It's taken to a greater extent than fourth dimension than I ever imagined getting this weblog launched! But hither nosotros are amongst my firstly freebie for troop leaders. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 milestone! Recently I began planning for my Brownies to duet to Juniors. While doing this I realized that later on 4 years of beingness a leader, my rear participation was waning too yet my troop had grown bigger. And yesteryear waning I hateful that fifty-fifty though I had parents who were active inwards PTA, schoolhouse functions, & the community, I was finding it hard to fifty-fifty larn drivers for champaign trips. I couldn't fill upwards chair/management positions inside the troop too I was doing equally good much--co-leader, treasurer, recordkeeper, etc. I didn't mind, all the same I realized the to a greater extent than I did the less I did well.
At the same fourth dimension I was aware that many of my girls were getting older, becoming active inwards sports too extra-curricular activities too developing interests similar trip the lite fantastic too gymnastics. Those girls were kickoff to "age out"...literally equally good busy or non interested inwards beingness a Girl Scout. I used to last distressing when a miss would quit or lose interest, too then I realized atrophy is a part of the natural ebb too catamenia of a troop. I ever larn novel girls who real heighten the troop equally a whole. So when boundary registration started a calendar month or hence ago, I sent out an electronic mail indicating it was "that fourth dimension again" too that parents should receive got a conversation amongst their miss almost continuing equally Juniors. While I would always accept a miss dorsum who gave notice, I needed to fix for the futurity equally best equally I could.
So I came upwards amongst the see of a Girl Scout handbook for parents that would outline the dynamics of troop functions. I began searching the spider web for a handbook of sorts that would essentially "reinvest" parents inwards Girl Scouts. Most notably that Girl Scouts is to a greater extent than than an extra-curricular activity. I emphasized that the fourth dimension commitment for Juniors should last taken into consideration when making the determination to motility on. I also instituted a mandatory release of volunteer hours per family. I constitute such a handbook on the Girl Scouts, Hornets’ Nest Council website inwards Charlotte, NC. I adapted it slightly, prettied it upwards amongst fonts too graphics too sent it out inwards the registration email.
The results? The exact v girls I knew were undecided, made the determination to pursue other interests. I didn't receive got to verbalize to the parents almost the lack of volunteerism or to the girls almost what it way to last a Girl Scout. Instead, provided amongst the information, the families made the determination that they couldn't commit to the side yesteryear side degree of Girl Scouts. And that's okay! While I had hoped to expire on the bulk of my girls for equally long equally possible, equally the troop grew, the dynamic became to a greater extent than difficult. In 3 years nosotros went from vi to 8 to 10 to thirteen girls. I stressed almost having plenty drivers to volunteer. I handled electronic mail communication, curriculum, crafts too planned trips. I gathered permission slips, downloaded forms too attended leader meetings. The same parents who never volunteered were also the most probable to RSVP for an trial too and then cancel at the concluding infinitesimal because something came up. It got hence bad I had to inquire for reimbursements for council activities because I was required to pay ahead.
So I adapted too added to the master rear handbook from GSHNC hence that it spans all ages too levels. Feel gratis to personalize it for your troop, peculiarly areas marked yesteryear [brackets]. I used the Girl Scout Omnes font, which tin sack last constitute on the web. The graphics for uniforms too programs at each degree are inwards the dorsum of the manual. You tin sack delete all the ages that don't apply to you. If you lot would rather receive got a pdf copy, I tin sack take away all personalization too render a pdf re-create if I larn plenty requests.
{Click hither to download the [pdf] Troop Parent Handbook}
{Click hither to download the [Word] Troop Parent Handbook}
Enjoy!
