New Parent Guide

PURPOSE OF THIS GUIDE

This guide was prepared to provide one stop shopping for the type of information that is likely to be helpful to parents of new Scouting, or parents of  Scouts new to Troop 32. Please read it, and keep it handy as a reference. You should also want to check out the Troop policy, available at the web site. 

REGISTRATION

You’ll need to fill out a Scouting application for your youth, which must be signed by the Scoutmaster and turned into the Advancement Chairperson. This is necessary whether your youth is new to Scouting or is bridging over from a Cub Scout Pack. 

Cost 

Annual dues are payable in September.  If joining mid-year, costs are pro-rated. There is a $20 join fee for any scouts crosoong over from a Pack or new scouts, this fee will include a Troop neckerchief and BSA slide. Scout Handbooks are required and are the responsibility of the scout family.

Meetings 

Regular meetings are shown in the table below. Other meetings are held for trip planning, training etc. as necessary. All meetings listed here are held at the First Presbyterian Church of Arlington Heights (FPCAH), 302 N. Dunton in Arlington Heights. Most meetings are listed on the web site calendar. 

Troop Meeting 

All Scouts and adults that work with them 

FPCAH - Fellowship Hall (basement, please enter from west side parking lot) 

7:15 PM every Monday   (with rare exceptions) 

Committee Meetings 

Committee Members, Scoutmaster 

FPCAH - 

7:30 PM 2nd Wednesday of the month (with rare exceptions)

Patrol Leader Council (PLC) 

All youth leaders, Scoutmaster 

FPCAH  

7:15 PM Scoutmaster scheduled

Program 

It would take a lot more room than we have here to tell you everything! The Troop 32 calendar, which is published at the beginning of each school year, includes the highlights of our planned program for the year. These, and more, are on the troop web site calendar also. Some of the primary components of the program are: 

Leaders and Roles 

The primary leadership roles in the troop are listed below.

Committee Chair

Responsible for chairing the committee, which, as in a Cub Scout Pack, is responsible for doing all the things necessary to make the Troop go (but note that the boys do much more in Boy Scouts than in Cub Scouts). 

Scoutmaster 

Responsible for program, mentors Senior Patrol Leader, trains youth leaders, performs Scoutmaster conferences, directs Assistant Scoutmasters (ASMs), reports to the committee.

Sr. Assistant Scoutmaster

The Sr. is a Troop 32 add-on. This role is usually assumed by the on-deck Scoutmaster. The Sr. ASM also can give Scoutmaster conferences to help offload some of this from the Scoutmaster. While this position is currently unfilled, we are fortunately to have several ASMs who attend campouts and step in for the Scoutmaster when needed.

ASM, New Boy Patrol 

Responsible for working with the first year Scout patrol(s). 

ASM. High Adventure

Responsible for organizing high adventure trips.  Interested scouts are formed into crews to plan the trip specifics.  

Pitching In

Everyone can help in some way, and ideally we would like to have at least one parent from each family helping out the troop. The committee chair has a list of roles that are currently unfilled, so the first thing to do would be to ask him or her what positions need to be filled. 

Please note that it is not necessary for you to attend the regular Troop meetings, unless you are in a role of working directly with the boys (assistant Scoutmaster, serving on board of review etc.). There is training and/or mentoring available for any role we have. 

Adult Leader Training 

We take our commitment to our boys seriously, and encourage all adult leaders to take part in the training that is offered for their role. 

Communications 

With so many scouts, and even more parents, it’s often a challenge to get the word out. Our troop employs a variety of methods help facilitate this, which are listed below. 

Google Group email distribution.  Email T32chair@gmail.com for access.

Weekly email 

Web site troop32.info

Troop meetings 

The most important of these is the Google Group email list.  The Troop uses the email distribution list as a secure way to provide parents the most up to date information on campouts, meetings and upcoming troop activity.