Imagine a New Generation of Leaders Who Lead in a New Way Who Lead out of Principle Rather

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WHO WE ARE

Imagine a new generation of leaders who lead in a new way -- who lead out of principle rather than pride, who step across barriers of class and race every day, who seek out the work that needs doing in the world.They are today's Girl Scouts.

Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place.

Girl Scouts isthe best leadership development program for girls. We believe that one girl can make a difference, and that girls together can change the world.

Girl Scouts of Western Washington serves more than 26,000 girls in Kindergarten to 12th gradein western Washington with the help of nearly 13,000 adult members.

Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) has a mission to build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.

Through activities in science and technology, business and economic literacy, and outdoor and environmental awareness,

Girl Scouting provides girls with opportunities for fun and friendship while fostering the development of leadership skills and self-esteem.

Founded by Juliette Gordon Low in Savannah, Georgia, on March 12, 1912—101 years ago—Girl Scouts of the USA was chartered by the United States Congress on March 16, 1950. Today, there are 3.2 million Girl Scouts: 2.3 million girl members and 890,000 adult members working primarily as volunteers.

EMPOWERING GIRLS

In Girl Scouts, girls discover the fun, friendship, and power of girls together. Through a myriad of enriching experiences, such as extraordinary field trips, sports, community service projects, cultural exchanges, and environmental stewardships, girls grow courageous and strong. Girl Scouting helps girls develop their full individual potential; relate to others with increasing understanding, skill, and respect; develop values to guide their actions and provide the foundation for sound decision-making; and contribute to the improvement of society through their abilities, leadership skills, and cooperation with others.

INTERNATIONAL FAMILY

Girls at home and abroad participate introops and groups in more than 92 countriesthroughUSA Girl Scouts Overseas, andover 100 local Girl Scout councilsoffer girls the opportunity for membership across the United States. Through its membership in theWorld Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS), Girl Scouts of the USA is part of a worldwide family of10 million girls and adults in 145 countries.

GIRL SCOUT OUTCOMES

By participating in Girl Scouts, girls gain the specific knowledge, skills, attitudes, behaviors and values outlined in the following 5 outcomes.

TROOP COMMUNICATION

We will be using a closed group on ______(web hosting or social media site) for calendaring, communications and more. There is a very convenient system to track all calendar events, send messages, and share ideas and photos.Most other communications to the troop will take two forms: email and paper (hardcopy).

TROOP MAILBOXES

Please check your family’s Troop mailbox at each meeting. Upcoming events, invoices and other special information will be included. If your daughter earns any badges but is unable to attend the meeting where they are presented, they will be placed in an envelope with her name for you to pick up at the next meeting.

EMAIL

We will attempt to keep email to a minimum and include the most pertinent information for you. Please understand that sometimes there will be a lot to communicate. In most instances, we hope to provide a Newsletter – which this year the girls will help create during our meetings, which will be distributed via either email or hardcopy (or both). It is parent’s responsibility to check their email and review important dates and times for events. Please make sure these items get to your calendar! We will attempt to give you ample warning before an event so you will have the opportunity to plan your personal calendar.

When sending an email please use the following format:

To: Leader & Assistant Leader

Subject: “(Description of Email)” or “(Date - Name of Event)” or “(Daughter’s name and short description of need)”

Body: Please be sure all prior communications attach in the new email when you "reply" so there will not be a need to dig through past emails that can get lost.

PHONE OR TEXT

Please contact the leader at least one hour prior to an event or meeting if your daughter cannot attend. If your daughter is ill and misses a day of school, she should also skip that day for scouts. As much advance warning as possible should be observed by parents. If you are going to an event away from a troop meeting and running late or are lost, please make sure to leave a message or text the Leader(s) if they do not answer the call.

NEWSLETTERS –

As a leadership team, we would like to keep everyone abreast of troop activities on a regular basis, without inundating your email. To do this, we have created a Troop Newsletter. If anyone enjoys writing and would like to assist with this task, we would like you to volunteer. There is a basic outline and the information to add will be provided by the girls during our meetings (minutes), Troop leaders, Service Unit and Council. We appreciate your creativity as well if you would like to add graphics! (estimated 1-2 pages maximum, 3-4 times per year)

General Format:

• Troop News - what we've done, are doing and accomplishments
• Service Unit News
• Girl Scouts of Western Washington News
• Financial update
• Upcoming dates to remember
  

EXPECTATIONS

Your Troop Leaders have volunteered their time to provide fun and educational learning experiences for all of the girls. We ask that families review the following expectations with their daughters to ensure that everyone understands their responsibilities to the Troop. Please remember Leaders are volunteers and not paid for their time.

MISSED MEETINGS

In the event your daughter has missed a meeting and would like to make up the work at home, please email the Leader and you will be sent all the information you will need to turn in. Please be aware of the deadline and be prompt turning in work. There should be ample amount of time and we want to make sure everyone has the opportunity to earn a badge they are truly interested in.

ATTENDANCE

Meetings will start promptly at ___pm and end at ___pm. Pick up is no later than ___pm. Attendance of every meeting or event is not mandatory, but strongly encouraged. We ask for your cooperation in making sure that girls are on time for meetings, field trips and other activities. Girls that are late miss important information as well as become a distraction. Please pick up girls promptly when meetings are over. It can be upsetting for all involved when you are late. If you know you are running late, please call one of us or let us know if someone else will be picking up your girl. We will NOT allow another person to take your Girl Scout unless you have told us specifically! We also appreciate you letting us know if your Girl Scout is sick or you will be gone for a meeting. We worry about all the girls and want to make sure they are ok.

GIRLS

• Wear uniform to events/activities/Troop Meetings/during Cookie Sales. (required unless notified by Leader otherwise)
• Register annually. ($25 per year)
• Learn and follow the Girl Scout Promise.
• Learn and demonstrate behaviors and attitudes that reflect the Girl Scout Law.

FAMILY - As a member of a Girl Scout family...

• We have a genuine concern and interest in our girl’s participation and knowing that our family has the biggest influence on her, we will reflect on the Girl Scout Promise and Law in order to be a positive role model.
• We recognize that Troop Leaders are volunteers and will support those who are working with our child, in order to encourage a positive and enjoyable Girl Scout experience for all.
• We will communicate concerns through proper channels, not in the presence of the girls, and should we have a complaint or problem, we will share a suggested solution.
• We respect that the Girl Scout environment is free from drugs, tobacco, and alcohol and we will refrain from their use at all Girl Scout events.
• We will place the emotional well-being of our child ahead of our own personal aspirations in order to allow our girl to be successful as a Girl Scout.
• If our family decides that the Troop’s schedule, format or program does not meet our needs, I am free to seek another Troop or leave scouting, but we will contact the Leader with our intentions before departing or seeking another Troop.
• We will support the Girl Scout efforts to provide an environment of acceptance for all girls and their families by asking our child to treat others with respect regardless of race, color, creed, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, citizenship, ancestry, physical or mental disability, marital status, veteran status, socio-economic/public assistance status, national origin or any other protected status.
• We will keep our promise of giving at least 4 hours to support our girl and the troop.
• We will read through all forms given to us, sign those needing a signature and return them promptly.
• We will attend Family Meetings, up to three per year, for planning, product sales, and celebrations. Other meetings may be called. Attendance at these additional meetings is not required but we ask that you be respectful of all members by attending.
• We agree to pay Troop dues by the end of each month or in advance for the entire year. We understand that dues will cover the cost for meeting supplies, including emergency snacks, craft supplies, and special events.
• If present, we will monitor our children's behavior at meetings/Girl Scout functions – we understand it is expected that all girls are to be respectful to themselves and those around them. If a girl exhibits destructive or harmful behavior, we understand the leaders will first address the issue privately with us. If the behavior does not improve, we understand our girl may be asked not to participate in certain activities. If others' safety is in question, they may be asked to leave the troop.
• We agree that we will not bring younger siblings to meetings or events unless they will be supervised.

TROOP MEETING SCHEDULE

Meeting Place

1234 Address Ave. Someplace, WA 98111

Day & Date Start Time End Time Event

Wednesday, 09/18/14 7:00 PM 8:00 PM GS Family Meeting

Monday, 09/23/14 6:00 PM 8:00 PM Girl Scout Meeting -

Saturday, 10/05/14 5:00 PM 7:00 PM Service Unit "Bring a Friend" Roller Skating Party (optional)

Monday, 10/14/14 6:00 PM 8:00 PM Girl Scout Meeting -

Monday, 10/28/14 6:00 PM 8:00 PM Girl Scout Meeting -

Monday, 11/04/14 6:00 PM 8:00 PM Girl Scout Meeting -

Monday, 11/18/14 6:00 PM 8:00 PM Girl Scout Meeting -

Monday, 12/09/14 6:00 PM 8:00 PM Girl Scout Meeting -

Wednesday, 01/08/15 7:00 PM 8:00 PM GS Family Meeting

Monday, 01/13/15 6:00 PM 8:00 PM Girl Scout Meeting -

Friday, 01/24/15– Sunday 02/09/14 Cookie pre-sales (collect orders at home)

Monday, 01/27/15 6:00 PM 8:00 PM Girl Scout Meeting -

Monday, 02/10/15 6:00 PM 8:00 PM Girl Scout Meeting -

Monday, 02/24/15 6:00 PM 8:00 PM Girl Scout Meeting -

Friday, 02/28/15 – Sunday, 03/16/14 Cookie site sales (at grocery stores/door-to-door)

Monday, 03/24/15 6:00 PM 8:00 PM Girl Scout Meeting -

Wednesday, 04/09/15 7:00 PM 8:00 PM GS Family Meeting

Monday, 04/14/15 6:00 PM 8:00 PM Girl Scout Meeting -

Monday, 04/28/15 6:00 PM 8:00 PM Girl Scout Meeting -

Monday, 05/12/15 6:00 PM 8:00 PM Girl Scout Meeting -

No workshops or field trips have been scheduled yet, Girl Troop Members will decide and vote –

Events, times and dates will be announced once decision is reached.

CAMPING TRIP *Date TBD by GS Council once paperwork is submitted

Possible dates: ______or ______

EVENTS

Our troop will be doing events and earning badges, patches and pins outside of our regular meetings. We may also have opportunity to participate in Service Unit (all Girl Scout Troops in our area) or Council wide events. There are a lot of things to do in Girl Scouts and we will only get to try some of them! There will usually be a separate cost for these events. Participation is encouraged but not required and you are always welcome to earn what was missed at home so your daughter is not left out but this does take away from the "community" aspect of our troop. You can also decide to attend an event without the troop. Please see the GSWW Calendar for ideas.

INITIAL MEETING FORMAT (subject to change)

• Secretary: 1 person to record meeting minutes Photographer: 1 person to take photos during meeting
• Song Leader: 1 person, choose from 5 songs (rotate at meetings)
• Promise & Law Leader: 1 person to lead the Promise & Law
• Mini-Flag Patrol: 1 captain, 1 color bearer (2 total)
• Patrol Leaders: 3 groups - 1 person (each) to set up supplies and take notes about activity/discussion
• "Leave No Trace" aka Clean-up Captain: 1 person in charge of making sure everyone helps clean up (can assign duties and makes sure everything is completed: floor swept, chairs and supplies put away)
• Closer/Squeeze Starter: 1 person to lead closing ceremony and start friendship squeeze

• Girl Scout Promise & Law

• Flag salute

• What are we doing
• Next Meeting topic
• Upcoming Field Trip/Event

• Girls break into Patrols

• What did you like best about the meeting today?
• What did you not like during today’s meeting?
• What are you looking forward to?
• Is there anything important you would like to share with the Troop?
• Close Meeting (quiet song & friendship squeeze)

AWARDS AND BADGES