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dlajoie

dlajoie
Member since : Oct-30-2008 (Verified)
6 Ideas, 7 Comments, 928 Votes

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Ideas Posted

-29
The new Annual Health and Medical Record required in 2010 has a potential problem. the word Annual. Around my district I am hearing rumblings about having the boys obtaining a physical every year. The old Class 1 and 2 required one every 36 months. What if we go back to that for everyone under the age of 20 rather than force the families with more than one scout in the family to get an annual physical. The cost for an annual for boys are not cheap and not all schools do them for free. Nothing on the form indicates anything other than an annual physical which will become costly for families. Something to think about before not after this is required.
Moderator Comments
6/2/09
From: Richard Bourlon

Please get the FAQ's at http://www.scouting.org/HealthandSafety/Resources/MedicalFormFAQs.aspx

Q. How often will I need to renew/update my Annual Health and Medical Record?
A. This form will need to be updated annually, just as many schools or sporting leagues require an annual update. Many changes can happen throughout a year, including changes in disease processes, medication, address, and insurance.

Q. What is meant by “Annual” and “valid for 12 calendar months”?
A. If you complete your record on March 9, 2009, it will be valid through March 2010, but you must complete a new Annual Health and Medical Record by April 1, 2010. Please note that the 2010 National Scout Jamboree will have a specific window when the record must be submitted.

Q. I have several children in the program and a health care plan that does not provide cheap co-pays for physicals. What can be done to divert the increased cost of participation?
A. Many units, districts, and councils offer physical exams. Facilitating such an event could be a positive experience, as well as decreasing costs. Several county clinics offer physicals at a very low price in order to assist children across the nation maintain a well and healthy life.
After a recent Eagle board of review, a Troop committee chair asked who had signed the application because he had never seen it. upon inspection of the application after the board of review passed the scout the signatures of the Scoutmaster and Committee Chair were from the previous two people and the current ones did not know this application had been processed. Nowhere in the advancement guide is there a requirement or suggestion that those dates and signatures be checked to ensure they were signed after the project was completed and not before. When a registrar submits the eagle application on line there is no entry date for the scoutmaster, committee chair or the scout required so therefore the application will not be flagged if the required entries are incorrect. The scout, scoutmaster and committee chair dates should be entered into the computer to ensure the signatures were done AFTER the project completion and not before.
14
Believe this or not there will be many volunteers and professionals that will not read this site or know of its existance. I suggust that for the volunteers the National Office provide a quarterly update on web sites, badges, applications and other changes or inovations that will affect them. Since all volunteers receive Scouting magazine that would be the perfect vehicle to pass on these updates. As a professional reading all of these action items I will not remember half of them to tell my volunteers. As for the professionals quarterly reports on everything especially what affects our jobs can be done in ProSpeaks. We all receive it we just need to all read it. there are some great ideas, changes and answers to many questions on this web site and everyone involved with the program needs access for the updates. Scouting magazine and ProSpeaks will work.
Moderator Comments
5/6/09
From: Jim Wilson, Media Services/ PR Department Manager

We agree that Scouting Magazine is an excellent way to reach volunteers with messages of what’s new, interesting, and exciting in Scouting today. Likewise, we agree that ProSpeak newsletter is an excellent way to reach Scouting professionals and to keep them informed of the new initiatives in Scouting. Of course, as you note, the news in both publications is only useful if it is read by these key audiences. Our editors in both publications work hard to provide the critical elements of new initiatives that are important to our volunteers and professionals, being only limited to the number of pages in each publication. Fortunately, both publications are continuing to enhance their web presence and thereby gain space to better organize and publish information regarding these new initiatives. In fact, as of the April issue of ProSpeak, it is now an online only publication. Look for it’s new format and timely news on MyBSA.
For to long troops and packs have been asked to go to the Good turn for America website and document their service projects. How many times have they contacted the council office asking for their password because they forgot or lost it. What if we link the online recharter process with the good turn for america process and have the units at least visit the GTFA site before they can log off the recharter site? At least this way we may have a more accurate data base with service projects.
Moderator Comments
4/1/09
From: Brandi Mantz, Digital Content Editor

The data reporting process is currently being evaluated for upgrading, however budgetary priorities will need to be taken into consideration.
For a District Executive and their district committee to better understand the health of the units, keeping track of advancements is the pulse of the success of a district. Currently upon request the district advancement chair can ask someone in the office to run a monthly district advancment report. If the units are doing the internet advancement program this report can be very helpful. If the unit is not doing the internet advancement than it is hit and miss with the health of the program in the district. Give the district advancement and council advancement chairs a read only access to the advancement program so they can track and guage the health of programs thru the advancement program. The monthly report can still be a paper report for the District Executive and the district committee.
21
As we become more technically advanced more units are making websites for the families to keep track of what is happening. Can the national website be a host for all of the units to make and maintain there own website and non scouters would be able to access it. There would need to be a requirement that the unit must maintain on a weekly or monthly basis or it will become obsolete.
Moderator Comments
From: Dave Campbell, Information Systems Department Manager

Units can do this today on the social network through MyScouting. After entering their membership number in their MyScouting profile, a community link will appear on the left hand menu. Units, districts, councils and individuals can go out there today and create their own site to share and network with other scouters, local and nationally. Its a great site! try it. Tell people about it.
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Comments Posted

dlajoie 3 months ago
I thought that was the purpose of the beads. Two beads completion, three beads staff and four beads Scoutmaster. These are very distinctive and stand out much better than another knot on the shirt. Let's stay different and keep the beads as recognition.
dlajoie 4 months ago
Regarding the BSA policy on every scout can take any M/B anytime they want I believe a little reality needs to be taken into effect. There are boys that are very immature to take some merit badges at ages 11, 12 and even 13. As a fifteen year retired scoutmaster I saw some scouts that truly would be wasting there time and the counselors time with personal management and the other three month required M/B's. With 120 plus badges to pick from the scoutmaster can make strong suggestions for one badge over another. A good example is the old enviromental science badge that required eight hours of observation and a report at summer camp. there is no way that most 11, 12 or maybe 13 year olds had the will or maturity to do any of that badge which means they get a partial which means they have until their 18th birthday to finish, give me a break everyone knows that does not happen. Maturity and desire are lacking more in the early years of scouting than the middle or later years. Maturity will be there but desire may still be lacking until very late. there are some scoutmasters that will overstep their role and yes parents will go along because they do not want to rock the boat but for the most part 98% of the scout masters have the youth best interest in mind when they tell a scout not that badge but what about this one. Give the scout master some credit as they are in the trenches and are proud when they have an eagle scout court of honor.
dlajoie 9 months ago
by all means. A previous idea already posted stated the same thing in not so many words. If districts and councils want functioning program committees that accomplish something than select volunteers need access to reports to help them. Read only is approperiate for volunteers with the DE or SE giving them the password needed.
dlajoie 10 months ago
Soccer and Scouting or Scouting and Soccer. What difference does it make provided that the program encourages the youth to at least give scouts a try. There are some groups that have little to no history in scouting and they do not have any understanding about the program. At least if we bring the scouting program to them through another activity that they love and understand they will be given the opportunity to learn, understand and embrace it. It has been very successful in the Southern reagion. Try it you may like it. To think this program would be separating instead of including is incomplete thinking.
dlajoie 10 months ago
Lions and Tigers and Bears oh my. I was a lion cub to many years ago. Kindergarden scouts as lions is a natural progression if you want ot follow the song. What other creatures are in the jungle book that we could use? deer, racoon, gator. The name really does not matter provided we do this right the first time and not make them feel left out like the tiger program did in the beginning.
dlajoie 10 months ago
The Southern Region was told a couple of years ago, at least our council was, that Councils are not allowed to use credit cards as it does not have a paper trail of signatures for expenses. So this begs the question are councils allowed to use credit cards? If so that would be very helpful for summer camp directors so large amounts of cash would not have to be carried.
dlajoie 0 years ago
I respectfully disagree with your total premise. The 21st century woodbadge is exactly what you are saying it should be. there is no fraternal format and the training is on par with anything the corporate world can offer and its cheaper. As a matter of fact the corporate world probably needs some training from us as their bottom line sure is not looking to good. I do agree there is a drain on volunteer resources especially for small councils. If draining of resources is a problem than cutting back to one session a year or every other year will help.