Information for Chester Girl Scout Leaders

General Information:
Leader meetings are held monthly on the 1ST Thursday of the month, unless you are notified otherwise. If you are not available to attend, please have someone there to represent your troop (co-leader, parent, etc.)

Each troop must have a minimum of 2 leaders or 1 trained leader and a parent helper. 2 Adults MUST be present at every meeting or event.

Leaders are required to take Orientation, Troop Essentials and Leadership Essentials Training.  Also, 1 adult is required to be CPR/First Aid certified if you plan on going on any field trips. (does not have to be the leader, but this person must be present on all trips).  Nancy is a council trainer, so if you need a training class, please notify her and she can schedule something that is convenient for you.

1. Orientation - This is an overview of what it means to be a Girl Scout Leader and what Girl Scouts stands for. It is given by your Service Unit Manager and must be completed before you attend Essentials of Leadership.

2. Troop Essentials- This is Council level training. This training is designed to give you the basics of being a Leader. Upcoming Schedule available at:

https://www4.e-council.net/code/onlinereg?council=125 

(click on Adult Training)


3. Leadership Essentials: This is Council level training. It goes into more specifics of the Girl Scout Leadership Program and gives you information on the Journey and program for the level you are leading. See above link for schedule of classes.

4. First Aid/CPR- In our council a troop must have a First Aid/CPR trained adult present at all activities away from the normal meeting place. The Chester Fire Dept. offers ongoing training.


On the Chester Girl Scouts web site you will find leader meeting minutes, helpful links and forms. All troops are also invited to create their own web site. See Nancy for more info on this.

Registration - Each girl must pay a $10 per year registration fee to Girl Scouts. Adult Girl Scouts (Leaders, Cookie Managers, etc.) must also pay the $10 registration fee. Financial Aid is available from council for this.

Dues - (the money that parents pay to support the troop) Dues cover the cost of patches, craft supplies, etc. Dues should not be more than $2 per week. You will need to set up a checking account at Citizens Bank for your troop (or transfer a current account to your name if you are taking over an existing troop). You are also required to keep financial records of all money collected and all expenses. Contact your Service Unit Finance Manager for more information on keeping financial records. An annual financial report is due in June every year.

FOR DAISY TROOPS: Daisy troops collect dues directly from the parents. You should decide ahead of time how dues will be collected.  (Monthly is probably easiest)  The Daisy scouts may not participate in any money-earning project including the fall fund-raiser and the cookie sale. Parents of Daisy Girl Scouts may hold their own money-earning event if they choose. It must follow the GSUSA guidelines for money-earners.



Community Service Projects - Community service is an important part of being a Girl Scout. You should try to organize at least one project for your troop to do each year. At the end of the year, you will be asked to complete a Service Project Report Form.

Some ideas are:

  • Make cards for a Veteran’s hospital, children's hospital, nursing home, etc.
  • Practice holiday songs and head to one of the places above and sing a holiday program.
  • Collect toiletry items and give them to a crisis center or homeless shelter.
  • Collect needed baby items (wipes, diapers, powder) and give them to a homeless shelter.
  • Organize and run a gently used coat drive and donate the coats.
  • Collect toys for "Toys for Tots"
  • Clean up at the school/church/building where you meet.
  • Collect and send needed items to our Military Troops overseas.
  • Collect needed items and food for a local animal shelter.
  • Check with Senior citizen groups in your area to see if you can "adopt a grandparent" or help them in some way.
  • Check with the local Lion's club or other organization to see if you can work with them on upcoming projects

 

Uniforms - The Girl Scout uniform consists of a tunic, sash or vest for your level with your own khaki pants and white shirt.  This uniform is required when girls are representing girl scouts on outings and at ceremonies.  Uniforms and other accessories can be purchased at "Our Store" at the Bedford Service Center or online at http://girlscoutshopping.com/.


Daisy Tunic


Brownie Vest


Junior Vest


Cadette & Senior Vest

 

 

Levels in Girl Scouting are as follows:

  • Daisy Girl Scouts – K & 1
  • Brownie Girl Scouts – 2 & 3
  • Junior Girl Scouts – 4 & 5
  • Cadette Girl Scouts - 6-7-8
  • Senior Girl Scouts – 9 & 10
  • Ambassador Girl Scouts – 11 & 12


GIRL FORMS:
Permission Slips - Every time that you go on a trip or meet at a time/place that is different than your normal meeting time/place, you need permission slips. These are filled out by the parents and returned to the Leader.

Health History Form - It is very important for you to have an up-to-date health history for each of your girls. Be especially careful about allergies and chronic conditions. You should always have your heath history forms with you. Be careful to keep this information private. New privacy laws require that you not share this information with anyone unless it is medically necessary. We recommend placing the forms in an envelope and writing the girls name on it. If there is a severe allergy (bees, peanuts) just write that on the envelope.

Girl's Record - This form, or some computer equivalent should be kept on each girl. It records all badges earned each year as well as trips and service projects. Some girls have been able to use this form as part of their college application! Keep good records!

TROOP FORMS:
Troop Trip/Activity Alert - This form must be submitted for ANY trip you take outside your normal meeting place. It can be completed online on the FORMS page. If something happens to your group (you get lost in the woods, for example), someone knows exactly where you are and when you planned on leaving and returning. It also covers you as far as insurance goes. Failure to file this form could jeopardize your Girl Scout insurance coverage (personal liability protection) should an injury occur. Please be sure to submit a trip alert for EVERY trip you take.

Annual Troop Bank Account Form - This form is submitted at the beginning of each girl scout year. It keeps the Town Finance Manager up to date on bank account numbers and signers. Each account must have 2 troop signers and a Service Team Member (SUM or Finance Manager)

Year-End Forms - 4 forms are due on June 15th annually. These are the Troop Finance Report, Group Report, Service Project Report Form and the Troop Status Report Form. All can be downloaded from our FORMS page. All are REQUIRED.

Other forms are also available on our forms page such as Financial Aid forms, permission for money-earners, etc.

ANNUAL EVENTS:

Chester Fair:
All Chester troops are invited to march in the Chester Fair parade. Bring your troop flag and a banner if you have one. The parade starts at noon. Please have your girls at the Town Office Complex by 11:30 to line up. We march from the Town Office Complex to the Ball Fields.

Chester Girl Scouts run the Midway games each year to earn money for Camporee. Girl Scouts help run the games. A schedule will be made up at the August leader meeting to fill the time slots for set-up and games running from noon to 6PM. The Chester Fair is held on the Saturday after Labor Day in September.

Fall Fund Raiser:
Girl Scouts do an annual Fall Fund Raiser in September and October. This is an optional sale, however, it is a great way to start off your year. It gives you funds for trips much earlier in the year than the cookie sale. All age levels can participate except Daisy.

We will have a Town Fall Fund Raiser Manager each year. This can be a leader or parent who can volunteer their time to organize the delivery of our orders, help troops with paperwork and file paperwork with council.

Orders arrive in time for Thanksgiving. You will need to have your own Troop Fall Fund Raiser Manager who will fill out your paperwork, help with order distribution to the girls and collect and deposit money owed to the troop.

Investiture:
Investiture is the annual ceremony where we welcome new members into Girl Scouts.  It will be held around Veteran’s Day each year (subject to MPR availability)

All new Girl Scouts receive their Membership Pin and Tab at the Investiture Ceremony.

We will all sing the Girl Scout Law at this ceremony. Please practice it with your girls ahead of time

The Girl Scout Law (sung to the tune of "Home on the Range")

I will do-oo my best (Oh give me a home)
to be Honest and Fair, (where the buffalo roam)
Friendly and He-e-elpful. (and the deer and the antelope play)
Considerate and Caring (Where seldom is heard)
Courageous and Strong (a discouraging word)
And resp-o-onsible for what I say and do. (and the skies are not cloudy all day.)
and to Respect, myself and others (Home, home on the range)
Respect author-a-teee (where the deer and the antelope play)
Use Resources wisely, (where seldom is heard)
Make the world a better place (a discouraging word)
and be a sister to every Girl Scout! (and the skies are not cloudy all day)

Veteran's Day Parade:
All Chester troops are invited to march in the Veteran's Day parade on November 11th. The parade starts at 11:00 am. Have your girls at the Town Office Complex by 10:30 to line up. This is a short parade that ends with a speech given outside the Post Office. There is a gathering after the speech at the Chester Fire Department. Daisy and Brownie families supply the baked goods for this gathering. Have the refreshments at the Fire Department before the parade.

Christmas:
All Chester troops are invited to the annual Chester Tree Lighting and Christmas Caroling sponsored by the Historical Society. It is held on the 2nd Sunday in December. There is a gathering following the caroling inside Steven's Hall. Junior, Cadette, Senior & Ambassador girl’s families supply the refreshments for this gathering. Please drop them off before the tree lighting.

Cookies:
Girl Scout cookies are sold in January every year. We will have a Town Cookie Delivery Manager each year. This can be a leader or parent who can volunteer their time to organize the cookie delivery, help troops with paperwork and file paperwork with council.

Cookies usually arrive at the end of February or beginning of March. You will need to have your own Troop Cookie Manager who will fill out your paperwork, help with cookie distribution to the girls and collect and deposit money owed to the troop.
If you plan to do a booth sale, cookies can be picked up from a cookie cupboard. This is a safer way to do a booth sale. Give the cookie cupboard at least a week notice of your sale so they can have enough cookies available for you. By getting cookies from a cupboard instead of ordering them with your initial order, you are not "stuck" with cookies you do not sell. You can return cases to the cupboard.

Thinking Day:
Thinking Day is February 22 (the joint birthday of Lord & Lady Baden-Powell, the founders of Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts in England). On Thinking Day, the girls are to think about other Girl Scouts and Girl Guides around the world. They get their World Association Pin on Thinking Day (if they haven't received them already). See the Book Ceremonies for Girl Scouts for information on Thinking Day ceremonies to do with your troop.

GS Birthday:
March 12, 1912 is the birthday of Girl Scouts in the USA

Camporee:
All Chester Girl Scouts are invited to go camping together in late May or early June. Planning on the Camporee begins in the fall when a deposit is due to council. 1 or 2 leaders usually plan the Camporee and complete the required paperwork for council. Final planning on the Camporee usually happens at the April or May leader meeting.

At the Camporee, Daisies and Brownies have the opportunity to earn a Try-it badge. Each year we will offer one of the following badges: Earth & Sky, Ready-Set-Go Camping, Outdoor Adventurer or GirlSports. Brownie leaders should not earn these 4 Try-its with their troop during the year. Please save these Try-Its for Camporee. This way, if a girl attends Camporee as a Daisy and 3 years as a Brownie, she will have the opportunity to earn a new try-it each year.

4th grade Juniors will earn on their "Junior Aide" badge by leading the Brownies during their Try-it activities.

5th grade Juniors will work with the Cadettes on a camping or outdoor-related activity.

We also usually do a flag retirement (burning) ceremony at Camporee.

Memorial Day:
All Chester troops are invited to participate in the annual Memorial Day Ceremony held at the Chester Cemetery on the corner of 102 and 121. (across from Spolettes) The service starts at 9AM. If any of your girls would like to do a reading or be involved with the Wreath Laying, this must be arranged with the Lions Club. See Nancy for more info.

Court of Awards (Closing) ceremony:
Our Court of Awards ceremony is held each year in early June. It is held after camporee and before the end of the school year. At this ceremony, girls "Bridge" from one level of scouting to the next.

The SUM will call all bridging girls up to the stage starting with Daisy scouts. Each leader will come to the microphone and call her girls (each by name) over the Rainbow Bridge. There will be girls from the level of scouting they are entering waiting to shake their hand at the other side of the bridge. We usually bridge our troops in numerical order. If scouts have earned the Bronze, Silver or Gold award, there can be a special mention of this at this ceremony.

You will need to prepare a skit with your girls to perform at the ceremony. It is usually a 3 or 4 minute song, dance or performance of some kind. You can do anything you'd like. If you need to have music to accompany your performance, please bring the CD to the ceremony. Leaders often say a few words before the girls perform about what they did during the year.

Leader recognition is also done at the Court of Awards ceremony. If you'd like to nominate someone for the Outstanding Leader  or Outstanding Volunteer award, please send an email to Nancy with their name and why you'd like to nominate them.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Remember, other leaders and your Service Unit Manager are your best source for information. Don't hesitate to ask for help if you need it.

HAVE FUN!

Welcome to Chester Girl Scouts!

HOME