The membership year is from October 1 - September 30. However, registrations are accepted at any time during the year.

If you have registered with Girl Scouts of the USA before, you will notice the registration forms are formatted differently. Some of the information requested is different and will help us better understand and respond to our members� needs. Accurate information is critical. Please refer to the instructions provided. Two noteworthy changes are that parents and adult members are being asked to voluntarily provide racial/ethnic information, and make a financial contribution to our council.

Register your troop as soon as possible so that the Girl Scout activity accident insurance is in effect when you meet. 

Troop leaders may pick up a Troop Registration Packet, and Troop Resource Packet from their service unit manager, troop organizer or designated person. These two envelopes will provide troop leaders with all the basic information needed to launch your own troop�s Girl Power explosion.

Instructions for Troop Registration     (return to top)

Please read and follow these instructions before you register your troop.  If you have any questions before, during or after the registration process, please contact the appropriate member of your service unit team, field executive or membership registrar.

• National GSUSA Membership dues is $10.00 for each person registering.  Use the National Membership Dues Voucher for those girls who otherwise would be not be able to participate. Financial assistance is available for girls and adults.

• If the girl or adult has ever been a registered Girl Scout they are re-registering.

• Collect cash or checks for dues. Credit cards may be used for contributions and lifetime membership only.

Have a parent complete a re-registration form or a blank girl form for each girl in the troop. Please be sure all the requested information is completely filled in or corrected on re-registering and blank girls forms.

Have each registering adult complete a re-registration or blank adult form.  Correct and/or fill in all the requested information on the re-registering and new adult forms.

Please assign the adult position codes as follows:

01     Leader/Adviser: Use to show who has or will be  completing Leader Orientation and Age Level Training.

02     Assistant Leader/Adviser: Use for those who will be assisting with leading the troop but will not/do not plan to complete both Leader Orientation and Age Level Training at this time.

03     Troop Committee Members: Use this code for troop helpers, parents and others who support your troop.

For those adults who serve in different positions, you may use several position codes.  Most frequently used options are:

•  01/02/03 -- for other troops an adult may be active with.

• 11 -- Service Unit Team Member (administrative volunteer who provides support to the troops/groups in a service area)

• 12 -- Trainer (provides training to new and experienced adult volunteers)

• 13 � Special Service Adult (helps with events and other special projects)

• 14 -- Member (Not Active)

Complete the MEMBERSHIP DUES SUMMARY with all registrations.  We need complete name, address, day and time of meeting place. If possible, please do not abbreviate. (Leave �Registration Area� box blank.) Forward any checks that include a contribution to the Girl Scout Service Center. The council needs this information to issue a proper receipt. All other checks and cash can be deposited in your troop account and replaced with a single troop check for payment.

The total amount on the bottom of the dues summary should equal the check(s) and the National Membership dues vouchers being submitted.

Please have your service unit registrar or another member of your service unit team review your registrations to ensure all the  information is  complete and legible, prior to turning in to the Girl Scout Service Center. 

Notes:

Turn in the top (original) copy of forms in to the council.  Keep the yellow copy for your records.

Re-registering troops may have girl and adult forms for individuals who are not registering with your troop.  These should be passed on to the troop with which they are registering or kept for you to call at a later date about re-registering.  If neither of these is possible, give them to the service unit organizer or another member of your service team for follow-up.

Bob Taillon , Membership Registrar, (901) 767-1440 x221, ([email protected])

Registration form codes and descriptions     (return to top)

Participation Categories:

Troop:   Girls participate as a consistent group who meet on a regular, ongoing basis under the guidance of consistent registered adult leaders/advisers.

Camp:  Girls participate in a seasonal, concentrated period at a council sponsored day or resident camp facility.

Interest Group:  Girls participate in activities organized around a particular theme or topic.

Individual:  Girls participate in activities not part of an organized group � also known as �Juliettes�.

In School:  Girls participate in activities scheduled during the regular school day.

Event:  Girls participate in a short term council sponsored program event.

Program Center/Facility:  Girls participate in a council sponsored program delivery site featuring a variety of Girl Scout activities

Registration Form-Specific Questions & Answers:     (return to top)

Q.   What categories denote STUDIO 2B participation?

A.   A girl participating in STUDIO 2B might register in any of the participation categories listed on the membership dues summary depending upon the delivery system.

Q.   Since members are registered for the entire membership year, why are we capturing program duration and frequency?

A.   Capturing program duration and frequency will provide useful information to GSUSA and councils in assessing trends and planning program materials.

Q.   Now that a statement regarding the use and ownership of photos appears on the registration form, does that eliminate the need for a separate, signed photo release in all cases?

A.   No. The statement on the registration form is intended to alert registrants that their photos may be taken incidentally in the course of Girl Scout activities and that councils and GSUSA may use the photos.  Although the statement will reduce the number of instances when a separate photo release must be obtained, it will not completely eliminate the need in all cases.  When determining whether a separate photo release is required in a specific instance, councils should be guided by information contained in Communications in Girl Scouting (CSP 26-284) and by consultation with their own legal counsel.

Q.   Some position codes were added, some deleted and some of the titles have changed.  Why?

A.   The group leader and Campus Girl Scout position codes have been eliminated as usage of these codes was very limited.

Leader and Assistant Leader titles have been revised to Leader/Adviser and Assistant Leader/Adviser as a result of the older girl research.

Member (No Defined Position) has been retitled Member (Not Active) to clarify the appropriate use of this identifier and move away from current organization-wide mixed use of this term.

Association Chair has been revised to Association Chair/Delegate to further clarify the position.  A new code Delegate has been added to identify individuals serving as council delegates who are not also Association Chairs.

Q.   We use council-level position codes which may be helpful to other councils.  Will GSUSA add these to the forms?

A.   As GEMMA is rolled out to councils, existing code usage will be reviewed.  Common needs will be incorporated over time.

Q.   The racial and ethnic categories are different and they appear on the member registration forms but not the summary.  Why?

A.   It will no longer be necessary to recap the racial and ethnic information on the summary as reports will be compiled from the racial and ethnic information that has been reported on each registration.  WinPCMS will be changed so that councils awaiting GEMMA implementation can capture and report race and ethnicity accordingly.

The girl and adult registration forms also include spaces titled VS Category 1 and VS Category 2 representing a visual survey of the racial (VS Category 1) and ethnic background (VS Category 2) to be completed when members do not self report the information.  This change reflects the recommendations of the National Board Task Group on collection of this information.

Q.   The current forms will provide multiple copies, how many will the new form offer?

A.   The new forms are expected to be 2-ply.  This format will provide more legible copies and minimize the flow/storage of paper within the council while still providing a copy for those councils requiring it.

Q.   Has the health history that appears on the reverse of the current girl registration form been revised?

A.   The health history information will no longer appear on the registration forms.  Safety Wise clearly defines the scenarios when either a health exam or an updated health history is needed.  These scenarios are limited to certain activities and/or travel.  It is not necessary, and in light of the increasing concerns related to privacy, not desirable, to obtain a detailed health history from each registering girl and adult.  A health history template will be available on the OCN in the spring 2004.

Participation Categories     (return to top)

Troop

Girls participate as a consistent group who meet on a regular, on-going basis under the guidance of consistent registered adult leaders/advisers.

Camp

Girls participate in a seasonal, concentrated period at a council sponsored day or resident camp facility.

Interest Group

Girls participate in activities organized around a particular theme or topic.

Individual

Girls participate in activities not part of an organized group, -- also known as �Juliettes�.

In School

Girls participate in activities scheduled during the regular school day.

Event

Girls participate in a short term council sponsored program event.

Program Center/Facility

Girls participate at a council sponsored program delivery site featuring a variety of Girl Scout activities.

Types of Meeting Places     (return to top)

Home

A private residence.

Council Property/facility

Property sponsored by the Girl Scout council.

School

A public or private institution of learning.

Religious

Property belonging to a religious institution or religious congregation.

Public

A community facility or property available to the public.

Other Organizational Facility

A space within a business office/operation or in a property owned or managed by a community organization/Non-profit.