We completed cookie sales and now we are preparing for Early Bird registration. You might be asking, “What is Early Bird Registration?” or “Why should I participate in Early Bird Registration?”

Well…before the girls can continue their Girl Scout adventure they need to RENEW their membership.

Early Bird registration helps Troop Co-Leaders know whether girls will be back when school resumes and if there are openings in the troop. By asking parents and girls to participate in early bird registration, they get to secure their troop spot. This becomes especially important to prepare before back to school recruitment, where you’ll get another influx of girls wanting to join troops.

Mark your calendar – Early Bird registration begins April 1^st and ends May 15^th. Current memberships expire September 30, 2018.

As a Co-Leader You Have IMPORTANT Homework

• Ask your troop before April 1^st if they are re-registering with their current troop, joining another troop or will become a Juliette.
• Ask your troop if you are using troop funds for renewal or if the adults are purchasing their own adult/girl memberships.
• Check your Troop Roster in MYGS at https://gsmembers.force.com/members/login.
  • Do all the adult volunteers have positions? Who’s helping the girls during year?
    • Troop Positions can include Fall Product Chair/Cookie Chair/Finance Chair/Co-Leader(s)/Parent Helper.
    • Ask your Parent Helpers with troop meeting set-up, purchasing supplies or snacks, leading/teaching a badge requirement, and clean-up.
  • Clean Up your Troop Roster
    • Check to make certain you have the correct girls listed as active. A correct roster helps with girl retention, fall product sales and fall recruitment.
    • Submit the Troop Transfer Request to Citrus Council with any inactive adults or girls.
    • Online Troop Transfer Request citrus-gs.org/en/about-girl-scouts/our-council/forms/troop-transfer-request-form.html

Early Bird Renewal & Payment

• Co-Leaders that re-register the entire troop CANNOT select Financial Aid as a payment option. If the troop has decided to use the funds for girl registrations, you can pay using your troop account at checkout.

• Steps to Renew
  • Login to MY GS.
  • Co-Leaders click the Troops tab.
  • In the top right corner, change CURRENT YEAR to NEXT YEAR.
  • For each member, choose to RENEW, or DECIDE LATER. Click Continue.
  • Accept the Promise and Law. Click Continue.
  • Proceed to Checkout

Please Note: If you add a new member and purchase a 2019 membership, they will not appear on your current roster until October 1, 2018.

If your Girl Scout is joining a new troop or will become a Juliette (Individual Girl Scout) in 2018- 2019, complete her Early Bird registration for the 2019 Membership Year in her current troop.

• Contact Victoria Katz at Citrus Council – vkatz@citrus-gs.org to discuss Juliette Scouting as an option.

Early Bird Incentives & Bonus

During early registration troops receive special incentives and bonuses from Citrus Council. Your Service Community can also earn incentives.

Early Bird Incentives are offered each week and accumulate the earlier you register.

Don’t miss the $.05 per box bonus on next year’s cookie program!

Troops that reregister 80% of girls and 50% adult members will qualify to receive 2 free t-shirts. Following the Early Bird campaign, an email will be sent to each qualifying troop with instructions on how to order their t-shirts. T-shirts will be distributed at the fall community meetings.

Be sure to visit the council website for Early Bird Renewal Resources

Are You Considering Disbanding Your Troop? Here are a few things you can work on before making that leap.

• Change the frequency of the troop meetings. Consider meeting once a month or bi-monthly.
• Schedule troop meetings before or after a troop outing.
• Provide additional girl led opportunities – girls leading the meetings, older girls hosting badge workshops.
• Ask the girls to select badges, journeys, take action projects, earning higher awards during the year.
• Meet with your service community team for support or guidance.
• Ask Co-Leaders in your service community if they want to combine troops.
• Ask for additional troop adult volunteers.

After you’ve exhausted all other options and are set on disbanding, be sure to review the Troop Disband Report/Checklist with your troop prior to disbanding the troop.

www.citrus-gs.org/content/dam/girlscouts-citrus-gs/documents/TroopForms/Troop-Group-Disbanded-Report-Checklist.pdf

After Early Bird Registration

When you go back to school there are so many girls that want to join new and existing troops. You and your Girl Scouts can encourage girls to join during fall recruitment and help other troops in your service community from disbanding.

Support your Service Community Recruitment Team by assisting with set-up, girl activities, distributing recruitment information and clean-up during recruitment events.

Girls also receive a special Recruiter Patch for their efforts.

Be sure to follow me on Facebook @Floridagirlscout