WELCOME
to
TROOP 260
BASIC INFORMATION
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Meeting Day : Every Thursday night (some holiday exceptions)
Meeting Time : 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Meeting Place : St. Marks United Methodist Church - Social Hall
3502 Clairemont Dr.
San Diego, CA 92117
Troop Sponsor : St. Marks United Methodist Church
Scoutmaster : Nick Maglio 286-6453
1st Chartered : 1959
DUES:
$20.00 per year.
TROOP DUES = $0.25 per week, X 52 weeks = $ 13.00
BSA DUES = $7.00 7.00
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$ 20.00
This money covers registration, insurance, advancement awards, activity
badges and basic operating supplies for the troop. The Scout will receive
an annual membership card from Boy Scouts of America (BSA). Boy's Life,
BSA's official Scouting magazine, is available at an additional cost.
Fees for individual events are not included in the annual dues. Each
individual event will have some additional cost to cover food, camp fees
etc. Typically, a weekend event will cost each participant approximately
$10. Some events will be more, some less. Summer camp (a week long event),
will probably cost ~$200. Our annual Colorado River canoe trip usually
costs about $95. This covers canoe rental, transportation, food, and camp
fees.
We periodically hold fundraising events (see FUNDRAISING & SCOUT ACCOUNTS
later in this packet). These fund raisers help the scouts earn money which
they can use to help pay for at least some of the events.
TROOP STRUCTURE:
A Boy Scout troop is made up of patrols of approx. six to eight boys. A new
scout will be assigned to a patrol by the scoutmaster. Teaching leadership
skills is fundamental to the scouting program, the scouts are the real
troop leaders, not the adults. As a scout progresses in scouting, his first
leadership opportunities will be at the patrol level. With leadership
experience at the patrol level, he may move on to a troop level position.
The troop is led by a senior Scout who is the Senior Patrol Leader (SPL).
He is aided by the Assistant Senior Patrol Leader (ASPL). The Scoutmaster,
Assistant Scoutmasters, and Junior Assistant Scoutmaster(s) help oversee
the troop meetings. The SPL is either elected by the Scouts in the troop,
or appointed by the scoutmaster (at the scoutmasters' discretion). Each
patrol has a Patrol Leader (PL) (see PATROL MEETINGS).
Other leadership positions your son may hold are: Troop Scribe, Historian,
Quartermaster, Librarian, Chaplain's Aide, and Bugler. He may also decide
to work with our associated Cub Scout Pack as a Den Chief. The SPL, ASPL,
Scribe, and Patrol leaders meet once a month to plan the troop meetings and
campouts (see TLC meetings).
Charter Organization (St. Marks United Methodist Church)
Charter Organization Rep. & Troop Executive Officer (Reverend Willie Forman)
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Committee Chairman (Bob Hout) Scoutmaster (Nick Maglio)
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Committee Members Assistant Scoutmasters
| of Outings - Al Bispo
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Treasurer (Hubert Johnstone) Jr. Asst. Scoutmaster
Fund Raising Chair (Al Bispo) |
1st Yr 1st Class Chair (Fred Goossens) Senior Patrol Leader
Advancement Chair (Bill Williams) |
Scouting Coordinator Troop Leadership Corps
Tour Permits Chair (Diane Harrelson) Scribe
Records/Advancement Chair (Bill Williams) Quartermaster
Unit Commissioner (Buck Serrano) Historian
Librarian
Chaplains Aide
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Patrol Leaders
Asst. Patrol Leaders
UNIFORM:
Troop 260 encourages a complete uniform. See the Scoutmaster about good
condition recycled uniforms. The BSA khaki shirt is essential and should be
worn to all meetings & activities unless otherwise instructed (see t-shirt
note below). Green BSA shorts and/or pants are available and should be
purchased new or used as soon as possible. Refer to the Boy Scout Handbook
for more information on uniform items and placement of insignia.
Uniforms and other Scouting items can be purchased at Scout headquarters on
Upas St.near the Zoo, through the BSA catalog, or the J. C. Penny catalog.
NOTE: Troop 260 has printed its' own T-Shirts with our Troop 260 logo.
These T-Shirts are appropriate for many scout activities, and can be worn
to the troop meeting in lieu of a regular scout shirt on one meeting per
month. Ask the scoutmaster which meeting of the month is "T-Shirt Night".
CAMPING:
It is our goal at Troop 260 to go camping approximately once a month. The
troop will help new scouts equip themselves for camping. Do not run out and
make a big investment in equipping a new scout for camping. A new scout
should go on a few outings and talk to other scouts/adults in the troop
before spending much money on gear (especially important is advise on
tents, sleeping bags, and backpacks). The troop has gear to get him
through for awhile, including a couple of sleeping bags (old but usable),
and tents, which will get him through the first few outings. However, if a
scouts plans to attend many camping trips, he will need to purchase a
reasonably good sleeping bag fairly soon, but not necessarily right away.
Other equipment needs will be discussed at backpack training and can
usually be dealt with by loans of troop gear through the quarter-master.
Occasionally you may be asked to help provide transportation or to be
available as the emergency contact for a campout or other Troop activity.
You may transport only the number of Scouts for which you have seatbelts.
CAMPING / OUTING POLICIES:
All participants at troop events are expected to behave in a way which is
in keeping with ideals of scouting. This is not complicated, our rules for
behavior are simple - safety first, respect others, respect the outdoors,
team work, use common sense, and act in accordance with the Scout Oath &
Law.
What is safe and appropriate varies depending on the nature of the outing,
circumstances of the moment, maturity or experience level of the scouts,
and many other factors. It is up to the adult leader(s) on any particular
event to decide what is OK and what is not. The adult leaders at an event
decide whether walkman radios, a particular t-shirt logo, certain language,
use of matches, carrying of axes or knives etc ... is OK under the unique
circumstances of that particular outing.
If the adult leaders on an outing decide that a particular word, phrase,
logo, game, or activity is not OK, then it's not OK. Period. There is
no other test.
SUMMER CAMP:
Troop 260 normally attends a week of summer camp during the end of June or
beginning of July. Cost for summer camp is typically $200.00.
Camp is six nights long (starts on Sunday, ends on Saturday). Activities
include crafts, swimming, rank advancement, merit badges, and optional
boating or high adventure (usually for older Scouts).
Long term camp requires a physical by a doctor, on an official scouting
physical form (forms are available thru the troop). Each Scout must have a
physical examination form completed and on file with the troop in order to
attend summer camp. The examination is good for three years, but should be
reviewed annually by the parent/guardian for any changes/corrections.
If a family is financially unable to provide funds for summer camp, and the
scout does not have enough money in his account (see fundraisers and scout
accounts later in this packet) to cover the cost of summer camp, assistance
may be available through the local council. The local council provides a
limited number of "Camperships", which pick up all but about $40.00 of the
camp fees.
A registered scout also has many other summer camp opportunities available
to him, see the scoutmaster.
COLORADO RIVER CANOE TRIP:
Once a year, usually in the fall, troop 260 goes on a Colorado river canoe
trip. Requirements for attendance are: Canoeing Merit badge, attendance at
a troop run canoe training class, and participation in a simple canoe
outing called the Salty Rat.
Troop 260 provides a complete training schedule so any scout interesting in
participating in the Colorado River Trip should have ample time to meet all
the requirements.
SIERRA TREKS:
Hearty adventurers may be interested in a week long back packing trip
through the rugged Sierra Nevada mountains. Troop 260 tries to schedule a
Sierra Trek once a year. This outing is not for beginning outdoorsmen. In
order to qualify, a scout must demonstrate scout skills, team work, foul
weather camping skills, and maturity while attending a number of weekend
backpacking trips. Each scout must also earn the backpacking, cooking, and
camping merit badges before being considered for a Sierra Trek. And
ultimately, each individual scouts readiness for this kind of outing will
be subjectively determined by the Trek Leader. If you are serious about
this level of adventure, see Al Bispo and start working towards Sierra Trek
eligibility now.
PERMISSION SLIPS:
We will issue a permission slip prior to every outing.
A SIGNED PERMISSION SLIP IS REQUIRED FOR ATTENDANCE AT ALL TROOP OUTINGS.
NO SLIP NO TRIP NO EXCEPTIONS. The permission slip must be signed by
parent or guardian prior to the trip. Permission slips are sent home with
scout at the meeting prior to outing, and scout turns it in at time of
departure for the outing.
The permission slip serves 3 functions:
Permission slips tell us that you have given permission for your son to
attend the outing.
Permission slips provide us with emergency information (phone numbers,
allergies ...).
Permission slips provide you and your son with important information about
the outing such as when we are leaving, returning, event cost, where we are
leaving from .... The slip also includes a complete packing list. Each
scout is expected to bring EVERYTHING indicated on the permission slip.
TROOP MEETINGS:
Everyone attends the weekly troop meetings. These are held every Thursday
from 7:00pm until 8:30pm at the Social Hall of St. Marks (some exceptions
for holidays ...).
PATROL MEETINGS:
Individual patrols also schedule separate meetings. Patrols meet on a
schedule determined by the individual patrol leaders. Each patrol should
have at least one patrol meeting a month.
TLC MEETINGS:
TLC (Troop Leadership Corps) meets on the 2nd Monday of the month (same
night as the committee meeting) from 6:30 - 7:30 to plan upcoming events,
and discuss any issue relating to troop operations in the immediate future
(next 90 days).
TLC consists of all the boys in the troop who hold a leadership position.
It is run by the Asst Senior Patrol Leader. Boys with a leadership position
are required to attend TLC meetings, although any scout who wishes to
attend is welcome to do so.
COMMITTEE MEETINGS:
Committee meetings are held on the second Monday of each month at St. Marks
from 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm. All adults are welcome to attend these meetings.
The Troop Committee consists of: 5 Chairpersons (Committee, Fundraising,
Outdoor, Advancement,and Activities) as well as the Scouting Coordinator,
Secretary, Treasurer, Scoutmaster, and the Asst. Scoutmasters.
COURT of HONOR:
Although ranks and badges earned are presented to the scouts immediately,
they are ceremoniously recognized at a special Troop event called a
"COURT OF HONOR". We hold a COURT of HONOR at least twice a year. The
Court of Honor is formal recognition of the achievements our scouts have
made since the last Court of Honor. The Court of Honor typically begins
with a potluck dinner, followed by an awards ceremony.
Troop 260 strongly encourages full family support at the Court of Honor.
These boys have worked hard for what they have earned. They deserve
acknowledgment and congratulations. All family members and friends are
invited to attend Courts of Honor: dad, mom, brothers, sisters, grand-
parents, aunts, uncles, friends, pet hampsters ...
ACHIEVEMENT BINDER:
All rank advancement, merit badge, and award (mile swim, BSA lifeguard,
Tot-N-chip ...) cards, should be kept in a binder or other safe place.
These can be used to recreate a record of advancement. This binder is also
nice to have if he achieves the rank of Eagle. Clear plastic sheets with
pockets designed to hold baseball cards make an excellent way to preserve
rank and merit badge cards. These are available at hobby / baseball card
shops all over town. After a scout has completed all requirements for a
given rank, it's a good idea to photocopy that page in his scout handbook.
Place this photocopy in the binder, that way if the scout loses his
handbook, he not only has a record of completed requirements, he also has a
record of when they were signed and by whom.
ADVANCEMENT:
All requirements for advancement are tracked using the Boy Scout Handbook.
The information is then maintained by the advancement/records chair (Bill
Williams) The Scout MUST bring his handbook and a notebook and pencil/pen
to all meetings and activities in order for requirements to be initialed
and dated ("Be Prepared").
Up to & including First Class, individual requirements for rank advancement
are signed off by other scouts (usually the Patrol Leader). Scouts can sign
off requirements for any rank which they themselves have achieved (up to
First Class). Requirements for ranks higher than First Class (Star, Life,
Eagle) are signed off by merit badge counselors, scoutmaster, asst. scout-
masters, or committee members.
Scouts start by earning the Scout rank. The requirements can be found on
page 4 of the Boy Scout Handbook. These skills must be demonstrated to the
Scoutmaster (SM) or Assistant Scoutmaster (ASM) or Patrol Leader who will
then initial and date the Scout's handbook. The initials or signature and
date are required for the badge to be awarded. Many new Scouts who have
earned the Arrow of Light as a WEBELOS Cub Scout, can complete these
requirements within the first few meetings.
The ranks of Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class Scout require
skills (learned at campouts, hikes, and troop meetings), and service hours
(given to the community, religious institutions, troop sponsor ...). Please
ensure all service hours are documented if not done as a Troop activity.
The Patrol Leader, SM or ASM will initial and date requirements as they are
completed. A Scout may work on the requirements for any rank in any order,
but will earn the ranks in order (i.e., Tenderfoot before Second Class,
Second Class before First Class...).
SCOUTMASTER CONFERENCE & BOARD of REVIEW:
The last 2 requirements for each rank are a Scoutmaster's Conference and a
Board of Review. When a scout has completed all requirements except scout
master conference / board of review, he should contact the scoutmaster or
some other adult and ask for a copy of the "Growth Agreement & Rank Advance
ment Form". The growth agreement form is a questionnaire which the scout
fills out (preferably at home where he can relax and think about the
questions) prior to the scoutmaster conference or board of review.
Four "MUST"s to keep in mind; scoutmaster conference and board of review
are the final requirements for any given rank - scout MUST have completed
all other requirements for that particular rank prior to the conference /
board. Scouts MUST arrange a date and time for the scoutmaster conference
with the scoutmaster. It is the scouts responsibility to let us know he is
ready. We will then arrange for scoutmaster conference/board of review as
soon as possible (often the same day/night, but not necessarily). Scouts
MUST be in full uniform for the Scoutmaster Conference and Board of Review.
Scouts MUST have completed a Growth Agreement Form prior to the scoutmaster
conf./ board of review. We will not accept Growth Agreement Forms hastily
filled out at the last minute.
At the Scoutmaster's Conference, the Scout, SM, and 1-2 other adults (NOT
including parents of the scout) review the requirements for that rank and
any previous ranks. This is also an opportunity for the adult leaders to
learn more about the scout and his goals in scouting. Part of the Growth
Agreement Form pertains to scouting goal setting. The Growth Agreement Form
will be reviewed with the scout at the scoutmaster conference. If the scout
master feels confident that the scout demonstrates the knowledge and skills
required, and has set some reasonable goals in scouting, he will initial
and date the handbook, sign the Growth Agreement Form, and arrange for a
Board of Review as soon as possible (often the same day/night, but not
always).
The Board of Review for ranks Scout though First Class will consist of 1-2
adults and 2-3 scouts who hold the rank the advancing scout is going for or
higher. Parents of the scout being reviewed cannot be on the Board. The
Scout must present himself in a neat, clean uniform (complete as possible)
and have his handbook. The Board will ask him questions about scouting,
the troop, activities he has attended, and advancement requirements
pertaining to the rank he is completing.
The Board announces the results to the Scout and SM after conferring. Upon
passing the scoutmaster conference and board of review, the scout is
immediately considered to be the new rank. The new rank badge will be
presented the same day/night if we have one on hand; otherwise the badge
will be awarded at the next troop meeting.
MERIT BADGES:
Once the rank of Scout has been earned, the scout may begin working on
Merit Badges. A list of all available merit badges is near the back of the
Boy Scout Handbook. The troop maintains a library of merit badge pamphlets
that members of the troop may borrow through the Troop Librarian while
working on a merit badge. Work on a merit badge may be done at troop
meetings, in a group outside meetings, on an individual basis, or at summer
camp. All badges require a Merit Badge Counselor. We maintain a list of
merit badge counselors that the scout may look through. No more than four
merit badges should be earned from any one counselor.
When working as an individual(at your home, the councilors home, or
anywhere outside of a troop meeting) with a Merit Badge Counselor, another
person must be present with the Scout and the Counselor. This can be
another scout, a parent, friend, or sibling.
An Application for Merit Badge (Blue Card) must be obtained, personal
information completed, and a SM or ASM signature obtained prior to working
on the Merit Badge. The Blue Card is presented to the Merit Badge Counselor
at the first meeting. Upon completion of the requirements, the counselor
initials and dates each one. When all requirements have been satisfied,
the counselor will sign and date the card and return it to the Scout. The
card is then given to the SM at the next meeting. He should list it in the
Scout's handbook (used for senior ranks: Star, Life, and Eagle), and
initial and date that requirement. The scout then takes the fully
signed/completed blue card to the Advancement Chairman who will then
process the blue card and obtain the merit badge. The scout's portion of
the blue card and the badge will be presented at the next meeting or Court
of Honor.
IMPORTANT - the scout should put his part of the blue card, as well as the
Merit Badge Recognition card in his "achievement binder" at home. This will
become important as the scout progresses toward the rank of Eagle.
Requirements for the ranks of Star Scout, Life Scout, and Eagle Scout are
listed near the back of the Boy Scout Handbook, just before the Merit Badge
Listing. A more detailed packet is given to the Scout before working on
the Eagle requirements.
MERIT BADGE COUNSELORS:
Merit Badge Counselors are adults who work with Scouts individually or in
groups to learn skills and obtain knowledge in a specific area. After
completing the requirements for a particular Merit Badge, the Scout
receives a badge which is worn on his Merit Badge Sash, and a card which
should be retained as proof of completion of the requirements. There is no
fee to register as a Merit Badge Counselor.
TRAINING:
The Boy Scout Program IS Leadership training for the Scouts. Unlike many
other youth organizations, Scouting encourages youth to plan and run the
events. Scouts are not "just along for the ride" as passive participants.
Scouts come up with event ideas, they plan the events, make arrangements,
and run the events.
Troop 260 also holds an annual Junior Leader Training Program (JLT). On
this weekend event, we get together (usually at a cabin on Mataguay Scout
Ranch) and teach the scouts how to plan events. The scouts then develop a
rough sketch of what events the troop will do in the next year. JLT also
teaches the scouts how to be effective in their troop leader positions.
Adult training opportunities are many. The Fast Start video tape gives
adults a good basic overview.SALT (Scout Adult Leader Training) is provided
by the local council. Council provides a number of training programs -
Basic training, Woodbadge, and Merit Badge Counselor training to name just
a few.
If you plan to become an active adult in the troop, the first training you
should consider is Youth Protection Guidelines (YPG) training. This is a
one evening class offered by the local council. BSA requires that at least
one YPG trained adult be present at all times during any scout activity.
For the rugged adventure seeking adult who wants to become involved,
consider High Adventure Leadership Training (HALT). A high adventure outing
is a scout outing that's a little more ambitious than a weekend in the
local mountains. High Adventure activities include week long Sierra Treks,
Canoe trips, snow camping, rock climbing/rappelling etc... The basic HALT
course consists of two all day classes and one weekend outing. The course
covers basic procedures for dealing with back country emergencies. It also
teaches adults how to help scouts prepare for a high adventure outing. An
adult HALT graduate is required on any high adventure outing, and the troop
could always use another HALT trained leader. After an adult leader
completes the basic HALT course, he/she may go on to take more specialized
HALT training in such fields as snow survival, desert survival, river
canoeing/rafting, rappelling ....
FUNDRAISERS:
Troop 260 periodically holds fund raising events, such as car washes, Gold
C coupon books, selling programs at the "Thunder Boat" races on Mission
Bay, mistletoe sales at Christmas time, newspaper recycling, Scout Fair
Ticket sales ... Funds raised are credited to the individual scouts'
accounts.
SCOUT ACCOUNTS:
When a scout earns money from a fund raising event, the money is deposited
in the troop account, and the troop treasurer keeps track of how much money
belongs to each individual scout. Each scout is said to have his own "scout
account" which reflects the amount of money that scout has earned. The
troop has "checks" which we provide to the scouts. Scouts may write checks
against their account to pay for outing and other scout activities.
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