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Leader Training

This Leader Training Resources page has information and hints about being a leader in general, and specifically about training, planning and scheduling your year, and how to survive as a:

   <>  Daisy Leader
   <>  Brownie Leader
   <>  Junior Scout Leader
   <>  Cadette and Senior Girl Scout Leader

Leader Training

Palo Alto Girl Scout leaders are required to complete four courses (approximately eight hours total) before leading a troop.

Our Council offers all of them throughout the summer and into September. As a convenience, SU1 will provide these courses in Palo Alto at different times throughout the year. Orientation is provided by Service Team members.

More Training for Leaders and Other Volunteers

After you've settled in as a leader, you'll probably want to add other training courses. They definitely help! Talk with experienced leaders to learn the types of activities are open to your troop next year, and consider training in advance. It's a great trick for making troop leadership fun. You can also delegate some training to other troop volunteers (i.e. parents). Many troops have a designated troop camper.

The following training courses are highly recommended:

Tip: If you just can't get your training in on time before a troop overnight or camping trip, be sure to ask for help. Another leader or a Service Unit Team member can probably be convinced to serve as your mentor or the "skill certified" person, on a one-time-only basis. But, then get your training done! 

First Aid Training for Leaders

Why are we making such a big deal about First Aid & CPR training?  Simple, an adult with First Aid training is required at every troop activity, including troop meetings. Technically, the First Aider does not have to be the troop leader; it could be a troop parent or helper. However, most leaders agree that it is much more convenient to become First Aid certified than to worry about lining up a First Aid certified adult for every single activity.

Leaders normally have two options: take the training from a local Red Cross chapter or take the training from the Council. But we are lucky! Our own Vicki, who is on the Service Team, volunteers time to offer classes in Palo Alto at substantially reduced prices.

Here is an opportunity you really don't want to miss!  Please read carefully. Service Unit 1 offers several different First Aid trainings

  • First Aid with CPR For troop leaders, two times during the year: September/October and January/February. The course is Red Cross Community First Aid and Safety and includes CPR. It takes place at the Lou Henry Hoover Scout House and is held on two consecutive Monday evenings. New leaders are given priority for the September/October training.

  • CPR Re-certification Offered two times each year: October/November and January/February. It takes place at the Lou Henry Hoover Scout House and requires approximately one hour. A small fee is charged.

  • First Aid II This is offered every couple of years or as needed. This is a requirement for Travel Troops.

Class dates & times are typically announced at the September Leaders' Meeting, and appear on the "Year at a Glance" calendar as well as the monthly planning calendar.



These links will lead you to a wealth of information about how to be a leader.  




Daisy Girl Scouts

Welcome Daisy Girl Scout Leaders!

Getting Started

Congratulations and thank you for being a Daisy Girl Scout Leader! We hope you find the resources that you need to to have a great year.

To help ensure a great year for you and the girls be sure you:

  • Take your trainings! Check our Adult Training information here online or contact Winnie or Carmela (see Service Team Roster) if you have questions
  • Ask questions! The Service Team is here to help you. We also occasionally have dinners with other Daisy leaders (check the Calendar) before the Leader's Meetings during the year and roundtables during the meetings so you can talk to others who have been there before or are are there now
  • Attend Leader Meetings! This is the best way to stay on top of what is going on. You will also meet other Leaders and enjoy their support.

Those first few meetings and more!

Here is a collection of meeting starters from all over the country. I have tried to give credit where I know whom to give credit to.

  • Download this Jump Start Guide to your first 6 meetings! Take the stress out of your first few meetings with this Jump Start that will walk you through them. (Thanks to Liz Ripke, Girl Scouts Columbia River Council)
  • Mini Daisy Jump Start This is a shorter version of the Jump Start Guide
  • Four Daisy Meetings A Plan for the first four meetings with your Daisy troop
  • First Four Daisy Meetings - another version but this one includes a ceremony worksheet and a blank meeting planner for future meetings
  • First Five Daisy Meetings This first set of meetings includes a plan for the investiture ceremony
  • Ideas for Daisy Meetings More ideas on how to do the first four meetings.
  • A Daisy Year - Meetings 1-15 and Meetings 16-34 This meeting for the year outline gives suggestions on matching activities to petals
  • A Daisy Year More detailed ideas for each month of the year
  • Sample Daisy Calendar Simple one page set of ideas for a year's worth of meetings
  • Options for Daisys Created by St. Louis Girl Scout Council as a year guide to planning Daisy meetings.

Earned Awards

  • Petals Daisy Girl Scouts earn Petals. They give a girl an opportunity to learn a little about the Girl Scout Promise and Law. We have some resources available to help you help the girls earn the Petals.
  • Other Earned Awards. There are also other awards the girls can earn. Some go on the front of their uniform and some go on the back.

Uniforms and Insignia

Helpful Resources

  • Children's Books by Petal
    Thanks to our own Jessica Rothberg for her hard work with this list. This is a list of children's picture books that exemplify each of the 10 Girl Scout Laws.
  • Scouting Links Newsletter - Special Daisy Issue - Fall 2003 Updated!
    This informative newsletter is full of wonderful advice and suggestions from other Leaders including parent meetings, crafts, games, petal helps, etc. Be sure to subscribe and keep the great info coming!
  • During Her Year As A Daisy
    A nice outline of what every Daisy should experience during her Daisy Girl Scout year.
  • Daisy Scouts Additional ideas for meeting planning, activities, Daisy songs, and Bridging to Brownie Girl Scouts
  • Daisy Ideas Exchange More Daisy Petals ideas.

Bridging

More information to come! Try these links for some ideas:


 
Brownie Girl Scouts

Welcome Brownie Girl Scout Leaders.

Getting Started

Congratulations and thank you for being a Brownie Girl Scout Leader! We hope you find the resources that you need to to have a great year.

To help ensure a great year for you and the girls be sure you:

  • Take your trainings! Check our Adult Training here online or contact Winnie or Carmela (see Service Team Roster) if you have questions
  • Ask questions! The Service Team is here to help you. We also occationally have dinners with other Brownie leaders (check the Calendar) before the Leader's Meeting during the year and roundtables during the meetings so you can talk to others who have been there before or are are there now
  • Attend Leader Meetings! This is the best way to stay on top of what is going on. You will also meet other Leaders and enjoy their support.

Those first few meetings and more!

Here is a collection of meeting starters from all over the country. I have tried to give credit where I know who to give credit to.

  • Download this Jump Start Guide to your first 6 meetings! Take the stress out of your first few meetings with this Jump Start that will walk you through them. (Thanks to Liz Ripke, Girl Scouts Columbia River Council)
  • This Mini Jump Start is for 2 meetings and assumes little or knowledge of Girl Scouts. No books required! (Thanks to Liz Ripke, Girl Scouts Columbia River Council)
  • 1st Four Meetings. This meeting plan depends on having the brownie handbook. It does have a nice ceremony planning sheet and meeting planning sheet at the back.
  • Sample First Four Meetings. There is a nice way to create a Brownie circle in this set of meetings.
  • First Four Meetings. Yet another set of the first four meetings for you to get ideas from.
  • Ideas for the first Four Meetings. In addition to the meetings this one has a one page on the investiture.
  • Brownie Lesson Plans. Here are 10 meetings mapped out including supply lists and instructions. (from Girl Scouts of Sycamore Council)
  • This is a one page list of possible activities for a years worth of meetings.
  • This is a year worth of Brownie meetings in an outline form. Meetings 1-15. Meetings 16-34. These provide a nice overview into an entire year. You will find references to events in another council but you could easily rearrange things to use events in our sevice unit or council. (from Girl Scouts, Tarheel Triad Council, Inc.)
  • Options - Program Guide for Brownie Girl Scout Leaders. This is a year worth of Brownie meetings. Again, there are suggestions for activities for each meeting through out the year with references to a different council/service unit activities which you could substitute with events from our service unit or council. (from Girl Scout Council of Greater St. Louis)

Earned Awards

  • Try-Its. Brownie Girl Scouts earn Try-Its. They give a girl an opportunity to learn a little about a new subject. We have some resources available to help you help the girls earn the Try-Its.
  • Here is a Try-It Record Sheet to keep track of when each girl completed each activity towards the Try-Its. from Girl Scouts Mid-Columbia Council
  • Other Earned Awards. There are also other awards the girls can earn. Some go on the front of their uniform and some go on the back.

Uniforms and Insignia

Helpful Resources

Bridging

More information to come! Try these links for some ideas:

 
Junior Girl Scouts

Welcome Junior Girl Scout Leaders.

Getting Started

Congratulations and thank you for being a Junior Girl Scout Leader! We hope you find the resources that you need to to have a great year.

To help ensure a great year for you and the girls be sure you:

  • Take your trainings! Check our Adult Training here online or contact Winnie or Carmela (see Service Team Roster) if you have questions
  • Ask questions! The Service Team is here to help you. We also occationally have dinners with other Junior leaders (check the Calendar) before the Leader's Meeting during the year and roundtables during the meetings so you can talk to others who have been there before or are are there now
  • Attend Leader Meetings! This is the best way to stay on top of what is going on. You will also meet other Leaders and enjoy their support.

Those first few meetings and more!

Here is a collection of meeting starters from all over the country. I have tried to give credit where I know who to give credit to.

Earned Awards

  • Badges Junior Girl Scouts earn Badges. They give a girl an opportunity to learn a about a new subject and gain some hands-on skills. We have some resources available to help you help the girls earn the Badges.
  • Here is a Badge Record Sheet to keep track of when each girl completed each activity towards the Try-Its. from Girl Scouts Mid-Columbia Council
  • Other Earned Awards. There are also other awards the girls can earn. Some go on the front of their uniform and some go on the back.

Uniforms and Insignia

Helpful Resources

Bridging

More information to come! Try these links for some ideas:


Cadette & Senior Girl Scouts

Welcome Cadette and Senior Girl Scout Leaders.

Getting Started

Congratulations and thank you for being a Cadette and/or Senior Girl Scout Leader! We hope you find the resources that you need to to have a great year.

To help ensure a great year for you and the girls be sure you:

  • Take your trainings! Check our Adult Training here online or contact Winnie or Carmela (see Service Team Roster) if you have questions
  • Ask questions! The Service Team is here to help you. We also occationally have dinners with other Cadette and Senior leaders (check the Calendar) before the Leader's Meeting during the year and roundtables during the meetings so you can talk to others who have been there before or are are there now
  • Attend Leader Meetings! This is the best way to stay on top of what is going on. You will also meet other Leaders and enjoy their support.

Earned Awards

  • Interest Patch Cadette and Senior Girl Scouts earn Interest Patch. They give a girl an opportunity to learn in depth about a new subject. We have some resources available to help you help the girls earn the IPPs.
  • Here is an IPP Record Sheet to keep track of when each girl completed each requirement towards the IPP.
  • Other Earned Awards. There are also other awards the girls can earn. Some go on the front of their uniform and some go on the back.

Uniforms and Insignia

Helpful Resources
 

This site is undergoing rennovation and expansion as SU 1 moves paperwork and email communications onto the Web.  If you are looking for something and can't find it here, please let us know.  To report broken links or content errors, contact the Palo Alto Girl Scouts .

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