Cub Scout Pack 500 Bears Information

Den Leader Guide

Table of Contents

Getting Started & Goal Setting
Den Administration
Making a Den Calendar
Communication
More ‘Good-to-know’ Information
Online Resources
Local Resources
Continued Leader Training

Purpose

This Den Leader Guide is intended to provide information that will assist new Wolf and Bear Den Leaders to effectively lead, guide, and develop their Cub Scouts into cohesive, diverse, and fun Dens in Pack 500. It is not intended to replace existing required Leader Training (e.g. online “This is Scouting”); it is merely supplemental advice and suggestions to aid leaders and make their leadership experience more successful and rewarding.

1) Getting Started & Goal Setting

· Read the Scout Handbook for your level of Scouts

· Buy a Den Leader shirt and sewn on all applicable patches (see paragraph 5 below)

· Attend / complete all mandatory training (e.g. Fast Start, Leader-specific training)

· Develop an Akela / Scout Contact Roster; download Wolf / Bear Trax (see paragraph 6)

· After reading the Scout Handbook, decide which Achievement Tasks, Belt loops, Electives to do

i. Identify which to do during Den Meetings

ii. Identify which will be done as ‘Homework’ (with Parents)

iii. Plan to complete all Achievement Tasks NLT the March Pack Meeting

iv. Focus on Electives during April & May

· Decide which days and week(s) of the month to hold Den Meetings; standardize the day of the week and start time for these recurring meetings

· Decide where to hold Den Meetings

· Make a Den Calendar (see paragraph 3 below)

· Hold a Den Get-together for all Den Scouts & Akelas (e.g. cookout @ community pool) to inform parents of planned activities for the year and standard Den administration

· Then follow your Den calendar and have FUN!!!

2) Den Administration

· Be decisive and confident! Develop a plan that you think makes sense, then show it to the Akelas (Parents) and ask for questions, concerns, feedback.

· Always ask Akelas for feedback, but be ready to move forward without it!

· Scout awards & recognition (i.e. Belt Loops, Progress Towards Rank beads, Bobcat Badge, other Scout Rank and badges) are presented at each monthly Pack Meeting.

· Order awards & recognition the Sunday before a Thursday Pack Meeting – send request for awards to Pack 500 Advancement Coordinator (Michelle Keys: mkeys@satx.rr.com and Annetta Yarrington: dajba@sbcglobal.net); if you forget to request an award one month, simply request & present it at the following month’s Pack Meeting .

· In the request, award & recognition items should be listed by Scout and by totals (e.g. “Michael Smith earned the Archery Belt loop, Randall Brooks earned the Archery Belt loop, etc.” and “Den 8 needs 5 total Archery Belt loops”).

· Download and use Wolf Trax / Bear Trax to track attendance, Achievement & Electives Completion (see paragraph 6 below for URL to download).

· Pack Meetings begin at 6:30 PM and are held at Hardy Oak Elementary School cafeteria on the last Thursday of every month.

· Use of a Denner -- a Denner is a Cub Scout from your Den that you empower to help guide the rest of the Den during a meeting or activity; recommend using a Denner as often as possible, for numerous reasons: the Scouts enjoy it, it gives them some responsibility (and a reason to set a good example), and for Bear Scouts, acting as a Denner fulfills Achievement 24b.

· Use of a Den Chief – a Den Chief is a Boy Scout who helps at your Den Meetings / events; being a Den Chief meets a Boy Scout’s requirement to lead and having a Den Chief means Den Leaders have an older, potentially more mature Scout to assist with Den activities and management; contact the Pack 500 Cubmaster to coordinate a Den Chief for your Den.

· Some examples of ways to keep Akelas (Parents) involved – 1) provide snacks at Den Meetings, 2) be in charge of leading, organizing and helping Scouts complete achievement tasks, 3) host Den Meetings at their homes, 4) bring supplies for Den activities, 5) attend Den and Pack Meetings with their Scouts, 6) volunteer to be Assistant Den Leaders, 7) volunteer to run certain Pack activities (e.g. Pinewood Derby).

· Pack uniform policies –

i. Scouts & Leaders should wear the official blue (Scouts only) or tan uniform shirt (i.e. Class A) to Pack Meetings, Cub ‘n Ones, and District or Council activities

ii. You can wear a Cub Scout or Pack T-shirt to Den Meetings or outings

iii. Any pants are okay to wear with the Class A uniform shirt to Pack 500 Meetings; the full uniform (official Cub Scout shirt, pants/shorts, socks, belt, neckerchief with slide, and hat) is appropriate at District (or higher) sponsored events

iv. Pack 500 pays for Scout neckerchiefs, Handbooks, and Rank Badge – all other uniform items must be purchased by Parents

· Pack 500 also pays for all Scout and Leader awards (e.g. Belt Loops, Knots, Progress Towards Rank kits) and Pinewood Derby Car kits.

· After completion of every year as a registered Cub Scout or Leader, each Scout and Leader earns and is awarded a Service Star – these must be requested via the Advancement Coordinator.

· Monthly Committee Meetings are held every Sunday following District Roundtable (see paragraph 8 below); all Leaders in Pack 500 should attend to discuss items such as Den-specific issues, information from Roundtable, and upcoming Pack activities.

3) Making a Den Calendar (and Scheduling)
· BSA recommends that each Scout complete 4 hours of organized Scouting activities per month; this usually means 1 hour for the monthly Pack Meeting and 3 hours of Den activities (for instance, three 1-hour Den Meetings or a combination of Den Meetings and other Den events, totaling 3 hours).

· Sample annual Den Calendar (Excel Spreadsheet) – to see a sample calendar, go to the Pack 500 webpage (http://www.pack500.com/Home.aspx); on the right side of the home page, under “Den Pages”, click on “Wolf Page” or “Click here for Bear Page” and click on the “Sample Schedule” link at the top of the respective page! These Wolf & Bear calendars outline optional, yet successful, ways to achieve Wolf & Bear rank in one year!

· Note: the sample Wolf and Bear Den Calendars on the Pack 500 website actually outline (for every month) one Pack Meeting, one Den Meeting, and additional periodic Den activities

· On your Den Calendar, make sure to include: Den Meetings, Pack Meetings, Den trips, campouts, Cub ‘n Ones, scheduled Progress Towards Rank (PTR) Beads and Rank award dates.

· When making your Den Calendar, make sure to consider: holidays, NEISD days off, Spring Break, etc. so that you do not unnecessarily create a scheduling problem for your Scouts or Den families.

· As far as Pack Meetings go, the Cub Scout year starts in August and ends in May; there are no Pack Meetings during the Summer (June-July).

· During June-July, there are Pack Activities (e.g. campouts, overnighters), but no Pack Meetings.

· A couple of important points about the Schedule: first, highlight (in yellow) those Achievement Tasks which need to be accomplished at home and with parental assistance -- when tasks are listed as homework, Scouts / Akelas actually have until the next month's Den Meeting to get them done (e.g. you have until the January Den Meeting to complete the homework tasks listed for December and so on)! Second, bold the name of the family that will host each month's Den Meeting (in the location column) -- if a family has any problem hosting the meeting for their assigned month, Den Leaders will come up with an alternative location! Families are only responsible for letting the Den gather in their home for the meeting -- the Den Leaders will bring all necessary supplies, items to accomplish each meeting (unless otherwise coordinated). Last, it is very important that everyone do their very best to ensure that the Scouts come to all the events listed on the Schedule -- this will make it much easier and more efficient for the Scouts to earn their rank on time and have lots of fun while doing it!! According to BSA, Dens should really get together ~4 hours each month if they want to earn their rank in a timely manner (and meet the full intent of Scouting). Obviously, adjust the Schedule or make the necessary arrangements to make-up tasks or reschedule events, as required.

· Pack events, by month (subject to change as decided by Pack 500):

i. August: Cub Olympics

ii. September: Fall Roundup

iii. October: Popcorn Sales

iv. November: Toy Drive

v. December: Food Drive

vi. January: Pinewood Derby, Goodwill Good Turn, Recharter

vii. February: Blue & Gold Banquet

viii. March: Crossover (Webelos II become Boy Scouts; other Scouts awarded Rank)

ix. April: ‘Cubstruction’

x. May: Graduation (Scouts receive their new handbooks and neckerchiefs), Spring Roundup

4) Communication

· Communicate with your Den families often – give them hardcopies of the Den Calendar (as well as electronic copies), send email reminders before all events, keep them updated to changes and Pack announcements, talk to Akelas at meetings / activities, and keep them excited about Scouting!

· Create and maintain a Den Email Distro list; making one (e.g. simply make a Word document with all your Den families’ email addresses on it and save it to your Desktop), will save time when you need to send emails to your Den.

· Use Wolf Trax / Bear Trax to keep all Akela & Scout contact info (see paragraph 6 below).

· Send email reminders ~4 days before every event.

· If you alternate Den Meetings at different Scout homes, always put driving directions and gate codes on reminder emails.

5)      More ‘Good-to-Know’ Information
·         Cub ‘n One: a Cub ‘n One is a very short, but fun campout – it starts on a Saturday morning, runs all day Saturday, includes an over-night campout in tents, and ends late morning on Sunday. Each Scout must be accompanied by a Parent. Registration fee pays for two meals (Dinner and Breakfast). Scouts can earn as many as 4 or 5 Belt Loops during one Cub ‘n One! Bring a (red) wagon to transport all your gear from the parking lot to campsite.
·         Archery & BB Gun Belt loops can only be earned at a District (or higher) sponsored Scout Camp – Packs and Dens cannot run their own ranges.
·         Bobcat Rank: no matter when a Scout enters the Cub Scouting program, he must attain the Bobcat Rank before he is eligible to earn any additional Scout Rank (Tiger, Wolf, Bear, Webelos) – see pages 16-26 in the Wolf Handbook or pages 12-22 in the Bear Handbook.

· During their Wolf year, Scouts are referred to as “Wolves”, but they do not get their actual Wolf Rank (badge) until they complete all of their mandatory Wolf Achievement Tasks; same for Bears.

· Recharter: every January, all Scout units in the United States ‘recharter’ (Congress chartered the Boy Scouts of America in 1916 and every year, it recharters the organization and its units); at the Scout unit (i.e. Pack) level, this means that our Scouts re-register and pay their annual dues (as of January 2009, $36 for registration with Boys’ Life magazine or $24 for registration alone) – these dues re-register the Scout from January through December of that calendar year.

· Council: Alamo Area is our Council – a Council is made up of a bunch of Districts

· District: Diamondback is our District – a District is made up of a bunch of Packs

· Pack: 500 – a Pack is made up of a bunch of Dens

·         How Scouts get recognized: Essentially, there are three ways that Cub Scouts are recognized, as follows:
                                i.            Belt Loops: can be earned anytime, as long as the Scout accomplishes all of the mandatory requirements -- see the following website for individual beltloop requirements: http://www.usscouts.org/advance/cubscout/a-sindex.asp. Note: Cub 'n Ones are an excellent way for Scouts to earn multiple Belt Loops -- Scouts could earn up to 7 separate Belt Loops at one Cub ‘n One!
                              ii.            Achievements: every time Scouts complete 3 of their 12 total Achievements (with their associated tasks), they receive a Progress Towards Rank (PTR) bead (yellow for Wolves, red for Bears); when they complete all 12 Achievements, they are awarded their rank (badge)
                            iii.            Electives: will help our Scouts earn Arrow Points, once they've earned their Wolf or Bear Rank (although Dens can work on Electives anytime, Scouts won't be awarded their Arrow Points until after they've earned their rank)

· Achievement tasks must be accomplished to earn the Scout's next rank (i.e. Wolf or Bear) -- many of these can be accomplished as a Den, at Den Meetings. Ask parents to focus on the Achievement tasks that are listed as 'Homework' (highlighted in yellow) on the Den Calendar -- those are the ones that MUST be done at home; unless their Scout misses Den Meetings, in which case, they'll also need to complete the tasks that were accomplished at the Den Meeting, at home.

· How to be an exemplary Den Leader: all Den Leaders should set a personal goal of meeting or exceeding the requirements to earn the Den Leader Training Award (or Knot) – see requirements at http://meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php/Cub_Scout_Den_Leader_Award and you’ll understand that you ought to be completing these requirements anyhow! As I write this Guide, Pack 500 is preparing to formalize a program to track completion of these requirements, by Den Leader, but it always helps when individuals track their accomplishment, as well. Once all the requirements are met, Pack submits the requisite request form and the Den Leader is presented their knot at a subsequent Roundtable meeting (see paragraph 8 below).
· Den Leaders should plan to attend all Den Meetings, monthly Pack Meetings, monthly Roundtables, monthly Committee Meetings.

· Uniform (minimum requirements):

i. Official Cub Scout Shirt

ii. Official Cub Scout Belt with Cub Scout Buckle

iii. Official Cub Scout Neckerchief with appropriate Cub Scout Slide

iv. Official Cub Scout Cap

v. Council Shoulder Patch (Alamo Area Council)

vi. Pack Numerals (500)

vii. Den Strip (Number)

viii. World Scouting Crest Emblem (Purple fleur de lis)

See http://www.alamoarea-boyscouts.org/Scout%20Shop/new%20boys%20scout%202008%20Uniform%20Guide.pdf or http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/Media/InsigniaGuide.aspx for pictures.
6) Online Resources

· Pack 500 Website: http://www.pack500.com/Home.aspx

· Cub Trax website: http://trax.boy-scouts.net/cubtrax.htm

· Boy Scouts of America (National) website: http://www.scouting.org/

· Alamo Area Council website: http://www.alamoarea-boyscouts.org/

· Diamondback District website: (Get to it from Council website)

· US Scouting Service Project: http://usscouts.org/start.asp

· MeritBadge.Org: http://meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php/Cub_Scout_Leader_Portal

· Cub Scout page: http://www.boyscouttrail.com/cub-scouts/cub-scouts.asp

· John’s Word Search Puzzles: http://www.thepotters.com/puzzles.html (they make great gathering activities)

Note: when in doubt, just ‘Google’ what you’re looking for – it’s amazing how many Scouting resources are available online!

7) Local Resources

· San Antonio Police Department Substation-North

i. For Wolf Achievement 4f and Bear Achievement 7b

ii. Address: 13030 Jones Maltsberger, SA, TX 78247

iii. Webpage: http://www.sanantonio.gov/sapd/north.asp?res=1280&ver=true

iv. Phone: (210) 207-8350 (SAFFE Office)

v. POC: Officer Hector Dominguez

· San Antonio Zoo

i. For Wolf Achievement 10c and Bear Achievement 5d

ii. Address: 3903 N. St. Mary’s Street, SA, TX 78212-7183

iii. Phone: (210) 734-7184

iv. Email: information@sazoo-aq.org

v. Webpage: http://www.sazoo-aq.org/

vi. Hours: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM, 365 days a year

vii. Regular admission (children 3-11 years) = $8.00

· Texas State Capitol

i. For Wolf Achievement 4f and Bear Achievement 10a or 3d

ii. Address: 201 E. 14th St. Austin, TX

iii. Webpage: http://www.tspb.state.tx.us/spb/plan/10tips.htm (Plan your tour)

iv. Phone: (512) 305-8402

v. Weekday Hours: 7:00 AM - 10:00 PM
vi. Saturday & Sunday Hours: 9:00 AM - 8:00 PM

vii. Closed: Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve Day, Christmas Day, New Year's Day and Easter

· JHM Studios

i. For Bear Achievement 17c

ii. Address: 239 N Loop 1604 W, SA, TX 78232

iii. Webpage: http://www.jhm.org
iv. Phone: (210) 494-3900 – call to schedule a tour / visit

· Stone Oak Park

i. For Wolf Achievement 10c and Bear Achievement 12b

ii. Address: 20395 Stone Oak Parkway

iii. Webpage: http://www.sanantonio.gov/sapar/nature.asp?res=1280&ver=true

iv. Open seven days a week, 7:30 AM - sunset

· Musselman Scout Shop – your complete one-stop shop for Scout uniforms, books, awards, crafts, gifts, flags, camping gear, custom hats, patches, shirts, and more!

i. Address: 2226 NW Military Highway, SA, TX 78213

ii. Webpage: http://www.alamoarea-boyscouts.org/Scout%20Shop/scout_shop.htm

iii. Phone: (210) 341-8611, ext. 35

iv. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday Hours: 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM

v. Tuesday Hours: 8:30 AM to 7:30 PM

vi. Saturday Hours: 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM

vii. Closed Sunday

· McGimsey Scout Park

i. For general camping and Bear Achievement 12a

ii. Address: 2226 N. W. Military Dr., San Antonio, TX 78213 (intersection of Lockhill-Selma & NW Military Drive – behind Musselman Scout Shop)

iii. Webpage: http://www.alamoarea-boyscouts.org/ws/camps_mcgimsey.asp

iv. Phone: (210) 341-8611

· The Alamo

i. For Wolf Achievement 4f and Bear Achievement 10a or 12d

ii. Address: 300 Alamo Plaza, San Antonio, TX

iii. POC: Sally Koch, Education Department (skoch@thealamo.org)

iv. Webpage: http://www.thealamo.org/main.html

v. Phone: (210) 225-1391, ext. 24

vi. Hours: Daily (except Christmas Eve and Christmas Day) from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM Monday through Saturday and 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM on Sunday

vii. Admission: Free

· Hardy Oak Elementary School (e.g. Outdoor Flag Ceremony practice)

i. For Wolf Achievement 2f and Bear Achievement 3f or 3h

ii. Address: 22900 Hardy Oak Blvd. San Antonio, TX 78258

iii. POC: Kristen Ray, Asst. Principal (kray@neisd.net)

iv. Webpage: http://www.neisd.net/hardy/

v. Phone: (210) 481-4000

· Texas Transportation Museum

i. For Wolf Achievement 4f or 10c and Bear Achievement 3d or 12d

ii. Address: 11731 Wetmore Road, San Antonio, TX 78247

iii. Webpage: http://www.txtransportationmuseum.org/

iv. Phone: (210) 490-3554

v. Hours: Thursdays and Fridays from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM and Saturdays & Sundays from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM (except some holidays)

vi. Admission: $5.00 for children, $8.00 for adults, and $22.00 for families (2 adults and up to 5 children)

8) Continued Leader Training

· Attend monthly Diamondback District Roundtable; they begin at 6:45 PM and are held at Abiding Presence Lutheran Church (14700 San Pedro Avenue, San Antonio, TX 78232) on the first Thursday of every month. Roundtable is a superb, monthly training event – at Roundtable, you can ask questions of and learn from numerous ‘Grey Beards’ (Scouters with years and years of Scouting knowledge and experience), you get the latest information on Scouting activities and opportunities, you discover new Scouting resources and programs, you share experiences with fellow Scout Leaders (peers), and you learn innovative techniques to lead and develop your Dens!

· Wood Badge is Scouting's premier training course -- “Wood Badge is the most advanced training available for Scout Leaders who are involved in the programs of the Boy Scouts of America…most Scouters return from Wood Badge inspired and prepared to do an even better job of providing Scouting to boys.” It is offered twice annually and each course consists of two 3-day weekends; the final task for Wood Badge participants is to complete the ‘Wood Badge Ticket’ which consists of 5 projects or ‘goals’ designed by the participant to help achieve their vision.

· Powder Horn is a training opportunity designed to expose Venturing or Boy Scout leaders to activities and resources necessary to operate a successful Venturing Ranger Award or Troop High Adventure program; this training helps Venturing Leaders and Scouters to safely conduct outdoor activities of a fun and challenging nature, provides an introduction to the resources necessary to successfully lead their Venturers and older Boy Scouts through a program of high adventure, and familiarizes the Advisor with the Ranger program so that they can help the Venturer to meet the requirements of the Ranger Award.

The Ambassador for the Bear Leaders is Paul Gallo.

He is the person you can call for questions on schedules, points of contact, etc. Cub Scouts has been around for almost 80 years. We do not need to make up very much material -- we just need to harness the material others have used -- As Isaac Newton would say, "standing on the shoulders of giants."

As the Pack's Bear Leader Ambassador, I highly recommend reading the Den Leader Guide below -- it should answer many of the frequently asked questions folks have and provide you with a great base of knowledge with which to be the kind of Bear Den Leader that our Scouts deserve! If the Guide does not answer your question (or you want to make a recommendation), please contact me at (210) 497-0277 or email at pgallo@satx.rr.com or paul.gallo@jiowc.osis.gov! Additionally, you can download the whole Den Leader Guide (in Word) by clicking on the 'Forms' link at the top/left corner of this page!

Den Leader Guide

Table of Contents

Getting Started & Goal Setting
Den Administration
Making a Den Calendar
Communication
More ‘Good-to-know’ Information
Online Resources
Local Resources
Continued Leader Training