What Does it Mean when We See "Sign Up Night" Calendar Entries for our Pack Number????  It means that a School Sign Up Night for the school or schools noted in the Calendar Entry has been scheduled, either by District Executive Equon Smith in sync with the Pack or by the Pack in sync with Equon. 

What is a School Sign Up Night?  It's one of two types of Sign Up Event -- the other type is a Pack produced Welcoming Fun Event where you invite new families to "test drive" Cub Scouting in your Pack or Den at a location you like.  

• School Sign Up Nights need to be welcoming but rapid, informative but not overloading -- and you're recruiting the whole family, not just the youth, because Packs need Parent Leaders too. 
• Schools want us "in and out" quickly ... most parents want to come in, get the details (this is where having a good one page/two sided flyer that is a "Pack Packet" of information is super helpful to you and them), and then sign up and get home!   
• Invite your Pack Families to attend and help "Welcome" new Families ..
• ... Peer to Peer and Parent to Parent persuasion is Powerful! 

• A Pack produced Welcoming Fun Event on a different day than the School Sign Up Night can be longer and a lot more fun, especially outdoors -- what fun you have is up to you, but see the Sign Up Events page for some ideas).
• Packs schedule their own Pack produced Welcoming Fun Event when convenient for Pack parents and leaders.
• There can be more than one ... before and/or after a School Sign Up Night.
• After a School Sign Up Night, you might include a Pack Parent Orientation on the side while the Cub Scouts do fun things -- maybe fun led by any Scouts BSA Troop you know so that Pack parents and leaders can be all together for orientation.
• Need ideas about Fun Things to Do?  See this menu of Fun, Simple, Easy Activity ideas. 

• For either type of big Sign Up Event, see the plan and script ideas -- the script works with a few engaged volunteers either as a presentation or a "station to station" event.  You can download the script and tailor it to fit your Pack's program and policies. 

But if Equon set up the Sign Up Night, doesn't that mean he will do everything?  No!  It's YOUR Pack and so YOU should own the event and you should be the voice families hear -- let them know your fun activity calendar (easy to copy and edit flyers with activity lists are here), work with them on how you will tell the school families how your Pack operates -- you will know that better anyway. 

Should we just have Leaders show up ... or other Parents and Families too?  Invite your current families to attend -- dub them your "Welcome Team" or "New Member Coordinators" to welcome new families -- and to help with the "one on one" and "peer to peer" connections that will draw families into your Pack, especially to convey the concept of shared leadership, of Cub Scouting as a family program where Every Parent Leads.  So get your current Scouts and Families out there -- they can "sell" the program better than anyone! -- and let Isaiah know your plans, so that he can support you if he talks.

Can Troops Help?  Absolutely.  Maybe by leading the kids in games while the parents listen to the speakers.

More helpful ideas and tools at the Recruiting Tools page (with the download of the Guide to Cub Scout Family Recruiting) and the sub-pages on Making a Calendar of Fun Activities, Flyers and Media to Promote Your Pack, Recruiting Leaders, and Sign Up Events -- don't forget to update your Pack's "BeAScout" pin online -- even if you don't want to turn on "online applications" because you want to collect the "Council Funded" registration fee, you can and should share "what you do" online there and when and where you meet. 

From our Activity Ideas page, here is a starter list of fun, simple, easy activities for Dens and Packs (many work for Troops too), grouped by these Activity Topics below: 

• Outdoor Ideas (Hiking and More)
• Wheels Ideas (Bikes, Skates/boards, Scooters)
• Cooking and Eating Activities
• Water Ideas (Swimming, Boating and More)
• Nature Ideas 
• Special Cub Scout Program Ideas
• Sports Ideas (Many)
• Games Ideas (Many Many)
• Art and Craft Ideas
• Air Ideas (Flying Things)
• Civic Ideas (Servants and Service)
• Field Trip Ideas
• Transportation Activities
• Specialty Activities (Overnighters and Festivals and More)
• Performance Ideas
• Pets and Animal Ideas
• Science Ideas
• Multi-Topic Sites and Lists of Things to Do

One of our Packs has a Photo Page for Southern Crescent District Events at https://pack631.smugmug.com/District-Events (<== click to view), and you can both (1) share pictures found there to tell others about Scouting in the Southern Crescent District, and (2) post your own pictures to be viewed and shared by others.

In the links below, you can access the upload page for various galleries we've created -- with your photos on phone or PC, just click the link and follow the upload instructions: 

• 2026 Cub Twilight Camp at https://Pack631.smugmug.com/upload/QFJtjB/twilight
• 2026 Fishing Derby at https://Pack631.smugmug.com/upload/pW6gMr/fishing
• 2026 Pinewood Derby at https://Pack631.smugmug.com/upload/jhckbg/derby2026
• 2026 District Banquet at https://pack631.smugmug.com/upload/nk4JjR/Banquet2026 
• Southern Crescent District Eagle Brag Board: https://pack631.smugmug.com/upload/JfZD27/Eagle
• Unit Visits (by Commissioners, Committee, District Executive, Others): https://pack631.smugmug.com/upload/XrwWSg/Visits

More are found at Photo Uploads Here.

Highlights of the most recent District News were these (click links for information):  Starting a Pack? Re-Starting a Pack? Check This Out. ... The Atlanta Recruiting Plan is Pack-Run, Year-Round and Local ... and from the week before: Welcome, Families! Adventure Starts Here! Meet and Greet on September 26 ... Excellent Recruiting Opportunity: School Open House / “Sneak A Peek” / Meet the Teacher Days ... Opt In, Opt Out ... Email webmaster@southfultonscouting.com if you need a reminder about the login.

You are invited to check out our Plan Your Best Year in Cub Scouting resource page, including the new Cub Scout Pack Organizing Guide that walks parents and planners through key questions like:

• What Should We Do As A Pack?
• When Should Dens Meet?
• How Often Should Dens Meet as Dens?
• Where Should Dens Meet?
• When Should We Have Pack Meetings?
• What’s Involved in “Advancement”?
• Must All Cub Activities Include “Advancement”?

More in the Cub Scout Pack Organizing Guide.

Dear Cub Scout Leaders (and Commissioners and other District Volunteers who love Cub Scout Leaders): Evolving since 2019 and confirmed by Field Staff in 2024, the Atlanta Area Council Membership Growth Plan for use by Districts and Units is Pack-Run (Troop-Run, Crew-Run), Year-Round and -- because "All Scouting is Local" -- focused on your local program, your local promotions, your local schools and community, your local leader needs, and your local joining events!

Go to the Atlanta Area Council Recruiting Resource Page at scoutingatl.org/recruitingresources where you’ll find:

• a link to the Recruiting Rollout Video at the top of the page
• in the downloads, the Guide to Cub Scout Family Recruiting and Spring + Summer Cub Scout Fun Ideas Guide.

Want Even More? Related pages tie into the Six Steps to Successful and Sustainable Recruiting (why these?  these are what successful Packs, Troops and Crews do):

1. Make a Calendar of Fun Activities that families like – your Pack’s big fun activities that current and future families will want to join -- activities that are fun and enriching for all.
2. Let People Know – Promote Your Pack Program!  There are many ways to let families know what you're doing -- and highlight the benefits of Cub Scouting in your local Pack.  (Don't forget to update your BeAScout Pin and Online Registration Tools)
3. Find More Leaders and Helpers - one by one, find folks who can help your unit out (do this throughout your recruiting process).  That page now has links to the recent Engagement Series Videos and many more resources.
4. School and Community Presence – “Adopt a School” and many many methods to cultivate interest and awareness in your local Pack program, and get more School and Community support.
5. Once you've laid that foundation, have Sign-Up Events: not just School Sign-Up Nights, but Fun Den and Pack Welcoming Events Too!  Any fun den or pack event can be a welcoming joining event ... and not just at "back to school" time.
6. More Fun Events.  Keep expanding and extending your Calendar of Fun Events … want ideas?  See these Fun*Simple*Easy Activities.  Many!  Want Advancement?  We have simpler, easier fun "Assembled" Den Meeting Plans and resources.  

Other Pages cover Parent Orientation and Scouts BSA Recruiting (honestly, the key methods for Troops are like the Six Steps above minus School Sign Up Night because Scouts BSA aged kids will join because they want to not because Dad and Mom want them to).   And the Council's Membership Plan is found in these downloads from the District and Council Tools page -- the Plan includes both a "School Playbook" for Professional and Pack partnership and planning for School Sign-Up Nights, plus The “What Do We Do When We Have No School Access” Playbook.