Has your troop rearranged patrols?

[Fibonacci]

First, we are a troop with multi-age patrols. I understand troops are roughly equally divided into single age patrol troops and multi-age patrol troops. We have been multi-age for about 4 years, and it is working really well for us. We want to continue.

Because of growth, we now have 41 Scouts in three patrols. Only four will age out next spring. We have two new boys poised to join the troop in the next few weeks. There are 5 - 9 Webelos possibly joining next February - April. By June, there might be 48 boys. This is terrific, and the experienced Scouts are doing a great job welcoming new Scouts all the time. But patrols of 16 sound like too many to be effective.

Has anyone ever experienced a re-distribution or re-assignment of patrols? My husband was pulled from his patrol and assigned to be the PL of a new grouping of Scouts in the mid 70's ~ no input from him but it worked out fine.

Who decides? Is this something the Troop Committee assists with? Does the PLC make decisions, or provide input? Does the SM make all the decisions? Is each Scout asked what he'd like?

How is it done? What are the advantages & disadvantages to mixing up all the Scouts and making four completely new patrols or to selecting a few Scouts from each of the three to make the 4th?

I'd appreciate hearing from folks who have experience or input. My apologies if this information is covered somewhere else; I have searched but can't find anything. I'm also planning to ask this question at the next district Roundtable.

[Mrw]

We have switched patrols around on accasion due to conflicts between boys that we could not solve and due to the need to right-size patrols.

I would suggest the SM bring the question to both the committee and the PLC. The issues not only include making patrols that work together out of the switch, but having enough equipment to outfit a new patrol. Also be prepared to possibly mediate a disagreement on who gets to keep a patrol name or flag as a group gets split out.

Our patrols are currently along age lines and the boys are happy with that. The older patrols have braoder age ranges than the younger ones since they tend to be combined as they start to lose boys to drop-outs over time.

We have four patrols with about 40 currently active scouts.

[jr56]

The problem I have always encountered is this, do you have 16 boys in the patrol on paper, or in reality.
I have found that on any given weekend campout, only about 2/3 of the boys ever attend because of conflicts with family, school, sports, etc.
So there may be 16 boys in the patrol, but it works out ok because we get about 8 on any given campout.
If all 16 boys in that patrol are active, then you have too many to operate effectively.
The best way to split patrols is to let the boys themselves do it, if it becomes necessary.

[FrankJ]

We reshuffle patrols about once a year. Reshuffle might be a strong word, if a patrol is functioning, you do not want to make large changes to it. We have about sixty scouts in our our troop & typically lose a patrol from age outs. Ideally a patrol would be a natural group of boys & take care of itself, but the method needs a little help. The process is guided by the SM & PLC with some input from the ASMs. This is really not a committee thing to me, unless something is not being addressed. It really important to stay focused on what is right & fair for the boys.

[Mrw]

Our committee is invloved in patrol shuffling and re-organizing only to the extent of making sure each patrol is properly equiped. If we feel a need to add a patrol and need to send the quartermaster out shopping, we need to make sure it makes financial sense as well.

[scouter01]

I think patrols should be like 10 ish people we have 40 poeple and 4 patrols

[Chief J]

We have reshuffled patrols several times over the years. This usually occurs with the Oldest scouts in the unit.

When a Webelo's den crosses over, we create a new scout patrol. If we have enough Webelo's we will create two or more patrols. This is also where the new Scouts that were never Webelo's will generally start also.

After awhile, usually around the 2 year mark, we end up consolidationg patrols of the Older Scouts due to attrition. In our troop, this is a function of the PLC under the guidance of the SM.

It has never been a big deal for my older scouts so far.

Chief J

[cescout]

Personally,

I really dislike the way our troop does their patrols, we have 4 patrols with scout ranging in age from 11-17 and all of the youngest ones are all in a patrol with a young patrol leader who doesn't know what he is doing, and all of the younger ones have upper level positions and the oldest ones sit their and get fed garbage, our elections are so scewed, if that is how you spell it I don't care. I extreamly dislike the whole situation, but I try to make the best of it. Also our SPL isn't even there half the time we have weekly meeting and it would be lucky to see him there 1 of thoes, not to metion he is the SM son. I am looking for change next elections

[pipestone1991]

our elections are so scewed, if that is how you spell it I don't care.

Funny how you will correct others but don't care abpout your self.


BTW: Elections is spelled correctly.

[scouter01]

our elections are so scewed, if that is how you spell it I don't care.

Funny how you will correct others but don't care abpout your self.


BTW: Elections is spelled correctly.

offtopic: I think he was refering to "scewed"

ontopic: I htink the parents who participate should choose the patrols since they know what kids do what and what "problems" they have

[WVBeaver05]

ontopic: I htink the parents who participate should choose the patrols since they know what kids do what and what "problems" they have

Not me! Boy lead organization.

Parents who are TRAINED Leaders should provide advice and guidence, but not decide on this or most other things.

IMHO

YiS

[scouter01]

the parents are better suited because they decide on how to place the attitude problem kids. so yes the boys are leading the troop however the parents give the patrols.

[ASM-142]

I think that the scouts decision on the patrol break-up is important. The parents provide transportation and support their opinion is important as well. However, instead of the parents having a direct say in the matter they should talk through their son.

[scouter01]

we have some kids with problems. teretz (sp?) autism...... and then kids with major attitude issues. and I don't feel comforatble having the parents explain to me how exactly the kids issues affects them and how I shoul;d make the patrol. I thinks its best for all.

[RMM]

Our troop is in the middle of reogranizing the patrols at the Scouts request. We have one scout with Tourette syndrome and one who is deaf without his hearing aid. The adults have provided the structure on how the patrols should be reformed with approval of the final outcome. Last night they broke into three patrols and one of the patrols would not be functioning as it included all the scouts who do not attend on a consistent basis. We discussed the problems this may cause and the Scouts are going back to the drawing board.

The main point of the this reply is the Scouts did a fantastic job in forming the other two patrols such that the two scouts with challenges were actively included and a major part of the process. I suggest giving the Scouts a chance to do this and you may be suprised that they do the "right thing." Isn't that what we are hoping to to .. help train future leaders?

Now how to come up with a emblem for a chocolate pudding patrol.......?

[WeeWillie]

We have a middle school patrol (Wolves) and a high school patrol (Dragons). Hopefully we will recruit more Scouts for a 3rd patrol.

[OldGreyBear]

we have rearranged patrols on occassion. Usually, its a situation where we tell the scouts to go to a different place in the room, and get together and elect a Patrol Leader and come back with a PL, APL, name and cheer. SOme guys stay together, others scatter. Not sure having adults determine who your patrol mates will be in a boy lead unit is the most appropriate way of doing things. You may have to limit size, but thats about it

[kimberbakos]

We just had this discussion at our troop committee meeting this week. We have three patrols, one of which is a new boys patrol. What was decided is that the new boys will not stay in that patrol for longer than two years - we don't want 15 year old "newbies". However, if any boy is advancing quickly, they will graduate from the new boy patrol when they complete 1st class.
The adult troop leaders will decide which of the two older boy patrols to put the graduates into, depending both on numbers and leadership within those patrols.

[joat]

However, if any boy is advancing quickly, they will graduate from the new boy patrol when they complete 1st class.
The adult troop leaders will decide which of the two older boy patrols to put the graduates into,

Consider that some boys may want to be in the same group as their friends. If that means avoiding rank completion, so be it.
There's a lot a Scouts on this forum. Guys, how to you feel about the adult committee pulling your best friend out of your patrol?

[ccjj]

We just split our troop into 2 patrols. One patrol is made up of First Class and higher, and the other is Second Class and lower. Once a boy earns First Class, he will have the option of transferring into the other patrol. We feel that a majority of the boys will stay in their current patrol. They are all around the same age, and most of them are friends. While the other patrol is mainly older boys.

ccjj