Boy Scout Troop #56
Procedures and Guidelines (revised May 2008)
BSA Vision Statement - The Boy Scouts of America is the nation’s
foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership
training. In the future Scouting will continue to:
1) offer
young people responsible fun and adventure;
2) instill
in young people lifetime values and develop in them ethical character as
expressed in the Scout Oath and Law;
3) train young people in citizenship, service, and
leadership; and
4) serve
BSA Mission Statement - The mission of the Boy Scouts of America
is to prepare young people to make ethical choices over their lifetimes by
instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law. Boy Scout Troop #56 fully supports both the
Vision and Mission Statements of the Boy Scouts of America and also strives to
“Put the Outing in Scouting” by planning and offering a variety of camping and
outdoor experiences for its members.
Charter
Organization – The
current charter organization of Boy Scout Troop #56 is the Hale Road Elementary
Community Organization – the parent/teacher organization of
Leadership
Positions – The
selection of individuals to serve in leadership positions of Troop 56
(Scoutmaster, Assistant Scoutmasters, Junior Assistant
Scoutmasters) shall be approved by the Troop Committee prior to those
individuals being approached. The
dismissal and/or disciplinary action against any individual in Troop 56
leadership positions, including members of the Troop Committee, must first and
foremost be discussed and approved by the Troop Committee.
Parent/Guardian/Adult
Participation (hereafter
referred to as “Adult Participation”) - Troop 56 prides itself on being a
Scout-run troop, however, it is vital for the overall success of the troop to
have strong adult support and participation.
The troop relies on adults for transportation to and from activities,
providing overnight supervision on campouts, assisting with fundraisers when
needed, serving on the Troop Committee to conduct Boards of Review and help set
guidelines, serve as Assistant Scoutmasters (upon approval by the Troop
Committee and at the discretion of the Scoutmaster), and encouraging your Scout
as he works his way through Scouting to achieve the highest rank of Eagle Scout. It is the responsibility of ALL adults to
step up and volunteer for the various duties as needed. Adults are also encouraged to apply to the
Grand River District to be a Merit Badge Counselor in the areas of their jobs,
hobbies, and interests. (See Scoutmaster
in charge of Merit Badges for details.)
Safe
Scouting and NO SMOKING Policy – The BSA Guide to Safe Scouting includes
this ruling: “The Boy Scouts of America
prohibits the use of alcoholic beverages and controlled substances at
encampments or activities on property owned and/or operated by the Boy Scouts
of America, or at any activity involving participation of youth members. Adult leaders should support the attitude
that young adults are better off without tobacco and may not allow the use of
tobacco products at any BSA activity involving youth participants. All Scouting functions, meetings, and
activities should be conducted on a smoke free basis, with smoking areas
located away from all participants.” Boy Scout Troop #56 fully supports and
enforces the above Safe Scouting and No Smoking Policies. Transporting Scouts to and from activities is
also conducted on a smoke free basis.
Meetings – Boy Scout Troop #56 currently meets each
Monday night from
Fees and Dues - An initial fee of $45.00 is due when a new
boy joins Scouts. (This fee is subject
to change if costs rise.) This covers
the cost of joining the troop, insurance, Scout handbook, patches, Troop 56
t-shirt and a subscription to the Boys Life magazine. Afterwards, weekly dues are collected
(currently at the rate of $ 1.00 per week).
Weekly dues must be paid and kept up to date, whether in attendance at
the weekly meetings or not, in order for a Scout to be considered “active” and
to participate in camping/weekend activities.
Transfer Fee
Any scout
transferring from another Boy Scout Troop will pay a $20.00 transfer fee.
Attendance - If a scout is inactive for three (3)
consecutive months (absent from all scheduled troop meetings and planned
activities, dues not paid), the scout and parents will be notified. If there is no response the scout will be
dropped from the Troop #56 roster.
Uniform - The Scout uniform is an emblem of Scouting and should be worn proudly
whenever boys are participating in scouting activities. By dressing alike, Scouts show that they are
equals. The uniform is a sign to each
Scout and others that this person can be trusted and counted on to lend a hand
when help is needed. Scouts in Troop #56
are required to wear their Scout shirt with correct insignia at all troop
meetings and at all events specified by the Scoutmaster.
Boards of
Review – The Troop
Committee fully supports the decision of the Scoutmaster and/or Assistant
Scoutmaster to advance or not to advance a Scout at a Scoutmaster’s
Conference. After fulfilling the rank
requirements to the satisfaction of the Scoutmaster and/or Assistant
Scoutmaster, the Scout shall proceed to the Board of Review. The Board of Review shall consist of no less
than three active Committee members and may not include any member of the
Scout’s family, Scoutmaster, or Assistant Scoutmasters.
Participation in Camping/Weekend Activities –
1. All dues must be current in
order to participate in a camping or weekend activity.
2. If a Scout does not meet
certain expectations in behavior, attitude, workload, and participate
wholeheartedly, that Scout may not be allowed to attend the next camp out. The Troop Committee also gives the
Scoutmaster/Assistant Scoutmaster the authority to send a boy home from a camp
out or weekend activity.
3. A Scout attending a Troop 56
camping or Scouting activity is required to be at this event from the start to
the finish as outlined in that event’s agenda.
Arriving late, leaving early, or leaving for a time period during
the course of the activity is not permitted.
(Unless it’s an emergency)
The exception to this rule is during the week of summer camp and the
proper procedures of checking in and out must be followed as outlined in the
summer camp information.
4. Parents/guardians are asked
not to go out of town during a weekend camping of Scouting
activity.
Permission Slips
Troop 56 will
follow the National BSA Guideline of requiring the parent or legal guardian to
submit a permission slip allowing their son to attend each BSA outing other
than the regular meetings. The leader of the event is responsible for
collecting permission slips and has the right to deny a
scouts participation if there is no slip provided.
Fund-raisers - The profits from fund-raisers held by Troop
#56 will be split 50/50 between the Troop and the boys participating in each
particular fund-raiser unless specified differently by the Troop
Committee. The money in the Troop treasury
is used for the annual re-chartering costs, awards, patches, cooking equipment,
and other whole troop expenses.
“Individual accounts” for each boy in the Troop will be established and
kept track of on paper by the Treasurer.
Money earned by the individual scouts at these fundraisers will be
deposited only into the “individual accounts”.
Personal
Accounts - Scouts may
“withdraw” this money from their account and apply it towards dues,
registration fees for Boy Scout campouts and special activities that require a
cost. The procedure for “withdrawing”
from these funds will be established by the Treasurer. Any request for a withdrawal from these funds
for uses other than dues, Boy Scout campouts and special activity registration
fees must be reviewed and pre-approved by the Troop Committee. Funds must be
available in the individual scouts’ account or the funds will not be disbursed.
A Scout that is
removed from the Troop 56 roster and is not immediately transferring to another
troop forfeits his individual account and that money will go into the general
fund of Troop 56. A Scout that is
removed from the Troop 56 roster but is immediately transferring to another
troop will retain the amount in his individual account. A check in that amount will be written to his
new troop for depositing into his new individual account. If a Scout is transferring to another troop
that does not have individual accounts, a check in that amount will be written
to the Scout’s new troop and distributed at their discretion. Any request for deviation from the above set
guidelines will be reviewed and decided upon by the Troop Committee on a
case-by-case basis.
Achieving
Eagle Scout - After a Scout has achieved the rank of Eagle
Scout, Troop 56 will provide the following for that Eagle Scout’s Court of
Honor (under the direction of the Eagle Coordinator):
1. Plaque and
engraving. Plaque will be ordered by the
Troop through the Scout office and the Troop will also have the plaque
engraved.
2. Candles for candelabra
used at the Court of Honor.
3. $120.00
to the Eagle Scout’s family for invitations, programs, Court of Honor
reception, etc.
4.
5. Eagle Scout neckerchief
and slide
6. Cost of postage,
copying, & stationery for 50 letters to dignitaries to be processed by the
Eagle Coordinator.
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