Troop Devon 50, Boy Sscouts of America

Contents

1. Getting started - becoming a team

Get started
Plan the year
Patrol Meetings
Patrol Points
Communicate
Participation
Greenbar
Teamwork
Celebrate
Advancement
Merit Badges
Skills
Track Progress
Things you need

There is an old saying: "A job well started is half done". If you get off to a good start, the rest of the year gets a lot easier. If you fumble the ball in the beginning, you will have a much harder time getting the team back together. You can still do it, but it's a lot harder.

Your first four actions should be:
   1. Organize all the information about each of your patrol members.
   2. Fill in the Patrol Points sheet for Summer Camp and any other activities
   3. Plan the first Patrol Meeting the first night you can possibly do it
   4. Call everybody and nag them to come to the first Patrol Meeting - in Uniform - on time

If you make the patrol meeting fun and exiting and don't spend too much time on any one thing, you shouldn't have any discipline problems. The first meeting is the time to set the rules. If you have problems, stop the meeting and let everyone know what is not acceptable. Let the SPL know if you really can't control someone, he'll help.

1. Organizing information about each of your patrol members.
* Get the information about each scout's rank and merit badges from the Troop Records (call Mr. Roxby)
* Set up all the e-mail addresses in a distribution list and send a test message to the patrol (check who got them..)
* Highlight the patrol members' family information in your Troop Roster
* Note down something positive you know about each of them - what they like, are good at and so on.

2. Filling in the Patrol Points sheets (coming...)

3. Planning the first Patrol Meeting ( good rules for every Patrol Meeting )
* Plan for a good game outside (with a backup plan for an inside game)
* Plan a snack or something special (you don't have to do it every time...)
* Pick a couple of things to discuss (rules for the patrol meetings, patrol job assignments, Patrol points you have so far), and ask them to think about a Patrol Project (have a few ideas ready, but don't decide for them right away)

4. Call everybody and nag them to come to the first Patrol Meeting - in Uniform - on time
* Make sure everyone comes!
* Make it short and fun, then play the game.
* Talk about next patrol meeting