The troop has been using a PC based program to track the rank progress and advancement needs of your sons. This significant data collection effort has been on the shoulders of Mr Goodwin for many years and more recently jointly with Mr Boyd. The software program, TroopMaster, is the tool that the troop has been using. It is rich in features and easy to manipulate. We now have a way to make all of this information available to you, TroopMaster Web.
When you look at the troop website you will find on the right hand column the area with the heading “Scout Links”. The last item is your direct link to the TroopMaster Website. The first thing you will need to do is setup your access. I’ve placed a copy of Mr. Goodwin’s setup directions on the troop website. See the page listed under “DIRECTORY”, “TroopMaster web setup for Troop 533 Parents”. Click on these and follow the directions.
Why is this effort important?
1 – It is difficult to keep track of all the details for all the scouts who come in and out of the troop. These records help the adult scouters help you sons progress in rank.
2 – We tell the scouts to guard your scout handbook and merit badge blue cards as they are the official verification of all his efforts. You loose them and the effort is also lost. If you have have all of your progress recorded in TroopMaster then you have another method of proving completion of requirements.
3 – The database also has spots to enter your emergency contact information. It is information like this that helps the adult scouters keep the youth protected.
I encourage all parents to take the time to fill in the information blanks and get comfortable with the features of TroopMaster. You will then be able to see how your son is doing and maybe give him that last little nudge to complete the requirements of a rank or merit badge.
Mr. Sikora
