Daisy Girl Scout Leaders

[GirlOutlaw]

I'm a second year Daisy Leader and I love reading about all the ideas listed in this thread!

 

[Lovin' Disney]

Our investiture is this Monday. I did say on the note I sent home that they could invite family members like parents, siblings, grandparents, etc. Hopefully no one brings their entire extended family.

We are pinning them, handing out certificates, and then having cupcakes and juice.

I plan on making a large daisy out of construction paper and have the girls start at the end of stem, say the promise together (we have a group of 6 and at least a few of them are really shy), call them up individually to walk up the stem, meet the leaders at the leaves in the middle of the stem to get their pin and certificate, and then have them find their name on one of the daisy petals and stand on it while everyone else takes their turn.

Before we do all that, I will give a short speech on Daisy scouting & its benefits.

 

[GirlOutlaw]

call them up individually to walk up the stem, meet the leaders at the leaves in the middle of the stem to get their pin and certificate, and then have them find their name on one of the daisy petals and stand on it while everyone else takes their turn.

This is a fantasic idea! we are planning our investiture right before christmas break, I may have to use this idea!!

 

[acomasdiaz]

I am planning ours for December 16th. I am also thinking about doing the daisy petals for the girls to walk on.

We are inviting families. Right now, I am planning on having daisy shaped cookies and hot chocolate & coffee. We might do more but I am still not sure...

Love hearing what others are doing...

 

[LoveMyBeautifulGift]

Hey ladies...Amazon has some book lists that recommend books related to earning petals, if anyone is interested in reading to the girls or suggesting books for their parents to read w/ them...lets see, they came up in a couple different searches I did...here and here...might use a few for meetings that need to be beefed up, lol...

Right now, I am still planning/getting paperwork done...just had our parents meeting Friday and tomorrow I have a leaders meeting w/ the SU...does anyone know if parents can pay registration in cash; then we can use the money as the $100 deposit we need to open the account, then we can register them online using the troop account to pay? My SU director was very vague about opening the account and kept saying if they want to pay cash/check, they have to register through the troop dues form, which could take months to process...but online, it does state "collect the dues, deposit in the troop account and register through the portal" (not in those exact words, but the wording made me think this should be okay)...Just don't want to start that and cause a headache down the road.

 

[raestr]

then we can use the money as the $100 deposit we need to open the account,

I am surprised you have to have $100 to open the account. Do you have to use a specific bank? If not, I'd shop around. Also, make sure you are opening a Not-For-Profit account. Because Girl Scouts is a Non-Profit, our bank doesn't charge us any monthly service fees. You may have to ask your council for their Non-Profit exemption letter (or whatever it's called) to present to the bank. We didn't have a minimum to open the account either, but our council allows each troop to choose their own bank.

Rae

 

[LoveMyBeautifulGift]

They prefer we use WellsFargo, but we could use another bank...we would just be on our own, so to speak, when it comes to setting up the right kind of account and making sure we don't get charges, etc. W/ Wells Fargo, the process/agreements w/ our council are already set up so we get the correct type of account and get free checks, no monthly charges, etc. There is a $100 minimum to open the account, and we can never zero out, but we don't have to maintain $100 once we get started. I got all that from the council website, along with reading that I neede to contact my SU before we could start the process...but when I met with my SU director didn't say anything about it beyond "you probably won't be ready to open one for a few weeks"...ah well, at least I'll have questions/something to contribute to the conversation tonight, lol....

I am surprised you have to have $100 to open the account. Do you have to use a specific bank? If not, I'd shop around. Also, make sure you are opening a Not-For-Profit account. Because Girl Scouts is a Non-Profit, our bank doesn't charge us any monthly service fees. You may have to ask your council for their Non-Profit exemption letter (or whatever it's called) to present to the bank. We didn't have a minimum to open the account either, but our council allows each troop to choose their own bank.

Rae

 

[Marshay]

I think we had a $5 deposit to open up our not-for-profit account. We used the preferred bank of our SU, too.

$100 seems like too much money for just a Girl Scout account...

 

[LoveMyBeautifulGift]

That's why we are hoping to use the registration money to open the account. W/ 10 girls plus most of the families wanting to register an adult, we could easily get to $100. Then we would register through the portal using the troop account. Kill 2 birds w/ one stone so to speak. Just wondering if anyone else has ever done it that way. Looking at the council website it seems like it should be okay, but I would hate to tie up everyone's registration money only to find out it wont' work.

I think we had a $5 deposit to open up our not-for-profit account. We used the preferred bank of our SU, too.

$100 seems like too much money for just a Girl Scout account...

 

[LoveMyBeautifulGift]

Woo-hoo, got the go-ahead for the plan! The SU Treasurer thought it was a great idea! What's more, they just streamlined/localized the process, so it should be faster/smoother for us than the one described by the council/on the handout the SU Director gave me.

Making plans for the first meeting, I plan to have the girls make Daisy Can/Did sticks, and the ones who missed the parent's meeting can work on About Me Daisies and their folders. We will learn the silence sign, say the Pledge of Allegiance then make a "Daisy Web" (the yarn tossing exercise where they introduce themselves-I will also ask them to share one thing about themselves and one thing they want to do as girl scouts). I will recite the promise/law and talk w/ the girls about how they are guidelines for our behavior. Then we will play Minefield (I write down things they tell me that make it hard for groups to work together/aren't being a good friend/etc. then toss them around the room in crumpled balls. Then one girl guides her blindfolded partner through the minefield/they swap and work their way back (if there's time)). We will discuss how we need to work as a team and then brainstorm troop rules. We will finish w/ a Daisy Circle and squeeze and I will tell the girls that next time we will be learning the GS Promise and starting plans for Investiture. Anyone want to critique/offer suggestions? I would love to know what worked/didn't for other troops' first meetings. Oh, it will be myself and 1 other mom, btw.

 

[acomasdiaz]

Woo-hoo, got the go-ahead for the plan! The SU Treasurer thought it was a great idea! What's more, they just streamlined/localized the process, so it should be faster/smoother for us than the one described by the council/on the handout the SU Director gave me.

Making plans for the first meeting, I plan to have the girls make Daisy Can/Did sticks, and the ones who missed the parent's meeting can work on About Me Daisies and their folders. We will learn the silence sign, say the Pledge of Allegiance then make a "Daisy Web" (the yarn tossing exercise where they introduce themselves-I will also ask them to share one thing about themselves and one thing they want to do as girl scouts). I will recite the promise/law and talk w/ the girls about how they are guidelines for our behavior. Then we will play Minefield (I write down things they tell me that make it hard for groups to work together/aren't being a good friend/etc. then toss them around the room in crumpled balls. Then one girl guides her blindfolded partner through the minefield/they swap and work their way back (if there's time)). We will discuss how we need to work as a team and then brainstorm troop rules. We will finish w/ a Daisy Circle and squeeze and I will tell the girls that next time we will be learning the GS Promise and starting plans for Investiture. Anyone want to critique/offer suggestions? I would love to know what worked/didn't for other troops' first meetings. Oh, it will be myself and 1 other mom, btw.

What is the Daisy Can/Did Sticks?

Our first meeting was similar, we did the pledge of allegiance, promise, and law. Then we did the "Daisy Web" where all the girls told us a little bit about themselves. I then had them draw their hand on contruction paper and cut it out. They then glued the fingers in the position of the girl scouts and they wrote "I am a Girl Scout" on them. I also had them cut out the promise and glue it to contruction paper and decorate it. When they were decorating the paper, we had some issues with some of the girls taking all the daisy stickers. It was a great opportunity for learning about the honest and fair petal, so we did that as well.

 

[acomasdiaz]

Tomorrow is our second meeting.

We will be working on what are thankful for. Then we are making napking holders for Thanksgiving.

We will also work on the troop rules as decided upon by the girls. By doing this, they will earn their orange petal.

 

[kelann7]

Hey ladies...Amazon has some book lists that recommend books related to earning petals, if anyone is interested in reading to the girls or suggesting books for their parents to read w/ them...lets see, they came up in a couple different searches I did...here and here...might use a few for meetings that need to be beefed up, lol...

Interesting ... I actually used the book "Lillie's Purple Plastic Purse" for Respect Authority because she did not listen to her teacher. Your list recommends it for "responsible for what I say and do" - There are several books that could be used for more than one petal.

I was going to use "The Boy who cried Wolf" for Honest and Fair, but then I found a short Pinocchio book on Honesty and used that instead.

I also have a Disney Princess book called "Polite as a Princess" that I plan to use for "Respect Myself and Others" - it talks about Manners.

I didn't want to read a book for every petal - the girls get tired of listening to stories especially if you are reading the Journey book and the new Girl's Guide book to them, also. But I do think a short book every now and then is good.

I also am going to read a Fancy Nancy book - Every day is Earth Day - for Using Resources Wisely.

Thanks

Kelly

 

[LoveMyBeautifulGift]

They are popsicle sticks the girls write their names on and decorate with markers. I'm not sure I have the name of them right, but its one method we will be using to be fair. The Can cup will be for girls who haven't had a turn to do something, the Did cup will be for girls who already had a chance. One of the mom's recommended it, she said it is particularly helpful during the early meetings when either everyone wants to talk/help or noone wants to talk/help, lol...

What is the Daisy Can/Did Sticks?

I noticed there were several that several seemed to fit a few petals, but I feel like the same can be said for petal work/activities/guest speakers/etc. I also agree that reading @ every meeting would be overkill, but for those meetings where we need a little extra or the girls just need some down time I was glad to find some recommendations. I've learned to check Amazon for lists before consulting our library catalog, Amazon tends to narrow the search faster. Love the Fancy Nancy suggestion, I love all the books in that series.

Interesting ... I actually used the book "Lillie's Purple Plastic Purse" for Respect Authority because she did not listen to her teacher. Your list recommends it for "responsible for what I say and do" - There are several books that could be used for more than one petal.

I didn't want to read a book for every petal - the girls get tired of listening to stories especially if you are reading the Journey book and the new Girl's Guide book to them, also. But I do think a short book every now and then is good.

I also am going to read a Fancy Nancy book - Every day is Earth Day - for Using Resources Wisely.

Thanks

Kelly

 

[LoveMyBeautifulGift]

Ladies, if you would like to learn a little more about the journeys, my council has created "snapshots" of the books and "summaries" of the badge earning here, so you can at least share with the girls/get a better understanding of them until they are more readily available. These are not meant to replace the books; but they are meant to help us decide which fit our troops best and help us get started until we can get the books.

 

[acomasdiaz]

Is anyone's troop participating in the postcard exchange? (www.mythinkingday.com)

We are and the girls are so excited!

 

[purpleorchids]

Is anyone's troop participating in the postcard exchange? (www.mythinkingday.com)

We are and the girls are so excited!

Yes we are doing it. This is our second year. The girls had fun last year and afterwards I divided the postcards up so they each get some for their scrap book.

 

[acomasdiaz]

Yes we are doing it. This is our second year. The girls had fun last year and afterwards I divided the postcards up so they each get some for their scrap book.

I like the idea of dividing the postcards at the end. We'll definitely be doing that. We're trying to get a troop in each state. I don't know if that will actually work out but I am trying. We're up to 29 states right now.

 

[Marshay]

Another helpful hint for new leaders who like to plan, we create a written Agenda (given to leaders only) for every meeting breaking down all the times for each activity, goals, awards earned, supplies needed and who brings what. Then we also have at least one back-up activity (game, song or book) that can easily be done if we get done early (happened once in one year so far) This is a one page doc.

We also send out (electronically) a Next Meeting Planner for the moms/girls which lists where we meet, when, who to contact, what to bring, what paperwork is needed (i.e., permission slip), what pages of our "About a Girl" book to prepare ... and if we travel then it includes directions, a map, where to meet in an emergency, contact information for the place we are visiting, etc. This is a one page doc for regular meeting spot and one page-double-sided for field trips or meetings at someone's home.

We found this useful, esp if one leader becomes sick and the other leader or a trained parent is willing to take over the meeting (happened once in one year so far). They have everything they need. It also helps remind me what we are doing when and helps keep us on track.

Anyway, HTH.

 

[acomasdiaz]

Anyone here from Kentucky? It's one of the states we need for our postcard exchange.