From the District Chair: As we come to the close of 2012, I want to take a moment to thank each of you for all that you do to contribute to the success of our packs, troops, and crews. Your efforts to create strong units and provide high quality programs deliver the promise of Scouting to the youth of our community. And helping our youth grow to become capable, confident, and responsible adults is what our program is all about.
On behalf of the Great Rivers Key-4, I wish everyone in the Great Rivers family a most joyous holiday season and a new year of peace and good will.
Recap of the December Roundtable
Focus on internet tools – Eric McFee, Maggie Knuteson
On-line Rechartering Streamline your rechartering activity by using the online process. A unit can now complete the required paperwork over the internet. A unit must select one adult to enter the data. Maggie or Eric can help you obtain the single username and password for your unit. Find more information and a link to the internet recharter tool at http://www.northernstarbsa.org/OnlineTools/InternetRecharter/.
Unit Toolbox System The Council is expanding the functionality of the youth recruitment planner. To reflect the change its name is being changed to the Unit Toolbox System. Every unit – Pack, Troop, or Crew – will want to use this system to enter the information that populates the Adventure is Calling site, where parents and youth can search to find a unit in his or her area. Units can also schedule recruiting events and request promotional materials. New capability has been added for FOS activities so units can schedule presentations and track progress toward goal. Unit volunteers should request access through their unit committee chairs. All of us have trouble keeping up with everything that is new. If your unit chair isn’t aware and can’t help, contact your unit commissioner or Maggie. More information can be found at https://www.northernstarbsa.org/planner/Login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fplanner%2fdefault.aspx.
District Fireside Chat – Eric McFee, David Misemer, Maggie Knuteson
Roundtable: What is the status of the District’s Journey to Excellence?
Misemer: I think our qualifying for some level of JTE award is almost certain. With the outstanding response by our units to Popcorn sales, I am confident that we have obtained our finance goal. That means we have qualified in 9 of a required 10 measures. Even more impressive is that we’re within “spittin’ distance” (as they would say in Virginia) of reaching gold, the highest level. This is a remarkable achievement and the Key-4 want to acknowledge that it is not our achievement or the achievement of the district committee. It is the result of the effort of all our units and their volunteers. If we qualify for JTE, Eric and I will make sure we recognize everyone’s efforts with a ribbon for every unit and cake at an appropriate Roundtable.
Roundtable: I’m not familiar with Journey to Excellence; what is it, exactly?
Misemer: Journey to Excellence is scouting’s quality system. It is not only available for districts, but there are JTE scorecards for packs, troops, and crews, too. For those of you familiar with the Quality Unit Award, JTE replaces that award. I really like the JTE system for two reasons: first, I believe that it has a much better set of criteria, including measures that really reflect how well a unit is delivering the program; and second, the program has several levels of award so it is no longer an all-or-nothing award.
Unit leadership can find its goals by downloading the appropriate PDF at http://districtoperations.nsbsa.org/. At this point each unit must provide its own information regarding where it is on the Journey.
Roundtable: Is the unit JTE form required as part of rechartering?
Misemer: No, the processes are independent. (Confirmed by Mary Degel, Council Registrar)
Roundtable: What about Youth Protection Training; is it really required to register as an adult volunteer?
Misemer: (There was a lot of discussion about this, so the answer will come from Council Material)
“The Boy Scouts of America requires all registered adults to complete Youth Protection Training (YPT). New leaders agree to complete YPT within 30 days of registration. After 30 days if YPT has not been taken and/or recorded a notice will be mailed or emailed to the individual. They will then have another 30 days to comply or their membership will be expired by the National office.”
In the final analysis a legality shouldn’t matter. The right thing for the organization, its leaders, and its youth is for everyone to be Youth Protection Trained.
Roundtable: There are three traditional programs: Packs, Troops, and Crews. Do I have to take a separate course for each level?
Misemer: (There was discussion here, so I want to be clear about the answer) There is only one YPT for adult leadership and completing the training certifies the adult for leadership in packs, troops, and crews. The YPT requirement can be satisfied by either a facilitated training or an on-line course. Scouting recommends completing the on-line course even if you complete the facilitated training. YPT certification is good for two years and you must repeat the training biannually.
In addition to YPT for adults, there are several YPT programs for youth. Every unit is encouraged to provide YPT annually to its youth and parents. This training is age appropriate. The material for 14-to-20-year-olds includes situations involving both young men and women appropriate to the Venturing program.
Roundtable: Where will the Lock-in be held this coming March?
Jungkunz: The advancement committee has not settled on a final location, but the event will likely be at the same location as last year, the Jimmy Lee Recreation Center in St Paul.
Roundtable: What’s coming up? What’s on the horizon?
McFee: One change that the Council is just starting to talk about is the Model Unit. The idea is to have a pack, troop, and crew that are more closely coordinated than in the past. Each unit would have its own committee, but they would be coordinated by a “unit Key-3.” Instead of three rechartering activities, there would be one, probably in September. Youth who chose to remain with the model unit would move transparently from Lions through Venturing. The goal is to make the program work more easily for everyone and improve retention by removing barriers for youth to go from program to program.
Misemer: This program is part of the Council’s strategic plan. There are important details to consider. For example, how would the program work where there are historically strong connections between packs and troops with different chartered partners. In many instances these units have strong, supportive relationships with different chartering organizations.
Julie Nitti, whom many of you know, has just formed a task force to flesh out the details of the change. She will welcome your input. Better yet, consider joining the effort if you feel strongly about the idea. While Great Rivers is not a part of the pilot, I am certain that Julie’s team would be interested in units from our district interested in piloting the program. Contact any of the Key-3 if you’re interested.
Misemer: A change that I’d like to mention isn’t new at all. If you aren’t aware of Lion Cubs for kindergarten-age boys and their parents, you should be. The program was piloted by Northern Star Council last year, and based on the success, the Council is moving ahead with it this year, even as the national organization finishes filling in the details. Scouting started the program in response to market research, where parents spoke of the need. The results of the first year are encouraging: over 80% of Lion Cubs transitioned to Tigers.
McFee: Our district currently has 59 registered Lion Cubs. It’s not too late to start a program attached to your unit.
Misemer: It’s time to turn the tables and ask the question: what does the district need to do better? What are we not doing that we should be doing? What about communication? We instituted the pre- and post-Roundtable e-mails because we thought we needed to do better. How are they working out?
The Roundtable responded that the regular e-mail communications were needed and a big improvement over previous communications. One participant was thankful when he heard that we intend to institute a quarterly paper summary of upcoming events sent by conventional mail. Another participant asked the District to decrease the delay between the Roundtable and our sending the summary e-mail.
Misemer: We currently run the following district activities: Fall Camporee (Oct), Merit Badge Day(Jan), Klondike Derby(Feb), Advancement Lock-in(Mar), District Pinewood Derby(Mar), Good Turn for America(Apr). Is this adequate? Are we missing anything?
The Roundtable responded by suggesting that we might want to move our big food drive to the Fall, a move that worked successfully and generated better results in another district/council.
** If you have other comments or questions, please do not hesitate to contact one of our district Key-4. **