Improvements for 2015/16

Dear Parents/Guardians

Although 2014/15 was a good year for A-Pack we want to improve. Several meetings during the year where disrupted while we dealt with behavior issues. How are we planning to improve?  

1. Better and earlier planning. There were several stretches during 2014/2015 where we met in the gym for weeks at a time. Our goal is to have no more than 2 weeks in a row of regular meetings at the gym. If the cubs are outdoors and engaged with new people or environments I believe they won't be bored and behavior won't be a problem.

2. Rewards / Bribes / Gamification. While we keep attendance and dues records I would like to use these along with behavior points  to reward the best Six each month with prize for each member of that Six. Also maybe a bigger prize for the best Six at the half year mark, and the best at the end of the year. (FYI: the smaller groups within a Cub Pack are referred to as a Six. Each Six has a Sixer and a Second).

3. Yellow & Red Behavior cards. Working together with the cubs early in the year we will establish a code of conduct and determine yellow and red card offences (like soccer). 

• Yellow card offences might be disobeying a leader, disrupting activities, etc.
• Red card offences might be things like hitting, bullying, etc.
• Two yellow cards in a night equals a red. 

Hopefully with clear rules and examples, rewards, and lots of activities to occupy the cubs, we won't need to issue many cards.

These ideas are starting point. We want to work with the cubs and the parents to make sure everyone can enjoy the activities. If you have any suggestions, advice, or concerns please let us know.

Remember: if you register online before June 30th you will save $15 per registered cub.

2015/2016 Registration Fee Clarification

My registration email was incomplete and misleading, sorry.

The group commissioner had a further clarification of the fee:

I have been receiving a number of inquiries about the registration fee for next year, so I thought I would send one mass e-mail with an explanation:  

Scouts Canada changed their fee structure for 2015-2016.  Councils can no longer set the registration fee (which could, and did, vary across the country); there is one fee (payable to National) that is the same for all Councils.  There is a reduced fee for early registration that is in effect untilJune 30th.  The normal registration fee is $190, while the early registration fee is $175.  (These changes were described in an e-mail that I sent on April 24).

(The nasty sting in these changes is that the half-year fee has jumped from $90 to $150, and is effective as of January 1, 2016.)

On top of the National fee, 1st Manotick has levied the following additional fees: Group Fee $0, Section Fee $25.  These are the same fees that have been in effect for the last couple of years.  In other words, Group is not making any money from the registrations but we continue to collect the $25/head fee to help out the individual sections. 

So $175 + $25 = $200.  This fee has increased by 5% over last year (IIRC, last year's early registration fee was $190) but we can only blame National for that.

So when you register for a 1st Manotick Group you will be charged $175 by Scouts Canada + $25 for 1st Manotick or $200 in total.

The $25 goes directly to the Section -- in our case that is A-Pack.  That $25 eventually goes into A-Pack's bank account.

If you register after June 30th will be $190 from Scouts Canada + $25 from 1st Manotick.

Online Registration for 2015/16 is Open!

From the Group Commissioner

If your parents ask, you can tell them that the on-line registration is now active for next year.  The reduced early registration fee ($175, down from $190) is in effect until June 30.

A few folks have already signed up for next year -- that's awesome!

I hope to see some more before the June 30th!