FAQ

Q. How old does my child need to be to join scouts?

A. Cub scouts is for K – 5th grade. Sixth graders (or 11 years and older) belong in Boy Scouts.

Q. Can girls join Pack 556?

A. Yes!  Girls can join Pack 556!  Girls will be placed in girl-only dens;  boys are placed in boy-only dens.

Q. What’s the difference between a Pack and Troop?

A. Cub scouts form packs. Boy scouts form troops. Scouts join Boy Scouts in 6th grade and older. A cub scout who earns the Arrow of Light award during his or her 5th grade year is also eligible to join Boy Scouts as a 5th grader.

Q. What is the time commitment in scouting?

A. Most of our pack’s activities occur during the school year, plus 1 event during the summer. You can dedicate a lot of time into scouts and reap plenty of benefit. Typically, you and your child will attend a 90 minute pack meeting once per month and approximately 1 or 2 den meetings per month. Some den meetings are special outings, such as a service project or a museum visit which may require more time. In addition, there will be activities you will complete at home, such as tracking chores daily for a month or attending a religious ceremony for your faith. In cub scouts, parents are involved every step of the way. As scout move on to Boy Scouts, parents are less involved, as the boys generally take a stronger leadership and independent role.

We ask for a commitment from the parents as well.  It takes a village of volunteers to make the pack run.  In addition to attending meetings with your child, we request that each family volunteer for a job.

Q. Do I need to practice a certain religion?

A. The founder of scouting, Robert Baden-Powell, founded the scouting movement as a boys’ youth organization, independent of any single faith or religion, yet still believes spirituality is the key to the development of young people. The scouts ask its members to affirm a belief in God, as stated in the Scout Oath. That doesn’t mean Scouts are told what religion to practice. It doesn’t mean Scouts are required to go to worship service every week. A scout is reverent and may practice his or her faith privately. In Pack 556, a wide variety of religious affiliations are represented.

Q. What do I do once I join?

A. Check out our After You Join page, which explains how to get the necessary gear (uniform and handbook) as well as diving into the material and requirements. The handbook is your guide for what you need to accomplish; the den leader and other pack parents are excellent resources for any questions as you go through the program. You will be asked to sign up for a volunteer job to help with pack activities.

Q. How do I know that my child will be safe?

A. The scout organization takes the safety of our youth very seriously. To maintain a safe environment, the organization has developed numerous procedures and policies. Scout leaders and parents in leadership roles are required to take a Youth Protection Course, renewed every 2 years. Two-deep leadership and no one-on-one contact between adult and youth members is required at all times. In addition to formal training, you, as a parent, are required to have an age-appropriate Child Abuse discussion with your child at the start of each year (this is part of every handbook).

Q. When can my child move to boy scouts?

A. A scout “crosses over” to boy scouts when s/he is 11 years old, completes 5th grade, or earns the Arrow of Light Award (AOL) during the 5th grade.  Several boy scout troops in the bay area work with our pack to invite scouts to “check them out.”  This way, your child can pick the right troop for him/her.