Please look for a meeting invite with a link or email 5-10 minutes before the meeting time. Also please dress like you would be in person (Class A Uniforms)
Again do not go to Woodbury Baptist Church on Tuesday, we will be having a virtual meeting.
Cub Scouting/Scouts BSA/Venturing/Sea Scouting Rank Advancementand the Coronavirus (COVID-19)
The following questions regarding advancement have arisen as we deal with closures, cancellations, or other issues caused by the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). Although there are difficulties and constraints, advancement can continue.Youth, parents, and leaders should work together to implement creative, common sense ways to facilitate advancement while adhering to the Guide to Safe Scouting and following the rules of Youth Protection training.
Please follow this link to the Guide to Advancement (GTA), whichremains the primary source for information related to Scouts BSA advancement. It is referenced throughout the answers provided here.
A: Scouting units should use ScoutBook to record and track advancement.
To track advancement remotely, parents should:
1) Connect with their child’s member profilevia an invitation that the unit leader sends within ScoutBook.
2) Once a connection is made, the parent should use the Scouting app, found in both the App Store and Google Play, to stay connected with their unit.
3) The Scouting app provides parents the ability to report any advancement that was completed at home.
Go to https://help.scoutbook.com to learn more about how to start using ScoutBook and how to connect parents to their Scouts.
Cub Scouts
Q: May parents sign off on Webelos and Arrow of Light requirements?
A: Yes. Through July 31, 2020, parents and other adults in the Cub Scout’s family, may sign off on Webelos and Arrow of Light requirements. We strongly encourage that parents use the Scouting App or ScoutBook to record completion of their child’s requirements.
Q: If my den is behind in advancement due to COVID-19, can my Cub Scout continue to work on advancement through the summer?
A: Yes. Cub Scouts can continue to work on their current den’s advancement through July 31, 2020. This is to provide any additional time a Cub Scout needs to complete their badge of rank; if they earn their badge of rank prior to July 31, 2020, they may advance to the next rank.
Scouts BSA, Venturing and Sea Scouts
Q:May merit badge requirements or rank requirements be modified?
A:No. All requirements must be completed as written. If meetings or activities are canceled or limited, youth should continue to work on requirements as far as possible. By employing common sense and creative solutions, many requirements–even Scoutmaster conferences–can be fulfilled through videoconferencing or telephone calls.
Q: Can merit badge counseling or Nova/Supernova counseling be done using digital technologies like Zoom or WebEx?
A: Yes, registered merit badge counselors or Nova counselors/Supernova mentors may work with youth using digital platforms, ensuring that all youth protection measures noted in the Guide to Safe Scoutingand BSA’s social media guidelines are in place. In addition to youth protection, the advancement guidelines in GTA Section 7 are required.
Q:May time missed due to canceled unit meetings count towardactive participation requirements?
A:Yes. Ifyouth are registered and in good standing,a disruption from COVID-19 virus can be the “noteworthy circumstance” that prevents participation.This policy has been in place for many years and is explained in GTA Topic 4.2.3.1.
Q:May time missed due to canceled unit meetings count toward position of responsibility requirements?
A:Yes. If youthare registered andunable to meet the expectations of their positionsbecause of COVID-19 disruptions, then units may need to waive or rethink the expectations. Just asyouth must not be held to unestablished expectations, they must not be heldto expectations that are impossible to fulfill. See GTA Topic 4.2.3.4, “Positions of Responsibility,” with its six subtopics.
Q:Does the National Council grant extensions of time to complete rank requirements beyond the 18th birthday for the Eagle or 21st birthday for Summit or Quartermaster?
A:Yes, but only for the Eagle Scout rank as described in GTA Topic 9.0.4.0 or for Venturing Summit or Sea Scout Quartermaster as described in GTA Topic 4.3.3.0. Unit leadership must become familiar with the five tests under 9.0.4.0. The testswere designed to accommodate such obstacles as those presented by COVID-19disruptions.
Q:Will youth who are not yet Life Scouts be allowed to apply for an extension to earn the Eagle Scout rank?
A. Extensions are considered only for Scouts who areLife rank. If,once aScout achieves Life rank, it turns out that COVID-19disruptions along the way have left them with insufficient time to complete Eagle requirements, then this may be cited when the time comes to submit an extension request.
Q:May local councils grant extensions?
A:Normally, that is not allowed. However, due to the current situation—effective immediately and through September 30, 2020—council Scout executivesmay grant extensions, or delegate authority to theCouncil Advancement Committeeto grant extensions under the following limitations:
1. It can be established that COVID-19 disruptions were the only circumstances that delayed work on Eagle Scout/Summit/Quartermaster advancement requirements, such as the service project or merit badges. If any other causes were involved, the extension request must go to the National Councilfollowing the process outlined in the GTA.
2. Extensions shall only be granted to youth in Scouts BSA who have already achieved Life rank.
3. When the council receives a COVID-19-related request for a time extension, the council reviews the request and approves it if appropriate.Awritten response stating the outcome of the extensionrequest must go to the youth. If approved, the notification must be attached to the youth’sEagle/Summit/Quartermaster rank application.For Eagle, the extensionmustnot exceed 3 months from the youth’s 18thbirthday; for Summit/Quartermaster, the extension must not exceed 3 months from the youth’s 21st birthday.
4. Upon turning 18, the Scout must submit a completed adult application and successfully complete YPT; their participant code will now be UP for SBSA or VP for Venturing and Sea Scouting.
5. Extension requests for more than 3 months beyond the youth’s18th/21stbirthday must be sent to the NationalService Center following the process outlined in the GTA.
Note:A “month” in BSA advancement is defined as a day from one month to the next.For example, March 5 to April 5.
The authority for councils to grant extensions is temporary, lasting only through Sept. 30, 2020.
Q: Ifyouth have already received an extension, can they request additional time due to COVID-19?
A:Yes. Council Scout executives may grant extensions, or delegate authority to the Council Advancement Committee to grant extensions under the limitations listed above.
Q:What should be done while an extension request is being considered?
A: Youth should continue to work on advancement in so far as they are able—e.g., independently, or over the phone or videoconference—and at Scouting activities once they resume.
Q:Are extensions required when an Eagle/Summit/Quartermasterboard of review must be delayed?
A:No.Councils may grant Eagle/Summit/Quartermaster boards of review up to six months after theyouth’s 18th/21stbirthday. See GTA Topic 8.0.3.1, “Eagle Scout Board of Review Beyond the 18th Birthday.”
See also, GTA Topic 8.0.1.6, “Boards of Review Through Videoconferencing.”
Q: Are electronic or digital signatures acceptable for rank advancement or for the Eagle/Summit/Quartermaster packets/applications? A: Yes.Electronic or digital signatures will be acceptedthrough September 30, 2020.
Q: Howcan a youth continue to work on advancement requirements if they don’t have internet or high-speed internet for videoconferencing? A: Youthmay take a picture of their completed activity/requirement and share the work with unit leaders. In keeping with Youth Protection Training policies, all communications from youth should be sent to at least two adults. Parents or guardians may send advancement work on behalf of their child.
Here is one more activity that all members of the pack can look to work on during our quarantine period including Scout leaders.
Individual Emergency Preparedness Award Requirements
Tiger Cub Scout Requirements
Cover a family fire plan and drill, and what to do if separated from the family.
Discuss a family emergency plan with the family.
Create, plan, and practice summoning help during an emergency.
Take a nationally recognized first-aid course geared toward children such as American Red Cross First Aid for Children Today (FACT).
Join a safe kids program such as McGruff Child Identification, Internet Safety, or Safety at Home.
Show and tell your family household what you have learned about preparing for emergencies.
Wolf Cub Scout Requirements
Create a checklist to keep your home safe.
Discuss a family emergency plan with the family.
Create, plan, and practice summoning help during an emergency.
Learn emergency skills and care for choking, wounds, nosebleeds, falls, and animal bites. The emergency skills should include responses for fire safety, poisoning, water accidents, substance abuse, and more.
Join a safe kids program such as the McGruff Child Identification program. Put on a training program for your family or den on stranger awareness, Internet safety, or safety at home.
Make a presentation to your family on what you have learned about preparing for emergencies.
Bear Cub Scout Requirements
Create, plan, and practice summoning help during an emergency.
Learn how to shut off utilities to your home in an emergency.
Learn simple rescue techniques.
Learn emergency skills and care for choking, wounds, nosebleeds, falls, and animal bites. The emergency skills should include responses for fire safety, poisoning, water accidents, substance abuse, and more.
Put together a family emergency kit for use in the home.
Organize a safe kids program such as the McGruff Child Identification program. Put on a training program for your family or den on stranger awareness, Internet safety, or safety at home.
Make a small display or give a presentation for your family or den on what you have learned about preparing for emergencies.
Webelos Scout Requirements
Learn rescue techniques.
Build a family emergency kit, with an adult family member participating in the project.
Take a first-aid course.
Learn to survive extreme weather situations.
Learn about stranger awareness, Internet safety, or safety at home.
Give a presentation to your den on preparing for emergencies.
Unit Volunteer Scouter Requirements
This award is available to all registered Scouters who serve a unit, including all leaders and committee members.
Do any three of the following:
Provide input to develop or improve an emergency preparedness program plan and kit for your home and be sure all family members know the plan.
Participate actively in preparing an emergency action plan for your Scouting unit meeting place. (This includes all locations where you might have a meeting.)
Put together a unit emergency kit to be kept at your unit meeting location. (This includes all locations where you might have a meeting.)
Take a basic first-aid/CPR/AED course.
Participate as an active volunteer in a community agency responsible for disaster preparedness.
Given all the discussion about how to keep scouts engaged over the forced social distancing, I have drawn up a list for my pack by den of the electives that are more feasible to do at home with family and that might tap some latent interests there.
I included the summary of each and a link to a webpage with the rank requirements and the worksheets and stuff they can use. If anyone is interested, these are the ones I highlighted that don’t require your den, or going somewhere public, or going to meet with someone you dont know, etc.... so better suited for our forced shut-in phase.
I think if most kids did 1-2 of these over the break that would be outstanding. Fingers Crossed!
