Cub Scout Spring Recruiting: How To JSN Timeline

by | Mar 13, 2023 | Cub Scouts, NL 2023-03 Main

Join Scouting Night (JSN)

Thank you to all of you that came out to the March Roundtable! We had a great discussion about the upcoming spring recruiting season and reviewed how to spruce up your recruiting efforts now that we have a renewed partnership with Leander ISD. For any of you that missed it, here is some important information about how to launch your spring recruiting experience….

First things first… visit the Resource Center for all thing recruiting! Recruitment | Boy Scouts of America (scouting.org)

Spring Recruiting Timeline

Set your schedule (ASAP)

Setting your JSN date, time and location is best completed during your annual program planning period.

Reserve your location

  • JSN’s are typically held in the elementary school cafeteria you are recruiting from. This space will need to be reserved, in advance, to have it available for your JSN event.  Reach out to your designated elementary school principal (or their assistant) to get on the calendar and to secure the reservation.  (NOTE:  Due to weather considerations, it is best to plan your JSN indoors!!)

Communicate with your District Team (1 – 2 months prior to JSN)

Prior to spring and fall JSN periods, your District Membership Coordinator, (Bianca Beadles) will reach out to you regarding your JSN information. This information is required for the District Executive (Justin Brundin).

  • Date & Time
  • Location
  • Goals – How many new youth do you expect to join?
  • Also, let us know your needs for flyers and stickers.
  • What is your plan for a secondary JSN opportunity?

Finalize Plan with Pack Leaders (During Pack committee meeting prior to JSN)

Coordinate with pack leadership to determine who will help with JSN and how.

Determine what adult volunteer positions need to be filled and what Pack dues should be collected at JSN.

You need someone to…

  • Welcome families to the JSN, instruct them to sign in and visit each of the stations at their own pace.
  • Have a representative at each of the stations to visit with the families
  • Pack Membership Coordinator and Treasurer are posted at last station to take care of apps and money

Marketing, Marketing, Marketing (3 Weeks prior to JSN)

Marketing material (Coordinate with your District Membership Coordinator, (Bianca Beadles) and your District Executive, (Justin Brundin) 3 weeks prior to JSN)

  • Flyers (Place in Wednesday Folders immediately prior to JSN) – Some schools don’t allow flyers in Wednesday folders. If you ask the office, they will follow policy, which is likely no.  Get a WatchDog dad, or PTA representative to make an appointment with the school principal.  Sit down and have a face to face with your principal.  Let them know how important those Wednesday Folders are for our event, and that Peachjar is not effective.  Ask the principal for permission to insert flyers in Wednesday folders.  While you are there, ask the principal what service projects your Pack can provide for your host school.
  • Scout Talk Stickers – Hand out to kids during your Scout Talk Sessions, ideally on the day of the JSN event. Get permission to pull older scouts out of class to tell Kinder and 1st grade classes about all the fun of Cub Scouts.

Yard Signs (1 Week prior to JSN) – You can usually pick up 2 new yard signs from the district prior to each JSN event. Save them and you will eventually have enough to fill your neighborhood!  Please include the city sign permit on your yard signs.  (Justin Brundin coordinates with Cedar Park on behalf of all our Packs.)

Post on all social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Nextdoor, etc. Re-post often! The more you advertise, the better it will be.

  • Create an event in Facebook
  • Have your families post on Next Door

Get the entire Pack to wear uniforms to school on the day of JSN.

Prepare your Material (Week of JSN)

Trifold boards will be provided by North Shore District. Please coordinate with Justin Brundin, District Executive.  (Justin.Brundin@scouting.org)

Youth and Adult Applications

  • Set up your Be A Scout Pin to allow you to accept online application to eliminate paper applications
  • Have laptops or tablets on hand for people to register at your event or help them do it on their phone
  • Square reader or cash box to accept payment for those that want to register on paper applications

Sign in Sheet (name, email, phone and youth grade)

Information handouts, calendar of upcoming events, flier for the district recruiting events,

  • Don’t forget to add your contact information to all your flyers and handouts!

T-shirts (field uniforms) or other pack swag?  Do you plan to sell t-shirts during your JSN?

Props – Tent, camping chair, fishing poles, pinewood derby cars, cubmobiles, etc. Have a visual representation of the adventures available in Scouting.

 

JSN Event

Arrive early to get setup

Have a great event

After

  • Enter scout and parent information into ScoutBook as soon after event as you can. Include note welcoming family to the pack.
  • Communicate with Pack leaders regarding new youth and their families, especially in regard to new or potential adult volunteers.
  • Send a follow up email &/or phone call to any families that did not join. Let them know how they can connect with you to get signed up.
  • Turn in apps to scout office.
  • Advertise secondary JSN opportunity.

Let District Membership know how we can help.

Questions? Contact Bianca Beadles (Northshore District Membership Coordinator)