Present: Jacob Hugart, John Andert, William Schanks
Reminder of Leaders
James Frese is the Den 4 leader (Tiger Cubs).
Mike Donnelly & Todd Ballen are the Den 5 leaders (Wolf Cubs).
Steve Andert is the Den 1 leader (Bear Cubs).
NO ONE is the Den 2 leader (Webelos 1).
Fawn Yarker is the Den 3 leader (Webelos 2).
Jacob Hugart is Cubmaster.
Ken Alt is Assistant Cubmaster.
Lori Stafford is the Pack Committee Chair.
William Shanks & Holly Hugart are both Pack Committee Members.
John Stafford is the Chartered Organization Representative.
Amy Toby has agreed to help out with fundraising.
Join Cubs Night
Monday, September 15th, is our official Join Cubs night, but boys will probably trickle in over the next several den meetings. The weather looks to be sunny and clear, so we will plan on being in the Poppel lot across from the Parish Hall. Jacob will get the keys so the Parish Hall can be used for restroom breaks, we can get the flags, maybe a table, etc. Jacob will also make a sign for the doors to the church (the address of this was used in the district's free publicity they made for us!), and on the parish hall itself.
The event will start at 6:30 PM. Please arrive by 6 PM to help set-up; Jacob will probably be there by 5:45 PM, but call his cell to arrange something earlier (check e-mail). We will also need help afterwards to put stuff away. We have the following forms:
- Join Pack 66 brochure
- Cub Scout application form
- Health information form
- Vol. II, No. 1 issue of the Chronicle
- Como Zoo Day registration form
- Webelos Woods information
- Adult application form
A number of flyers have gone out. Because of some rules with the St. Paul Public Schools, we can't start submitting flyers until the 15th; Steve will get some flyers made up for the schools we are targeting: Crossroads, North End, and Bruce Vento.
Part of how we will make this work will be to have something going on for the boys all the time. There are three main things to accomplish: 1) Greeting, 2) Awards, and 3) Parent Talk.
1. Greeting
This is when parents get information, fill-out forms, write checks, etc. The boys could be hanging on to their parents, or meeting each other. Den leaders can use the Group Juggling Name Game (see e-mail) to help boys learn each others' names, or help boys define a den cheer. This can be animalistic, or rhyme with the den number, involve the rank or grade, or Webelos patrol; the Webelos 1 den should identify a patrol animal. (The Webelos 2 should have done this last year.) A list of pre-existing patrol emblems is at the Scout Stuff web site. Den Leaders should also make sure they have a list of their boys' names, that each boy knows which den they are in, and that each boy knows the Cub Scout sign and Cub Scout motto.
2. Awards
Some boys couldn't make the end-of-year picnic in June; others have been busy over the summer. We have a number of patches to give out. Jacob, as Cubmaster, will lead this, so the den leaders can focus on their dens.
3. Parent Talk
Jacob needs a chance to talk to the parents directly. This is when he re-iterates what we hope to do with Cub Scouting and their boys, and appeals for parents to join in with the leadership of the pack. During this talk, the den leaders can do some relay-type games with their dens. We have identified some already, and they should be described in an e-mail.
Remember, this is a uniform event!
Pony Bead Behavior
One thing we wanted to improve on this year is boy behavior. Earlier this summer, we decided to try using pony beads, available at the Scout shop, as a reward for model behavior.
Jacob has beads in different colors for different leaders, so see him if you need yours. They are in baggies right now:
- Tiger cub den leaders get orange.
- Wolf cub den leaders get yellow.
- Bear cub den leaders get light blue.
- First year Webelos den leaders get dark blue.
- Second year Webelos den leaders get red.
- Pack Committee members get green.
- The Cubmaster and Assistant Cubmaster get glow-in-the-dark.
Each baggie also has a small card of suggested rules. It reads as follows:
Establish a Den Code of Conduct. Give beads for behavior and manner, not achievement. A boy can receive beads from more than one leader for the same behavior. Boys should not trade beads. Seek out behavior in all boys to reward; be verbal, too. eads for wearing the uniform or bringing the handbook should only be from that boy's Den Leader. Establish Den rewards. Never take beads away as punishment!
A Code of Conduct should be written up on a large sheet of paper. (Jacob will bring some 11x17 paper to the first den meeting on the 22nd, we don't need to award beads before then.) It doesn't have to be nicely written paragraphs, but can be a list of what is OK, and what is not OK. The main idea is to have the boys define what is to be on the list, with some prompting from the den leader. After it is in good shape, the boys and den leader should all sign it at the bottom, and the den leader should bring it to each meeting. When new boys join later, they should read the code and sign it. Some things to include are points on language, physical activity, listening, bringing the book, etc.
Boys get things for working on their rank and electives, so we don't give beads for that. But if they do something in a cheerful way, or show politeness, give a bead for that.
If more than one leader sees a boy doing something in a nice way, they can all reward the boy with a bead. This is one way a boy can acquire beads of different colors, and is why it is good to seek out boys behaving the right way. In addition to a bead, be sure to say, "I'm glad to see you aren't running," or "I heard you say, 'Thank you' just then," in order to give verbal reinforcement to good behavior.
When it comes to den expectations, like wearing your uniform, bringing your handbook, etc., the den leader alone should award those beads. (A bead for each item is fine.)
Each boy will get a small white bottle when they pay their registration fee; we should only award beads to boys who have their bottle, else they have no where to keep the beads. If a boy fills his bottle -- it holds over 100 beads -- then we can get him a bigger container, and some sort of patch (Jacob will find one, unless someone else volunteers to look). When all the boys in the den have filled their white bottles, the den leader should have some reward that's for the whole den, like pizza or games or something. This can be worked out with the boys.
The boys will get to keep their beads; perhaps we can work out some craft for them for next summer.
Den Meeting Rules
Mark Hoonsbeen, who is our district chair and acting commissioner, offered these guidelines for the safety of our boys:
- Boys must come into the parish hall with a parent to sign in.
- Boys should sit down at their den's table, ready for the meeting.
- Absolutely no running or horseplay in the parking area.
- No running or horseplay in the building.
There is an insurance aspect to this as well, since boys who follow these rules are less likely to get hurt. We have to make sure that parents are each aware of the first point. Catching boys in the good behavior related to these items is worth awarding a bead.
Calendar Items
There are a number of upcoming events for which we need volunteers to coordinate:
Webelos Woods
This is for 2nd year Webelos only. Scheduled for September 26-28, 2008, at Phillippo; only the first night is required, but boys and parents are encouraged to stay the second night. The fee is $20 per boy or adult, and registrations are due by Friday, September 19th. Given that Fawn is the Webelos 2 den leader, it is assumed that she will track this. Jacob will mention this event at Join Cubs night.
Cub Scout Como Zoo Day
This is scheduled for October 4, 2008, and runs from 9:45 AM to 12 Noon. This is a self-registering event, so we do not need a coordinator for it; we will have copies of the registration flyer at Join Cubs night for families that want to go.
Fall Festival
Siblings of Cub Scouts may attend this event. We've scheduled this for October 18th, but it also runs the 16th, 17th, and 19th at Phillippo. The event runs from 9 AM to 3 PM, and lunch is provided. The full fee is due on September 22nd, and is non-refundable. Cub Scouts and siblings 6 and older are $25; adults are $6; siblings under 6 are free. This is an outdoor event, so dress for the weather and prepare to walk a lot. We need a colunteer to coordinate this, gather health forms, and handle check-in and check-out at the event. Jacob will mention this at Join Cubs night.
Polar Cubs
We've scheduled this for February 21, 2009, at Phillippo. Reservations open October 6, 2008, and are total fees are due November 21, 2008. A non-refundable deposit of $10 per boy and $4 per adult is needed to make a reservation; the total fee is $27 per boy and $9 per adult. Each adult and boy should have an up-to-date health form. The volunteer should go to be the pack's contact for check-in and check-out.
Camp Akela
We've decided to scedule this for the first full weekend in August, 2009: August 7-9. This way, families can plan around it now. We need a volunteer who will handle registration, gather health forms, and deal with check-in and check-out.
Leader Training
This is a reminder that the district is trying for 100% training for all leaders who are in direct contact with boys -- den leaders, cubmasters, etc. Pack committee members are generally exempt, but it doesn't hurt to have everyone fully trained.
Full training includes:
- Fast Start Training -- This is on-line
- New Leader Essentials -- This is the one with that picnic video
- Position-Specific Training -- The break-out sessions after NLE
- Youth Protection Training -- You can take this on-line
According to the district records, we don't have many people trained in their position, and no one has officially taken the Youth Protection Training. You can find the NLE and Position-specific training dates and locations on the council's training site: http://training.nsbsa.org/ Please note that Kaposia (the district just south of us) has a training morning on September 27th. Training is free, or might involve a small fee to cover any refreshments the sponsoring unit provides.
If you take a class and want to be sure it gets recorded, please let Jacob know. Normally, tracking who needs and has what training would be the job of the Pack Trainer, and is itself an official position for which we should find a volunteer.
BALOO -- Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation -- is good for any leader who will be involved in any camping or outdoor event planning at Scouting reservations, and needs to know the rules and guidelines. OWLS -- Outdoor Webelos Leader Skills -- is a full day of things a Webelos den leader should know, such as pitching a tent, cooking, knots, etc.
Fundraising
We talked of selling Fall flower bulbs again, from Dutch Mill bulbs. We imagine that we'll have to get order forms right away, but we need a volunteer to check on this.
More Leaders
Jacob has asked Mark Hoonsbeen to check the list of former Eagle scouts to see if any are in our area and would like to join our pack as leaders. We could use a Webelos 1 leader, and there are other positions we could fill, too.
Action Items
Jacob will bring 11x17 paper to the first den meeting on the 22nd. He will also get the keys for the parish hall and make signs so that people who go to the church or the parish hall will know where we plan to meet. He will also mention Webelos Woods, the Fall Festival, and other things for the Chronicle. He plans to be at St. Bernard's by 6 PM at the latest, to get things set up and get ready.
Steve will get flyers made for the public schools, including their specific wording.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED for:
- Webelos 1 leader (Jacob is pinch-hitting for this)
- Fall Festival coordinator
- Fundraiser for Fall Bulbs
- Polar Cubs coordinator
- Camp Akela coordinator
- Pack Trainer
