Cubmaster 101

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Cubmaster 101

• Presented by Bill Bates
• Cubmaster, Pack 374 Santa Clara County Council

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Who am I? (Okay, a bit of a brag page)

• Involved in BSA for almost 25 years (Eagle Scout)
• 4th Year as Cubmaster of Pack 374 Sana Clara
  County Council
• Cub Scout Roundtable Commissioner
• Have planned 47 Pack meetings (been at 57, as an
  adult more as a scout)
• Dad of a Webelos II and
  Bear Scout

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What this presentation is not

• Short! (We will run out of time)
• The right way to be a Cubmaster
• Learning how to manage conflict
• The presentation of your dreams! (Well, I guess
  maybe)

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What this presentation is

• What I believe the basics are
• Nothing more than tips and suggestions
• Situations and experiences that I learned from
• A pointer to good online resources
• Hopefully, a time where we can share ideas

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Agenda

• Intro
• What is the Cubmasters job?
• What is a Pack Meeting?
• The Pack Meeting Plan (Agenda)
• Den Duties (Assignments)
• Do you know what your dens are doing?
• Do you have a monthly leader meeting?
• Working with the Pack Committee

• Working with the Charter Organization
• Recruiting (Scouts and Leaders)
• Event Planning
• Diplomacy and Crisis Management
• Who is your Unit Commissioner or DE?
• Leader Training
• Webelos
• Communication

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Cubmaster

• The Ruler of the Pack (no, but many will think
  you are)
• The Glue that holds everyone together
• The energy that keep the pack running
• The grease the keeps things smooth
• The face of the pack
• The one everyone blames
• The chief evangelist!

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Cubmasters Job

• Read The Cub Scout Leader Book
• Check out the New Cubmaster Brochure
• Responsible for Pack Program (not by yourself)
• Chief Goofball and Crisis Negotiator
• Plan the Monthly Pack Meeting
• Cultivate a strong Webelos program
• Have your finger on The Pulse of the pack
• Have a regular leader/planning meeting
• Build and cultivate relationships (scouts,
  families, schools and more)
• Work with your Committee Chair, Charter Rep,
  District Executive (DE) and Unit Commissioner

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Use Your Resources

• Cant sing?
• Find it hard to be silly?
• Bad at planning?
• Dont think you are very creative?

Use Your Leaders and Families!!!!
But Leave your comfort zone and Have Fun!!!
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What is a Pack Meeting?(Oh my, soooo many
words.)

• The monthly pack meeting brings together boys
  from every den, their leaders, and their
  families, to participate in a large-scale event
  that serves as a showcase for everything the boys
  have learned and done in their individual den
  meetings.
• The pack meeting gives the boys a larger
  experience beyond their own den, and helps them
  to connect their individual activities to the
  entire Cub Scouting program.

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Meetings are boooooring!

• A monthly show for your pack families!!!
  (Cub Fest, The Big Show, Cub Theatre)
• There should be
• Songs
• Skits
• Jokes
• Awards
• Rank advancement
• Short announcements (use a newsletter)
• FUN!!!!!
• Mix it up! Some families have been there for
  years!

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You NEED an agenda!!!

• Consistency is good but change is also okay
  (find a balance)
• Keep it simple
• Keep it as short as possible (90 min in my world
  75 boys and 11 dens)
• Be flexible!
• Have a copy on hand
• Get every den involved
• Get parents and leaders involved
• Cubmaster is the Ringmaster not the star of the
  show!

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Pack Meeting Tips

• Always have a Plan B
• Did you confirm the guest (or verify that they
  had been confirmed)?
• Always have an agenda! (Did I already say that?)
• Set expectations (Stage Area, Behavior for scouts
  AND guests)
• Does every boy get something? (Bead program)
• Do adults get something? (Bead program, thank you
  gift)
• Do you have a treasure/goodie box?

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Den Duties (Assignments)

• This is what I use
• Gathering Setup
• Opening
• Prayer
• Song
• Skit
• Spotlight Den
• Den Choice (Song, Skit, Cheer)
• Jokes or Run-ons
• Closing Cleanup

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Monthly Den Duties

• Publish the duties ahead of time
• Remind leaders at your leader meeting
• Come up with an easy rotation
• Send email reminders!
• Be ready to fill/change as needed
• I give my dens 5 minutes each (they can use less)
• Get every den involved!!
• Public speaking is an important life skill!
• Keep what works, change what doesnt!

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What Are Your Dens Doing?

• Where and When do they meet?
• Do you ever visit them?
• What Go See It trips are they going on?
• Have they filed a Tour Permit?
• Are the scouts earning awards and advancing?
• Have you asked about any problems?
• Do Den Leaders have assistants? Den Chiefs?

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Do You Have a Leader Meeting?

• Having a regular leader meeting is worth it
• Make every den have a representative
• Make it face-to-face
• Get Den Leader feedback on recent events
• Plan for upcoming events
• Get a report on den health
• Help resolve issues
• Gather feedback for the Pack Committee

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Working with the Pack Committee

• Attend the monthly Committee Meeting
• Give a Cubmaster Report
• Work hand-in-hand with your Committee Chair!!!
• Let them handle the Business of the Pack
• Help recruit new members
• Have a New Parent Welcome Program

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Working with Your Charter Organization

• Build a relationship with your Institutional Head
  (IH) if possible
• Try to attend some Charter Org events
• Look into doing a yearly Service Project
• Build a relationship with your Charter
  Organization Representative
• Remember the Charter Organization basically owns
  the pack

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Recruiting

• Make sure you have a recruiting program for new
  scouts
• Have you been assigned a school or two?
• Know your territory!
• Help identify potential leaders and event hosts
• Can you help in leader recruitment?
• Make families feel welcome!
• Return phone calls and email!!!

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Event Planning (and Attending)

• DO NOT do it all yourself!!!
• Dont be afraid to let events fail
• Do you know who your event hosts are?
• You do NOT have to attend every pack event (there
  is only so much of you to go around)
• Spend some time with your own family while at
  events (even the Cubmaster gets to enjoy the
  event)
• Make sure you get some food!

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Boy Behavior

• Become familiar with the normal behavior for each
  age group
• Do not be afraid to set expectations (make sure
  you are clear)
• Do not be afraid to reprimand (but be calm and
  fair)
• Make sure your leaders understand this as well
• Have you tried a Pack Theme of the Year?
• The boys CAN do it!

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Diplomacy and Crisis Management

• As in any family, problems and tense situations
  can arise
• Be careful not to jump in too fast
• Try to listen as much as possible
• Folks WILL come to you looking for solutions
• People can get very nasty, do your best not to
  respond in kind
• Dont be afraid to go to your Unit Commissioner,
  DE, Charter Organization Rep or others for help!

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Your Unit Commissioner and DE

• Have you met them? You NEED to do that!
• You WANT your Council Office to know you (at
  least your name)
• Invite them to pack functions
• Is your Unit Commissioner on your email list?

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Leader Training

• Your goal is to encourage EVERY leader to be
  trained
• You NEED to be trained
• Mandatory training for direct contact leaders is
  coming
• Do you have a pack trainer?
• Do you have any training for parents?
• Know who has/has not been trained
• Look into Wood Badge It is THAT good!

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Webelos

• What are the Troops in your area?
• Do you know who the Scoutmasters are?
• Roundtable and Council/District events are good
  places to make contacts
• Where are your Webelos bridging to?
• Are you making sure that Webelos is a strong
  program?
• How many of your Webelos Bridge?

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Communication

• Do you have an email list?
• Do use use online groups?
• Do you have a website?
• You REALLY need a Pack Newsletter!
• Do you have a yearly calendar?
• How often do you communicate to your pack?
• How much face-to-face time do you have with pack
  families?

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Have Fun

• Just an hour a week, right? (Yeah, a Scout Hour!)
• Dont do this for your son, the boys or the pack
  Do it for YOU!
• If you are not having fun, you need to change
  things
• If you do it right, you will be compensated more
  than you ever expected!

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Great Resources!

• Everyone needs help and ideas!

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Resources

• Complete your Training!!!
• Wood Badge
• Monthly District Roundtable
• University of Scouting (duh)
• Cub Scout Talk Yahoo! Group
• Cubmaster Chat Yahoo! Group
• Scouting.org Website
• Our Counsel Website (and email lists)
• Pioneer District Website (http//www.pioneer-distr
  ict.org/)

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Great online Resources

• Pack Meeting Info from BSA
• http//www.scouting.org/scoutsource/CubScouts/Acti
  vities/pack.aspx
• Simple Pack Meeting Planning Document
• http//www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/34-37.pdf
• My University of Scouting Website
• http//cubmaster101.com/
• My website for Pack 374 Leaders
• http//leaders.cubpack374.org/

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Major Helps

• Baloos Bugle (my secret sauce)
• http//www.usscouts.org/bbugle.asp
• Cubmaster Resources from the BSA
• http//www.scouting.org/scoutsource/CubScouts/Lead
  ers/Cubmaster20Resources.aspx
• Den and Pack Meeting Resource Guides
• http//www.scouting.org/scoutsource/CubScouts/Lead
  ers/DenLeaderResources/DenandPackMeetingResourceGu
  ide.aspx
• MacScouter
• http//www.macscouter.com/
• The Virtual Cub Scout Leaders Handbook
• http//webspace.webring.com/people/wu/um_10831/hom
  e.html

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Thank You!

• cubmaster_at_batescentral.com