PLAN YOUR

BEST YEAR EVER!

More Resources at https://www.southfultonscouting.com/node/4577

TODAY’S TAKE-A-WAYS

Key Scouting + Other Guidance on Activities

An Annual Activity Calendar You Can Use

A Menu of Activity Ideas (Build Your Calendar)

Planning Methods – Surveys and Sharing

(Ways to) Help Your Local Den Leader

Budget, Awards and Other Tools

Resources for All of the Above

Takeaway PageTakeaway Page

TODAY’S TAKE-A-WAYS

Scan this QR Code for that Page of

Resources

Goal No. 1:

Build Your Best Plan(There is no “One” Best Plan)

All Scouting is Local

Goal No. 2:

KISMIF, not KICMEHKeep It Simple – Make It Fun

notKeep It Complicated – Make

Everything Hard (Kick Me)

Goal No. 3: Know This:

If it’s Fun for Kids, Fun for Families, and Safe

Then it’s Cub Scouting!

Character growth

Citizenship training

Personal fitness

AIMS

METHODS

Living the Ideals

Belonging to a Den

Advancement

Family Involvement

Activities

Serving the Community

The Uniform

For Your Best Year:

Scouting = Outing!

(Be Outdoor Dens + Packs)

(Make That Our Brand)

An Annual Activity Plan• April: Easy For Next Week

o Hike Near Home

• May: Flying Things

o Kite Fly / Rocket Launch

o End of Year Party (B&G?)

• June: Out ‘n’ About

o Day / Twilight Camp

o Night-time Star Saunter

• July: Scout it Out

o 4th of July Picnics

o Resident Camp

• August: Back to Pack

o Swim Party(ies)

o Day with the Braves

• September: Outdoor Sports

o Soccer? Golf? Discs? Kickball? Rackets?

• October: To The Tents!

o Hikes at Camp(s)

o Bert Adams Campout

• November: Salute!

o Veteran’s Parade

o Marbles Mania

• December: Holidaze

o Holiday Party

o Family Cooking

• January: Big Overnight?

o Boat/Zoo/Space/Cave?

• February: Serve/Race

o Scouting 4 Food

o Pinewood Derby

• March: Madness: Go Fish

o Fishing Outing

Alt Annual Activity Plan• April: Outdoor Sports

o Soccer? Golf? Discs? Kickball? Rackets?

o May: End of the Year

o Fishing Fun Day

o Graduation Park Picnic

• June: Dive In

o Pools Open (we hope)

o Day / Twilight Camp

• July: Scout it Out

o Parades / More Sports

o Resident Camp

• August: School Days

o Bike Ride Roundup

o Fishing Party

o Sept: Ease into the Outdoors

o Hikes Near Home

• October: Outdoors @Nite!

o Woodruff Campout

o Campfire

• November: Button Up

o Bike Rodeo

o Outdoor Cooking

• December: We Wish You…

o Eldercare Service

o Ski Trip to NC

• January: Derby Daze

o Cutting + Racing

• February: Faith + Fun

o Scout Sunday

o Nite @ the Museum?

• March: Away and Awards

o End of Winter Walk

o Blue + Gold Banquet

Those are Just Two Examples

Your Plan Will Be Better

Use Your Resources

Myth: Blue & Gold Timing

Q: A Blue & Gold Banquet in May! Doesn’t B&G have to be in February?

A: Nope. A Pack can do this event at any time, or not at all. It’s your Pack.

B&Gs started as a birthday party for the BSA (DOB 2/8/1910) back when advancement work was done at home – before rank work became a den leader job. B&Gs later came to be a target date for awarding Rank badges.

Problem: Many Den Leaders face a crisis – it’s often hard to complete a Rank by February. (More on this later.)

Solution: If setting up a B&G as the Big Rank Award night brings Advancement Anxiety, do it later. It’s OK.

Outdoor Ideas• Hiking

• Camping

• Fishing

• Biking

• Boating

• Swimming

• Scooters

• Skateboards

• Skiing

• Snowboards

• Sledding

• Spectator Sports

• Kickball

• Soccer

• Ultimate

• Disc Golf

• Four Square

• Croquet

• Badminton

• Volleyball

• Geocaching

• Orienteering

• Scavenger Hunt

• Softball

• Tennis

• Table Tennis

• Golf

• Skating

• Horse Rides

• Cornhole

• Horseshoes

• Basketball

• Rain gutter Regatta

• Flag Football

• Cricket

• Lacrosse

• Bouldering

• Archery

• BB Shooting

• Slingshots

• Track/Field

• Skygazing

• Yoga

• Kites

Around Town Places to Go• Georgia Aquarium

• CNN Center

• Civil Rights Museum

• College Football Msm

• Arabia Mountain

• Stone / Kennesaw Mtns

• Botanical Gardens

• Fernbank Museum

• Bike on the Beltline

• SE Railway Museum

• Atlanta History Center + Cyclorama

• Tellus Museum

• Chattahoochee Nature Center

• Skyline Park (PCM)

• Peachtree-DeKalb Airport

• Neighborhood Festivals

• Mini Golf / Bowling

• Movie Nights!

• Climbing Gyms

• Local Parades

• Tour d’ Playgrounds

• Where do your Families want to go?

• Atlanta Zoo

• King Center

• Conyers Monastery

• Reynolds Nature Center

• Oakland Cemetery

• Sweetwater St. Park

• Centennial Park

• High Museum of Art

• Children’s Museum

• World of Coca-Cola

• Wren’s Nest

• Center for Puppetry Arts

• Your Local Parks

Overnight Destinations*

Space Camp –Huntsville, AL

Patriots Point –Charleston

Zoo & Museum Overnights – ATL, Birmingham, Chattanooga, etc.

GA State Parks:• Group Camps• The “Hike Inn”• Yurt Camps

Cave Tours – TN

Rock Ranch – Barnesville

Battleship - Mobile

* = Hopefully Opening Soon

Pick Activities that are:

Fun For Kids

Fun For Families

and Safe

Sweet Sixteen of BSA Safety1. Qualified Supervision

2. Physical Fitness

3. Buddy System

4. Safe Area or Course

5. Equipment Selection andMaintenance

6. Personal Safety Equipment

7. Safety Procedures and Policies

8. Skill Level Limits

9. Weather Check

10. Planning

11. Communications

12. Plans and Notices

13. First Aid Resources

14. Applicable Laws

15. CPR Resource

16. Discipline

NUMBER ONE SAFETY RULE

Use Common Sense

Myth: G2SS is Only Safety Rules

For example, “Overnight camping by Lion, Tiger, Wolf, or Bear Cub Scouts as dens is prohibited”, says the Guide to Safe Scouting?

Q: Is this because it is unsafe?

A: No. It is a statement of a “program” decision about who can camp.

Does This Mean:

1) A Pack of only 10 Tigers cannot camp? They can.

2) A Pack Campout with a 25-person attendance limit must cancel if only Wolf families sign up? No. Camp.

Pandemic SafetyAre We Allowed? (Chartered Org, Event Location)

How Will We Do It Safely?

Guidelines:

• Outdoor Better than Indoor

• Smaller Better than Larger

• Masks and Physical Distancing

• Adult Health Supervision

• More Parent Participation “Eyes”

• Hygiene, Cleaning and Disinfecting

Will People Attend?

CUB COVID CONCLUSIONS

Maybe:• Required Parental

Attendance?• Every Parent Helps?

Maybe:• More Outdoor Activities? Few or No Indoor?• Small Events – More Focus on Den Activities?o Or “staggered” starts, “satellite” events?

Planning Routes

• What Did We Do Last Year? Let’s Plan a Sequel!

• What Did He Have On Slide 9 –Or Slide 10 – Do We Need To Do One of Those?

• Let The Leaders Plan It Out

• Let’s Collect Ideas + Feedback From Everyone – Leaders andFamilies

If It’s Really

Hard

Why Are We Still

Doing It?

Planning Tip:

Where Should You Want to Be?

• Poll your Families: What Events Are Fun?

• Poll your Leaders: What Events are Hard to Lead (not Simple)?

Cost Aspects of “Simple”

• Disney World is Fun, but it Costs a Ton

• Exploring a Park on a Hike is Free

Do Your Events

Spark Joy?

The “KonMari” method of “decluttering” or “tidying up” your life is:

• Gather your things, evaluate each, one by one: Does It Spark Joy?

• If it does, keep it. If it does not, thank it for its service, and let it go.

• You can de-clutter your Pack Activity Calendar too – does it spark joy?

What Does Joy Have To Do With Pack Planning?

More Joy means More Participation and Retention

Pack Program Planning

Pack Chair leads, working closely with Pack Committee, Cubmaster, Den Leaders, Assistants

• Pick dates convenient for leaders!

Invite all parents to attend and participate

• They have ideas about what to do

Did You Know?

• Cubmaster, Den Leaders + Assistants are automatically part of the Pack Committee?

When To Hold Your Program Planning Conference?Or: How Soon is Now?• PKO is in April … to Foster

2021-22 Planning Now!• Develop and Share

Summer + Fall Highlights • Finalize all in June (July)• Winter: Update Again

Pre-Planning:

Key Dates

• School Calendars:o Open House, Start Day,

Holidays, Last Day

• Council and District:o Key Events You Might Doo Training, Fundraiser Dates

• Other Organizations:o Church, Community Eventso Religious Holidays

• Leader Calendars:o Block Out Dates When Key

Leaders Can’t Attend

Pre-Planning:

Surveys

• Feedback is a Gift …o … Surveys Can Deliver

• Feedback After Events:o Did you like it? o Scale: 1 = Awful to 10 = Love It!o If we repeat, how to change?

• Before Annual PlanningoWhat would you like to do?oWhere would you like to go?oWhen would you like to go?

Myth: No Out-Of-Council Activity

Q: We’re Only Allowed To Camp at AAC Camps, Right?

A: Nope. You can attend events and camp in other Councils.

• Now, Atlanta Area Council events and camps are excellent, but other Councils have fine events too. It’s OK to “Scout Out New Places”.

• Just sign up on their websites and follow their rules.

What This Means: You’ll get to do something different.

• And probably you’ll tell other Packs “you gotta check out our camps”. (Thank you for being an Ambassador.)

Invite Everyone to Give Their

Ideas and Attend

How Many People Needed To Plan?

Frame The Planning

Conference

Pre-Conference Planning:

• Mesh Dates and Survey Results:o Survey May Be Clearo Or Narrow to Final Choices

• Add Other Elementso Event Leaders / Teamso Open Den and Pack Leader

Roleso Den Meeting Dates

• Budget and Fundraising

• Other Pack Policy Issues

Fill the Calendar• Pack-wide Eventso Month by Montho Activities? Meetings?o Advancement Activity?o Recruiting Events

• Other Eventso District/Council/School

• Den Activities (“meetings”)

o All Same Day/Time? o Or Each Den Decides?

Myth: Must Do 8 Pack Meetings

Q: Doesn’t JTE Category 9 say “Hold eight pack meetings a year”?

A: Yes. But … that’s not all it says.

• That’s in the category called “Pack and den meetings and activities”.

• Page 2 clarifies: “Have at least eight pack meetings or activitieswithin the past 12 months” (emphasis added)

What This Means: A Pack schedule of Pool Party> Hike> Campout> Bike Ride> Park Service Project> Derby> Scouting 4 Food> Fishing> Campout > B&G> Kites/Rockets > Fun Field Day … need not add indoor Pack “meetings”.

ObligatoryPack Meeting Statement

I am all in favor of Pack Meetings.

If they are fun.

I like Awards and Cheers and Skits and Songs and Walk-Ons.

So:

• If you like Pack Meetings, and they are fun, do them!

• If they are a struggle, and not fun, consider maybe … not.

P.S.: I like Awards, Cheers, Skits, Songs + Walk-Ons most at a Campfire! Fire Good!!!!

Den Gatherings: Which is Better?

Meetings? … or Adventures?

Indoors? … or Outdoors?

Apply the Funmeter!

As you finalize your calendar:

• Look at your Calendar of Activities

• Is it Exciting and Appealing to Kids and Families?

• Will New Families Want to Join You?

Den Gatherings:

Which is the Right Way?

1) Once a Week

2) Every Other Week

3) Once a Month

Answer: That’s a Trick Question.

Each is fine if that works for your Den Families and Leaders.

Program Planning + Den Meetings(Den Adventures)

Pick a Plan – or Plans:

• Maybe All Dens Meet at One Time in One Place (spread out safely)?

• Maybe They Pick Their Own Time and Place (or Places to “Scout out”)

• Maybe Lions and Tigers Can Do a “Tour de Playgrounds”

• Maybe Weekday Dens and Weekend Dens

• Sports Team = A Den?

Pandemic Program Options

Supporting Family Led Activities

Scouting on Demand:

• Family-Led Plans, Videos, Adventure Boxes, Suggested Activities and More

• www.atlantabsa.org/ScoutingOnDemand

Cub Scout Advancement Resources:

• Adventure by Adventure Resources

• Simpler Plans, including Family-Led, videos, website resources and more –helps Dens and Parents

• www.atlantabsa.org/CubScoutAdvance45

Many More Atlanta Area Council Resources for All:

Support Your Local Den Leader

• Pack “Every Parent Helps” Policy

• Share Adventure (meeting) Resourceso Share with Leaderso And with All Parents

Advancement Anxiety: Q: How Many Meetings Needed to Earn a Rank?

Printed Den Leader Guide

Scoutbook Meeting Plans

Streamlined / Family Plans

Lion 10 10 5

Tiger 18 12 6-9

Wolf 18 15 7-10

Bear 19 14 7-10

Webelos 15 12 7-10

Arrow of Light 13 13 6-9

A: Depends on “which” plans.

Route One: BSA Den Leader Guide Plans

• Many Meetings (18+ T/W/B)o Typical Plan is 2 Indoor Meetings,

then an Outing

• Maybe Too Many Meetings?o Especially if Dens Don’t Meet

Every Week (Most Don’t)

• More Labor-Intensive Elementso Detailed Gathering Activities

• To Share w/Parents, Copy Pages o To Edit, Markup By Hand

DLG Tigers in the Wild Plan (11 p., 3 Mtgs.)

• Web Based Tool: App-like

• Slightly Fewer Meetingso 12 – 15 in T/W/B/W o Same Pattern: Indoor then Outing

• One Topic at a Time Viewo Click-Box Site Design

• Can’t Share Plan w/Parentso Cannot Revise or Mark-up

• Does sync with SB Reporting

Route Two: Scoutbook DLE Den Mtg Plans

SB Tigers in the Wild Plan (40+ Boxes, 2 Mtgs)

Route Three: Streamlined Plans + Family-Led Plans

• Found on District Website• Not Split Multi-Meetingo Tips on If and How to Split in 2

• Easy to Share with ParentsoWord Versions Allow Custom Edits

• Encourages Outdoor Activityo No “indoor” meeting mandates

• Simpler Deliveryo Activities are not in “Gathering”

• Prompts for Parent Participation

Streamlined Tigers in the Wild Plan (6 p.)

Streamlined Adventure Plans

“Required” T/W/B/W Adventures – pdf + Word

Family-Led Tigers in the Wild Plan (5 p.)

Family-Led Adventure Plans

All 96 Cub Scout Adventures – pdf + Word

Adventure Resource Pages

• Rank by Rank (including Bobcat), Adventure by Adventure – 97 in all

Adventure Website Pages

• Requirements

• Streamlined Plans (for Required Adventures)

• Family-Led Plans (for Every Adventure)

• Den Leader Guide 3-Meeting Plans

• Videos and Other Links

Which Plans Might You Use?

If You Want:More Meetings

Web Access for Den Leader

One Topic at a Time View

Easy To Share with Families

Ability to Edit/Personalize

Almost Automatic Reporting

You Might Use:Den Leader Guide Plans

SB DLE or Streamlined/Family

Scoutbook DLE

Streamlined + Family Plans

Streamlined + Family Plans

Scoutbook DLE

“Out Of Handbook” Adventures

Someone Says: At a Pack Bike Rodeo, only 1st Graders can earn the biking Belt Loop, because the only Adventure about riding a bike is in the Tiger Handbook. Nobody else can earn that Loop!!! Nobody!

Response: Lighten up, Francis. Gee whiz, if other Scouts complete the Requirements, recognize them and award it! For them, it’s just a Loop

To Keep It Simple, Make It Fun at a Bike Rodeo:

• “Simple” equals One Award for All

• “Fun” equals no one left out of recognition for achieving.

Easier than making up different requirements + awards.

Pack Budgeting

After All, Somebody’s Got To Pay For All This

Budget Basics

Treasurer Budget Process:

• Project your costs

• Determine dues/revenue

Collection Options

• Annual Payment? Monthly Dues?

• Payments for individual items?

• Fundraiser (Popcorn, Camp Cards)

Accounting Reports

• Budget, Collections, Payments

Expenses A Pack Must Pay

A Program Year Budget Must Include:

• BSA Registration Fees for the NextProgram Year:o Unit Recharter Fee = $75o Youth Registration Fee = $66*

o Adult Registration Fee = $42*

• There are more costs you will likely want to include in the budget.

Do Prorated 2021 BSA Fees Belong In Your 2021-2022 Budget?You don’t need to include 2021 Dues in your 2021-22 Program Year Budget – for:

• Current Members paid for 2021 fees (@ Recharter)

• New Members in 2021 who pay w/Online Registration

If you collect a check with Paper Applications, thenyou need to add $$ for those youth and adults.

Expenses A Pack MightPay DirectlyOut Of Pack Budget

• Handbooks

• Badges, Loops, Pins

• Other Awards (JTE Patch? AoL Arrows?)

• Some Uniform Parts

• Scout Life Magazine

• Adult Registration Fees, Training Costs

• Program Stuff (Books, Kits, Admissions)

• Admin Stuff (Website, Photo Site, Software)

• Pack T Shirts

• Event Costs (Key Events)

o B&G Banquet

o Derby

• Other Events?

o Key Campouts

• Stuff Costs (Trailer, Gear, Flag, Décor)

• Pack Funding Help

• Leader Awards / Thank You Gifts

RevenuesChoose (combine) from these:• Pack Dues (annual, monthly or

other)• Consider ease of

collection/administration

• Council-Approved fundraising:• Camp Cards and Popcorn Sales• others need plans and approval

(no “soliciting”)• Fundraising offsets Pack Dues

otherwise due, event costs

• Goal: make Scouting affordable to everyone:

Balancing the Budget

Granular Details on Expenses:• Project Your Pack Size – that

$75 Unit Fee is:• $1 per Scout w/75 Scouts• $7.50 per Scout w/10 Scouts

• Advancement Bling: • How Many?• Every Adventure?• Or “enough for the Rank

plus 1, 2 or 3”?• Other Pack Expense Items

Dues Calculation – Start With:(Total Projected Expenses) divided by (Total Scouts)

Equals: Per Scout Cost

No Fundraiser? That’s Your Dues!

Fundraiser? Then Estimate Total Per Scout Collections for Your Net Dues Number

• Individual Scout Accounts?

JTE: Will This Plan Score?Yes, Naturally. Guaranteed Points With This Plan:

1. Planning + Budget (add a leader meeting for Silver, and 6 Committee meetings for Gold)

2. Recruiting (have a recruiting event or a BeAScout process – growth gets you to Gold)

6. Outdoor Activities (3 in a year is easy – 5 is Gold, but 5 outdoor activities is still too few!)

8. Service Projects (2 is easy, 3 still too few, but 3 with 1 conservation project is Gold if recorded)

9. Meetings and Activities (8 Pack activities in a year, 2 Den activities a Month during School Year)

JTE: Other CategoriesLikely Points – Depending on Attendance and Leaders:

3. Retention (a fun for kids and family program should retain 60%/65%/75% at least)

4. Webelos-to-Scout (60% crossover for Silver, 80% for Gold – your Scouts should want more Scouting)

5. Advancement (50% earning a Rank is easy – some will earn 2 with Bobcat – Gold is only 75%)

7. Day/Resident/Family Camp (33%/50%/75% –note: “overnighting” not required, but fun)

10. Leadership Recruitment (Recharter w/an ACM is Bronze – every Den with a Leader by Halloween is Gold)

11. Trained Leadership (Cubmaster or ACM or PT is trained is Bronze, all DLs for Silver, + 67% of Committee for Gold – depends on Leader Follow Through)

Myth: Pack Overnighters ≠ JTE

Q: Our own Pack “Overnighter” Campouts don’t count for JTE, right?

A: While JTE refers to “in-council or out-of-council Cub Scout day camp, family camp, and/or Cub Scout resident camp”, that should include “Pack Overnighters” too. (With BALOO trained leader.)

• And that’s how the AAC will accept your JTE score.

What This Means: Do both AAC “Family Camp” and your own Overnighters with your BALOO trained leaders.

• More safe camping is Excellent for your Journey!

Takeaway PageTakeaway Page

TODAY’S TAKE-A-WAYS

Scan this QR Code for that Page of

Resources

QUESTIONS?