Troop Code of Conduct

INDEX

ABOUT TROOP 597

TROOP 597 HANDBOOK

TROOP ORGANIZATION

TROOP CODE OF CONDUCT

PARENT CODE OF CONDUCT

YOUTH PROTECTION

UNIFORM

ADVANCEMENT PROCESS

EAGLE SCOUT

THE MERIT BADGE PROCESS

COURT OF HONOR

TROOP DUES

TROOP EQUIPMENT FEE

FUNDRAISERS

SCOUT ACCOUNTS

CAMPING TRIPS

BEST SCOUT AWARD

PARENTS ATTENDING TRIPS

ACTIVE TROOP 597 SCOUT

REIMBURSEMENT POLICY

TRIP SIGN-UPS & PAYMENTS

DRIVING FOR TRIPS

TROOP EQUIPMENT

CELL PHONES & ELECTRONICS

MATCHES AND LIGHTERS

FIREARMS

SUMMER CAMP

IF YOU HAVE PROBLEMS OR QUESTIONS

ABOUT TROOP 597

Troop 597 is chartered to St. Paul’s U.C.C. Church of Amityville PA. We meet weekly on Monday evenings starting at 7:00 PM and ending at 8:30 PM… from the beginning of September until the end of June.

Per current Boy Scouts of America policy, and in accordance with our sponsoring organization’s policies, Troop 597 accepts any young man between the ages of 10 ½ (and having completed the 5th grade) and 18 years of age, regardless of race, sexual orientation, medical condition, or disability. In addition, we accept adults under the same provisions listed above with the stipulation that you successfully pass all of the required background checks required by BSA and the state of Pennsylvania. All scouts and adults are treated with the same dignity and respect, and will have the same opportunities to grow and advance in the Scouting program. We do ask that you conduct yourself as a Scout or as an adult, following the Scout Oath, the Scout Law, and our troop policies, set forth in this handbook, and not use our Troop as a pulpit for advancing your own cause or your own agenda.

If at any point, you feel that you, or your scout, are not being treated fairly, please contact the Scoutmaster or the Committee Chairperson to discuss the issues. We will listen and do our best to resolve the conflict.

Welcome to Troop 597. We look forward to a long relationship where your scout can become a young man and a very productive part of our community.

TROOP 597 HANDBOOK

This handbook is being provided in order to help explain many of the policies the Troop has in place. Many of these policies have been inspired by more than 50 years of scouting experience, and others have been instituted due to problems that have occurred in the past. None of the policies have been arbitrarily created for the sake of having a policy, and all are based on the program set forth by the Boy Scouts of America. We will not change any of the Boy Scout policies, advancement requirements, or safety guidelines. The only policies that can be changed are the Troop policies set by the Scoutmaster, Committee Chairman and Troop Committee.

Please read this handbook and then acknowledge through updating your profile on the website, that the scout and both parents have read and understand the troop policies. Until the Scout and the parents have acknowledged the Handbook, your son will not be permitted to participate in any of the Troop activities or meetings.

Thank you in advance for your time and attention in this matter.

TROOP ORGANIZATION

Boy Scouts of America has a very specific way of organizing its units. The Troops are to be run by the scouts within the Troop, not the adults. The leaders are to act as advisors and to help keep discipline and safety. The Senior Patrol Leader is head boy leader and he has at least one Assistant Senior Patrol Leader to assist him. They are responsible for running every aspect of the Troop program.

The scouts are divided into groups called patrols. Each patrol has a Patrol Leader and an Assistant Patrol Leader that are responsible for the five to eight scouts in the patrol. They help each patrol member with advancement, teach scout skills, and organize them to complete specific tasks on camping trips and activities. If you have questions about patrol activities, please have your scout call his Patrol Leader for answers.

There are several other leadership positions within the Troop:

Quartermaster – The Quartermaster and his assistantsare responsible for all of the Troop camping equipment. They will assign scouts tents and will be the ones to sign in equipment that is sent home for cleaning.
Scribe – The Troop has three scribes who keep track of all of the attendance for the Troop, hand out and collect medical forms before and after the trips, and create a campsite map for each trip so that we can locate specific scouts if necessary.
Historian – The Troop has three Troop historians who are responsible for taking pictures during Troop events and keep a running written history of the Troop.
Librarian- The troop maintains a library of resources for the members of the troop to utilize in preparing the troop program.
Chaplain’s Aid – provide religious assistance to the Chaplain and the scouts.
Instructors- These scouts assist in teaching scout skills and can fill in where necessary within the troop.
Den Chiefs – Provide leadership to the Cub Pack and help their transition into the Troop.
Troop Guides: In our troop, these young men assist the Patrol Leaders in teaching skills to the patrol members and test the scouts for advancement.

As your son gets older and farther along in his advancement, he will be given one of these positions of responsibility. Please let your son complete his own responsibilities. This is the only way he will be able to learn to be responsible for himself, other scouts, and also complete his advancement for Star, Life and Eagle.

TROOP CODE OF CONDUCT

The Troop has adopted a Troop Code of Conduct to be used for the reason of disciplining the youth members of the Troop when necessary. This policy is outlined both on the next page of the handbook and in the form enclosed in the back of this handbook. The purpose of this policy is not to keep your scout from having fun, but to set the limits and lay out the actions that will be taken if undesirable behavior continues to take place. You will be informed if your scout is having behavior problems, and we will then work with you to try to reach a proper level of behavior and discipline.

Please read,and then you and your scout both need to log onto the Troop website and acknowledge that both parents and the scout have read and understand the policy. Until all of you have acknowledged the Code of Conduct, your son will not be permitted to participate in any of the Troop activities or meetings.

If you have questions about the policy or the way it is to be enforced, please feel free to ask the Scoutmaster, the Assistant Scoutmasters, or the Troop Committee Chairman. They will be happy to answer any questions you might have.

TROOP CODE OF CONDUCT

The Troop will follow the Troop 597 Code of Conduct. The Scout Oath and Law are the principles by which behavior will be judged. Each scout is expected to behave in a manner such that he will help advance both himself and the programs of Troop 597. Disruptive behavior will not be tolerated! All scouts are entitled to a program which is free of such behavior.

The standard of conduct for every member of Troop 597 shall be:

The standard of conduct defined by the Boy Scout Law and Oath.
Respect the rights and property of others and Troop 597.
Respect for the safety and well-being of others.
Respect for authority, including ranks, leadership, and elders.

Dealing with inappropriate behavior:

When inappropriate conduct occurs, it is the responsibility of those scouts involved, either directly or as witnesses, to report the incident to the Scoutmaster or leader in charge. Based on the seriousness of the incident, as reviewed by the Scoutmaster or leader in charge, the following steps shall be taken:

The Senior Patrol Leader will speak with the scout and explain the proper behavior.
The Scoutmaster and Senior Patrol Leader will speak to the scout and inform the Troop Committee.
The Scoutmaster will inform the Committee, a meeting will then be called between the parents, the Committee, the Scoutmaster, and the scout.

The severity of any incident can proceed beyond level 1 at the discretion of the Scoutmaster and the Troop Committee. Each infraction will be handled in an appropriate manner. The Troop Committee shall have final responsibility for the decision of further disciplinary action.

PARENT CODE OF CONDUCT

As with the Scouts, we have instituted a Parent Code of Conduct as well. Parents should feel welcome to speak with the troop leadership and Committee about the troop program and their son’s place within the program. The policy on the next two pages is not meant to stop that dialog, but to keep it civil and free from anger and hostility. We are all volunteers who are attempting to instill the values of Scouting within your son(s) and are not trying to replace your own beliefs or teachings at home. We are setting expectations so that we can continue to provide a safe area for the scouts to learn and thrive.

Please read the following policy and then you and your spouse need to log onto the Troop website and acknowledge that you have read and understand the Adult Code of Conduct. Your son(s) will not be allowed to participate in any troop activities or meetings until this has been completed.

PARENT CODE OF CONDUCT

As our organization grows and we continue to expand the scouting program and the Boy lead troop, we seek to establish or clarify our policies. Our policies help to guide the organization and ensure continued success. One of the first areas to be addressed is parent behavior – specifically, what type of behavior is expected of the scout parents.

Boy Scout Troop 597 highly encourages the following parental behavior:

Open communication between parents, leaders, committee members, and Scouts. Direct communication is preferred without involving other persons or parents. “ Whisper Down the Lane” does not solve anything and often results in issues not being properly addressed.
Speaking with the Scoutmaster or Committee Chair in a calm manner to address issues.
Positive feedback to Scouts is welcomed. If there is anything that needs to be addressed, please do that in a calm manner. Our Scouts are to listen to any adult concerning dangerous or questionable behavior. If you, as an adult, think that it is wrong, it probably is. If you do not wish to address it yourself, please find a leader or parent who will do so immediately.
Parental involvement in the committee and subcommittee meetings, camping trips including transportation/chaperones, and fund raising activities is expected. We need your help to make this Troop work and give our boys the best possible scouting experience.
Understand that Monday nights between 7:00 to 8:30 PM is the time for the leaders to interact with the scouts in the troop. Unless a situation requires immediate attention or you have scheduled a meeting with a leader, please speak with the leaders after 8:30 PM. If you need to speak with the committee chair, there may be availability between 7:00 to 8:30 PM.

Boy Scout Troop 597 will not tolerate the following behavior from parents:

Interrupting or confronting leaders, other adults or scouts during a meeting or in an open area. Discussions should take place in private areas with the Scoutmaster or Committee Chair. The Scouts do not need to know about issues that need to be resolved among parents, leaders and committee members.
Verbally abusive or offensive language directed toward anyone, including Leaders, Committee members, Scouts or other parents is not permitted.
Inappropriate or abusive behavior including uninvited physical contact, solicitation, harassment, violence, use of alcohol or illegal substances or any other illegal or offensive conduct is not permitted.

PARENT CODE OF CONDUCT

Dealing with inappropriate behavior:

A meeting will be held with the parent, Scoutmaster and Committee Chair to discuss the issue.
If the issue cannot be resolved the issue will be brought before the Committee for further action.

If the parent cannot agree to follow the rules, and the committee feels that the issue cannot be resolved or any Scouts are in danger, the parent will be asked to no longer participate in meetings, trips, or any other troop activities.
If the parent refuses to follow the above restrictions, the family and the scout will be removed from the troop roster.

YOUTH PROTECTION

Troop 597 has adopted several policies pertaining to youth protection. First, we, as a troop, adhere to the BSA Guidelines describing youth protection for all meetings, trips, fundraisers, service projects, or other activities the troop participates in. All troop leaders have a current Youth Protection certificate from the Boy Scouts of America. In addition, the troop also requires all troop parents to complete the Boy Scout Youth Protection training…which can be completed on line…in order to insure the safety of the troop members. Once completed, please provide a copy of the certificate to the Scoutmaster or designated person for our records.

In addition to the BSA Youth Protection training, the Troop Committee has adopted a policy requiring all persons over the age of 18 to submit to the background checks now being required by the State of Pennsylvania for volunteers dealing with youth. This includes the Dept. of Health and Human Services background check, the Pennsylvania State Police background check, and if you have not been a resident of Pennsylvania for more than 10 years, you will need to complete the FBI background check as well, or sign the Hawk Mountain Council Disclosure Statement Application for Volunteers.

The troop is not picking up any of the cost for these background checks…any costs will fall to the individual. While having these checks completed does not insure the complete safety of our scouts, they may identify potential issues that can be avoided. If you do not comply with this policy, you will not be permitted to be around the scouts at any time, other than during the Court of Honor ceremonies and to pick up your son(s) after the meeting. Both the Church and the State require all persons coming in contact with youth to have these checks and we must comply.

Please provide a copy of your completed certificates to the Scoutmaster, or designated person, so that we can track the completion and expiration dates. We will remind you when you are getting close to needing to complete the checks to stay current. Links to the web sites are found on the troop website @troop597.org.

Please direct any questions or concerns to the Committee Chairperson or one of the Scoutmasters.

UNIFORM

The uniform worn by Troop 597 consists of the following:

Khaki Scout shirt
Scout pants or neat blue jeans/Scout shorts or neat blue or tan shorts
Troop neckerchiefor Green Kittatinny neckerchief, with neckerchief slide
Scout belt or leather belt
Sneakers or hiking boots

The uniform is to be worn to every Troop meeting and Court of Honor, unless specified at the previous Troop meeting. Part of being a Scout is the proper wearing of the uniform and also being neat and presentable in the uniform. Drooped pants and shirt tails hanging out are considered unacceptable.

The Troop has a supply of outgrown uniforms. We can loan out different sizeshirts, and other uniform parts, as available, to your Scout if you wish. We also take donations of outgrown shirts, pants or other uniform parts if you wish to donate to our collection.

The Troop also requires that every Scout has a red Troop polo shirt. We use these shirts several times a year for service projects and while on somecamping trips, specifically when touring high profile locations. It is your responsibility to make sure that your Scout has a red Troop polo shirt that is free of major stains and fits properly. If he does not, he will not be permitted to participate in the activity that requires the red polo shirt to be worn. The Troop takes orders for these shirts every year in March, so please check your Scout’s shirt and make the proper order at that time.

The Scouts have also decided to add a Troop T-Shirt to the uniform choices. We will update the T-Shirt as necessary, but all scouts are required to have a Troop T-Shirt. Order forms will be made available.

ADVANCEMENT PROCESS

The Boy Scout Advancement program is designed for the Scouts to teach the Scouts. The advancement in your Scout’s Handbook is only to be signed by one of the Troop’s designated junior leaders, one of the assistant Scoutmasters, or the Scoutmaster. If you are one of the Troop leaders, you are not permitted to sign your own Scout’s Handbook.