FAQ

GENERAL

Is our troop required to attend SU events?

No, Service Unit events are set up for your convenience, but Attendance by your troop is NOT required.

What is the Safety-Wise Book?

It is your Girl Scout Bible, it will show you dos and don'ts of Girl Scouting. What safety precautions you need to follow. It is also like the American Express, "You can't leave home without (referring to) it."

LEADER’S MEETING

Why should I attend Leader's Meeting?

At these meetings you become informed about things that are going on in our Service Unit as well as the entire council, and it also gives you the opportunity to learn and benefit from the experiences of other leader, new and experienced. All leader's should attend leaders meetings. In the case of an emergency and a leader can not attend, a parent may be sent in their place.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

Can I use a copy of a FA request as payment for an individual girl or girls to attend a SU event?

Payment is required to SU as normal and either the troop or the parent is to be reimbursed. SU cannot be responsible for paying for a girl to attend an event with the possibility that council may give no FA.

Can you get financial aid for both the SU Camp and the SU horseback riding or is it either one or the other?

Per Tanya Plumb in charge of financial assistance with council. If horseback riding is a planned activity for your Service Unit Camp Out.....It would be included as an eligible request for Financial Assistance.

Who can I call at Council for help with Financial Assistance?

Tanya Plumb at Girl Scouts of Tejas Council
Phone: 972-349-2417
Fax: 972-349-2497
Email: tplumb@tejasgsc.com
Location: Summerside Service Center

TRAINING

May we spend troop funds for leader training?

Yes you may use troop funds to cover leaders training, remember that council also has financial assistance available to help with these expenses too.

What all training is required as a leader or co-leader?

Getting Started and Program Age Level Training are required within the first six months of being a leader. Then you can than start getting all the bell and whistle additional training that you want. A leader will not be reappointed if it is not done by the end of the registration year

Who do I notify after I have taken a training class?

You need to notify your Service Unit's Adult Development Specialist.

FORMS

Are parent permission slips needed for every field trip or outing?

Yes you need a parent permission slip, for any field trip or outing that takes you away from your normal meeting place.

Can I do one permission slip that would cover all field trips and outing for the entire year?

NO, you must do a separate parent permission slip for each field trip and outing. You may want to assign this task to a parent, this will take this job off of your leaders.

Can the activity approval form be added to the website?

No, since it has to be completed in triplicate.

How far in advance should that activity approval form be filled out and approved?

They must be done in time for the Troop Consultant to sign them AND for them to arrive at council BEFORE the event or field trip.

How long is the girls health history forms good for?

One Year

When do I need an Activity Approval Form signed?

Click here for more information about Activity Approval Forms.

CAMPING

How do I register for Council Camp Sites?

There is a camp reservation request form that you can download off of Council website under forms or find in the back of your TIPS book. Remember there are certain months that Service Units have priority for Council Camp Site and certain months that Troops have priority. Check your tips books for this information.

RECOGNITIONS

My girls want to do a religious recognition. I am not sure what all I need to do. I can't seem to find much info.

You can find requirements, and who is eligible for each religious recognition on the below websites, just click on Recognitions and Emblems, then you can search by religion.

<a href="http://www.praypub.org/main_frameset.htm" target="_blank">http://www.praypub.org/main_frameset.htm</a>

For Catholic Recognitions go to the below website:

<a href="http://www.nfcym.org/2001/nccgscf/recognition.html" target="_blank">http://www.nfcym.org/2001/nccgscf/recognition.html</a>

TROOP INFORMATION

What do most troops charge for start up fees and dues?

It really depends on if your troop is brand new and how often you are planning on meeting. Your troop consultant or mentor will be able to make some suggestions.

What things should I have with me during each meeting?

Safety Wise Adults, First Aid Kit, Health forms on all girls and leaders, Permission Slips as needed, Emergency Contact Information on all girls and leaders.

TROOP FUNDS

Does Cookie Profit that is earn by an individual girl go with her if she decides to leave the troop?

No, those funds will stay within the troop and be used for troop things, etc as a whole. Any troop earning project stays within the troop. If a troop disbands, the money left in the troop account, be it cookie or otherwise, will go to the troops that the girls are placed in.

May we spend troop funds for leader training?

Yes you may use troop funds to cover leaders training, remember that council also has financial assistance available to help with these expenses too.

CONFLICTS

Who do I contact if I have any conflict between leaders or leaders and parents?

You would contact your Troop Consultant, they will see what can be done and help you handle this situation.

FIELD TRIPS

How many adults do I need at my meetings or on field trips?

You must have safety wise Adults, depending on your troop size will be no less then than two. Consult your safety wise for more specific information.

DAISIES

More Suggestions for RED PETAL Courageous and Strong.

6. how about talking about everyday courage--standing up
to bullies, not following the crowd and saying hurtful things to people who are different, doing the 'right'
thing instead of the easy choice. these are all examples of strength and courage

7. (from an Austin leader) I was a Daisy leader last year and this is what I did for the red petal.
We were studying Germany for Thinking Day and we just happened to have a great German Restraunt in a small town near by. I took the girls there and those that showed up had a blast. I called them ahead of time and explained what we were doing. Even better it was near Christmas time. The restraunt gave a table in a corner near the buffet table. Something new they were trying. Worked for us. The waitress also fixed a folder
about Germany, with a small dictionary, receipes and Christmas traditions. The girls also got a glass pickle. (A tradition in Germany with the
Christmas tree.) The girls got complimentary dessert. The also tried every one else's food and dessert.
Those that showed I have them their red petal for being couragous and strong by trying something new and different.

8. RED - Courageous and Strong
My girls earned this petal as they practiced for their bridging ceremony. We talked about how it is sometimes scary to get up in front of people and that it takes "courage" and "strength". Then, we practiced our ceremony until everyone felt comfortable with their parts.

9. We play a game called emotions. It requires the girls to pick out of a hat a paper that has an emotion on it, like:

Happy

Sad

Mad

Glad

Excited

Hurt

etc.

We had adults help with the reading and each girl had to stand in front of the group and act out the emotion with out talking. If your girls are shy, it could take quite a bit of courage to stand up there and do that in front of everyone.

We also do things with our sister troop and for them to be in front of other people they don't know is quite courageous.

Another great idea I’ve heard about is having a fashion show

Try different foods that the girls have never eaten before

10. Courageous and Strong can be a LOT of different things to different girls!

Trying a new food without making a face Talking in front of a group
Sticking up for a friend in front of your peers Doing what is right, when your friends are aksing you to misbehave Asserting your rights when being ignored Trying something new

Perhaps having the girls individually decide what is hard or scary for them, and putting on a short play of how to be courageous and strong in that situation?

Or, ask the girls! You might be surprised at their ideas! Even 5 year olds have vivid imaginations, and if they have already done a few petals, perhaps they can guide you this time! That is courageous and strong all by itself!

For the Red Petal we looked at heroes. We brainstormed on the qualities that these heroes had that made them special enough to be called a hero. We also talked about how each one of us could be a hero.

My troop need some suggestions of what girls can do to earn their RED PETAL for Courageous and Strong?

1. Think about what courageous & strong might mean to a 5/6 year old. Speaking in public. Talking to adults. Advocating for a cause. Pulling their first tooth. Learning to be safe with strangers, in public, etc.

2. There is a great compilation of ideas for Daisy leaders on our SU 155 website. It has ideas for all the petals. Just go to: http://www.geocities.com/tejas155/
The Ideas booklets are in the Leader Resources section under Leader Goodies from the Internet.

3. For the strong part, we played jump rope and various other physical activities. For the courageous part, we sat in a circle. Each girl had a chance to say something about themselves that made them courageous. We pointed out that different things take more bravery for some than others. Some of the girls were brave just to stand in the circle and talk to the group.

4. They could visit a Firestation and have the men talk about what they do or a police station and the firemen have videos on fire safety & this could help the girls be in the right frame of mind if there was an emergency to be "courageous
& strong".

5. Have they all had their shots? Maybe an educational field trip to a
doctor's office or shot clinic would do?

BROWNIES

Who do I call for help?

You would contact your Troop Consultant or any Team Member, they will do whatever is needed to help you or find out who can help you.

JUNIORS

No FAQ found.

CADETTE AND SENIORS

No FAQ found.

CRAFTS

No FAQ found.