1. Welcome New Cub Scout Families!
School Night for Scouting Registration Night. Please make sure you have:
-Signed In
-Picked up a Welcome Envelope.
-Picked up a BSA Adult Application
Now is a good time to start filling out your application while your son reads the mini Boy’s Life magazine or does the puzzle sheet from the Welcome Envelope.
Room Setup:
Leader’s Guides on each seat.
Laptop and projector setup with this presentation
Table at entrance with:
Sign In sheet.
New Cub Scout Family Welcome Envelopes
Adult Leader Apps
Start program on time with actually presenting the SNFS Script min.
Afterwards, continue with the slide show, welcoming everyone to the Cub Scout Membership “School Night for Scouting” Training.

2. Cub Scout Retention Tool Box
Thank you for taking the time to be here.
Hopefully you signed in as you entered.
Please be sure to sign in, so we can be sure to give you credit for membership training attendance towards corn sale.
We are here to help you prepare for Fall Recruitment and what you just saw IS the School Night for Scouting presentation
…the reason we do it this way is that is all comes back around to RETENTION.

3. Retention begins at the Unit Level!
True retention begins and ends at the unit level….with all of you as volunteers
The unit is where the most program happens and where the most youth are affected….parents too!
Let’s talk about some tools we can use to have the most impact on retention:
You have the SNFS Leader’s Guide and the script just presented for all of you to use in preparing for the SNFS.
Open to the 2nd page “Before the Meeting” and let’s overview some of the key points that need to happen between now and about August 20th (touch on key bulleted items):
Calendar, Budget, and Leadership Inventory from Program Planning.
Don’t invite all returning families to SNFS…get them together before.
fill leadership roles by this point.
Scouting is more of a leadership development program for adults than it could possibly be for youth.
Starts here in making sure you have enough returning families helping.
Make sure to reach out to families you didn’t see at end of school year….this is retention too!
Setup displays at School Open House type events- distribute flyers; do not sign up kids here.
SNFS schedule with pre-flyers, Boy Talk Flyers, day-of flyers, and “Sept/Oct. Follow-up Reminder Pack Flyers”.
USEs and UCs will help to schedule Boy Talk and SNFS with each school.
Need SNFS at EVERY SCHOOL! Make new families feel comfortable….more on that in just a minute.
Game for kids at SNFS- we recommend Kickball.
Other local opportunities to promote- newspaper, community message boards.
These are things the Unit needs to do to create the most welcoming atmosphere to a brand new family!

4. Now we have gotten the boys to bring their parent’s to the SNFS…
What’s it like? Is it organized or chaotic?
Anyone have a questionable start to Cub Scouts because of chaos at the first registration event?
You are on the clock…
First Impressions - these first impressions are critical. You may only have 60 minutes to impact a boy’s entire Scouting career!...or his entire life!
The first meeting needs to be “All about these New Parents” since they are our primary decision makers at this point, and are potential leaders.
SNFS is all about the New Parents! Here’s how to prepare for them…see the next page in the Leader’s Guide called “Preparation Time”
Have a person greet each boy and his parent as they arrive and welcome them to Cub Scouting! It is a great way to immediately make the boy and the parent feel at ease and comfortable.
Post Signs.
Setup Welcome Table with another friendly face. What was at the “Welcome Table” here- 3 things: sign in, adult apps, Welcome Packet.
Setup table(s) for each grade with pens. Consider decorations and music.
Setup Kickball game or other activity for kids- 45 min.
As families arrive have them sign in and hand them Welcome Packet and an adult leader app:
Ask the adult to begin filling out while they wait.
Boys should sit with adult; no need to run around…they will shortly. There are items in the Welcome packet for them that we’ll review shortly.
As soon as the boy and his parent walk in a room to the SNFS… Retention Begins.
Do they feel welcomed and comfortable…is it better than what you experienced?
It’s almost time to start the SNFS presentation, but consider this….

5. INFORMATION
All too often, this is what that first meeting feels like to new parents.
We get them in a room and we try to cram as much as we can into their heads before they run away.
So, it is important that we give them what they need and not the entire history and structure of the Boy Scouts of America.
We believe the School Night for Scouting Script accomplishes this and the followup after the SNFS needs to be treated in similar fashion.
Be sure to review the “Immediately Following the SNFS” section of the Guidebook.
Let’s consider what the actual negative criticism regarding Cub Scout is…

6. New Cub Scout Family Welcome Envelope
There’s a NEW version of the New Cub Scout Family Welcome Envelope from National.
It will help us provide an orientation to new customers – parents – at the time they join.
This provides a tool to help welcome the new family in the form of a envelope that W. D. Boyce Council is using to connect a parent (potential leader) to an on-boarding web site.
There is Council and District information included in the envelope.

7. What’s inside the Welcome Envelope?
Briefly review the items included…
Boy’s Life mini-magazine and puzzle sheet for the kids.
Cub Scout Information Guide Packet.
Cub Scout Launch Registration Sheet
Road Show Flyer
Cub Scout Leadership Position Sheet
Popcorn Sale Information

8. Handbooks
The next important retention tool is the Scout’s Tiger Cub, Wolf, Bear, or Webelos Handbook.
The handbook is the Cub Scout’s guide to adventure, and the parent’s guide to their son’s Cub Scout experience.
Every Scout should have a handbook!
Typically available at:
SNFS- your USE staff member will bring them to the School Night.
Road Shows.

9. $12/annually
Magazines
By getting and reading Boys’ Life magazine, boys can experience Scouting when not at a meeting. It is great, award winning, age appropriate reading for young boys! Boys that get Boys’ Life stay in Scouting longer, and it is a bargain at only $12 a year. Consider incorporating this cost into the Pack registration fee
Scouting magazine helps leaders have more fun and provide a better program for Scouts.

10. Den Meetings
Good den meetings are a critical tool for retention. So get them meeting quick!!!!!
Dens should begin meeting within 7-10 days of joining.
Use meeting plans laid out in the Cub Scout Den & Pack Meeting Resource Guide.
And make sure each Scout and parent know the date time and place of the first den meeting before they leave the joining meeting. Better yet, give them a meeting schedule in writing.
Give them ALL dates for both Pack AND Den Meetings for the year.

11. Den Chief
A den chief is a ‘big brother” of a Boy Scout with an enthusiastic attitude who sets a positive example for Cub Scouts when helping lead weekly den meetings.

12. Training Give new leaders a good start!
Youth Protection Training is a joining requirement and all leaders must take it before meeting with a den. This training can be taken on-line at myScouting.org even before the new leader has a member ID.
Cub Scout leaders then need to complete Cub Scout Leader Specific Training within their first 2 months.
It’s available online for each position, but we also recommend taking the Cross-Training.
CSLS Cross-Training is available at each of the Cub Scout Launch sessions or the Cub Scout Pack Trainer can offer a session internally within the unit.
Consider holding a first parent's meeting where training is offered and incorporate a Talent Survey.

13. Leadership Inventory & Succession Planning
Many new and long tenured packs fail to continue due to a key adult leader who for whatever reason, has decided to step down.
Most often the pack fails because there is no other person prepared and willing to assume the leadership role.
Establish a succession plan, identify at least two key leaders in every pack leadership role, and get those leaders trained.

14. Pack & DEN Planning
We have placed more of an emphasis on Pack planning the past few years.
A significant adjustment this year has been asking the Pack to complete Den scheduling also.
Completing a Den calendar process, along with budgeting and the leadership inventory, will keep the Den Leader’s and the parent’s life simple with a structured plan to keep the boys, the family and the leaders retained.

15. Advancement and Recognition
How do Scouts advance? Through their DEN, and that’s why Den Calendars are so important.
Boys that advance stay in Scouting longer, and the Pack and Den Meeting Resource Guide helps encourage advancement.
Be sure that all new Scouts receive their Bobcat Badge before the end of October.
Bobcat features will again be offered to new boys at Cub Scout Launch.
Monthly Pack Meetings should feature:
Rank advancements,
belt loops,
pins,
achievements
recognition of birthdays, good turns, and good grades.
Recognize new leaders.
Recognize new parents and their new Scouts.
Another part of recognition is saying “Thank You.”
See that parents are thanked. They need to see the payoff, beyond positive changes in their son.
Be sure to stress, “You don’t need a Scouting background to help!”

16. Social Events Bonding Communication
A couple of final retention tools for your toolbox….
monthly newsletters to parents help keep them informed and involved.
Pack websites and social media outlets are other avenues to consider.
Think about having a special social event or two for parents and/or families.
Circulate a member roster organized by dens.
Create bonding opportunities like family camping and religious awards courses.
Do not let adults disagreement spill over to the Boys
Communication, Social Events, and Bonding bring families closer together and closer to the Den and Pack as a result.

17. stlbsa.org Scouting.org/ cubscouts
Use stlbsa.org and Scouting.org/cubscouts
GSLAC has local resources and information, while The Scouting.org web site has national resources for
Parents
Den Leaders
The Cubmaster
Pack Committee Members

18. Six Retention Best Practices
-Well-organized School Night For Scouting -Handbook for all Cub Scouts -Leader Training within 60 days -1st Den Meeting within 7-10 Days of SNFS -Annual Program Plan- includes calendar, budget, and leadership inventory. - Advancement- participate in Cub Launches -Frequent Communication to Parents and Leaders
Program Plans are due Aug 2nd with all 3 parts- calendar, budget, and leadership inventory.

19. Cub Scout Retention Tool Box
Trained and dedicated leaders, leading a planned quality program, retain boys in Scouting longer!
Use the tools you have to make Scouting all that it can be!