Frequently Asked Questions
When do the cub scouts meet? The pack meets once a month on a Monday night at Winn Brook School at 6:30PM to 8:00PM, the dens (see below) meet 2-3 times per month for about an hour depending on age group.
I'm a parent and have never been a cub scout or boy scout, what do I do? Don't worry about it. Scouting America has made the program manageable i.e. "Bite Size". Through the scout book or corresponding online links, everything is spelled out and explained for non-scout parents. Cubs learn as they go - so do parents. Pack 377 understands we have "Newbie" parents to Eagle Scouts all who want their kids to have a great experience. . Feel confident, we all move forward together and help one another to bring the program to the cubs.
Do parents have to attend all meetings? Yes, cub scouts is not a "drop-off" activity.
Does the pack camp? Yes, we camp at Scouting America camp grounds in Milton MA and in New Hampshire. All parents are required to attend and camp with their child. Cubs do not camp alone.
As a parent, do I have to volunteer? Unlike a sports team that have coaches that do it all. Scouting in a volunteer program. We ask the parents to step up and join leadership and if they cannot do that, we ask them to run a den meeting or coordinate an extra activity. Everything we do is clearly explained in the scout book and preparing for a den meeting is very little work.
What does a Den Leader do? Den leaders are parents that organizes the den program for the year by setting the schedule and asking the other parents in the den to signup to run a den meeting.
What do I have to do to become a Den Leader? The Scouting America organization has an extensive process to register, do back ground checks, run the Safe Youth Training online program and den leader training program. This definitely involves a few hours of your time, but can be completed in short sections. This process is done once but pack leadership has to renew their Safety Youth Training certification by taking the 90 minute online training course annually.
What is a den? Dens are the small groups of cubs all in the same grade who meet to complete the requirements of their rank badge.
What is a pack? The pack consists of all the dens from grades 1 to 5 and meets once a month.
What is an Adventure Loop? Cubs can work independently on activities to receive recognition for working on an activity they choose themselves. Its independent work with their home Akela. These are listed in the back Adventure Loop section. Scouting America knows what cubs like so there are many loops to choose from.
Who is Akela? Ultimately, it's the cub's parents. In a den setting, it's the Den Leader and in a pack setting, it's the Cubmaster. When a cub works independently, a parents is Akela. Akela stands for "teacher".