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Cub Scout Pack 317
(Bethlehem Twp, Pennsylvania)
 
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Parent Talent Survey


Hello Akelas!  In order to help the Pack, we would like to know a little more about you and some of your areas of expertise that might be helpful. Please fill out the Parent Survey attached and give to your den leader.

Thank you for supporting Scouting!
Attachments
Icon File Name Comment  
Parent Family Survey.pdf  

Want a bigger role?


As a volunteer organization we're always looking for help when it comes to running the pack! We certainly encourage parents to be involved. (Bonus.. you get to wear a uniform!)

If you would like to help directly with the boys and their program Den Leadership and Assistant Den Leadership is the perfect opportunity for you.  At this leadership level, you'd create/assist in the meeting to meeting activities for the boys and help them earn their rank advancement.

If you'd rather deal with fellow Akelas, then Committee membership would be your best bet.  Committee members are the structural bones of our pack and we work hard to make sure that Pack 317 has what it needs to thrive and be a successful scouting program.

All adult volunteers must fill out an Adult Application Form

Thank you for your interest in Leadership!

Yours In Scouting

Greta Bergstresser

PA Act 15


Act 15 is Pennsylvania's 2015 amendment to their Child Protective Services Law and affects volunteers who are responsible for children's welfare or who have "direct volunteer contact". The Amendment requires that all of our volunteers undergo a series of state and federal background checks.  If you wish to participate in any of our pack's trips and events, these must be completed.  There is no cost to you as long as you have lived in PA for 10 years or more.

  1. PA State Police criminal history ($0.00 for Volunteers)
  2. PA Department of Human Services clearance AKA Child Abuse ($0.00 for Volunteers)
  3. Finger print FBI criminal history – (volunteers not living in Pennsylvania for the entire 10 prior years) ($27.50) OR an FBI waiver (attached for 10 or more year residents of PA)
    1. Pre-registration is required online at https://www.pa.cogentid.com/index_dpwNew.htm

 
Attachments
Icon File Name Comment  
Waiver of FBI background check.pdf  

How to Protect Your Children From Child Abuse



In order to complete your scout's initial rank of Bobcat, Parents are asked to go over the Youth Protection pamphlet and are encouraged to do the activities starting on Page 14.  This pamphlet is the last portion of the Bobcat rank and is also a requirement to do every year.  Scouting utilizes repetition in their program to drive home important skills.  

You can find the web version of the pamphlet by clicking this link: Youth Protection 
Alternatively, the pamphlet is also attached and can be downloaded below.
Attachments
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Youth Protection Pamphlet.pdf  

Pack Policies



Pack 317 Policies

 

Below are the Pack Policies as well as a Welcome Packet attachment and the Pack Calendar for 2019-2020.  

1.Neither physical nor verbal abuse is an acceptable form of behavior or discipline whether from scouts, parents/guardians, or leaders in a Scouting setting. Any conduct violation must be reported to the Pack Committee Chair for review. The Pack Committee Chair will review the matter with the committee and respond appropriately to ensure and protect the safety of all scouting participants.

2.Alcohol,drugs, smoking, and firearms are all prohibited at any scouting event, meeting,or activity including venues such as Coca Cola Park, PPL Center etc.

3.All Cub Scouts and Scout Leaders must be in full uniform, Class A or B depending on the venue, for all scouting events and related activities as outlined in our uniform code of conduct for insurance, identification, and safety purposes.Failure to dress accordingly may limit a scout’s participation in specific scouting events.

4.All scout fees for scouting events are nonrefundable.

5.Returned check fees are the responsibility of the payor in addition to the original check amount. These fees must then be paid in cash. There will be first offense forgiveness, however, if subsequent checks are returned due to insufficient funds, then all future monies shall be collected in cash. Names will remain confidential between the Pack Treasurer and the Pack Committee Chair and shall only be shared with another committee member on a need to know basis.

6.Pack Committee Chair approval is required for any and all pack purchases before they are made or checks written.

7.Allreceipts must be submitted to the Pack Treasurer &/or Pack Committee Chair for reimbursement within 30 days.

8.An“Activity Consent Form and Approval by Parents or Legal Guardian” form from each scout are required for every go-see-it or field trip.

9.Two-deep leadership is required for all scouting activities and meetings. (Two registered leaders or one registered leader and 1 adult/parent over the age of 21). Lion and Tiger cubs, however, must always have an adult partner.

10.All leaders in direct contact with our youth need to complete Youth Protection,Fast Start, This Is Scouting & Leader Specific online trainings.

11.No new leader applications will be accepted without a completed Youth Protection training certificate.

12.The cost of leader applications & all required, basic trainings will be paid for by the pack.  

13.All leaders will follow all BSA procedures and policies as outlined by the Cub Scout Leader Guide and training documents.

14.Youth Protection training must be updated every two years by all registered volunteers.

15.PA ACT 15 clearances for all Leaders and Active parents must be met and submitted to the Committee Chair and are valid for 5 years.

16.At Least one BALOO trained leader must be present for any den or pack camping event or outing.

17.A Resource and program guide will be made available to every den leader. Free den meeting plans are available online.

18.The Pack first aid kit must be present at all pack meetings and pack events.

19. Dens must have their own den first aid kits (provided by the pack), log books, and emergency contact information* with them for allden meetings, field trips, or go-see-its. *For every den member, den leaders must have a copy of the current parent/emergency contact information, including cell phone numbers, on hand at all scouting events and meetings.

20.Den Leaders will sign out their den first aid kits via contract at the beginning of each scouting year. Supplies will be paid for and restocked by the pack as longas protocol for use has been followed.

21.Leaders must have the council executive’s phone number on hand at all times.  Any critical or serious scouting accident or emergency including suspicion of child abuse must be phoned to the council executive before talking to anyone else.

22.Leader Books, guides, and den kits are pack property and therefore, must be returned to the pack for re-use when leader service is complete. Leaders will be held accountable and billed for the current replacement cost for any items not returned upon their leave.

23.The Pack inventory will be updated annually by the Pack Secretary and placed on file with the Pack Committee Chair.

24.All Skits/songs for Pack meeting sparklers will be submitted to the Cubmaster for pre-approval.

25.Scout Photo release forms must be consulted before posting photos on the website,visiting TV or radio stations, video recording, or submitting any recorded material for display or media release. No scout names shall be posted on the pack website.

26.Awards must be sent to the Awards Chair at least one week prior to the pack meeting.Leaders must then reply to the Awards Chair to confirm or modify the monthly awards report summary.

27.Denchiefs will be a minimum of First Class rank, complete den chief training, andbe approved by the Pack Committee Chair and Cubmaster for den assignment.

28.Itis the parent’s responsibility to find and assign a willing guardian for their scouting son while attending resident overnight camp if the parent is not able to accompany them. A completed and signed copy of the pack’s “Parent Designee”form must be on file and approved by the pack’s Camp Coordinator.

29.Scout Accounts earned from fundraiser sales may only be used for approved scouting purchases such as scout dues, gear, attire, and activities. Pack Committee Chair approval is required prior to all purchases.

30.Scout Account balances may be carried over from Cub scouts to Boy scouts, however, ifa scout quits scouting at any rank and has a scout account balance, the remaining money does not get cashed out to the individual, but will be assimilated back into pack funds.

31.Balances for Cub scouts who have recently crossed over to Boy scouts will continue to be managed by the pack until the scout’s fall “fair share” or troop dues have been paid and the scout is deemed to still be active in the troop. At that time, the troop will then receive any scout account monies and assume the responsibility of managing the account for the scout.

32.Fundraiser Sales for multiple scouts in one family may be combined for prizes and for calculating scout account award monies. The family shall have the option of placing all of the money under one scout name or dividing it between scouts.

33.Patchesand/or medals earned by individual scouts /families participating in programs such as the Historical programs and hiking trails are the financial responsibility of the individual/family unless it is a Pack-sponsored event which has budgeted to include such awards.

34.The Pack will recognize and award the Religious knot to any scout earning his/her Religious emblem.

35.All expenses will be reviewed annually by the Pack Committee Chair with the assistance of the Pack Treasurer.

36.All policies will be reviewed annually and updated accordingly by the Pack Committee Chair and Committee.

 

 

** It is recommended that at least one leader from each denbe present at monthly pack committee meetings. Anyone is welcome to attend these meetings. All committee members and leaders are required to read the monthly pack committee meeting minutes.

 

** It is also recommended that at least one leader from eachden be present at the quarterly Cubmaster’s meetings

 

Inactive Scouts

 

Cub Scouts are expected to attend allden and pack meetings in order to gain the full benefits of the Scouting Program.

 

A scout may be considered “inactive” by action of the Pack Committee for any of the following reasons:

 

1.If a scout has 4 consecutive den and 2 pack meeting absences.

2.Obvious lack of interest on the part of the scout and/or parents.

3.Failure to pay the required registration fees or den dues.

4.The Den leader deems it necessary to have a scout declared “Inactive” to maintain discipline in the den.

5.Or by the request of a family for certain medical or family situations.

 

Should any of the above reasons for inactivity exist, the den leader will notify the Pack Committee Chair. The Pack Committee Chair in turn shall notify the scout and his/her family. Inactive scouts will be on probation for a minimum of 1 month and during this time will not be eligible to receive awards, rank advancement, Blue and Gold recognition, nor will they be allowed to participate in special pack events such as the Pinewood Derby and as further determined by the Pack committee and Cubmaster.

 

After the initial probation period of 30 days, the specific situation may be reassessed by the Pack committee and the inactivity lifted or extended. At this time the scout and his/her family are expected to petition the Pack committee for reinstatement and must be able to resume regular den meeting attendance and pack participation, settle any debts owed to the pack, or show that a change in behavior has been achieved at this time. If after the one month probation has ended and the above named reason for inactivity continues and/or the family has not applied for reinstatement, inactive status shall continue to remain in effect. Communications to scouts onextended inactive status need not be maintained by the den or pack leadership.

 

Inactive status shall not extend beyond a registration period. In other words, if a scout’s current registration expires during a period when he is deemed inactive, the scout shall be dropped from active charter and a new application will need to be submitted and approved along with the appropriate renewal fees. Also, as per pack policy, all scouting fees are nonrefundable, therefore refunds will not be given to scouts who are placed on the inactive list and/or dropped from the pack charter.

 

 

 

Policies doc. reviewed and updated by PEF and WDS on 8/24/17.

 

Attachments
Icon File Name Comment  
Cub Scout Welcome Packet.pdf  
Pack 317 Calendar 2019-2020 rev 1.1.pdf