The Bloggers
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Some exciting progress has been made toward a number of key goals in the National Council Strategic Plan . For updates on two goals in particular-6-3-6 and 3-1-1, which involve the creation of a youth-led conference addressing relevancy of Scouting programs, plus issues facing today's youth and the results from a "Perceptions of Scouting" study, respectively-read…
Click to open issue The summer issue of the LFL and Exploring Today newsletter has been published, featuring articles on the progress made to date on the 2011–2015 Strategic Plan. Some recent achievements include: A new digital curriculum for grades three through six is in the final editing stages and will be launched in the…
Trailblazers-the online digest of BSA personnel changes such as new hires, transfers, and retirements-was placed on hiatus in December 2010. While archives for July 2009 to December 2010 have remained online at the Trailblazers page , Human Resources and Internal Communications are in the process of adding all the personnel changes from 2011 to the page.
Learn more about what the BSA is doing to engage, educate, and empower youth (and adults!) to adopt healthier lifestyles in this episode of The Buzz . For more information on the BSA's health and fitness initiative, visit the BSA Fit website on scouting.org.
Beginning Monday, Aug. 1, Scout Wire will be distributed to all employees on alternating Monday mornings. This will result in a slight change in publication deadlines. Please consult the updated schedule for new article submission and publication dates. You also can find the most recent copy of the production schedule by clicking "Contact Us" at…
The former Penn's Woods Council, No. 508, in Ebensburg, Pennsylvania, has merged with the former Greater Pittsburgh Council, No. 527, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to form the new Laurel Highlands Council , No. 527, headquartered in Pittsburgh. The effective date of this merger, as recorded with the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, was July 1.
Click to open the July 18 issue The July 18 issue of the FID e-Letter has been published and is now available on the Finance Impact site . This edition's lead article examines the effect that camping season can have on your council's Journey to Excellence score.
The home page for Council Strategic Management has a new look. The change was created to simplify user access to training resources, contact information, and a council's strategic plan. A CSM website Word document has been created to briefly explain the changes.
The 2011 National Outdoor Conference is set for Sept. 7-10 at Northern Tier in Ely, Minnesota. A discounted early-bird fee of $235 is available until midnight Aug. 7. The full registration fee of $300 becomes effective at 12:01 a.m. Aug.
One of the best ways to positively affect membership levels-and, as a result, your Journey to Excellence membership numbers-is to prepare for the upcoming recruitment season. Take advantage of the professionally produced Words to Live By™ campaign. From radio and television PSAs to Web banners and e-blast templates, you can access customizable documents on Brand…
The BSA benefits website will have a new look starting Monday, Aug. 15. To prepare for the upgrade, the website will be down from Thursday, Aug. 11 though Sunday, Aug. 14. If you need assistance while the site is down, BSA Benefits Center representatives can be reached by calling 800-444-4416.
The BSA's newest merit badge, Chess, will be launched in September with some exciting events designed to raise interest and awareness. The kickoff event will take place at the grand opening of the new Chess Hall of Fame on Sept.
The Shooting Sports Task Force has just completed production on the new Boy Scouts of America National Shooting Sports Manual for Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting, and Venturing. Reference material for all levels was put into one publication. All councils should make this available to their shooting sports committee, camp leadership, and unit leaders.
Click to open the July issue The July issue of the Giving Times newsletter has been published, featuring articles about the founding of the BSA's new Alumni Association and the launch of a national online giving strategy to benefit local councils and to build the Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve.
Two new resources have been created by Membership Impact: New-Unit Retention Guide: This book provides extensive new-unit resources covering the following topics: Know Your Market, Build Your Team, Make the Call, and High-Performing Units. The guide is available on www.scouting.org/membership or by scanning the QR code at left with your smartphone.
Council Operations is hosting an All Markets Strategy Summit from 8 a.m.–4 p.m. August 16 in San Antonio, immediately before Top Hands. The summit is designed for all council staff and key volunteers interested in learning how to analyze, prepare, and execute a plan to work with all markets, including Hispanic, African American, and Asian…
Click to Open the July e-Letter The Finance Impact Department's e-Letter has changed in format. Beginning with this edition, the e-Letter has moved to a fully web-based format, and will no longer be delivered in a Portable Document Format (PDF) file.
The National Council Marketing and Public Relations Team is offering two workshops to local council professional leadership on Tuesday, August 16 (the day before the beginning of the Top Hands Conference in San Antonio). Based on multiple requests from Scout executives, the first session is On-Camera Media Training .
During four weeklong sessions (July 3–9, July 10–16, July 17–23, and July 24–30), the Order of the Arrow is providing an opportunity "to blend the bliss that comes from cheerful service and the personal growth that can only come from a high adventure" at SummitCorps-The New River Experience at the New River Gorge National River…
Learn new strategies to connect Scouting to the communities you serve. From digital recruiting techniques to using social media as a way of connecting with parents, you'll learn proven strategies to positively impact recruitment, retention, and financial stability. The events will offer a combination of industry experts and proven best practices within the Scouting family…
To all staff and volunteer leaders: Are you ready to GO BIG and GET WILD? The national jamboree is looking for you to help us jump start the next 100 years. Here's a small sampling of what you can expect to encounter as a volunteer leader or staff member at the 2013 National Jamboree: New…
While the world Scout jamboree is underway in Sweden this month, the world's largest Scouting event will happen the weekend of October 15–16 at an amateur radio station near you. The 54 th Jamboree-on-the-Air (JOTA) is expected to top last year's attendance, which had just over 700,000 Scout participants from nearly 6,000 stations around the…
The Philmont Training Center has posted its preliminary course schedule for 2012 on the PTC website . The final schedule will be posted by September 1, when registration will officially open. New In 2012: Regional Journey to Excellence Weeks! Conferences during the Journey to Excellence weeks will be planned by the regions in an effort to…
If you've ever wondered how Philmont keeps all of its backcountry staff and campers fed, this episode of PhilCast is for you!
The following BSA leased vehicle is being offered for sale: 2007 Lincoln Navigator 35,601 Approximate Miles Exterior Color – White chocolate clearcoat tri-coat Interior Color – Camel premium leather bucket seats Asking Price: $28,250 Location: National Office Equipment/Features: 5.4L V8 SOHC engine AM/FM stereo with six-disc CD/MP3/ SIRIUS satellite Six-speed automatic transmission with overdrive Heavy-duty trailer tow…
Second quarter reviews for local councils and midyear reviews for the National Council will open in PDS on July 1. Employees are encouraged to complete their self-evaluations between July 1 and 15 and send them to their managers so they can get started on reviews.
The Strategy Map is based on a balanced scorecard format and describes the strategic story of a council's success in delivering value to youth, families, communities, and donors. The mapping helps councils to focus on the areas required for success and shows the relationship between these areas.
Councils that have shown growth in total direct support (FOS, including re-class and less provision for uncollectable; project sales; special fundraising events [net]; foundations and trusts; and other direct support) on June 30, 2011, over June 30, 2010, will be recognized as Direct Support Achievers.
ScoutStuff.org has been completely revamped from top to bottom, with a fresh new look, more intuitive navigation, and a one-stop account dashboard. In addition to the new retail site, the Supply Line newsletter has resumed publication. The June issue , as well as the previous month's issue, is available under the "BSA Newsletters" header on Scout…
A new Summit blog has been launched to provide news, videos, and exclusive content surrounding the BSA's newest high-adventure base and its grand opening at the 2013 National Jamboree. The focus of the blog will be on action sports and high adventure, while giving a unique perspective on what is happening out at the Summit…
A multicultural markets (Scoutreach) conference is being planned for Aug. 7-13 at Philmont Training Center. This course helps participants understand the changing demographics in their communities and also explores the many cultures currently living in our communities. The discussion will include the commonalities that exist between us, teach us to learn to communicate with respect…
National Commissioner Tico Perez is featured in a video on the Summit's website regarding fitness requirements for the 2013 National Jamboree:
Distinguished Eagle Scout and NASA astronaut Mike Fossum is embarking on another incredible journey as he spends nearly six months aboard the International Space Station as part of Expeditions 28 and 29. Fossum launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on June 7 aboard Russia's Soyuz TMA-02M spacecraft.
Scouts and Venturers from the Heart of America Council and the Theodore Naish Scout Reservation will take center stage in the July 12 episode of "Only in America With Larry the Cable Guy" on the History Channel. In the program, the comedian and actor known as Larry the Cable Guy crisscrosses the nation "to find…
Applications for the third session of Naturally Slim-which is available to all employees and benefits-eligible spouses-will be accepted starting Monday, Aug. 8, and run through Friday, Aug. 26. If you are accepted, the program will begin on Monday, Sept. 12.
How can a council log service hours for multiple units? The council can do one of two things: (1) The council can set up an OA lodge log (if one isn't already set up) to use as a "dumping ground" for service hours added by council/district staff, and (2) since most councils have a troop…
The Talent Management Department is developing new job profiles (i.e., job descriptions) for the positions of Scout executive, field director, and district executive. As part of the research for these new profiles, we will be conducting an email survey of many commissioned professionals during the month of June to gain input on these new job…
The BSA has launched a major initiative to build a better framework to deliver information, standardize our business processes, and improve day-to-day operations between the National and local councils. To keep employees up to date on the progress of this initiative, a monthly, one-page newsletter has been created.
The Briefcase-the online resource containing employment policies and procedures, legal requirements, and advisory practices for Scout executives-has been updated and can be accessed through MyBSA > Resources > The Briefcase. As you scroll through the Briefcase, you will see changes highlighted in yellow as well as new documents and links to fillable PDFs.
Council and district volunteers must renew their membership annually. The registration period for council and district volunteers is set by each local council, but is commonly January through December or July through June. Councils should contact council and district volunteers annually to renew their BSA volunteer membership registration.
A simple, fillable PDF is available online for councils to share information regarding out-of-council troops attending their camp to home councils. This important data will help each council more accurately track Boy Scouts who attend long-term resident camp, regardless of location.
The BSA has contracted with Allegiance to offer councils a special rate on survey software to design and administer online surveys, as well as analyze data and create reports. Scout executives can purchase a one-year license for their council now through Friday, June 17, by signing up online .
Statistics from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration show that lightning killed 29 people and caused at least 300 injuries to others in the United States during 2010. At least 24 of the 29 deaths were to people involved in outdoor activities.
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children is making available its Internet safety program, NetSmartz , to the BSA to teach Scouts and their families how to make responsible decisions both online and in real life. The BSA is asking all Scout leaders to incorporate the NetSmartz materials into their programs and to distribute information directly…
Outdoor retailer Bass Pro Shops has selected the BSA as the primary promotional associate for its 2011 Family Summer Camp promotion. While at Family Summer Camp, which will run from June 4 to July 10, Scouts can complete requirements toward the Fishing or Rifle Shooting merit badges by attending classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Registration for the 2013 National Jamboree to be held July 15-24 at the Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve is now open at the Summit's jamboree website . The national registration fee for participants is $850. Youth participants and leaders registering should check with their local council for fee and payment details, including travel and tour…
Rappelling a cliff. Shooting the rapids. Creating a one-sided, two-color flier. All can be a white-knuckle ride if you aren't outfitted with the proper gear. The BSA's new Brand Identity Guide contains all the tools you need to craft messages that kids will want to hang on their bedroom walls.
For the fifth consecutive year, the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) is sponsoring a special grant program for local councils. Grants are available for a variety of purposes, but innovative programs that will attract new members and retain current members are most desirable.
The 2011 Council Market Analysis Report, containing demographic and Tapestry information about each council's members and population, is now available on MyBSA. To download the report, visit Resources > BSA Resources > Council Market Analysis Reports. An Excel table of the report data is available upon request to [email protected] .
The Jamboree-on-the-Air, or JOTA, is an annual Scouting event that uses amateur radio to link Scouts around the world, around the nation, and in your own community. For the 2011 event, which will be held October 15–16, we have just finished assembling the promotional and operational information.
