Policies & Procedures
For the complete Troop Policies & Procedures, click the above link. The following are some other important policies, practices and/or excerpts from the complete version.
Attendance
We will regularly take Troop meeting attendance of Scouts during Patrol Reports. Attendance at Troop meetings as well as other Troop functions/events will be factored into the Scout's "active" participation for purposes of rank advancement. Scouts not in uniform may be marked absent.
Signing-Off on Ranks
Rank requirements for Star and above may be signed-off ONLY by the Scoutmaster. All other rank requirements may be signed-off ONLY by the Scoutmaster, an Assistant Scoutmaster, Senior Patrol Leader, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader, Patrol Leader (of at least First Class Rank), Instructor and Troop Guide, but siblings may not sign off on each other. An adult leader may not sign off for their son, other than for witnessing attendance or acknowledging tracking logs. Signing off should be done promptly after completion of the requirement (within 30 days), or credit may be denied.
Scoutmaster Conference/Board of Review
Scouts must request a Scoutmaster Conference and Board of Review in person by speaking directly with the Scoutmaster and presenting their updated Scout handbook at that time at least two weeks before an Advancement Night. Absent pre-approval from the Scoutmaster, Scouts MUST be in full Class A uniform (with sash for Scouts First Class and above and updated/correct patches) for any Scoutmaster Conference and Board of Review. See our Uniform, Books & Gear page for more info.
A Board of Review is comprised of non-leader adults unrelated to the Scout. Participation in a Board of Review is a way for us, as the Troop 71 community, to ensure that the Scouts (instructed by youth leadership under adult supervision and guidance) are getting the most they can out of the scouting program, have satisfactorily met the individual requirements for a rank, foster positive relationships with both peers and adults, and are looking to improve themselves and the community around them by living the Scout Oath and Law.
As Scouts cannot advance without a Board of Review, non-leader parents are expected to step up and serve at each Advancement Night, especially those parents who have never sat on a Board of Review or otherwise been actively involved in the Troop.
Merit Badges
To obtain Blue Cards and counselor information, Scouts must email, call or speak in person with the Scoutmaster. Click here for more information.
Eagle Scout Service Project Flyer
Eagle candidates who want their service project flyer distributed to the Troop via email or posted on the Troop's Facebook page and website should email it in PDF to the Scoutmaster. Prior to the distribution, the Eagle candidate must make a 10-minute presentation about his service project at a Troop meeting. The presentation must describe the project and its benefactor, explain how the Scout found and planned the project, when and where it will take place and what Scouts need to bring and wear, and indicate whether food will be provided. This presentation should be scheduled/coordinated with the Senior Patrol Leader.
Eagle Scout Service Projects must comply with the BSA's Two-Deep Leadership rules.
Communications
Scouts should communicate with adult leaders on Scout subjects themselves. Parents should not communicate for the Scout, unless necessary under the circumstances.
Pursuant to BSA Youth Protection Guidelines, all email communications from Scouts to any adult leader MUST be copied to at least one other adult, preferably another adult leader. All emails to the Scoutmaster relating to Eagle Scout topics MUST be copied to Eagle Project Coach Chris Simone. Emails that do not comply with these rules may be ignored. Click here for email addresses.
Written communications should be polite, respectful, well thought out and carefully proofread and corrected for spelling, punctuation and other errors.
Electronics Use
Use of smartphones and similar devices at ALL Troop functions and activities will be limited to note-taking, reference and research in a Scout context/for Troop business. Any other use (games, texting, email, etc.) is prohibited. Abuse of this privilege will result in the phone being confiscated until the end of the event. (Without banning them completely, the goal is to avoid a pattern where Scouts would disappear from meetings to go upstairs, downstairs or outside, or huddled around at various events, to engage with their phones. This disrupts the functioning of the event and, of course, is disrespectful to the leaders and other Scouts attending.)
Disciplinary Issues
Every effort will be made on the part of all adult leadership in the spirit of acceptance, compassion, consideration for unique circumstances or special needs, and the belief that positive reinforcement for appropriate behavior results in continued positive behavior.
The Scoutmaster sets the tone in a Troop by the ways in which he guides and inspires the Scouts and entrusts them with positions of leadership. The Scoutmaster also has ultimate authority to deal with behavior that will not be tolerated in the Troop. Chief among his responsibilities is establishing an environment that is safe for all Scouts both physically and psychologically.
Scouts are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with the Scout Oath and Scout Law in any setting, whether inside or outside the Troop. Certain behavior will not be tolerated by the Troop leadership, including but not limited to substance use or abuse (including but not limited to drugs, glue, inhalants, nicotine, vaping and/or alcohol), intimidation, bullying, exclusion, hazing, inappropriate/foul language, physical or psychological abuse of others, or inappropriate touching or sexual conduct. Depending on the circumstances, discipline may include discussions with the Scout and his parent, suspension from advancement opportunities or Troop activities, suspension or removal from a position of responsibility and/or expulsion from the Troop.
Boy Scouts of America (BSA)