CONGRATULATIONS to All 

GRADUATES

Welcome to the Western Shore District

"Western Shore - BSA"

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News FLASH News FLASH: 

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Western Shore District held it's annual Awards Dinner

Wednesday 24 April 2013.

The District would like to Thank all the many Volunteers that make Scouting and the Scouting Program such a SUCCESS in St. Mary's and Calvert County. If you weren't able to attend here is what You missed, and we hope to see you next year:

DISTRICT DINNER April 2013 Photos

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BSA Social Media and Youth Protection Guidelines

Scoutmasters/Crew Advisors/Team Coaches & Committee Chairs:

Please take a few minutes during your next Troop/Crew/Team/Committee meeting to discuss and reinforce the BSA Social Media and Youth Protection Guidelines.  Share this information with all of the parents in your unit.  In particular, please reinforce the following policy when Scouts are communicating with any Adult Scouters via e-mail:

“Abiding by the “two deep” leadership policy that governs all Scouting activities also applies to use of social media. Two-deep leadership means two registered adult leaders, or one registered leader and a parent of a participating Scout or other adult, one of whom must be 21 years of age or older, are required for all trips and outings.

“As it relates to social media, two-deep leadership means there should be no private messages and no one-on-one direct contact through email, Facebook messages, Twitter direct messaging, chats, instant messaging (Google Messenger, AIM, etc.), or other similar messaging features provided through social media sites. All communication between adults and youth should take place in a public forum (e.g. the Facebook wall), or at a bare minimum, electronic communication between adults and youth should always include one or more authorized adults openly “copied” (included) on the message or message thread.”

The entire policy statement can be found on Scouting.org at:

(http://www.scouting.org/sitecore/content/Home/Marketing/Resources/SocialMedia.aspx) or on the Western Shore Website Social Media Guidline tab.

The District Eagle Advancement Representatives have noticed a marked increase in Scouts not adhering to this policy when contacting them regarding the Eagle Scout Service Project.  Remind your Scouts that this applies to all e-mails, not just the initial one and to include an authorized adult in reply e-mails as well.

Your assistance is greatly appreciated!

Yours in Scouting,

Jeffrey W. Dronenburg Sr.

Advancement and Recognition Committee Chairman

Western Shore District, National Capital Area Council

Jeff.DronenburgSr@md.metrocast.net

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WSD 2013 Spring Training

(Updated March 7, 2013)

Like baseball, WSD also has Spring Training. Mark these important dates on your calendars.

·      BALOO, April 13, POC - John Howlin, Location: St. Nicholas Lutheran Church, Huntingtown, MD

·      Den Chief Training, April 13, POC - John Howlin, Location: St. Nicholas Lutheran Church, Huntingtown, MD

·      Boy Scout Leader Specific Training (BSLST), April 13, POC – Jack Culver, Location - SAIC

·      Venture Leader Specific Training (VSLST), April 13, POC – Robin McAlister, Location - SAIC

·      Introduction to Outdoor Leader Skills (IOLS), May 4-5, POC – Jack Culver, Location - Mattapany Camp on NAS PAX.

·      Webelos Leader Position Training, June 1, POC – John Howlin, Location – at the Webelos-a-ree

Flyers for these classes with more details will be available at the March Roundtable, March 13.

Jon Baake

WSD Training Chair

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WSD Weather Hazards Watch Procedures

To All Western Shore District Scouters

Please find the attached Western Shore District Hazardous weather watch procedures that have been approved by our District Committee for use. Please review and use by all WSD-sponsored outdoor event (i.e. Webelos-ree, camporees & day camps) organizers & event directors. If you have any questions please contact me.


YiS,
Dave

David A. Nelsen
WSD Health & Safety Chair 

danelsen@alum.rpi.edu

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BSA has just released a New Merit Badge Counselor form in a fillable PDF format.

http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/34405.pdf

Please check it out and if you have new counselors please have them fill out and

submit the new form to Robbie Miller. If you have any questions contact her at

rmiller49@perrydmiller.net

YiS

Jeffrey W. Dronenburg Sr.

Advancement and Recognition Committee Chairman

Western Shore District, National Capital Area Council

Jeff.DronenburgSr@md.metrocast.net

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Vote scheduled for Thursday May 23rd

UPDATE  19 April:

BSA Membership Policy Resolution Released

The BSA Executive Committee today released its membership policy resolution, which proposes removing the restriction denying membership to youth on the basis of sexual orientation alone, and maintaining the current membership policy for all adult leaders.

For more information please visit the Scouting Magazine blog. If you would like to contact someone at NCAC about this issue, please click here.

Update 6 February:

Boy Scouts to Continue Review of Membership Policy,
Take Action at May Meeting

The Boy Scouts of America’s executive board has directed committees to continue an exhaustive review of the BSA’s policy barring gays and lesbians from the program. The approximately 1,400 voting members of the national council will take action on the resolution at the national meeting in May 2013 in Grapevine, Texas.

Please read the full text of the BSA’s release:

For 103 years, the Boy Scouts of America has been a part of the fabric of this nation, providing it’s youth program of character development and values-based leadership training.   In the past two weeks, Scouting has received an outpouring of feedback from the American public. It reinforces how deeply people care about Scouting and how passionate they are about the organization.

After careful consideration and extensive dialogue within the Scouting family, along with comments from those outside the organization, the volunteer officers of the Boy Scouts of America’s National Executive Board concluded that due to the complexity of this issue, the organization needs time for a more deliberate review of its membership policy.

To that end, the executive board directed its committees to further engage representatives of Scouting’s membership and listen to their perspectives and concerns.  This will assist the officers’ work on a resolution on membership standards. The approximately 1,400 voting members of the national council will take action on the resolution at the national meeting in May 2013.

To send your feedback to National, visit www.Scouting.org/ContactUs

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BSA Membership Policy Review

Dear Western Shore District Volunteers, Leaders, and Parents:

Most of you by now have heard that the BSA is once again looking at potentially changing the BSA membership policy to allow Chartered Organizations more control over who they choose to select as leaders in the units the support.  The review is the result of an increasing number of Chartered Organizations and members asking for the policy to be reviewed.  This is a decision being made by the volunteer national board of the BSA, not paid professionals or local councils. 

Many of you may get requests from the media to talk about the situation.  Please do not feel that you have to respond.  If you choose to do so, please make sure that the media you’re talking to understands that you’re speaking as an individual, not as a representative of the BSA.

If you yourselves have questions, you can talk to me, but understand there is not a lot of information currently available.

We know you are receiving inquires on how to submit feedback to the National Council regarding the ongoing membership standards discussion.

Should you receive inquiries, there are three ways to submit feedback:

• Email Feedback@Scouting.org
• Visit the contact page on Scouting.org at www.scouting.org/ContactUs
• Or Call 972-580-2000

Unfortunately, because of the unusually high volume of incoming messages, we are not able to respond to each communication individually.  When asked, please encourage people to use the contact form on Scouting.org.

Note: If asked, this feedback is for internal use only. The National Council will not be generating or distributing reports based on this information.

Mission

The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.

Wes Haynes  |   Western Shore/Zekiah District Director

                            High Adventure Advisor
BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA
National Capital Area Council

Marriott Scout Service Center
9190 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, MD 20814
C 301-943-8376
F 301-564-3648
E wes.haynes@scouting.org

www.BoyScouts-NCAC.org
www.BeAScout.org
www.boyscouts-ncac.org/westernshore
www.boyscouts-ncac.org/zekiah
www.boysctous-ncac.org/highadventure

Follow us on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/NCACBSA

Support Scouting
United Way #8046  |  CFC #48974

The National Capital Area Council Produces 3 Eagle Scouts a Day!!!

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NEW Annual Health and Medical Record

Please take a look at the NEW Annual Health and Medical Record it is now in English/Spanish along with a more in depth Part “C” http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/HealthandSafety/ahmr.aspx

Don Durbin  |  Program Director
BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA
National Capital Area Council

Marriott Scout Service Center
9190 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, MD 20814
O (301)214-9188 |  C (240)298-8328
F (301)564-9513
E don.durbin@Scouting.org

www.BoyScouts-NCAC.org
www.BeAScout.org

Follow us on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/NCACBSA

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  Do You have WEBELOS or other boys looking for

Boy Scout Troops?

Checkout the Webelos to Boy Scout Troop Directory

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Goshen

Gazette

A Preview Guide for the Summer 2013

2013 Registration is Now OPEN

Click here for Goshen Gazette 10/12/12

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Coming Events: 

Upcoming District Events

District Events Offering Online Registration