Information for Parents

Welcome to our group! This parents’ guide has some basic information about how the group operates for the 2018-2019 Scouting Year.

1. Becoming a Beaver
2. Program
3. Group Information
4. Rules
5. Parent Involvement
6. What Does My Beaver Need for Meetings?
7. Where Do I Buy Uniforms?
8. Pickup/Dropoff Times
9. Attendance
10. Fees
11. Registration Form
12. Fundraisers
13. Your Scouters
14. Community Events
15. Group Committee

BECOMING A BEAVER

Beaver Scouts is a program for children ages 5-7. Seven-year-old Beavers receive an introduction to the Wolf Cub program where they can continue their Scouting adventure.

A new member begins as a KIT and grows to become an EAGER BEAVER.

Parents, you can help your children learn the Beaver Law, Promise and Motto.

Beaver Law: A Beaver has fun, works hard and helps family and friends. 

Beaver Promise: I promise to love God and to help take care of the world.

Beaver Motto: Sharing, Sharing, Sharing.

PROGRAM

Scouting is a Youth-Led, Adventure-based program that teaches youth to Plan, Do, and Review. Beavers work with Scouters to plan a program based on their interests and ambitions.

Adventures are within six Program elements: Environment and Outdoors, Citizenship, Beliefs and Values, Healthy Living, Leadership, and Creative Expression. There are community service and environmental service projects the youth will be expected to complete.

Every meeting is 1 hour in length and begins with an Opening Ceremony, progressing to games and activities usually based on a central theme, and ends with a Closing Ceremony.

There are optional weekend or other events roughly 1-2 times per month. Fundraising is not optional.

If interested, youth may earn badges and awards related to outdoor adventure skills or personal interest. Personal Achievement Badges are generally completed on the youth’s own time. We ask parents and guardians to support and mentor their children in these activities.

There are Ceremonies that guide the youth through the year.

Investiture&  Tail Celebration: The ceremony in which a KIT is invested (receives the Beaver Scout neckerchief) and becomes an Eager Beaver. The Colony recognizes that all Beaver Scouts have grown older. The children receive a new colour-coded tail to symbolize their growth. The tail is then sewn onto the back of their Beaver Scout hat for all to see.  Brown Tails = Kindergarten, Blue Tails = Grade 1, White Tails = Grade 2.

Northern Lights Ceremony: The ceremony in which the White Tails commence the Northern Lights Quest, a capstone project for their final half year in Beaver Scouts. They receive a new tail and a personal progression crest. At this time, Blue Tail Beavers take more responsibility for the colony.

Swim-Up: The ceremony, close to the end of the year, which marks the development of all the Beavers, and in which the oldest Beaver Scouts are transferred to the Cub Scouts program.  Brown and Blue Tail Beavers receive their personal progression crests at this time.

GROUP INFORMATION

Our Beaver Colony meets every Thursday night at 6:30pm, in the basement of the Jubilee United Church Hall. We’ll notify parents of any changes in this schedule in emails and/or notices. Emails and notices to the parents are copied to this blog for easy reference.

The SCOUTERS in this group are:

Rosie, Nadia, Ryan, Rosa and Michelle.

Scouters are volunteers who are mostly parents of youth in the program. It is really fun to see the kids learn and grow in the program, to play games with them and experience this adventure. Scouters get to take part in all the activities alongside the children and learn new skills. 

RULES

In addition to the code of conduct for adults and youth, we request that you follow these below rules:

2-Adults Always: Youth may not be alone with only one adult. Examples: you may not leave your child with a lone Scouter (you must stay until another adult arrives); you may not be alone in a closed tent, cabin or room with one or more children (even if one of the children is your own child); you may not enter the bathroom if you are the only adult and children are also in the bathroom (even if there are stalls).  **ANY exceptions must be cleared with Scouter Rosie BEFORE they take place**

Cell Phone:  Cell phones (including texting) may only be used in designated areas at events and meetings.  Volunteers and parents may not text/game/phone while supervising, or while standing at campfire or ceremonies. Youth may not bring phones/devices to meetings, events, camps or sleepovers.

Photographs: Everyone is required to get permission before posting photos of other people and youth on social media.

Outside Food: Due to food allergies, unless otherwise requested, Beavers may not bring outside food to any Scouting event or activity.

Smoking/Vaping/Alcohol/Drugs: Never permitted at Scouting events.

Sober At-Home Adult During Camps and Sleepovers:  Before camp, you must provide the name and number of someone who can safely drive to pick up your child from an event, camp or sleepover. Camps and Sleepovers are a night away for your youth and often parents celebrate by also going out. We need to have an appropriate emergency contact in case of illness.

Unless invited, non-Scouting siblings are not permitted to participate in our activities. Toddlers and younger siblings may not enter the activity area.

Youth Responsibility: Youth are expected to pack and carry their own bags and equipment.

Youth are expected to follow their code of conduct, and behave in safe, respectful and appropriate ways.

Behavior that puts youth at risk is not tolerated.  Participation in our activities is a privilege. Youth may be asked to sit out of games or activities, a whole meeting, or may be suspended for one or more meetings. Parents may be asked help out at meetings to support their children’s good behaviour.

PARENT INVOLVEMENT & FAMILY ATTENDANCE AT MEETINGS

Parents are asked to help out at one regular meeting a year with set-up, crafts and safety. If you want to take part more than 5X a year, you will be asked to register as a volunteer. Talk to any scouter about how you can help!

Please note: scouting is a youth program that develops independence. We will have specific parent participation activities. Otherwise, we respectfully request that all non-helping parents to come back at closing or stay quietly in the parent area. This also applies to off-site activities.

As stated above, the only youth permitted in the activity area are Scouting Youth. Please do not allow non-scouting siblings to enter the activity area.

WHAT DOES MY BEAVER NEED FOR MEETINGS?

Beavers should arrive at the meeting facility or outdoor events:

• on time & having gone to the toilet already
• wearing their uniform (an orange necker, a Beaver Hat and a Beaver Vest), play clothes and suitable footwear for running and playing (sneakers).
• bringing only a water bottle, Beaver Book, and an appropriate outdoor jacket.

We’ll advise parents in advance of any special events or outings requiring special clothing and/or equipment/materials.  Remember: Label ALL your Beaver’s things.

Youth who do not bring a water bottle to our meetings will be able to sign out a reusable cup. The youth must wash and return the cup after our closing ceremony.

WHERE DO I BUY UNIFORMS?

Our group has a limited number of used uniforms, donated by former members, available for purchase.

New uniforms can be ordered online from scoutshop.ca or purchased in person at the Scout Shop at 664 West Broadway (Broadway and Heather). The Scout Shop has a small parking lot in the back.

Our group provides the Necker/Scarves, woggle/slides, crests/badges, and Beaver Book at Investiture in early October. Youth will make their own tails.

PICK-UP/DROP OFF TIMES

If you arrive early, you will be asked to stay until a second Scouter has arrived.

Beavers arrive for White Tails Council or Gathering: 6:20-6:30

Regular meeting 6:30-7:30 

Pickup: 7:30

Parents’ cooperation with these rules are greatly appreciated. These times will apply unless parents have been advised otherwise. All children must be dropped off and picked up in the hall, and all children must sign in and sign out. 

Parking for Scouting Families is permitted in the back parking lot of the hall or in front of the hall on Gray. The side parking is reserved for church staff and the elderly. Do not park there even for 5 minutes.

The hall has limited seating for parents who wish to quietly stay and watch. At pickup and dropoff times, please keep your voices down as conversations disrupt our ceremonies.

ATTENDANCE

Please advise us if your Beaver cannot attend a meeting. You can use email or Scoutstracker to confirm attendance. We purchase supplies and prepare activities based on the number of youth registered.

We make every effort to plan well in advance and any weekend activities will be on our group calendar as soon as scheduled. Please be aware when planning your child’s other activities that in springtime we usually have fun weekend/outdoor events and adventures that take place on a couple Saturdays a month.

Our meetings and weekend activities help your child meet badge requirements. You can see what requirements will be targeted by checking Scoutstracker one week before the activity.

If there is an issue that is preventing your Beaver from attending meetings, please tell a Scouter.

FEES

The registration fee that you paid for your child to join is typically distributed between the group and various Councils of Scouts Canada. This fee enables the various levels to develop program resources, provide training and support for the leaders, and provide insurance coverage for all registered members.

Special events and outings may require additional fees. Please note that no child will be denied the opportunity to have fun in scouting because of money. Please see any leader if there is ever an issue with the amount or timing of fees.

In addition, we collect “DUES” of $30 per year from each child. This money is used to provide craft materials/supplies and snacks for the children. You can choose how you will pay: Seasonally ($10 each season, collected September, December, March) or Yearly ($30 due December 3, 2019).

REGISTRATION FORM

We depend on the information you provided in the Registration form. If there is a change to your contact information, the emergency contact information, the medical information etc it is essential that you tell us and update myscouts.

To ensure your child’s safety and comfort, you must advise us of any concerns related to:

• Allergy
• Medical
• Behavioural / Learning
• Diet (eg No Milk, Vegetarian, No Pork)
• occasional things like frequent nosebleeds, bedwetting or night terrors

We would like to be prepared appropriately to handle potential situations at camp or overnight events without causing them any stress or embarrassment.

FUNDRAISERS

Fundraising, like Apple Day, Popcorn, and Bottle Drives, is very important to our group. It helps bring down the cost of programming such as outings, activities, camps, crafts, etc so that every child is able to participate. Everyone including parents and siblings helps out with fundraising. 

YOUR SCOUTERS

All of the Scouters for this group are volunteers and are paid nothing but smiles for their time, mileage, efforts, etc. Throughout the year they put in many additional hours on top of the weekly meeting times in order to set up crafts, activities, fundraisers, camps, etc for your children, cutting into their own personal family time. We always appreciate it when parents offer a helping hand, for example helping the kids paint Beaver Buggies one night or staying a bit later and helping with the Bottle Drive Clean Up etc.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

We will participate in important Community Events that we would like to encourage our families to attend. In November, we participate in the Remembrance Day Procession and Ceremony at the Cenotaph at Bonsor. Community service such as garbage pickup, salmon releases, and invasive plant removal or tree planting are all potential parts of our program. There will also be events hosted by the Jubilee United Church. These events are important to us to give back to our community and show our respect.

GROUP COMMITTEE

The last Monday of every month, the Group Committee meets to discuss 1SW activities and plans. Parents are part of the Group Committee and are invited to attend.

CONCERNS

If you have a group management, child safety or child well-being concern about our Scouting group, please tell us right away so that we can address it.

Contact the Contact Scouter (Rosie), or any 1SW Scouter you feel comfortable with, about your concern.

You can also contact our Group Commissioner, Alan Dawson, directly, to discuss your concern. His contact information is available in myscouts.

QUESTIONS

Your scouters and group committee are always available to answer your questions and hear your comments to help you and your child get the most out of this program.

We hope you and your child enjoy the adventurous world of Beavers!