
Start of the Year
Family Meeting Agenda 
In order for adults to be focused, have an activity planned for the girls in another room.  You might want to ask your 
Service Unit Manager to connect you with an older girl troop that is willing to assist with this.  If this is a new troop, try 
to have get-to-know-you games for the girls; and it may be a good time for girls to create a Group Agreement about 
behavior expectations to form a safe and supportive troop sisterhood. 
Be sure to warmly greet and welcome everyone as they come in.  Have them create a name tag and pick 
up the Meet My Girl- handout (see below).  This is something to do while everyone is arriving and getting 
settled. 
Ice Breaker Activity: have each person (including you) introduce themselves and share one of the 
responses to the “Meet My Girl” prompts (encourage people to share different prompts), and one of their 
own hopes for what the troop will do this year (it’s a good idea to write these hopes down and who said 
them), though remind everyone that the girls will ultimately choose the year’s priorities. 
Expectations for the Meeting: 
  Give a brief overview of the agenda items 
  Explain that you will try to answer questions as you go, or if there is time, at the end, but may 
need to move things along to get to all the important topics.  Encourage folks to call or email with 
any further questions. 
  If you are using a Family Handbook, pass it out. 
Troop Communication: 
  Troop website, social media group, paper newsletters, email, phone tree, texting, etc.. (It’s your 
choice to either have the methods of communication already decided, or to agree as a group 
what the best methods will be.  The latter is obviously more time-consuming, but may result in 
greater cooperation later.) 
  Guidelines for communication response times, and policy re. attendance, tardiness in arrival and 
pick-up, and absences.  (This will come up later as an issue, so be sure you are clear now.) 
  Emergency communication plan- highlight the importance of providing and updating the most 
current and accurate emergency contact information (they will put that on the Permission for 
Meetings, Day Trips, and Medical Care  form later. 
  Group Agreement, Girl Scout Promise and Law: explain that the girls will be creating one 
together, and it will be shared with families.  Clarify that if there are behavior issues, families are 
expected to help their girls honor the Group Agreement.  If using the Parent Handbook, you may 
go over some of the expectations for Families too. 
  Explain that if concerns or complaints come up, they should be discussed in private, not in the 
presence of the girls, and a suggested solution should be offered, as well, in the spirit of 
cooperation. 
  Calendar- schedule of meetings, known events or field trips 
  Basic overview of meeting format.  May also want to introduce the awards and badges, Journeys, 
and community service or Take Action projects