Start of the Cub Scout Year F.A.Q.'s

Hey, everyone. It's that time of year again that scouting is starting up. We want to welcome your families to the 2017 and 2018 year for Cub Scout Pack 33. I am one of the Assistant Cubmasters and your Tiger Leader for this coming year! Really quickly, I wanted to write down some notes for you to always have a reference.



If you have other questions, please don't hesitate to email me and if applicable, will add them here.
(Also, if you are a scout leader and this is helpful to you, feel free to share it with your families as well!)

I will add this to my Boy Scout page on this Blog so you can always find it!

The Schedule::

I will update this as our den and pack schedule changes but this is how the year will look.

Tiger Year (2017-2018)
Wolf Year 2018-2019

Uniforms::

It is expected that once a scout has a uniform, that they wear it to every meeting and that they bring their book with them. You can get your uniforms from the Boy Scout shop in Bethesda, Maryland (9190 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20814). This is what they look like from an official standpoint. Assistant Cubmaster Howie does a uniform Exchange where you can get bits and pieces uniform cheaper than you can at the store. These are used items that are a fraction of the cost. This is usually available at pack meetings. However, if you want a brand new uniform I suggest hitting up the store pretty soon.

Here's what you will need on the uniform:

* Blue shirt

* NCAC Council Patch

* Pack 33 Number

* Den 6 Number

* American flag
* Neckerchief & the Slide (orange for Tiger) if you have not gotten one already)
* Belt

* Your Level-Specific Handbook (ie: Tiger, Wolf, Bear, etc).

If you want to get fancier they even have (but it's okay to not have):
* Cub Scout socks

*** Here is the placement of the patches on the uniform! ***

Tips:

* Get a size up from their current size so the blue shirt lasts them until Webelos (3 years). Although you don't have to, definitely a money saver.

* For the blue pants, I suggest getting from another retailer and save you guys a couple bucks. For DC kids, this is part of your school uniform most likely and you can use that.
* This pack, for the most part, is pretty relaxed on the pants 'policy'
* I will show parents the trick to not lose the neckerchief slides, at the first meeting.
* Always keep a "scout bag" with all the uniform pieces in it. (I learned this one the hard way with my older son as he was always misplacing his shirt "conveniently" before meetings ha ha).

Parent participation::

Unlike Girl Scouts or Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts require that parents are at the meetings to help out with their children. Until they are a Webelos Scouts, and unless there's an exception, please plan to be there with your child during the den meetings. If you are bringing another child, this is fine but we need to know and have written permission from the parent and communication with the leaders. You being there is just to ensure a good experience for your son(s).

To add to this, please do not be on your cell phone while the meeting is going on. If you have to be on a call, please take the call in the hallway. We should be good stewards and examples for our children during scouting events.

We always need help and ideas from the parents to help make the pack and then go smoothly. If you know you want to help to lead a particular meeting or you think of a really cool outing please contact me I would be more than happy to work with you or implement your idea if I can.

What Things You Have To Go To?

Biggest Rule of Thumb: What you put in, is what you will get out. The more your child is participatory, they more they will get out of it.

Den meetings::

These happen twice a month and are grade/level specific. These are crucial to coming to because they will meet a lot of the rank requirements for your son. If you are sick follow the guidelines like you would School. Please do not come if you are sick.

Pack meetings::

These are once a month and the whole pack (all the grade/levels) comes. Either happens in a pack meeting a pack event or camping. These are going to be where your child's ranks will be awarded and I highly encourage coming to them.

Den Outings::

Sometimes we will have outings outside of den meetings to help your child with making rank that is just for our boys. We will let you know ahead of time so please try to be there if you can. We will let you know if it makes any rank requirements so you can judge whether you are able to do it or not. And otherwise stated, sibling, are welcome to come.

Pack Events::

There will be events that serve as the pack meetings but there will also be events outside of that but the pack does. Our fundraiser is important to attend but the other ones are more optional.

Optional events::

The optional events will get emailed out like baseball and you will be able to join in on the fun or you do not have to. These will generally be described as the optional event so you know.

Camping::

Cub Scouts does family style camping. This means that the whole family can come. We ask that at least one parent come. If you bring kids that are not your own you cannot be in the same tent with them. This is very important to note.

Dues and Forms::

As emailed out by the Cubmaster and committee chair already, you need to turn in your son's application for scouting and your dues as soon as you are possibly able to. You can mail them or you can give them to me and I will give them to the correct person. You can make out the dues to Pack 33.

Your dues cover both the registration straight to counsel but it also covers the dues for the pack directly which help fund the events that we do.

New scouts: Complete page five (5) of the BSA Youth Application, available from https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/524-406.pdf. Submit a physical copy of the application to your den leader at a den meeting, or to me at a Pack meeting. Alternatively, applications can be scanned and submitted electronically to me at committeechair@takomaparkscouts.org.

Training::

All your leaders are background checked and trained. The one thing we ask parents to do is to do the youth protection training online. This is so you understand the rules but you also can go over it with your children and this is required for their Bobcat rank. The online training should take you no more than 30 minutes to do.

*** You can do the Youth Protection Training here! ***

Code of conduct::

Just as with any group we expect that people are living up to the Scout Oath and law and are being respectful. Please use your good judgment and Common Sense what this means when it comes to you and your son's participation in the pack.

Working on the Handbook At Home::

Please do not do requirements that are going to be gone over in the meeting so we don't take away the fun from your child! This means please do not work ahead. The electives you may do but the required ones we will plan to go over as a den unless told otherwise.

We are looking forward to a great new year. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call me or email. I will add the question and answer here (in a similar format above, so anonymous) if it will help others.

Also, if you are a scout leader and this is helpful to you, feel free to share it with your families as well!

Yours In Scouting!