signed Tote-N-Chip card.
Additional food and snacks placed in bedding, packs, or tents. These invite unwanted visitors and can be the cause of a substantial amount of damage to personal or Troop property and can subject the scouts to danger.
Under National Youth Protection policy, no Scout will be counseled individually without at least one other adult in attendance nearby. Single adults will only transport scouts in groups, unless the single child is the child of the driver. These guidelines will be followed without exception.
All adults who participate in any scout activity with the boys must take the nationally mandated Youth Protection Training. This is available at no cost numerous times throughout the year and at many council and district activities as well as online. This training must be updated every three years.
Circle Ten Council policy requires all newly registered adult leaders to be subjected to a routine background check prior to participation in any council wide event. Further troop policy also requires such a check of all of its adult leaders for the protection of the boys.
UNIFORMING
Scouts are expected to wear a Class A uniform including officlal shirt and pants to all Troop activities including meetings. The elements of the uniform are defined in the Scout Handbook. (Troop 444 neckerchiefs are not required at Troop meetings.) Note that the Troop maintains a few used uniforms for scouts in need. This is another outward sign of Scout Spirit and will be considered as a part of rank advancement.
Any scout being reviewed for rank advancement or appearing before a Board of Review MUST be in Class A uniform (including T444 neckerchief, if Scout has earned one.). These activities will be deferred if the scout does not appear in full uniform.
National policy requires wearing a Class A uniform to all Council or District activities without exception. Scouts who arrive without a uniform will be sent home and may lose their transportation to the activity if it causes the entire Troop to wait for their return.
National policy requires that Scouts be in Class A uniform whenever being transported to or from any scout outing or activity. This is a stipulation for insurance coverage.
Scouts may wear class B uniform (scout tee shirt) with jeans, shorts, etc. within the guidelines established by the Senior Patrol Leader (SPL), at the following times:
After the Troop arrives at a campout site and until it is time to return home.
With special permission of the SPL or the Scoutmaster.
3 Scouts should not wear open-toed shoes to meetings or outdoor activities.
Camping Program
1. The regular camping program of Troop 444 consists of eight monthly campouts and Summer Camp. The Troop schedules campouts in September, October, November, January, February, March, April and May. In December, a day length activity is offered. Whenever there is sufficient Scout interest and adult support, the Troop will send a contingent on a Winter Camp experience and/or a summer adventure trip, in addition to a yearly High Adventure trip.
2. Friday night departures are limited to four campouts per year or less, unless the Troop Committee votes to allow more on a year- to year basis. Normally, the campouts in the months of September, October and November are scheduled as one-night campouts to avoid conflicts with other extra-curricular activities.
3. Prior approval by the Troop Committee must be obtained if a campout plan is to include a return time later than 4 p.m. on Sunday. Whenever logistically possible, the Camping Program Coordinator, the Campout Scoutmaster and the Campout Lead should strive to plan campouts so that the return time is around 1 p.m. Sunday.
CAMPING
. Some guidelines for troop/patrol outings include
The PL has the responsibility of informing his patrol of upcoming troop activities and the preparation for outings:
The troop must have a current parent and medical releases for each boy and adult attending any scout function per National Policy.
The Troop Quartermaster (QM) issues camping equipment to each patrol. It is expected that each scout will treat this equipment with care. Anyone who knowingly damages or defaces the Troop equipment or the facilities at any outing will be liable for any necessary repair or replacement at the expense of the Scout. Normal wear and tear is anticipated and is accounted in the troop budget. . Anyone damaging Troop equipment will be expected to replace or repair that item.
Each Patrol is responsible for its own menu for an outing, unless otherwise advised.
One patrol member is assigned by the PL the responsibility of purchasing the food and supplies on a rotating basis. This position is known as the "grubmaster". Total cost should not normally exceed eight dollars per Scout for a typical weekend outing.
Payment of a fair portion of the total expense will be divided among all patrol members who commit to going on the outing. Bring enough money to the outing to pay your grubmaster. This should normally be done immediately before leaving on the outing. It is important to realize that a commitment to go on an outing is a commitment for the cost of the food. If a scout indicates that they are going on the outing and then discovers that they cannot attend, they should contact their grubmaster for that outing as soon as possible. If the scout does not contact the grubmaster before the grubmaster has purchased the food, then the scout will be expected to pay their fair share, whether or not they attend the outing. If someone goes in place of a committed scout, then that expense would be shifted to that scout.
Additional scouts who show up for an outing without commitment potentially cause a hardship for the patrol, as the patrol normally does not carry extra food for an unexpected patrol member. If the grubmaster has already shopped for food, the unexpected scout will have to provide his own food for that outing.
One or more patrol members are usually assigned the thorough cleaning of any dirty cookware. This assignment is made by the PL on a rotating basis.
No Scout is permitted to bring equipment normally provided by the Troop without prior approval of the SPL, Scoutmaster, or the Assistant Scoutmaster in charge of outdoor activities. This includes tents, tarps, stoves, and any other "group" equipment provided by Troop 444.
FUNDRAISING
The Troop typically holds two fundraising events per year.
SCOUT ACCOUNTS
A Scout’s fundraising profits are deposited in a Scout Account. The Scout Account funds are retained by the Troop in the Scout’s name for the primary purpose of funding troop dues and various camping experiences. At the Scoutmaster’s discretion and with parental approval, the funds may be used to purchase Scout items, such as uniforms. When a boy leaves the Troop, any balance in the account will be retained by the Troop and will be converted to general Troop use.
TRANSPORTATION
Transportation between the troop meeting location and outings is provided by adult volunteers in their own vehicles. Adults may be asked to drive groups of scouts or haul camping gear to outings. Please review the following notes on transportation:
All Scouts are required to use seat belts at all times.
No Scout may ride in the back of a pick up or on a trailer except at slow speeds in an official parade event.
In order to transport scouts on an outing, drivers must be at least 21 years of age, have a valid driver’s license, and have proper insurance coverage. Older Scouts who are licensed drivers do not generally drive themselves on outings. This would only be done in extenuating circumstances with parent and Scoutmaster approval and only the Scout or family members would be allowed in the vehicle.
ADULT LEADERSHIP
All adults are encouraged to become registered with the Boy Scouts of America and to take an active part in troop activities. According to the Troop Committee Bylaws, an adult must be registered with BSA in order to participate as a member of the Troop Committee.