Windsong Service Unit Parent Meeting

1. Windsong Service UnitParent Meeting [Date]

2. 2 Agenda Introductions Overview of the Girl Scouts Troop Information Meetings and Outings Dues and Fees Uniforms Sign up Volunteers!

3. 3 Introductions Name, Daughter’s Name, and Grade Occupation Experience with Girl Scouts What do you expect your daughter get out of Girl Scouts and this troop? What do YOU expect to get out of Girl Scouts and this troop? What word best describes yourpersonality?

4. 4 Girl Scouts Organization WAGGS = World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts WAGGS = World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts

5. 5 Girl Scouts Promise On my honor, I will try: To serve God* and my country, To help people at all times, And to live by the Girl Scout Law. The Promise and the Law are the guiding principles upon which Girl Scouting is founded and serves as the ethical foundation of the organization. The Girl Scouts sign, with the 3 fingers, represents the three lines of the Promise. Is everyone comfortable with the word God? Any concerns?The Promise and the Law are the guiding principles upon which Girl Scouting is founded and serves as the ethical foundation of the organization. The Girl Scouts sign, with the 3 fingers, represents the three lines of the Promise. Is everyone comfortable with the word God? Any concerns?

6. 6 Girl Scouts Law I will do my best to be honest and fair, friendly and helpful, considerate and caring, courageous and strong, and responsible for what I say and do, and to respect myself and others, respect authority, use resources wisely, make the world a better place, and be a sister to every Girl Scout. What line really stands out to you and why? The Daisy petals the girls will be earning represent each line of the law, with the center representing the Promise. Blue: Learning the Promise Light Blue: Honest & Fair Yellow: Friendly & Helpful Spring Green: Considerate & Caring Red: Courageous & Strong Orange: Responsible for what I say and do Purple: Respect Myself & Others Magenta: Respect Authority Green: Use Resources Wisely Rose: Make the world a better place Violet: Be a sister to every Girl ScoutWhat line really stands out to you and why? The Daisy petals the girls will be earning represent each line of the law, with the center representing the Promise. Blue: Learning the Promise Light Blue: Honest & Fair Yellow: Friendly & Helpful Spring Green: Considerate & Caring Red: Courageous & Strong Orange: Responsible for what I say and do Purple: Respect Myself & Others Magenta: Respect Authority Green: Use Resources Wisely Rose: Make the world a better place Violet: Be a sister to every Girl Scout

7. 7 Changes to the Girl Scout Approach Eventual phase-out of older Activity Books, though there will always be patches/badges Replace with “Journeys” Consistent theme throughout all age levels“It’s Your World – Change it!”“It’s Your Planet – Love It!”“It’s Your Story – Tell It!” Each age level has smaller, focused theme Moving towards fewer patches with more meaning

8. 8 Leadership through Journeys Everything we do is geared toward the long-term goal, whether activities, discussions, or outings. This is consistent and progressive throughout all age levels. Use these as evaluations/assessments to see if we’re making progress.Everything we do is geared toward the long-term goal, whether activities, discussions, or outings. This is consistent and progressive throughout all age levels. Use these as evaluations/assessments to see if we’re making progress.

9. 9 Pathways – Ways to Participate CampDay or resident camps with a focus on the outdoors Events (e.g., career day) Special InterestSeries of programs with the same group of girls relating to a specific theme or purpose TravelPlan, earn money, prepare, and participate in regional, national, and international trips Troops Series of programs with the same group of girls over the course of an academic year VirtualOnline participation without regard to geography Girl Scout pathways are nationally consistent yet flexible ways that girls and adults participate and represent a national membership strategy for recruiting and retaining more members. Girl Scout pathways are how we deliver the Girl Scout Leadership Experience to all girls and how we match volunteers to girl preferences for participation—it is our delivery system and our internal way of organizing our offerings. Girls and adults can choose from several pathways both short and long term, including troop, travel destinations, short term program activities, day camp and resident camps, special interest groups, or virtual activity connections. Camp: The camp pathway features day, weekend, and resident experiences that introduce and explore the out-of-doors. A defining characteristic of this pathway is that it is an outdoor, condensed experience. Events: Events are standalone offerings; examples include a career event for Seniors and Ambassadors, or a leadership conference for teenage Girl Scouts. The primary difference between events and all other pathways is that different girls participate in each event, as opposed to one group of girls coming together regularly. Special Interest: Series offerings are a sequence of linked program sessions—offered by councils or community partners—that relate to a specific theme or purpose and feature cumulative, sequential experiential learning. Each girl chooses to participate in the entire series as a complete program package; series offerings may be short-term (for example, six days of two-hour daily meetings) or longer-term (such as meeting every two weeks for twelve weeks). The intent is to engage the same group of girls throughout the entire series of program opportunities. (Note: Series offerings may require a pre-requisite to participate from session to session, because girls build on the skills learned at each session.) Travel: The travel pathway offers girls leadership opportunities and cross-cultural understanding through local, regional, national, and international travel. Girls prepare, plan, money-earn and participate through group travel, council-sponsored trips, or nationally sponsored excursions. The travel pathway also facilitates appropriate progression; for example, younger girls participate in short, local trips to prepare them for longer, international trips as they progress through grade levels. Troop: The troop pathway offers the same group of girls the opportunity to participate in a variety of activities, usually over a span of nine to twelve months. Girls may join at any time during the troop year. Note: A troop that also goes camping or travels as a group is still operating in the troop pathway (not the camp or travel pathways). Virtual: The virtual pathway is an online Girl Scout community that provides girls with the opportunity to participate in Girl Scouting without regard to geographic location. Participation is through a Web-based platform developed by GSUSA and includes interactive and high-quality program activities in a safe, secure online environment.Girl Scout pathways are nationally consistent yet flexible ways that girls and adults participate and represent a national membership strategy for recruiting and retaining more members. Girl Scout pathways are how we deliver the Girl Scout Leadership Experience to all girls and how we match volunteers to girl preferences for participation—it is our delivery system and our internal way of organizing our offerings. Girls and adults can choose from several pathways both short and long term, including troop, travel destinations, short term program activities, day camp and resident camps, special interest groups, or virtual activity connections. Camp: The camp pathway features day, weekend, and resident experiences that introduce and explore the out-of-doors. A defining characteristic of this pathway is that it is an outdoor, condensed experience. Events: Events are standalone offerings; examples include a career event for Seniors and Ambassadors, or a leadership conference for teenage Girl Scouts. The primary difference between events and all other pathways is that different girls participate in each event, as opposed to one group of girls coming together regularly. Special Interest: Series offerings are a sequence of linked program sessions—offered by councils or community partners—that relate to a specific theme or purpose and feature cumulative, sequential experiential learning. Each girl chooses to participate in the entire series as a complete program package; series offerings may be short-term (for example, six days of two-hour daily meetings) or longer-term (such as meeting every two weeks for twelve weeks). The intent is to engage the same group of girls throughout the entire series of program opportunities. (Note: Series offerings may require a pre-requisite to participate from session to session, because girls build on the skills learned at each session.) Travel: The travel pathway offers girls leadership opportunities and cross-cultural understanding through local, regional, national, and international travel. Girls prepare, plan, money-earn and participate through group travel, council-sponsored trips, or nationally sponsored excursions. The travel pathway also facilitates appropriate progression; for example, younger girls participate in short, local trips to prepare them for longer, international trips as they progress through grade levels. Troop: The troop pathway offers the same group of girls the opportunity to participate in a variety of activities, usually over a span of nine to twelve months. Girls may join at any time during the troop year. Note: A troop that also goes camping or travels as a group is still operating in the troop pathway (not the camp or travel pathways). Virtual: The virtual pathway is an online Girl Scout community that provides girls with the opportunity to participate in Girl Scouting without regard to geographic location. Participation is through a Web-based platform developed by GSUSA and includes interactive and high-quality program activities in a safe, secure online environment.

10. 10 General Troop Information [Enter Meeting Day and Time] [Enter Meeting Location] [Enter Frequency of Outings] [Enter Leader(s) Names and Contact Info]

11. 11 Typical Troop Meeting Structure Pre-Meeting Opening (~5 min) Girl Scout Circle (~10 min) Program/Journey Activity (~20 min) Clean-Up (~5 min) Sharing Time (~5 min) Snack Time (~10 min) Closing (~5 min) Obviously time allocated will fluctuate based on the objectives, activity, etc. Snack time is optional, depending on when you meet.Obviously time allocated will fluctuate based on the objectives, activity, etc. Snack time is optional, depending on when you meet.

12. 12 Troop Dues and Fees Membership Dues - $12 per person Annual dues Goes directly to GSUSA Start-Up Fee - $x per girl Annual fee Establishes troop funds for general supplies, patches, pins, outings, etc. Troop Dues - $x per girl Each troop meeting’ Replenishes troop funds May decrease as money is earned bythe troop with cookie sales, etc. Recommend $5-10 troop start-up fee to give you a pool of money to work with to buy patches, pins, program materials, etc. Recommend $0.50-5 per meeting to keep troop funds going. New troops typically have higher dues until proceeds from product sales come in.Recommend $5-10 troop start-up fee to give you a pool of money to work with to buy patches, pins, program materials, etc. Recommend $0.50-5 per meeting to keep troop funds going. New troops typically have higher dues until proceeds from product sales come in.

13. 13 Uniform (Parents to Purchase) Tunic ($13) Insignia Tab ($2.50) Flag Patch ($1.75) Troop 1071 Numbers ($5) Daisy Activity Book ($8.25) Daisy Journey Book ($7) Total = $37.50 + tax All available at Council Store

14. 14 Troop Will Purchase Pins Patches Awards All (or subsidize) event and outing fees Supplies and materials for activities

15. 15 Adult Volunteers Absolutely ESSENTIAL to keep the Girl Scouts running efficiently and effectively Any adults can volunteer – parents, extended family, friends, community members, etc. Lead by example Unforgettable experience that forever shapes your relationship with your daughter and other girls whose lives you touch

16. 16 Troop Committee Assistant Leader(s) / Co-Leader(s) Cookie Chair(s) Fall Products Chair(s) Events/Outings Chair(s) GIFTs for Girls Chair(s) Volunteer Coordinator Whether you fill all of these positions is up to you. At the very least, each troop should have a product sales chair (cookie and/or fall products) because those are pretty hefty responsibilities.Whether you fill all of these positions is up to you. At the very least, each troop should have a product sales chair (cookie and/or fall products) because those are pretty hefty responsibilities.

17. 17 That’s a wrap!