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Council Realignment Update

GSUSA/Manitou Q&A

Mergers are complex processes that can include a variety of challenges. In January the Manitou Council notified our CRC (council realignment committee) that they stepped away from the Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes realignment negotiations. On February 29, GSUSA received word that the Girl Scouts of Manitou Council is filing legal action to secure their current charter. GSUSA will continue to work to resolve the matter.

In the meantime, our council, along with the other five councils in our realignment group, will continue with our merger process as scheduled. Realignment is not an easy process. Our group is committed to working in partnership with GSUSA to create a new council with the infrastructure to provide a revitalized Girl Scout program.

All seven councils continue to deliver services to girls and plan for an exciting spring and summer. In fact, our six councils recently distributed a collaborative summer program booklet showcasing what is just the beginning of more opportunities for girls and adults.

We know that during this time of transition communication with our employees, volunteers and donors is critical, and we will do our best to continue to communicate as much information as possible in a timely manner. We appreciate your hard work making sure our girls continue to receive the premier leadership experience in the area.

Q: Has the Manitou council dropped out of the merger?
A: At this time, Manitou council is not participating in our realignment process. GSUSA is working with the council to resolve their issues. Our council, along with the other five councils in our realignment group, will continue with our merger process as scheduled.

Q: What are Manitou's concerns?
A: Manitou's issues are between their council and GSUSA. GSUSA is exploring issues with the council and we are kept informed as appropriate.

Q: Are the other six councils in our realignment group committed to continuing with realignment?
A: Yes. Working in partnership with GSUSA, we are proceeding with the merger of our six councils. By this summer, 70% of Wisconsin Girl Scout councils will have realigned.

Q: Does this development change the merger date?
A: No. Our merger date remains May 1 and our CRC and subcommittees are committed to that timeframe.

Q: Will the Manitou council be permitted to stay as it is?
A: We cannot speak for either the Manitou council or GSUSA, which has approved the jurisdictions for 109 councils in this nationwide realignment effort.

Q: Will the Manitou council be allowed to rejoin our new council group?
A: While we certainly hope that Manitou's issues can be resolved so they can rejoin our group, girl program and services across our area are plentiful and will not be disrupted.

Q: How does this development affect CRC committee and sub-committee work?
A: Our six councils' CRC members and subcommittee members continue to make plans, preparations and decisions regarding our new council.

Q: Will GSUSA revoke the Manitou charter?
A: GSUSA is working with the council and their legal team to resolve their issues and we cannot speak on their behalf.

Q: Why doesn't GSUSA just takeover the Manitou council?
A: GSUSA's authority with regard to a council rests in the granting of charters and the determination of council jurisdictions as outlined in the Blue Book of Basic Documents. Each council is a separate 501(c) 3 organization governed by a board of directors and accountable to its membership. As such, GSUSA cannot control council decisions such as finances, employment or council policies.

Q: Will girls from Manitou council be able to attend any of the other councils' camp programs this summer?
A: As always, girls and their families are welcome to contact any of our Girl Scout councils regarding a girl's participation in our programs. We will welcome any Girl Scout wishing to participate.

Realignment News

Over the last three years the Girl Scout organization has conducted a comprehensive review of our business with a membership-wide team of council CEOs, volunteers, GSUSA staff and girls nationwide. Through that extensive review we determined that realigning our councils will allow us to provide a consistent Girl Scout experience that builds courage, confidence and character in girls so that they may make the world a better place. The Girl Scout organization is very proud of the work we are doing in a diverse environment committed to meeting the needs of girls - the hallmark of the Girl Scout organization for nearly 95 years.

Members of Girl Scouts of the Fox River Area, Inc. who attended the Annual Meeting on April 26, 2006, received an update on the realignment of councils, part of the GSUSA Core Strategies. Please review this update (PDF) and send any questions, concerns or comments to the realignment mailbox. This mailbox will be monitored by Fran Raley, CEO of Girl Scouts of the Fox River Area, Inc. who will respond with the most up-to-date information available. We welcome your enthusiasm and involvement in this important time for the Girl Scout movement!

The map of our new council appears below.
Click the map for a larger image.

Girl Scout Leadership Development Model

The goals of the leadership development model are to:

• Ensure that the Girl Scout experience is consistent everywhere
• Provide a recipe for building leadership

what girls do (activities) + how they do it (processes)
= leadership skills (outcome)

Where can girls use leadership skills?

• Families
• Communities
• Professional lives

Girl Scout Leadership Development Model Activities

• Discover: strong sense of self, healthy life skills and values
• Connect: caring relationships, cooperation and team building
• Take Action: empowered to make a difference, solves problems and advocates for self and others

Girl Scout Leadership Development Model Processes

• Girl-Driven: designed by girls, working with adult mentors
• Learning by Doing: experiential learning
• Cooperative Learning: working toward shared goals in an all-girl team

Girl Scout Leadership Development Model Outcomes

• Courage: seek out issues they care about and exert leadership roles
• Confidence: discover and cultivate strengths; feel empowered to make a difference
• Character: act with integrity and compassion, making decisions that promote well-being of self and others

Girl Scout Leadership Development Model Advantages for Girls

• Better meets learning needs by shifting from myriad of "single topic" badges to thematic approach
• Engages girls in purposeful seeking and exploring that is larger than any one activity
• The journey becomes the reward

Girl Scout Leadership Development Model Levels

• Girl Scout Daisy: Grades K - 1
• Girl Scout Brownie: Grades 2 - 3
• Girl Scout Junior: Grades 4 - 5
• Girl Scout Cadette: Grades 6 - 8
• Girl Scout Senior: Grades 9 - 10
• Girl Scout Ambassador: Grades 11 - 12

Girl Scout Leadership Development Model Uniforms

• Girls at all levels: one official uniform item (tunic, vest or sash) to display pins and awards, worn with girls' own white shirt and khaki pants/skirt for official Girl Scout functions
• Daisy and Brownie uniform components still available
• Casual apparel for all ages still available
• Adults: navy blue business suit with membership pins plus Girl Scout scarf for women and Girl Scout tie for men

Girl Scout Leadership Development Model Volunteerism

• Single Entry System
• One or more staff devoted to volunteer entry process, including application, interview and background check
• Consistent orientation process, mentor assignment, training
• Established evaluation and recognition program

Advantages

• Stronger development process
• Increased safety
• Greater efficiency
• Enhanced communication between volunteers and staff
  

The date has been set! We will officially begin our realignment in April 2007!

Q: What will happen beginning April 2007?

A: Once local Boards of Directors approve the proposed changes in jurisdiction, a Council Realignment Committee (CRC) will be appointed. This committee will include all CEO's and board presidents from the merging councils as well as perhaps other community representatives. The committee - working with many active subcommittees - will establish the council structure and policies, define the delivery systems, integrate program and camping opportunities, and integrate databases. The committee may also establish the staff structure, hiring plans, and personnel policies. They may select the cookie company and other vendors. Decisions about the search for the new CEO will be made by members of the CRC. In some cases, the newly elected board of the corporation will be given the authority to make some of these decisions on behalf of the new council.

Q: Where does the work of the CRC end and the work of the new council begin?

A: This process can be compared to the building of a new house. It is the job of the CRC to design the house, put in the foundation, and do the framing work. It is the job of the newly formed council to select all interior elements and do all the finish work.

Q: What will happen to our Program Center? Where will the headquarters be?

A: The job of selecting the headquarters location is the responsibility of either the CRC or the newly elected Board of Directors. In either case, the selection of the office headquarters needs to be based on the agreed-upon vision for the new council. Successful operating structures will require multiple satellite office locations and creative service delivery models.

Q: What will be happen to our camp property and programs?

A: Decisions about camp properties and other assets will be made later in the realignment process.

Q: What will be happening between now and April 2007?

A:The CEOs have been meeting monthly to begin sharing operational information and looking at challenges involved with the realignment. They've been visiting each of the councils, touring program centers and camps. Other council staff are meeting with their peers in all of the merging councils to get to know each other and compare systems and processes. In these interim months staff from all merging councils are planning joint programs and other activities to build both council connections and enthusiasm for the future.

Q: What can volunteers do between now and then?

A: The best thing volunteers can do while we are "waiting to realign" is focus on expanding membership within all existing jurisdictions. This will create additional strength for the merger work that lies ahead. For most of our volunteers and girls it will be business as usual. Our transformation should not interrupt the Girl Scout experience but should strengthen our capacity to serve girls better.

Q: Are our resources going to be strained to shore up any weak councils with which we will be joined?

A: All of the councils involved in our realignment are strong. All are serving girls above the national market share average. All have done well on their most recent Council Performance Assessments. Many are bringing beautiful camp properties and other assets to our new council.

Check out all the amazing things happening in the five other councils we will be joining.

Girl Scouts of Birch Trails Council, Inc.
http://www.birchtrailsgirlscouts.org

Girl Scouts of Indian Waters, Inc.
http://www.gsiwc.org

Girl Scouts of Lac Baie Council, Inc.
http://www.lacbaiegirlscouts.org

Girl Scouts of Woodland Council, Inc.
http://www.woodgsc.org

Girl Scout Council of Peninsula Waters, Inc.
http://www.gspw.org

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