Lakeville Girl Scouts

Getting Started for New Leaders

BECOME A MEMBER

Complete the 2009-2010 Adult Registration Form, including the Volunteer Application on the back side of the form. Submit completed registration form, along with $12.00 membership fee, to your service unit registrar (financial assistance is available).

Please return forms to: Maria Lowry, 23376 Ottawa Ave, Lakeville, MN 55044

Complete a confidential online background check at http://www.girlscoutsrv.org/. Cost is free to volunteers. Password: meffens92 (case sensitive).

ATTEND TRAINING

Complete Girl Scouts of the USA’s online Volunteer Orientation, which is designated to introduce new volunteer to Girl Scouting. To access online Volunteer Orientation, log onto http://training.girlscouts.org./, password: discover. Be sure to use orientation @girlscoutsrv.org to access the Learning Log.
Attend a Fast Start Meeting for New Leaders.

Fast Start Meeting for New Leaders
Description	This session is designed to give you the information and tools necessary to get your troop up and running. Learn whom to contact to support you in your duties, how to hold a family meeting, how to follow GSUSA’s and River Valleys’ safety procedures, how to open and manage a troop bank account, how to register your girls, and how to implement the Girl Scout Leadership Experience: Program Essentials.
Who should attend?	New leaders. One leader per troop must attend Fast Start Training.
Ways to Complete	Fast Start Coach: Michelle Johnson Scheduled facilitated session with a Fast Start Coach One to one training with a Fast Start Coach NOTE: Scheduling and registration are arranged through the service unit
Prerequisites	GSUSA Volunteer Orientation (online self study)
Duration	One and a half hours
Cost	None
Materials to Bring	None. First year Daisy and first year Brownie Leaders will receive their Welcome Kit at the session.
When must this training be completed?	Within four months of being appointed to your position
How often does this need to be completed?	Once

Lakeville Fast Start Coach: Michelle Johnson

Contact Information: MICHELLE.SHAYNE@CHARTER.NET, or 952.898.9133 (daytime), 952.898.0639 (after 5:00 p.m.)

October Training Dates:
Sunday, October 11 3:30 - 5:00 p.m.

Monday, October 19 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.

Please contact Michelle to schedule your training!

3. Attend Leadership Essentials training. To register for this training visit http://www.girlscoutsrv.org/. As an alternative, you may take the Leadership Essentials training in a paper-based, self-study format. This self-study is available for download on River Valley’s website, under Training.

GET SUPPORT FROM SERVICE UNIT

Your troop is part of the Lakeville Service Unit. Lakeville holds monthly Leader meetings that provide program ideas, events, resources, etc. for your troop and create an opportunity for you to meet other leaders to exchange helpful tips. These Leader meetings are an essential way for you to stay up-to-date and informed on what is happening in Lakeville and RV Council.

Your Service Unit Manager is Sherri Schaible, contact her at sschaib@charter.net or 952.469.3939.

Please check the calendar for Training and Service Unit Leader Meetings.

Wells Fargo Checking Account Information

Please make sure, if you are opening a new troop account, you take the packet in the link below with you to the bank. You should have received the packet with your Welcome Kit. If the bank is asking for additional information, please let Jacqueline Ozmun, jacqueline.ozmun@girlscoutsrv.org know.

Link to Wells Fargo New Account Packet:

http://www.girlscoutsrv.org/Forms/finance_forms/Troop_Finance_Packet.pdf

World Thinking Day - Service Unit Event

If you are new to scouting in Lakeville you may be wondering what is World Thinking Day (WTD) and why would my troop want to participate!

WTD is held in Lakeville on February 20th and is a cultural exhibit from around the world. Each troop chooses a country to represent and then creates a table display highlighting information about their country, such as climate, history, scouting, sports, etc. It is up to the troop what they find interesting and what they want to share with other girls.

Girls create swaps to share with other girls and exchange as they "tour the world". Troops create "passports" for the girls to carry with them on their journey and each table "stamps" their passport with something representing their country. Girls can also dress in something representative of their country.

In addition troops are encouraged to make a presentation, whether it be a skit, song, poem, story, picture display - or whatever they can think of to the entire group so each girl can become better educated about the countries represented.

It is a great experience for the girls and allows them a small sampling of what other countries are experiencing. More information and registration forms will be available on the "Events" page soon.