Tuesday, April 3, 2018

Changes to Scout Youth Protection Training

Changes to Scout Youth Protection Training

IMPORTANT: This big change affects all registered adults on a troop, pack, or crew roster.

1. The online Youth Protection Training module has been greatly revised.
2. All registered adults MUST take the new course. The deadline is October 1, 2018.
3. Yes, you MUST take the new course before the deadline even if your previous certification is still current.

The revised training now includes more insights both from experts and from survivors. There's more information about bullying, neglect, exposure to violence, emotional abuse, etc.

Most important for unit leaders is the advice about how to prevent, recognize and respond.

There's another change that affects non-registered parents who assist on campouts and summer camp: They may have to register! Here's the official wording:
Effective June 1, 2018, adults accompanying a Scouting unit who are present at the activity for 72 total hours or more must be registered as a leader, including completion of a criminal background check and Youth Protection Training. The 72 hours need not be consecutive.

The new YPT course replaced the old version on My.Scouting.org. Launching it is more complicated, so it's worth taking some time to first read these instructions posted by the Northern NJ Council.

You can get more information from a March 2018 posting on ScoutingWire.

Three Rivers Events During April 2018

Three Rivers Events During April 2018

Apr 3 - TRD Unit Commissioners Meeting
  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?activitykey=2202394&orgkey=944
Apr 5 - TRD District Committee Meeting
  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?activitykey=2185070&orgkey=944
Apr 7 - TRD Pinewood Derby
  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?activitykey=2321877&orgkey=944
Apr 10 - TRD Roundtable
  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?activitykey=2185060&orgkey=944
Apr 17 - TRD Asst. District Commissioners Meeting
  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?activitykey=2206086&orgkey=944
Apr 22 - TRD Recognition Dinner
  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?activitykey=2319903&orgkey=944

Training Sessions During April 2018
Apr 4 - Catholic YPT - Protecting God's Children
  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?activitykey=2338510&orgkey=944
Apr 7 - Trainer's EDGE
  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?activitykey=2326087&orgkey=944
Apr 7 - Den Chief Training
  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?activitykey=2279431&orgkey=944
Apr 9 - Outdoor Skills - Indoor Briefing (also Apr 20-22 weekend)
  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?activitykey=2329633&orgkey=944
Apr 14 - College of Commissioner Science
  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?activitykey=2277868&orgkey=453
Apr 20-22 - Outdoors Skills Weekend (also Apr 9 briefing)
  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?activitykey=2329633&orgkey=944
Apr 20-22 - Leave No Trace Trainer Weekend
  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?activitykey=2241268&orgkey=944

Other Council-Approved Events in April 2018
Apr 7 - COPE Course at Camp Lewis
  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?activitykey=2315947&orgkey=453
Apr 11 - Camp Turrell Leaders Meeting
  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?activitykey=2315972&orgkey=453
Apr 12 - Floodwood Leaders Meeting
  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?activitykey=2319975&orgkey=453
Apr 14 - Camp Lewis Beaver Day
  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?activitykey=2299409&orgkey=453
Apr 14 - COPE Course at Camp Lewis
  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?activitykey=2315973&orgkey=453
Apr 14-15 - Liberty Science Center Mystery Overnight
  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?activitykey=2302346&orgkey=944
Apr 15 - Summer Camp Early-Bird Discount Ends
  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?activitykey=2325805&orgkey=453
Apr 24 - Prepared for Life Dinner
  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?activitykey=2321085&orgkey=453
Apr 27-29 - Council Weboree
  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?activitykey=2133904&orgkey=944

Friday, March 23, 2018

STEM at Liberty Science Center (Mar 11)

STEM at Liberty Science Center
March 11

This note from event organizer Charlie Binder:
We had 125 Scouts and 50 parents attend. Sold out. 25 merit badges in each category:




  • Nuclear Science
  • Chemistry
  • Electricity
  • Weather
  • Fingerprinting
Also from Charlie: Thanks to Leslie Sonkin and Eric Dlugosz for both technical and emotional support.

Thursday, March 1, 2018

Three Rivers Events During March 2018

Three Rivers Events During March 2018

Mar 1 - TRD District Committee Meeting
  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?activitykey=2185069&orgkey=944
Mar 6 - TRD Unit Commissioners Meeting
  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?activitykey=2202393&orgkey=944
Mar 13 - TRD Roundtable
  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?activitykey=2185059&orgkey=944
Mar 20 - TRD Asst. District Commissioners Meeting
  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?activitykey=2206085&orgkey=944

Training Sessions During March 2018
Mar 3 - Lenape Trail Scoutmaster/ASM Training
  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?activitykey=2309340&orgkey=944
Mar 3 - Lenape Trail Cub Leader Specific Training
  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?activitykey=2309319&orgkey=944
Mar 11 - NNJC STEM Merit Badges at Liberty Science Center
  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?activitykey=2302171&orgkey=944
Mar 15 - TRD Cub Leader Specific Training
  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?activitykey=2326000&orgkey=944
Mar 17+24 - NNJC 2-Day Wilderness First Aid Training
  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?activitykey=2321616&orgkey=944
Mar 24 - Ramapo Valley Scoutmaster/ASM Training
  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?activitykey=2303685&orgkey=944

Other Council-Approved Events in March 2018
Mar 16 - NNJC Campership Applications Due
  Contact E-Mail: Ann Murphy - Ann.Murphy333@scouting.org
Mar 17 - OA Trade-o-Ree
  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?activitykey=2281628&orgkey=944 Mar 24 - Camp Lewis Beaver Day
  Contact E-Mail: Ann Murphy - Ann.Murphy333@scouting.org

Monday, February 19, 2018

Advice: Webelos to Boy Scouts

Advice: Webelos to Boy Scouts

It's time! BSA recommends that Cub packs should bridge their 5th grader Arrow of Light den into a Boy Scout troop in early spring. This gives them a chance to get to know the Scouts they'll be attending summer camp with. In addition, a smart Scout troop will schedule a tent camping trip just as soon as weather permits in order to get their newest boys enthused about camping.

A problem: BSA is concerned about the large number of Cubs who graduate from the pack but never make the transition to become Boy Scouts: "Don't let them miss out on the fun, adventure, and personal growth yet to come."

Advice: Successful transitions call for a partnership between the Cubmaster and the Scoutmaster -- both have to take steps to convince the Cub that the Boy Scout program is really cool, and in fact way better than Cub Scouts.

Click here for nine suggestions for what a Cubmaster can do.
Click here for nine suggestions for what a Scoutmaster can do.

Here's a suggestion: There's some special pack activity, and the Scoutmaster and some junior leaders were invited to attend. The Scoutmaster says to the Arrow of Light Cubs, "You guys are practically Boy Scouts already. Come over here and stand/sit with us."

Sunday, February 18, 2018

Upcoming Change to Advancement Tracking

Upcoming Change to Advancement Tracking

Since 2006, Troops and Packs have posted their advancement information by way of the Scoutnet Internet Advancement website. That will change soon in 2018, when units will instead create an account with "Scoutbook Lite" and post advancement information into that site. Click here for an article in Scouting Magazine that gives more details.

The Scoutbook app was created in 2013 by Shawn Jackson, himself a unit leader. He got lots of good reviews on his Facebook page from early adapters, which encouraged him to keep adding new features. Meanwhile there were plenty of other software packages out there, most notably TroopMaster and PackMaster and Troopkit.

Everything changed in 2015, when BSA National acquired Scoutbook, and everything changed a second time just now, where all units will soon be using "Scoutbook Lite" instead of Internet Advancement. This is surely bad news for all those other packages. Most likely existing units will continue to use TroopMaster, etc., because they're used to it, but expect new units to start off with Scoutbook.

So how good is Scoutbook? Scouting Magazine called it "awesome." Click here to access a promotion video with Scout leaders praising its advancement tracking, which is not just "complete/not complete", but also tracks each advancement requirement separately. The snapshot above shows how one Scout is progressing with his Climbing merit badge. The promo video shows how a Den Leader can use his/her smartphone to log in and record belt loop requirements while they're still fresh in his/her mind. The promo video also shows kids accessing the site to see their own status and then responding by posting, "I just completed another requirement on my own. Here's proof."

Saturday, February 17, 2018

Tax Deductions from Scouting Expenses

Tax Deductions from Scouting Expenses

Click here for an article in Scouting Magazine that has lots of advice on ways to itemize Scouting-related expenses as income tax deductions. (But watch for the disclaimer that the article "is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to provide... legal or accounting advice.")

 

Here's an extract of some of the useful information you'll find posted:

Some types of contributions can be deducted:
  • Cash/check donations
  • Property donations
  • Out-of-pocket expenses you paid to do volunteer work
  • Uniforms for leaders
  • The cost of driving to and from BSA events

Some types of relevant contributions cannot be deducted:
  • The value of your time
  • Scouting dues or membership fees
  • A contribution to a specific individual. This includes giving to the Boy Scouts and specifying a particular person or Scout as the beneficiary of your donation.