New Parents - Cub Scout Pack 4034

We are excited to have you and your scout join our pack family.

Scouting is a journey you take with your child. We ask that parents be actively involved with their scout as they progress through the ranks. This involvement includes:
Attending Den meetings and helping your scout be successful by working with them to earn achievements.
Attending Pack meetings and events and participating when the pack needs assistance with pack meeting activities.
And lastly, Volunteering to help the pack be the best we can be. Our pack is run completely by volunteers, that is why we need you.

We need each of our families to be involved as much as possible. We also need parents to be a part of our Pack Committee which makes the decisions regarding the Pack and its’ events. The committee meets the first Thursday of every month, year round.

Spending Time With Your Child: The Secret of Success! Come join the fun of Cub Scouting as a family … it’s fun! You’ll make new friends, too, as you work with the parents of your child’s new friends. No task is too difficult when you’re having fun as part of a team of Cub Scout parents, reinforcing each other’s efforts to help your scouts grow up to be good citizens.

Here is some Basic Scout Terminology to help get you started:

Rank – rank is the term used for defining your scouts level. Currently there are 6 scout ranks, these are divided by age/grade.
Den – a den is made up of all the boys in the same rank, and again each rank is based upon age or grade of the scout.
Pack – the pack is made up of all the dens.
District – a district is made up of multiple packs within an area. We are part of the Cahokia Mounds District.
Council – the council is made up of multiple districts in the bi-state area, there are 20 districts in our council. We are part of the Greater St. Louis Area Council (G-SLAC)

Ranks:

Lion Cub Den (Grade Kindergarten) More Info on Lions

Parents are most involved at the Lion and Tiger Cub levels. The scout and their parent or guardian join the den together and attend all meetings and activities together. The den is made up of three to eight of these parent-child teams. Each den also has a Lion Cub den leader (one of the parents) who helps coordinate the meetings. The parent-child teams take turns running the activities and planning meetings with the Lion Cub den leader. The den usually meets one to two times per month at a designated facility; participates in Go See Its (with the den, as a group, visiting a community place of interest); and attends the monthly pack meeting with their family.

The Tiger Cub Den (Grade 1) More Info on Tigers
Parents are most involved at the Tiger Cub level. The scout and their parent or guardian join the den together and attend all meetings and activities together. The den is made up of three to eight of these parent-child teams. Each den also has a Tiger Cub den leader (one of the parents) who helps coordinate the meetings. The parent-child teams take turns running the activities and planning meetings with the Tiger Cub den leader. The den usually meets one to two times per month at a designated facility; participates in Go See Its (with the den, as a group, visiting a community place of interest); and attends the monthly pack meeting with their family.
The Wolf/Bear Cub Scout Den (Grades 2 and 3) More info on Wolves and More info on Bears
Parents are vital to the Cub Scout dens, both in the role of home support and to help the den leader as their scouts begin to become more independent. The den consists of eight to ten scouts, a den leader and assistant den leader (parents of the scouts), and sometimes a den chief (an older Boy Scout or Venturer who helps the den leader). They usually meet one to two times per month at a regularly scheduled time and place, and they also attend the pack meeting with their family.
The Webelos/AOL Scout Den (Grades 4 and 5) More info on Webelos and More info on Arrow of Lights
The Webelos den is much like the Cub Scout dens, but there is more emphasis on the scouts learning to take leadership roles and preparing to join Boy Scouts.

Den Meetings:

Meetings are a vital part of scouting. This is where you and your scout will fellowship with other scouts and work on achievements and advancements. Your scout’s den will meet one to two times per month. The den meetings are where your scout will work on achievements and advancement material in the rank book. Your den leader will create a schedule and distribute it to your den. This information can also be found on the pack calendar.

Pack Meetings:

The Cub Scout pack is made up of all the dens. The dens meet together once a month at the pack meeting which is led by the Cub Master. This is the climax of the den meetings and activities. There are activities, skits, songs and presentation of badges that the scouts earned during that month. This is where families—not just parents, but siblings, too—can see the achievements of their Cub Scout. The pack, including families, also participates in other special events throughout the year, including:

Pinewood derby®—You can build and race a model car with your scout.

Blue and gold banquet—Cub Scouting’s birthday party—for all pack members and their families.

Camping—Overnight and day camp opportunities introduce your family to the camping experience.

Service projects—Packs may participate in food drives, conservation projects, or other community activities.

Field trips and special outings—Great ways to learn more about the people and places in your community.

Make memories with your scout that will last a lifetime!

Uniforms:

Everyone recognizes a cub scout when they are in uniform. Here is some information regarding what uniform your scout will need.

How Can You Help?

We are glad you asked! The most important help that you, as a parent, can give your scout is to work with them on their Cub Scouting activities. The handbook is full of age-appropriate activities that you will enjoy doing together at home. When they complete an activity or project, it is your responsibility to sign the book to verify that they have done their best. And then it is all-important for you to attend the monthly pack meeting with them, so that you can celebrate their achievement. Your role as a parent is the secret to a successful Cub Scouting program!

The den and the pack also rely on parent participation to run a successful program. Cub Scouting operates through volunteer leadership. Consider volunteering as a member of the pack leadership team. Volunteer leaders are an example of Scouting’s principle of service to others. By volunteering in Scouting, you are also giving your scout the gift of your time. What could be more valuable? You will have an opportunity to be a positive influence in the lives of your child and their friends.

Here are some additional ways you could volunteer to help out the pack family:

Den leader:
Cub master:
The Pack Committee Member:
Committee chairman:
Advancement chairman:
Membership chairman:
Secretary:
Treasurer:
Pack Trainer:

Training

The Boy Scouts of America offers convenient training for everyone—parents, leaders, and youth members. As a new parent, you can learn all about Cub Scouting and the wonderful year-round adventure your scout is about to experience. Log on to www.scouting.org click the “I Am a… Parent” drop down, and then choose “Youth Protection Training,” and you will discover all of the courses available. Create a MyScouting account and get started. We encourage all parents to take the BSA’s Youth Protection Training.

Youth Protection Child abuse is a serious problem in our society, and unfortunately, it can occur anywhere, even in Scouting. Youth safety is of paramount importance to Scouting. For that reason, the BSA continues to create barriers to abuse beyond what has previously existed in Scouting. The Boy Scouts of America places the greatest importance on providing the most secure environment possible for its youth members. To maintain such an environment, the BSA has developed numerous procedural and leadership selection policies, and provides parents and leaders with numerous online and print resources for the Cub Scout, Boy Scout, and Venturing programs.

Youth Protection training is required for all BSA registered volunteers. New leaders are required to complete Youth Protection training within 30 days of registering. To take the training online, go to my.scouting.org and establish an account using the member number you receive when you register for BSA membership. If you take the training online before you obtain a member number, be sure to return to my.scouting.org and enter your membership number to link the training with your account and the pack’s account. Youth Protection training must be taken every year. If a volunteer’s Youth Protection training record is not current at the time of recharter, the volunteer will not be registered.

How Much Does Scouting Cost?

Registration Fee – annual (Jan – Dec) fee for youth and leaders – this is collected in Nov/Dec: …………………..$55 (the pack pays for our leader registrations)

Boys’ Life magazine – optional, but strongly recommended: ………………………………………………………………….$12

Pack Activity Fee: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….$75 (this fee is waived if your scout participates and sells a base amount of popcorn)