The start of the 2024 Girl Scout membership year is right around the corner! This is an exciting time for new leaders and new Girl Scouts as they get prepared to start their Girl Scout journey. If you are a new leader in a new or an established troop or you’re wrapping up your first year as a leader and your girls will be entering their second year as Girl Scouts when the new membership year starts on October 1, visit the Get Involved page at gsnetx.org to invite girls and their families to join or rejoin in the fun!
Mark your calendars for the September New Leader Virtual Meeting on September 26 and 27. The August New Leader Virtual Meeting focused on planning your Girl Scout troop year. If you were unable to attend, you can find the PowerPoint in the New Leader Academy Facebook group. The New Leader virtual meetings are hosted every month from August – May
by GSNETX staff. These meetings are designed to help you discover, connect, and take action as you guide your troop through the Girl Scout Leadership Experience. Be sure to check out the Volunteer Learning section for dates, times, topics, and Zoom link.
We love questions! Connect with the New Leader Engagement Team at newtroop@gsnetx.org.
This Month's Topics
Membership
Volunteer Learning
Product Sales
Camp
Programs, Events & Activities
Girl Scout Traditions
Patches of the Month
Mental Health & Wellness
Troop Leader Resources
Time to Get Back to Girl Scouts!
Will you be a second-year troop at the start of the new membership year? Does your troop need to be renewed? Don’t let your Girl Scout memberships expire, these forever friendships are just getting started! There’s so much more to explore with your Girl Scout crew. Sign up for another year today and keep the discovery going. Renew
Do you or parents need help renewing?
Volunteers and parents in second year troops can call our Renewal Hotline at (972) 349-2465 on Tuesdays and Thursdays now through September 21st between 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Invite Friends to Join Your Troop
You can invite new girls to join your troop using the “Invite Friends to Join Your Troop” feature found in your MY GS account on the bottom of the page of the My Troop(s) tab. Your new members will be able to join directly into your troop.
Adding a New Leader to Your Troop
Have you recently added a new volunteer as a co-leader to your troop? Send your troop number, the name of your new co-leader, his/her email address, and phone number to newtroop@gsnetx.org with the subject heading New Co-leader for Troop XXXX SUXXX. We will make sure your new leader gets trained and receives resources and support created especially for first year leaders.
Women of Distinction Lucheon: Save the Date
Friday, November 3, 2023, at the Hilton Anatole. Join us as we come together in-person on November 3 to celebrate outstanding women, men, and young women leaders of all ages, from high schoolers to grown adults, for their service in the community.
September New Leader Virtual Meeting
Get the latest news and answers to your pressing questions, LIVE! You have two options to attend – Tuesday, September 26 at 7PM or Wednesday, September 27 at noon. Topics will include information on Fall Product, service unit and GSNETX staff support, the Volunteer Toolkit Challenge, and more!
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/98769569379
Nuts, Candy, and Magazines - Fall Product
The Fall Product Program is a money earning opportunity for troops and girls. By selling nuts, candy and magazines to family and friends, troops earn 20% in proceeds and girls earn rewards and experiences. All that's needed to participate is an active Girl Scout membership. Fall Product Program begins on September 25 and ends on October 31, 2023. More details to come on how to get started.
Information
Digital Cookie
Are you ready for Digital Cookie? We are! It is especially important to update your information in MY GS to receive accurate information this season!
Details Coming Soon to GSNETX Events
Family & Troop Camping
Start Planning Your Camp Year. Consider a troop or family weekend campout. Fall reservations are open now.
Family & Troop Camping is open for September - December.
Registration for the January to May Spring Camping season opens on October 2.
Troop camp training is NOT required (troops still must bring First Aid/ CPR/AED certified adult)
New Badges and Programs
The Girl Scout programs you know and love are getting a refresh. These new badges and programs give Girl Scouts more hands-on choices.
New meetings and badge content have been launched in your Volunteer Toolkit. Check them out!
MYGS
Zoo Day at Fort Worth, Dallas and Tyler
Spend a day at the Zoo on September 16, 2023!
Girl Scout Zoo Day will be held at the Dallas Zoo, Caldwell Zoo, and Fort Worth Zoo. This is a family-friendly event where Girl Scouts can also earn their Think Like a Citizen Scientist journey. Register
Ultra CampGirls in Aviation - Dallas and Longview
Dallas
Activities include flight simulators, build-ahelicopter, aviation phonetics, a scavenger hunt, and more! High school girls will enjoy a special program with advanced activities and career workshops.
Longview
This STEM-focused come-and-go learning event shares aviation with girls ages 8-17 along with their families and leaders. Enjoy a career panel, hands-on project-working with sheet metal, flight simulator, and more!
Samsung Care - Behind the Scenes Experience
You'll get a behind-the-scenes look into the Samsung phone repair processes and customer care experience. You'll also see an end-to-end repair demonstration, participate in a hands-on disassembly/assembly process of a phone, and end the day with a career panel featuring technicians, front-of-house progress, and the training team. Seniors/Ambassadors
WAI-Dallas
Special Interest Clubs
Girl Scout special interest groups are year-long programs designed for Girl Scouts to explore specific interests through the Girl Scout Leadership Experience.
Featured Special Interest Club: Tejas Archers
Tejas Archers is comprised of five teams based on skill level. This club is loads of fun for Girl Scouts interested in learning, building, and sharing their knowledge and skills in archery.
More Info
Girl Scouts Love State Parks
Grab your family, troop, friends, and a backpack to head out to your local state parks for self guided tours, family hikes, scavenger hunts, camping, and more! Each state park has different events and activities happening throughout the weekend of September 9 & 10. Get your free guide to use at the State Park of your choice. Register
Workshops & Events
Click on each image to see upcoming events sorted by your Girl Scout's program grade level (PGL).
Investiture/Rededication Ceremony
An investiture ceremony welcomes all new members to Girl Scouts, while a rededication ceremony is a great way for returning members to kick off the troop year and renew their commitment to the Girl Scout Promise and Law.
A Girl Scout Tradition!
Check out the G.O.R.P Investiture/Rededication Ceremony on the GSNETX Learning Channel.
Hispanic Heritage Month
(September 15-October 15)
This patch is designed for Girl Scouts of all levels and their leaders, to celebrate the cultural richness of all people in the U.S. whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. Girls and leaders have plenty of activities to choose from to earn this fun patch, and we encourage girls from all ethnic backgrounds to participate, they are sure to learn interesting new things. Not a free patch. This patch is part of a five part multicultural community patch.
Requirements
Girls of "Note"
Singing is a great way to kick off the new troop year! Girls of "Note" encourages girls to continue one of the traditional skills of Girl Scouts: singing. As you go along in Girl Scouts, you’ll learn more and more songs each year! This is not a free patch.
New Mental Wellness Patches and Workshops
Three new patches designed for Girl Scout Scouts in 4th to 12th grade.
Knowing My Emotions (Juniors)
Finding My Voice (Cadettes)
Showing Up For Me and You (Seniors and Ambassadors)
Right on time for back to school. With the goal of empowering girls to focus on brain health, this patch program helps them explore how the brain works and promotes possibility thinking and social resilience.
Health
Info Center on Rallyhood
This info center is a source for mental health and wellness articles, videos, activities, and info-sheets. Resources from local and national experts in mental health and wellness will be added on a rolling basis. Volunteers and Caregivers are encouraged to share these resources broadly with Troops and Service Units to help reduce mental health stigma and increase awareness.
Connect to Rallyhood and check out the Info Center.
BrainNeed more information on any of these programs? Contact GSNETX Mental Health and Wellness Manager,Brittany Kelly at bkelly@gsnetx.org
Mental Wellness & Inclusion Resources
Girl Scouts plus their families, caregivers, and volunteers have access to mental wellness resources from both GSNETX and Girl Scouts of the USA and trusted partners. From new activities to training, you'll find what you need to get started.
Needing a meeting place?
Are you looking for a place to hold troop meetings and live near one of the Girl Scout service centers? GSNETX service center meeting rooms are available for reservation through our Bookings system. To check the room's availability and acquire building access details, click on the room you want to reserve to view the availability calendar.
Troop Financial Reports (TFR)
For troops that started prior to May 31, 2023, submit your Troop Financial Report (TFR) today. Log into MY GS, click on My Account, and select the Volunteer Toolkit (VTK). Once you are in the VTK, click on the Finances tab. Share your troop financial status with the volunteers and parents in your troop. Please get this completed ASAP as the system will lock you out on Sept 30th.
Update Troop Information Today
Please help us keep our information up to date in our system. Submit or update your troop's meeting details by submitting the Troop Update form.
GSNETX New Leader Rallyhood – Getting Started Digital Library
Be sure to hold a parent meeting at the beginning of each new Girl Scout year! The New Leader Rallyhood features all the resources listed below to include in your parent meeting:
• Welcome Letter
• Parent Meeting Facilitator’s Guide
• Parent Meeting Parent Agenda
• Girl – All About Me
• Girl Health History Form
• Girl Scout Troop Annual Permission Form - This form is to be retained for troop records.
• Girl Scout Event Permission Slip - This form is to be completed whenever an activity is considered high adventure or involves a sensitive issue.
Role Changes or Transfers?
If you need to add someone into a role or transfer a girl to a troop, please submit the Troop Changes form. Complete
Build-A-Bear Workshops
We’re excited to announce that Build-A-Bear Workshops will be coming to the JoAnn Fogg Girl Scout Shop beginning in October, featuring all your favorite Girl Scout bears and accessories! The Girl Scout Shop begins accepting Build-Your-Own Party reservations online beginning in September. Questions? Email Shops at shop@gsnetx.org.
Plan your year of Girl Scouting. These helpful troop year plans guide you through each meeting.
