Boy Scout Troop 315

Rev. January 2025

Welcome to Boy Scout Troop 315
Serving the Scouts of the Larchmont region since 1922

The following is an overview of Troop 315 and its operation:

Troop 315 Overview

●      Boy Scouts is a youth-led organization, with adults helping to guide the Scouts as they progress through the ranks and develop their leadership skills.  This is very different from Cub Scouts, where the adults lead the Pack.  A core principle of Boy Scouts is empowering the boys themselves to become leaders.      

●      We are a non-denominational Troop sponsored by St. Anastasia Parish, and welcome all boys ages 11-17.

●      Within the Troop, all Scouts are members of Patrols and each Patrol has a Patrol Leader.  The Senior Patrol Leader oversees and guides the entire Troop.  The majority of information is flowed to your Scout through this structure in our weekly meetings. 

●      In a perfect world, a parent would not need to contact an adult leader for information about the Troop’s events or activities, as your Scout would be knowledgeable as a result of his participation. When needed, he would reach out to his Patrol Leader with questions.

Meeting and Activities

●      Troop meetings are every Thursday from 7:30pm - 9:00pm in the Scout Room below St. Anastasia’s Church, and are an important part of the Scouting experience.

●      In addition, we strive to have a camping trip, community service, or other Scouting activity at least once per month. 

●  There are always modifications to the schedule, but you can stay up to date with the calendar of events posted on www.BoyScoutTroop315.com.  This is a Google calendar that you can subscribe to and sync with your Android/ Apple calendars.

Scout Expectations

●      Follow the principles of the Scout Oath and Law.

●      Be engaged - advancement in Scouting requires attendance, commitment, and participation.

●      Be prepared at all meetings and events.

●  Learn to be self-reliant and prepared for life. Your Scout should not depend on you to achieve his Scout goals and obligations.

●  Be in the appropriate uniform at every meeting and outing.

●  Fully participate in all Scout fundraising to help our Troop move forward.

Technology & Communication

The following are the primary methods of communication used by the troop.

●      GroupMe - This free messaging app is one of the primary ways we communicate as a Troop, both among the Scouts and leaders, as well as with parents.  

●      Email - We maintain a Troop-wide email distribution through Gmail. You can subscribe and unsubscribe by sending an email with your contact information to BSA315@gmail.com.  As mentioned previously, the majority of information will be flowed through the youth leadership of the Troop to your Scout, but for larger trips, activities, and events, our email distribution is used.

●  BoyScoutTroop315.com - The website contains the calendar of our troop activities, along with packing suggestions, uniform guidelines and other handy Scout information.

●      Scoutbook (https://scoutbook.scouting.org) - This is the official online record of your Scout’s information and progress in Scouting. You will have access to their account and should routinely log in to view progress.   

●  Facebook - Search for “Scout 315 Marple Newtown PA”

●  Should your Scout need assistance from a leader, the communication should come from him.

●      In accordance with BSA policy, there cannot be isolated one-on-one interaction between a Scout and an adult leader.  For electronic communication, a parent or second leader should always be copied on the correspondence. In person, there must always be other Scouts or adults present. The full BSA Youth Protection Policy can be found here: https://www.Scouting.org/training/youth-protection/. All Troop 315 leaders have completed this program, satisfied all background check requirements, and have current PA State Child Abuse Clearances.

Fees

●      There is a one-time $75 registration fee when joining Troop 315, which includes your son receiving a Scout Handbook, BSA neckerchief & slide.

●  Most of our other troop events are paid for directly by those attending.  For weekend camping trips, there is a cost per person that includes patrol food and camping accommodations. Throughout the year there may be other events with additional fees (such as skiing, ziplining, full week of summer camp, etc.)

●  There is an annual dues fee that will be collected each fall, which covers the troop’s cost for awards, equipment, ceremonies, operation, and select activities.

●  The Scout Uniform is the responsibility of the Scout. There are uniform guidelines on our website, and all necessary items can be purchased at the Valley Forge Scout Shop.  All rank advancement and other achievements they may receive throughout their Scouting journey will be paid for by the Troop.

Camping

●      Weekend trips usually depart around 6:00 P.M. Friday and return around 12:00 P.M. on Sunday.

●      The majority of our travel is to State Parks, Boy Scout camps, or other regional areas of interests.  These are typically under 2 hours away.

●      A week-long summer camp takes place in July, which traditionally has been held at Resica Falls Scout Reservation (https://resicafalls.org).

●      Your Scout will need some personal camping equipment such as a sleeping bag (appropriate for the weather), mess kit, flashlight, hiking boots, outdoor clothing, etc.  A general packing list can be found on our website, and they are welcome to solicit recommendations from others in the troop. 

●      The Troop supplies tents for all campouts and we require the boys to use the Troop tents unless otherwise noted. All group cooking and camping supplies are also provided.

Volunteering

●  This program only survives through the efforts of our volunteers.  Parents are invited, and encouraged, to help out as much as possible.  It takes a lot of work in the background for our Scouts to have a great experience!  There are numerous formal and informal roles and ways to help- reach out to any adult leader for more information. 

Troop Contact

bsa315@gmail.com

Troop 315 Code of Conduct

A Scout Is….

●      The twelve points of the Scout Law dictate how a Scout should behave. We have outlined this on our website (Code of Conduct) and via the policy below.

○      Technology

■      Cell phones and other like technologies are not to be used by Scouts on Scouting events- including but not limited to camping trips, meetings, service projects, Courts of Honor, etc.  Exceptions may be granted when a Scout has unique circumstances, and for these the Scout should ask permission before use.

■      We do allow and encourage the use of smartphones to take pictures of our many events. We expect your Scout will be trustworthy in its use.

■      The safety and security of personal devices are not the responsibility of the adult leadership, the Troop, our Charter Organization, or any hosting organization.  A lost or broken device is solely the responsibility of the Scout.

■      If a Scout is unable to follow the Troop’s expectations, a leader may confiscate the device and not return it until the end of the event. 

○      Behavior

■      We all must remind our Scouts that respectful language and conduct is part of being a respectful gentleman. If incidents should arise, we will first give your Scout a reminder. If these reminders are ineffective, we will report them to you them in hopes that appropriate behavior can be reinforced.

We are proud to help your son and all our Scouts reach their full potential in Scouting. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions.

Yours in Scouting,

Troop 315 Adult Leadership