This Thursday, April 25 at 7:00 pm is a Roundtable for Unit Leaders Meeting at First Baptist Church of Hapeville, 612 College St., Hapeville, GA.  A Roundtable for Unit Leaders is an opportunity for any adult leader or parent to:

1. learn from each other about how to play the game of Scouting (activities and opportunities and skills for meetings and activities, how to deal with kids and adults, and more),
2. ask questions, get answers and share ideas and with other leaders, and
3. have some positive fellowship with other leaders.  

What would YOU like to learn about or talk about with other leaders?  That’s what Roundtable should be.  Sometimes there will be special advance topics announced for Cub Scout Leaders and/or for Scouts BSA Troop Leaders -- but if a specific promoted program is not announced by a volunteer who will present it, Roundtable will be "Casual Open Question Time" for all who attend ... with no special program, other than what attending leaders want to talk about.  If you have a special topic or question, add a comment below or contact the District Commissioner or the Roundtable Commissioner or the District Executive, or just bring your question or topic.  A Roundtable for Unit Leaders is not a District Committee Meeting -- the focus here is Unit Leaders and Parents, not "district business".

More On Roundtable.  can be found in the Calendar Entry.  Email webmaster@southfultonscouting.com if you need a reminder about the login. 

Dear Cub Scout Leaders (and Commissioners and other District Volunteers who love Cub Scout Leaders):  If you missed the heavily attended live broadcast of the 2024 Cub Scout Membership Recruiting Plan reveal or want to watch it again, you are in luck!  Go to the Atlanta Area Council Recruiting Resource Page at atlantabsa.org/recruitingresources where you’ll find:

• a link to the Recruiting Rollout Video at the top of the page
• the 2024 Guide to Cub Scout Family Recruiting.  

Want Even More?  Related pages tie into the Steps to Successful and Sustainable Recruiting:

1. Make a Calendar of Fun Activities that families like – your Pack’s big fun activities that current and future families will want to join.
2. Let People Know – Promote Your Pack Program!  Many ways to let them know what you're doing.  And update your BeAScout Pin and Online Registration Tools.
3. Find More Leaders and Helpers - one by one, find folks who can help your unit out (do this throughout your recruiting process).  That page now has links to the recent Engagement Series Videos. 
4. School and Community Presence – “Adopt a School” and you’ll get more School and Community support.
5. Once you've laid that foundation, have Sign-Up Events: not just School Sign-Up Nights, but Fun Den and Pack Welcoming Events Too!
6. More Fun Events.  Keep expanding and extending your Calendar of Fun Events … want ideas?  See these Fun*Simple*Easy Activities.  Many!

Other Pages cover Parent Orientation and Scouts BSA Recruiting (honestly, the key methods there are like the Six Steps above minus School Sign Up Night because Scouts BSA aged kids will join because they want to not because Dad and Mom want them to).   

Highlights of the most recent District News were these (click links for information): Now Streaming -- Plan Your Best Year Ever In Cub Scouting ... Cub Scout Program Updates Announced for Summer of 2024 and Beyond ... Helping Units in Your District ... New Scouts BSA Troop Recruiting Video Drops ... Cub Leader Training? ... and from the week before: Atlanta Area Council Scouts BSA Troop Program Resources ... Opt In, Opt Out ... Email webmaster@southfultonscouting.com if you need a reminder about the login. 

See this March 21, 2024 Video for Ideas and Resources about How to Plan Your Best Year Ever in Cub Scouting – the program includes:

• Key Guidance on Activities (Like: It’s Why Families Join and Stay!)
• Planning Methods – Surveys and Sharing
• Ways to Help Your Den Leaders
• Budget, Awards and Other Tools

Resources for All of the Above are here.

The Cub Scout advancement program will be updated for the 2024-25 program year -- so, effective June 1 or the 2024-25 School Year/Program Year.  Initial Details are posted here:  www.scouting.org/program-updates/cub-scout-program-updates-announced/. Also FAQs and More.

New Handbooks are evidently appearing in Scout Shops and at scoutshop.org (beware - they are still selling the Handbooks that will be out of date.)

Things you Might do if you want:

• Buy and browse one or more of the New Handbooks.  (The "Adventure Resource" QR Codes and Links evidently don't go "live" until June 1.)
• Review www.scouting.org/program-updates/cub-scout-program-updates-announced/. Also FAQs and More.

Things You Need To Do / Must Do Now About This:

• Nothing. 
• Continue with the current Handbooks and Resources.  
• This doesn't take effect until the new "program year", which for most everyone except the overly ambitious (lighten up!) is the start of the School Year.  So even though "June 1" is the "start date", summer is still a time to "finish up under the old program", plus (again, lighten up!), Summer should be a time for pure fun activities.  Spring too!

Things You Should NOT Do Related To This: 

• Don't "over-stock" loops and pins and Handbooks, because the Handbooks will change for sure, and many -- maybe all -- of the loops and pins will change next year for the 2024-25 School Year/Program Year.
• Don't "hand down" your 2023 "Rank Meeting Plans" to next year's den leaders ... the Advancement Plan for the 2024-25 School Year/Program Year will be significantly different.

What are the Possible Committee and Commissioner Roles Supporting Units, Leaders and Youth:  Scouts, Scouters and Scouting Units are part of a worldwide brotherhood of Scouting, and we gather together at National, Territory and Council events, Multi District events, District Events, and events just between Units that connect to do things together. The Atlanta Area Council organizes units in Clayton County and South Fulton County as a District called “Southern Crescent”.  Districts are responsible for carrying out four standard functions: program, unit service, membership and finance.

• The program functions concentrate on helping Scouting units through training adult volunteers, youth advancement support, camping promotion, community service promotion, multi-unit activities (such as camp o rees, cub twilight camp, scout fairs, pinewood derbies, shooting sports events), and recognition of youth and adults, all of which activities are “unit support” to help units do more.
• The unit service function of “commissioners” provides coaching and consultation by volunteers for unit adults to help ensure the success of every Scouting unit -- so commissioners stay abreast of and/or are involved in nearly all district unit support functions, and have a communication function to ensure units know of good program support opportunities -- all designed to support Membership growth and retention.
• The membership function strives for growth through new members and leaders joining existing units and (where needed) growth through the organization of new Scouting units – this must work closely with unit service and program areas (like training, activities and commissioner service) to help units be successful.
• The finance function supports units in fundraising and can help with financial practices, and sees that the district provides its share of funds to the total council operating budget.

Paid professionals, including District Executives and District Directors, support these functions.

In our "Ways to Volunteer in the District to Help Units" page are some ways that volunteers can help "beyond" just one Unit through these functions.  Want to Help?  Contact the District Chair or District Executive or take this Point and Click Survey, as nearly every role could use more help, assistants, potential successors.  Also, teams can form based on interests, plus new services, events and programs may arise if someone has the passion for it ... contact information for current district leaders and committee and commissioners are found in the "Adult Leader" section of the Roster.  email the webmaster if you need Login information.