How to measure your progress for JTE

Greetings Scouts!

I wanted to write and give you some important info on how to measure your progress for Journey to Excellence (JTE)… some of you will soon be eligible for the bronze, silver or GOLD level and you’ll want to report your Scouting year soon!

Here’s a link to a tool (spreadsheet) you can use to track your status on several key benchmarks. Assign a leader in your unit to help track and update this at each Unit Committee meeting which you should be having every month…

Cub Scout Packs spreadsheet tool – http://bit.ly/packJTE

Troops spreadsheet – http://bit.ly/ru6REI

Teams, Crews, Ships, Posts… get your spreasheets here (they are different): http://bit.ly/jov4zn

A couple of cool things about these useful spreadsheets is that 1) it will help you track your status very simply, 2) you will be able to share this by email with your unit on a monthly basis BEFORE your Committee meetings, 3) it contains a GREAT budget tool to help your unit plan for re-charter, program budgets, summer camp, and unit advancements so that you can PROPERLY set a unit fee, instead of just guessing and then setting it too high. In other words, budgeting will help you keep Scouting affordable and it will also help you set a goal for things like Popcorn and Camp Card sales…

If you have other questions, I encourage you to call your commissioner or visit with your fellow leaders at the next Roundtable. The JTE website has LOTS of great information including a webinar for each unit designation, a powerpoint to share with your Unit Committee and leaders, and some FAQ’s that will help you further.

Take some time to share this with your committee this month… this is the time to get started so that you can ensure your Unit’s achievement this year.

Now back to camping! See you out there!

daniel

How to have a successful FALL – Cub Scouts!

Successful Packs share several traits that result in better program for the boys. If your Pack will do these five things, your boys will have a better Scouting experience too!

1. Confirm your KEY LEADERS NOW! – Know who will be your Cubmaster, Committee Chair, Den Leaders, and important key Committee members before SUMMER (and be sure to email that to Daniel!)
2. BACK TO PACK – Kick off the new school year by getting a BACK to PACK event on the calendar now! At this event have all of the boys and adults re-register for 2012 and pay their registration fee… this makes re-charter time soooooooo much easier! You’ll have a better inventory of returning adults and leaders, AND a better handle on dens PRIOR to Round-up. And then, only NEW boys need to attend the round-up. Schedule this as an end-of-summer picnic or pool party in late July or early August BEFORE most round-ups will occur.
3. plan your IDEAL YEAR OF SCOUTING! – take some time to brainstorm and plan the most exciting year for your Scouts and then talk about making it happen using these steps… PLANNING, BUDGETING, GOAL setting, Communicating the plan to parents, EARNING THE MONEY, EXECUTING the plan. A more detailed version of the IYOS plan is included in the original publication. Join us for an Ideal Year of Scouting Brunch and earn an additional 1% sales commission on POPCORN this year! June 25 at Gainesville First United Methodist Church on Thompson Bridge Rd. or June 30 at LDS Church in Suwanee on Suwanee Dam Rd. SEE YOU THERE!
4. ROUNDUP – Roundup is a COUNCIL coordinated recruiting effort that benefits your pack. The District Executive and District committee will set up the Roundup schedule and a trained Roundup captain will run this meeting which usually lasts about 90 minutes. THE PACK’s role is to support the meeting and help it run smooth. This is NOT a Pack meeting, but a smooth, well-timed program designed to get your new Scouts (AND PARENTS!) energized about the Scouting program. Roundup orientation this year will be held on Tuesday August 2nd at 7:00PM at the Cumming Kiwanis Club for the Etowah District. You will want at least one leader to attend this meeting to find out your Roundup schedule!!!
5. School Registration Night (OPEN HOUSE) – Set up a booth and have some Scouts or parents in uniform to promote the Roundup night! Have flyers or magnets (Daniel can provide these), some pictures of your campout or Spring trip to the Yorktown, even have some old pinewood derby cars or trophies. If you share your school with another Pack coordinate with them! It is important to have two equally strong packs in those cases.

How to Have a Successful FALL is a full publication put out by the Northeast Georgia Council and distributed at May Roundtables each year. You can download a copy of it here.

Okay, see you out there!

daniel