After you Join

Okay, I’ve registered my son for cub scouts. Now what?

Congratulations! You’ve just joined an awesome group of families and scouts. We look forward to having you with us. Sometimes it’s confusing joining a new group, so this information should help you figure out what to do first.

1. SCOUT TERMINOLOGY

2. MEETINGS

3. GET YOUR GEAR / UNIFORM

4. MARK YOUR CALENDAR

5. JUMP INTO THE MATERIAL

6. SIGN UP TO HELP

1. SCOUT TERMINOLOGY

Scouting has a language all its own. If you don’t have a scouting background, this quick terminology lesson will be helpful!

• COUNCIL: We are part of the Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council (SVMBC). The council supports all the districts within the council.

• DISTRICT: There are 7 districts in the SVMBC. Pack 556 is in the Pioneer district.

• PACK:  The Pack includes all cub scouts, girls and boys, all grades.  Family members are part of the pack too.  Families members are always invited to all events.

• DEN:  The pack is broken up into dens, organized by grade level. Each den has no more than 10 scouts.  Dens are separated by gender.  Scouts will stay in a den together for all their years of cub scouts.  Dens are assigned a number and that number is worn on the cub scout uniform.

• DEN LEADER: Each den has one or more adult den leaders, typically the parent(s) of a child in the den.

• RANK: Each grade level is associated with a “rank.” 1st grade = Tiger rank.  2nd grade = Wolf rank.  3rd grade = Bear rank.  4th grade = Webelos 1 rank.  5th grade = Webelos 2 rank.  Scouts will work on requirements to achieve the rank. Once achieved, they will receive a corresponding badge. If a scout does not complete all the requirements for a specific rank, s/he will still progress to the next rank, but will not receive the badge.

• BOBCAT: The Bobcat badge is a special award for learning the very basics of scouting, the oath, the law, the handshake, the sign, and the salute. No matter what age or grade a scout joins cub scouts, s/he must first earn his Bobcat badge before advancing to the next rank.

• ADVENTURES: To earn each rank, cub scouts have the opportunity to complete required and elective “adventures.” For example, the first grade Tigers have 6 required Adventures and 1 elective in order to earn the Tiger rank and badge. For every rank, there are dozens of interesting electives to choose from. Each Adventure is made up of several requirements, which draw on different skills and cover a variety of subject areas. They range from physical to mental to spiritual. In every Adventure, the goal of the scout is to build new skills, build character, and have fun.

2. MEETINGS

• PACK MEETINGS:  Pack meetings are held approximately once per month on Fridays at 6:00pm in Los Gatos, from September through May.  Most pack meetings last 90 minutes.  All scouts should wear their Class-A uniform and the parents should attend and help.  

• DEN MEETINGS:  Dens will choose the frequency of their den meetings in order to complete the required activities listed in the handbook. It is common for most dens to meet once or twice per month from September through May.  Dens meet at various locations convenient for the families.

• DEN LEADER MEETINGS:  Den leaders, the Cubmaster and the Assistant Cubmasters gather once every other month (or as needed) to review any prior events, plan future events, and share best practices across dens.  Anyone from the pack is welcome and encouraged to join.  These meetings are on TeamSnap.

3. GET YOUR GEAR / UNIFORM

You might shed a tear the first time you see your child in a scout uniform.

The best place to get everything you need is the Scout Shop at 1900 The Alameda #100, San Jose, CA 95126 . They open at 9am daily. They close at 5pm on weekdays and are open 1030AM-3pm on Saturday. There are helpful staff members that will find you all the pieces and parts you need.

In general, here is what you need to get started:

• Handbook

• Uniform shirt

• Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council patch

• “556” red numbers patches

• Den # patch

• World Crest

• Hat, neckerchief and slide appropriate for your scout’s rank

• Pants (optional, but recommended to purchase matching scout-specific pants)

• Belt (1st-3rd graders will put belt loops on their belt, so it’s important to have one)

• Webelos Colors (4th and 5th graders will put pins on their colors ribbon, so it’s important to have one)

See this document for helpful information about the cub scout uniform and what you need:  Scout uniform images

The pack collects unwanted uniforms.  We distribute these uniform pieces and parts for free to members of Pack 556 on a first come, first serve basis.  Please inquire at an upcoming pack meeting or ask your den leader if there are any uniform parts available.

To attach patches and badges to your Class A uniform, you have a few options. First, they can be sewn on. If you are not handy with a machine, you can take your shirt and patches to Sunshine Cleaners & Alterations at 1442 Franklin St. in Santa Clara. The owner is a former cub scout mom who knows the proper placement of all the patches. Alternatively, you can iron patches on using Badge Magic, which is for sale at the Scout Shop.

The “Class-B” uniform is a t-shirt, provided by the pack. Scouts wear the class-B t-shirt to dirty outings, like camping or hiking.

4. MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Pack 556 uses Scoutbook.com.  After you register, you will receive an email from Scoutbook.com to establish your profile.  Scoutbook.com is the go-to resource for the Pack and Den schedules, advancement and also communication within the pack.  It is a BSA owned and operated resource that your Scout will use their entire Scouting journey!

5. JUMP INTO THE MATERIAL

The handbook (that you purchase at the Scout Shop) will be your guide for all the requirements to achieve the next rank. Some of the requirements will be completed as a group with your den; some will be completed at home as a family; and a few might be completed at pack meetings. You will need to work with your den leader to understand what he or she plans to do as a group.

One of the first activities every scout completes (every year) is the Child Abuse Protection guide. This is part of every rank’s handbook. You should have an age-appropriate discussion with your child about physical and sexual child abuse. There is a parent guide in each handbook to help the discussion.

Every rank includes a variety of age-appropriate Adventures. For example, Bears (3rd graders) are introduced to pocket knife usage and safety.  Webelos (4th graders) are introduced to fire building and safety.

Just like with most things, the more you put into Scouts, the more value you get out of it. Making scouts a priority will help your children be the best they can be. At the same time, it is not meant to be an added pressure. You can have wonderful experiences with your den and with the pack.

6. SIGN UP TO HELP

We are all parent volunteers and it takes a village to make this all work. The more parents we get involved to help, the better the work is spread out and the pack functions without interruptions for years on end.

• Volunteer job descriptions

• Volunteer sign ups

If you have questions about a job, please email: pack556Register@gmail.com.