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Troop Meeting Size
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The current suggested maximum is ten people (eight girls and two unrelated adult volunteers). However, check your local restrictions for small gatherings.
If more restrictive than 10 people, follow the local restriction. Restrictions vary greatly from state to state, county to county, and even from town to town--and can frequently change. If a state allows more than ten to gather, utilize all social distancing practices and follow all preventative guidance (such as face coverings).
For large troops, have volunteers stay connected with girls while waiting for a safe time for everyone to gather. Large troops are wonderful, so encourage them to stay together!
Some ideas for volunteers:
- Host virtual troop meetings (see below).
- Gather up in smaller groups—such as age-level groups, patrols, or groups of girls with a particular badge they’d like to work on.
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Large Gatherings
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If your jurisdiction permits larger gatherings, confirm the number of people that are permitted and remind volunteers to allow for proper girl-to-adult ratios. It is strongly recommended to meet outdoors as opposed to indoors, and only when social distancing can be maintained. For more people or large gatherings, when the time is safely appropriate, follow the CDC guidelines: Large Gatherings and Community Events.
Volunteers should get council prior approval before planning any gatherings of more than ten people. Council staff may consider larger group gatherings greater than 10 people after considering the norms in the local region. Answers to the following questions will help guide this decision:
- Has a successful final phase of re-opening been completed? (several weeks after)
- Do state and local law permit larger gatherings? How many people permitted?
- Have schools been re-opened for in-person classes?
- Is the event indoors or outdoors? (outdoors is safer than indoors provided social distancing is maintained)
- Can social distancing be maintained?
- Always follow CDC guidance and all GSUSA guidance available in this document pertaining to large in-person gatherings and/or hosting council events.
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Troop Meeting Space
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Outdoor spaces where social distancing can be maintained are strongly recommended for meetings when the weather permits. Volunteers should get advance permission from the property owner or the jurisdiction that provides the location.
For meetings held at public facilities, volunteers should contact the facility ahead of time and ask:
- Is the space cleaned, and touch surfaces (i.e., tabletops, light switches, chairs, etc.) sanitized, at least daily?
- Who else uses the space (how often, what size is the group)? Is the space cleaned between groups?
- What type of faucets / soap dispensers are available in the restroom (sensory or manual)?
Then, encourage volunteers to supplement any practices that are less ideal. For example, if the troop arrives after another user group, they should plan to bring sanitizing wipes to get the space ready for their troop. Another example: if faucets are manual, ask volunteers to take some time to show girls how to shut them off with a paper towel and to use paper towels for doorknobs whenever possible.
Meetings may not be held in fitness centers or gyms because the atmosphere in sports facilities is aerosolizing making them a higher risk for contracting virus.
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Troop Meetings at Home
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GSUSA suggests no meetings in the home out of concern that there would be greater risk of exposure to other family members. In certain exceptional situations and due to the current COVID-19 risk restricting public meeting options, councils may wish to evaluate in-home meetings on a case by case basis, particularly for those troops in rural areas who have regularly and successfully met in the home, have no elderly or immune compromised family members in the home, have been deemed safe beyond a final phase of re-opening and do not have access to a virtual or community-based location option.
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Backyard Meetings
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For back and front yard meetings, make sure that the grounds are completely safe for children. For example, be careful that pools are fenced or otherwise safely sectioned off. The same goes for any equipment or tools or recreational apparatus that is deemed unsafe for girls such as outdoor trampolines. Make sure that pets are kept separate from the girls meeting space. Ensure that both the troop leader and co-leader can see girls and monitor their whereabouts at all times. Maintain the use of the buddy system for errands or bathroom breaks. If the property is large, ensure that the meetings space is kept distinctly separate from non-members.
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Virtual Meetings
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Meeting options may need to be flexible based on the fluid nature of COVID- 19 risk. Troops that are able to run online meetings as needed (or wanted) should do so. GSUSA recommends maintaining a virtual to in-person ratio of at least 20/80, which means to maintain virtual troop meetings at least 20% of the time to keep tech skills and virtual meeting habits fresh. Use the Safety Activity Checkpoints for Virtual Meetings, to guide your meeting plans.
While we cannot endorse or support specific online meeting tools for your use, we are aware of several tools troops and service units are using for virtual meetings. See below for a list of free and low-cost tools that could be useful to you. We encourage troop leaders to look at these and alternative options and discuss with parents and girls to determine what the best solution is for your troop’s needs. Be sure to review the Safety Activity Checkpoints for virtual meetings.
While all of these options have a free version, please note you may be prompted to consider their upgraded versions for a subscription fee.
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Zoom - FAQ
- Note: Meetings duration maximum of 40 minutes in free version
- Watch a free tutorial on Zoom
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Skype - Support
- Note: Up to 10 participants free
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Webex – Help Center
- Note: Limited file and content sharing in free version
Chat and Collaboration Tools with free versions
Additional low-cost tools for collaboration and conferencing to consider if the above options do not meet your group's needs.
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Zoom - FAQ
Council Response to COVID-19
Updated 12/1/2020
Supersedes guidance provided on October 1, 2020
GSUSA has provided COVID-19 safety and health guidance for councils to share with their volunteers, recognizing that the timing of resuming in person troop meetings and activities will vary from state to state and even county to county in certain regions. This guidance is intended to be used for volunteers in conjunction with Safety Activity Checkpoints and according to each council’s individual state and local COVID-19 circumstances which remains fluid.
This guidance is being provided as of the Edition Date above from GSUSA (when a vaccine has not been made readily available). Girl Scouts Heart of the South may modify this guidance, from time to time as circumstances change. Please refer to this document from time-to-time to determine recommendations on Girl Scout activities around COVID-19. Given the constantly changing guidelines in the 3 states and 59 counties that GSHS serves, volunteers should frequently visit this document to stay informed on the most recent recommendations. Each update supersedes any previously posted information.
GSUSA strongly recommends resuming normal in-person activities only after your state and county have successfully passed its final phase of the re-opening process.
Volunteer Awareness. COVID-19 is an extremely contagious virus that spreads easily in the community. Take all reasonable precautions to limit potential exposure for girls, volunteers, and families. It is an important time to be a great Girl Scout and demonstrate Girl Scout values.
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to change as infection rates rise and fall in different areas. There may be regional differences or developments since this guidance was published. Continue to follow local and national directives. Discuss plans with families.
Pre-screening and Symptoms Check. Prior to in-person troop meetings and activities, all participants should be screened to ensure they are healthy and that they have not experienced symptoms that are associated with COVID-19 in the previous 72 hours, that they have not knowingly been in contact with someone that has exhibited symptoms or has been confirmed positive with COVID-19 and that they have not been to high risk geographical regions; particularly those regions with a 14-day quarantine period.
Girl Scouts Heart of the South provides a COVID-19 Member Participation Waiver for troops and service units to use for pre-screening.
Volunteers that are planning events should complete pre-screening and symptoms check prior to each in-person gathering. If an attendee answers a question that would indicate a likelihood or a known possibility that they could be a carrier of the virus, they should not be asked to attend the gathering. Please be sensitive to the fact that girls may be experiencing symptoms that are similar but completely unrelated to COVID-19 and not contagious at all, such as headaches, allergies or a pre-existing condition. The goal is to keep the meeting safe from contagion and do the very best to ensure our girls are educated and healthy, not make it unnecessarily difficult or uncomfortable for girls to gather safely.
Restrictions by State. Before implementing these national guidelines, first and foremost: Check local restrictions for small gatherings in the council home state. They could vary greatly from state to state, county to county, or even from town to town. As of this Edition Date state restrictions are still changing. AARP publishes an excellent overview of restriction by state which is updated daily: AARP Coronavirus Restrictions by State. Check your state Department of Health (DOH) to ensure your jurisdiction is in compliance with statutory norms and laws.
The council’s Leadership Centers and Trefoil Trunk Shops are currently closed to the public, but council staff remain ready to serve members and their families.
If you need assistance there are multiple ways to contact us:
- Phone: 800-624-4185
- Email: info@girlscoutshs.org
- Chat: visit our homepage and look for the icon on the bottom right of the page
Returning to In-Person Troop Meetings and Activities Interim COVID-19 Guidance for Volunteers
Troops and Service Units who wish to resume in-person meetings and activities must submit an Acknowledgement of GSHS COVID-19 Guidelines prior to in-person gatherings taking place.
Our team has also developed a COVID-19 Member Participation Waiver for any troops who would like a little more peace of mind. This form is not required by the council for in-person activities, but troops are welcome to use it.
Use the following guidelines to help decide how and when to return to troop activities.
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Troop Meetings
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Activities/Programs
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Business/Practices
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Additional Resources
Continue Girl Scouts at home with Girl Scout Digital Experience
Even though your girl’s daily routine may have changed, there are many ways she can still participate in Girl Scout activities and earn awards, even at home! Through Girl Scout Digital ExperienceGirl Scout Digital Experience we're offering Virutal Badge Labs, STEAM Series, trainings and at-home challenges and activities.
The following are available on the Girl Scout Digital Experience:
- Virtual Badge Labs
- Virtual STEAM Series
- Virtual Trainings for Girls
- Video Tutorials and Activities
- At Home Challenges
- Scavenger Hunts
We invite you to follow us on Facebook where we are posting fun and free activities families can do together while at home.
Ways you can stay connected with your troop
It is unfortunate that COVID-19 is interfering with Girl Scouts’ ability to meet and learn together. Thank you all for taking steps to ensure the safety of girls in this difficult time. While we cannot endorse or support specific online meeting tools for your use, we are aware of several tools troops and service units are using for virtual meetings. See below for a list of free and low-cost tools that could be useful to you. We encourage troop leaders to look at these and alternative options and discuss with parents and girls to determine what the best solution is for your troop’s needs. Be sure to review the Safety Activity Checkpoints for virtual meetings.
While all of these options have a free version, please note you may be prompted to consider their upgraded versions for a subscription fee.
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Zoom - FAQ
- Note: Meetings duration maximum of 40 minutes in free version
- Watch a free tutorial on Zoom
-
Skype - Support
- Note: Up to 10 participants free
-
Webex – Help Center
- Note: Limited file and content sharing in free version
Chat and Collaboration Tools with free versions
Additional low-cost tools for collaboration and conferencing to consider if the above options do not meet your group's needs.
Be a Source of Comfort and Calm for Girls
Girl Scouts of the USA has developed a helpful resource for How to Talk to Your Girl About COVID-19 to help minimize stress and worry in your Girl Scout’s life and give her a sense of calm and control.
Thank you for your help in keeping Girl Scouts a safe, fun space for everyone! If you have questions about how COVID-19 may impact Girl Scout activities, please reach out to us at info@girlscoutshs.org.
Additional information and resources about the Covid-19:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – The CDC is publishing its latest updates, health tips, and country-specific travel information.
- World Health Organization - Coronavirus Q&A, a helpful Q&A addressing many of the common questions about this virus.
- Arkansas Department of Health
- Mississippi State Department of Health
- Tennessee Department of Health