March of 5th grade is the time when the vast majority of girls and boys join Scout Troops (Scouting has welcomed ALL children for several years now, and the program here is already 30% female). About half of the 5th graders who join Scout Troops have been in Cub Scouts, and half are entirely new to the program.

In the first week of March, all five Piedmont Troops will host open houses for kids and parents to come and experience what each troop has to offer. Prior to that, we are offering a parent information session for Beach parents to learn more to 1) decide if this is something you want to consider, and 2) provide some tips for getting the most out of the open houses and making the best decision for your family. Here’s the info:

Location: Backyard of Beach parent and Cub Scout leader Brad Cardon

Address: 1533 Grand, but go to 50 Cambridge Way to enter the backyard

Date: Thursday, February 12

Time: 7:00-8:00p PM

For: Parents of Beach 5th graders and friends who attend independent schools or live in Berkeley/Oakland

RSVP: Click here to RSVP and to add to your calendar

We will answer your questions and cover as many of the following as possible:

• What is it like for girls to be in Scout Troops?
• My family has no experience in the outdoors. Will you teach my child? Will you really get them off their phone?
• How can my child balance Scouts with sports, academics, robotics, etc?
• What’s with the uniforms?
• How does Scouts develop leadership, executive functioning, and social skills?
• How do students with learning differences thrive in Scouts?
• How does Scouts create inclusive environments for all kids (regardless of differences in race, sexual orientation, gender, religious beliefs, learning and physical abilities, and income)?
• How does Scouts make sure my child is safe?
• How does Scouts facilitate multi-age friendships and connection?
• How are 5th-12th grade Scout Troops different from Cub Scout Packs?
• How should we use the upcoming Troop Open House process to make the best troop decision for our family?