New den leader information
Thrown to the tigers? Feeling a bit lost? This page is a collection of some information that you’ll find useful in getting your den up and running, and understanding your and your den’s role in the pack.
Den administration
Make sure to get your hands on the Packmaster program as soon as possible. The Committee Chair can supply you with a CD to install it (it will only work on a Windows PC, and requires an internet connection). Packmaster is our pack’s central repository of information about scouts and their families: up-to-date contact information, den assignments, and advancement details. It’s a good place to go to find phone numbers, but more importantly, it’s where you will enter your cubs’ progress as they complete achievements, belt loops and pins, and other milestones. The Advancement Committee uses this information to prepare for the advancements presented at the monthly pack meetings. The deadline for entering advancement information is sometime during the week preceding the pack meeting - ask the Advancement Chair for details.
Den meetings
Your den will typically meet four times per month - once with the full pack at the monthly pack meeting, on Tuesdays starting at 6:30 pm, and three times just as a den. For tiger dens, one of the den meetings is often a Go-see-it - an opportunity to learn and have fun on a field trip.
The remaining den meetings typically take place on weekday evenings. Many dens choose to meet on Tuesday evenings, but any timing that works for the leaders and all the boys and families in the den is fine. Some dens meet at Camp Spirit, while others convene at local churches or other locations. The Committee Chair and Cubmaster will be able to help you arrange a location.
Get help from cub families
You don’t have to do everything yourself! Cub scouting is a family-oriented program. Try to get families involved early, and keep them involved in their son’s scout activities. You can draw on the skills and talents of family members. Cub scouts will have a more varied and exciting range of activities and experiences, and you won’t have to do it all yourself. A good way to set the stage is to have families fill out Family Talent Forms early in the year, and arrange for a role they can play in an upcoming den meeting.
Working with the Pack Committee
As a leader in the Pack, you are a member of the Pack Committee. The committee meets once a month (usually on the first Thursday of the month) to discuss all pack business. While some of the discussions will not be directly relevant to your den, attending these meetings is essential to keeping up with what’s going on with the pack as a whole. You’ll learn about pack meeting themes and activities, council events, and fundraiser information. Most of this information eventually finds its way to all leaders and cubs in the pack, but you’ll know earlier if you attend the meetings. You can also bring up any questions or concerns that you have, or that are raised by families of cubs in your den.
Training
Youth Protection Training; New leader essentials; Cub Scout leader specific training; Minsi Trails link; online training website olc.scouting.org; Baloo;
Working towards rank
All new cubscouts must first obtain their Bobcat rank before working towards other ranks. The requirements for Bobcat are fairly straightforward - they can be easily introduced and practiced in den meetings, but will also require some work at home on the scout’s part to memorize the Promise and the Law of the Pack, and to complete the Protection from abuse requirement with their adult partners. Some cubs will quickly demonstrate all requirements and attain their Bobcat within a few months. The December pack meeting is a good target for all cubs in a Tiger den to receive their Bobcat badge.
With Bobcat achieved, the next goal is to complete the requirements for your cubs to achieve the badge for their rank - for example, Tiger Cubs will work towards their Tiger badge. The requirements for each rank are clearly spelled out in the handbook for that rank, which cub scouts should take to all den meetings. Make sure to familiarize yourself early on with all of the requirements. Some can be completed anytime, in any setting, but others work best outdoors, which makes them difficult to complete in late fall or winter - these need to be done before the days get short and cold (that is, very early in the scouting year), or in spring - when you may find yourself struggling to meet all the stray requirements. A little planning goes a long way!
What’s in a den meeting?
Online resources
Annual events
There are plenty of fun events and activities that boys look forward to year after year - you’ll hear lots of references to these all along. You can find a summary of the more important ones on the activities page.
Den dues
As den leaders, you’ll make expenses to keep the den going, such as purchasing craft and scout-skill supplies, incentives for your cubs, or paying for a field trip. These expenses are offset by den dues; every cub in the pack pays an annual fee for den dues in September. A fraction of these dues covers direct per-cubscout expenses incurred by the pack, the remainder (currently $20 per scout) is transferred to the den leaders. You need not formally account for your expenses, but it can’t hurt to keep track. Although due in September, den dues tend to trickle in, sometimes following the distribution of popcorn  proceeds - leaders may not receive the full amount until December.