SitePacketInformationFall2015 - Girls on the Run

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A Non-Profit
Physical Activity-Based Positive Youth Development Program
Girls on the Run 3rd-5th Grade Elementary School Girls
Girls on Track 6th-8th Grade Middle Schools Girls
About Girls on the Run
Girls on the Run is a life-changing, non-profit program for girls in the 3rd through 8th
grade. The 20-lesson curriculum combines training for a 5K (3.1 miles) running event
with lessons that inspire girls to become independent thinkers, enhance their problem
solving skills and make healthy decisions. All of this is accomplished through an active
collaboration with girls and their parents, schools, volunteers, staff, and the community.
Meeting twice a week in small teams of 8-15 girls, we teach life skills through dynamic,
conversation-based lessons and running games. The 20-lesson curriculum is taught by
certified Girls on the Run coaches and includes three parts: understanding ourselves,
valuing relationships and teamwork and understanding how we connect with and shape
the world at large.
Running is used to inspire and motivate girls, encourage lifelong health and fitness, and
build confidence through accomplishment. At each season's conclusion, the girls and
their running buddies, complete a 5k running event. Completing a 5k gives the girls a
tangible sense of achievement as well as a framework for setting and achieving life goals.
The result—making the seemingly impossible, possible, and teaching girls that they can.
Our Mission
• We inspire girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience-based
curriculum which creatively integrates running.
Our Vision
• We envision a world where every girl knows and activates her limitless potential
and is free to boldly pursue her dreams.
Girls on the Run honors its core values. We strive to:
• Recognize our power and responsibility to be intentional in our decision making
• Embrace our differences and find strength in our connectedness
• Express joy, optimism and gratitude through our words, thoughts and actions
• Nurture our physical, emotional and spiritual health
• Lead with an open heart and assume positive intent
• Stand up for ourselves and others
Girls on the Run DFW Metroplex is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. GOTRDFW is
an independent council of Girls on the Run International, which has a network of 200+
locations across the United States and Canada. GOTRDFW currently has programs at
more than 25 elementary schools, recreation centers and YMCAs and continues to
expand throughout the Metroplex. Our territory includes the counties of Denton,
Tarrant, Dallas, Collin, Rockwall and Grayson. Details about our locations and territory
can be found here: www.gotrdfw.org.
Girls on the Run DFW Metroplex • 17130 Dallas Parkway, Suite 170, Dallas, TX 75248
Laurie Mitchell • Executive Director • [email protected]
Allison Gnade • Program Coordinator • [email protected]
Why Girls on the Run?
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We offer our program to ALL girls regardless of their ability to pay. We provide a
confidential, family income scale that accommodates every girl who desires to
participate.
Girls on the Run DFW is supported in our community. Local sponsors and
foundations help provide funding for scholarships to underserved girls.
Our program embraces the Presidents Physical Fitness Campaign, the Dallas
Mayors MyFi initiative and the Cooper Institute Play 60 fitness program.
This includes efforts to get children physically active in and outside of school and
improve the quality and availability of physical activity.
We provide an extracurricular physical activity based- positive youth
development program (PA-PYD) and research based curricula that emphasizes
enjoyable participation and confidence needed to adopt and maintain a healthy
lifestyle.
Our 10 week program provides interactive activities such as running, playing
games, and discussing important self empowering issues.
The program concludes with all participants walking or running in a community
5k event. This involves the family, friends, teachers and community at large.
The program utilizes a whole-person approach to elevate emotional, social,
mental and physical health.
Girls on the Run Curricula
Girls on the Run is the name of the organization, but we offer two programs: Girls on
the Run for 3rd-5th grade girls and Girls on Track for 6th-8th grade girls. The principle
philosophies and psychological research for both programs are the same, yet some
topics and discussion questions vary for developmental reasons. The Girls on Track
curriculum allows for deeper discussion on topics becoming more and more relevant as
girls grow into middle school, providing a safe outlet for discussion at this crucial stage
of development.
Each curriculum covers 20 lessons, and each lesson follows a general pattern
incorporating lesson goals.
Each lesson is divided into activities with specific functions to enhance the learning
process. A lesson begins with a "Getting on Board" activity, which brings the girls'
focus to the topic of the day.
The girls then do a "Warm-Up" activity, which again focuses on the day’s topic, but
does so in a manner that actually serves to warm up their muscles, joints and
cardiovascular system.
A "Processing" question and answer time follows the warm-up activity. The girls
stretch while specific questions are asked to bring out the relevance of the "Warm-Up"
activity to the topic. The goal of processing is to help the girls make connections and see
how the lessons apply to their lives. Processing is the most important piece of each
lesson. Processing relates the activities to the "real world" and requires good listening
skills.
A "Workout" activity follows where the girls do a variety of running workouts that
incorporate a game or a team goal that keep it fun.
The lesson concludes with the girls answering some final "Processing" questions
related to the "Workout" activity while they complete cool-down stretching.
Each session will “Wrap Up” with the coach expressing positive comments about
individual and group behaviors. Each session also finishes with energy awards that
recognize positive individual and group behaviors (awards are invented and decided
upon by the girls).
Lesson plans are clearly laid out with required materials listed at the beginning. The 20lesson curriculum is divided into three sets explores the following concepts:
The first set of lessons provides the participants with opportunities to:
! Gain an understanding of themselves
! Learn about their strengths and weaknesses while setting personal goals
! Explore the importance of being physically, mentally, and emotionally healthy
! Examine their own core values and what makes them unique
The second set provides the participants with opportunities to:
! Explore getting along within a group
! Learn active listening and confrontation/assertiveness skills
! Recognize the importance of "positivism" in dealing with others
! Examine the components of good decision-making skills
The last set provides the participants with opportunities to:
! Explore their responsibility to the community
! Analyze the cultural and social messages girls receive in the media and other
institutions
! Examine their own stereotyping and discriminatory behavior
! Define community and their collective and individual roles in it
! Create and implement a community project
! Be empowered to change their environment around them in a positive manner.
There are no comparable programs to Girls on the Run. It is a unique curriculum in the
genre of youth programs. It incorporates physical activity to teach very specific and
well-defined social and personal skills. Research validates that the development of these
skills prevents the future display of at-risk behaviors including early onset of sexual
activity, disordered eating, depression and anxiety, substance and alcohol abuse and
confrontations with the juvenile justice system.
Participating Locations 2013-2015
DALLAS COUNTY
Brandenburg Elementary
2800 Hillcrest, Irving
Brentfield Elementary
6767 Brentfield Dr, Richardson
Episcopal School of Dallas
4344 Colgate Ave, Dallas
Forest Lane Academy
9663 Forest Lane, Dallas
Forest Meadow Junior High
9373 Whitehurst Drive, Dallas
Henry B Gonzalez
Elementary
6610 Lake June Road, Dallas
Jewish Community Center
7900 Northaven Road, Dallas
Johnston Elementary
2801 Rutgers, Irving
Katy Park
2600 Lawing Lane, Rowlett
Lake Highlands Junior High
10301 Walnut Hill Drive, Dallas
Lakewest YMCA
3737 Goldman, Dallas
Larry G Smith Elementary
5299 Gus Thomasson Rd, Dallas
Lumin Lindsley Park
7130 Lindsley Ave, Dallas
Northwood Hills
Elementary
14532 Meandering Way, Dallas
Santa Clara Regional
Community Center
321 Calumet Avenue, Dallas
Skyview Elementary
9229 Meadowknoll Drive, Dallas
Thelma Richardson
Elementary
7203 Bruton Road, Dallas
Turner Courts Rec Center
6508 Canaan Street, Dallas
Wesley Rankin Community
Center
3100 Crossman Ave, Dallas
8200 O’ Brian, North Richland
Hills
Academy at West Birdville
3001 Layton Ave, Haltom City
DENTON COUNTY
Coppell Family YMCA
146 Town Center Blvd, Coppell
Cross Timbers YMCA
2021 Cross Timbers Road,
Flower Mound
Delay Middle School
2103 Savage Street, Lewisville
Stewart Creek Elementary
4431 Augusta, The Colony
COLLIN COUNTY
Borchardt Elementary
4300 Waskom Drive, Frisco
Frisco Athletic Center
5828 Nancy Jane Lane, Frisco
Hedgcoxe Elementary
7701 Prescott Drive, Plano
Joe Farmer Rec Center
1201 Bethany Road, Allen
Lone Star Ranch
5150 Beacon Hill Drive, Frisco
McCall Elementary
6601 Cloverhaven Way, Plano
McClure Elementary
1753 Ridge Road, McKinney
Plano Family YMCA
3300 McDermott, Plano
Rose Haggar Elementary
17820 Campbell Drive, Dallas
Walker Elementary
4000 Cockrill Drive, McKinney
TARRANT COUNTY
Academy at CF Thomas
Beck Elementary
500 Parkview Dr, Trophy Club
Carroll Elementary
1705 Continental Boulevard,
Southlake
Chisolm Ridge Elementary
8301 Running River, Fort Worth
Crowley Recreation Center
405 Oak Street, Crowley
Euless Family Life Center
300 E. Midway Road, Euless
Fort Worth Running
Company
2401 West 7th Street, Fort Worth
Holy Trinity Catholic School
3750 William Tate Rd,
Grapevine
McPherson Park
240 McDonwell School Rd,
Colleyville
Mullendore Elementary
4100 Flory Street,
North Richland Hills
Northpark YMCA
9100 North Beach Street, Fort
Worth
North Ridge Elementary
7331 Holiday Lane, North
Richland Hills
Otis Brown Elementary
2501 West Tenth Street, Irving
Richland Middle School
7400 Hovenkamp,
North Richland Hills
Uplift Meridian Academy
1801 S Beach Street, Fort Worth
Walnut Grove Elementary
2520 North White Chapel Blvd,
Southlake
How to start a site
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Read through this packet of information thoroughly.
Ensure that you agree to and understand the content.
Ensure you have achieved all aspects of the Host Site responsibilities/readiness
to participate criteria.
Fill out a site application (available on the GOTRDFW website).
Before any new site is added, Girls on the Run DFW seeks to meet with the site
liaison and others at the location to review the space and to answer any questions
about the program or at least have a conference call. Once a site application has
been turned in and the appropriate people at the site have been identified (site
liaison, coaches, administrators, etc.), please contact the GOTR office to schedule
a visit or phone call.
Note that GOTRDFW is rapidly expanding and doing our best to accommodate as many
new site requests as possible. We are somewhat limited by funding and staff capacity,
therefore we can’t guarantee a site will be able to start simply because they completed an
application. Please be aware that starting and maintaining a Girls on the Run site is a
serious commitment for volunteers and a time intensive endeavor.
Please direct any questions you may have to Allison Gnade at [email protected] or
214-484-3082.
Site Involvement/Readiness to Participate
GOTRDFW provides almost everything needed to run the program. The site has the
following responsibilities:
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Approval from school principal or site administration. The school principal or
site director must indicate his/her acknowledgement, awareness and support of
Girls on the Run being delivered at your site if this site application is approved.
The school principal or site administrator will be contacted to confirm their
approval.
Provide a Site Contact, Head Coach (could be the same person) , Assistant coach
and a substitute coach.
o The site contact is a volunteer who provides a valuable link between the
site, coaches and the Girls on the Run staff and assures smooth
implementation of the program (marketing the program, recruiting
coaches, securing practice space, etc.). The site contact must either be an
employee of the school or a parent. It is common for the site contact to
also serve in the role as head coach.
o Each coach is required to attend a training provided by Girls on the Run
and complete a volunteer application and background check before the
season begins. Each team must have a minimum of two GOTR trained
Coaches or Substitute at each practice. Coaches don’t need to be runners
or have coaching experience. Girls on the Run will provide training, the
curriculum and all supplies needed to run the program. Coaches must be
in place and have completed their paperwork and training before the
classes begin. Any exception to this must be approved by GOTR staff.
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A safe, dedicated space for running. THIS IS ESSENTIAL. This does not have
to be a track. A field is fine. However, there is a need to measure off part of the
area for occasions when lessons require running a certain distance, e.g. 1 mile, 5k,
etc.
A rain site. Indoor, private, preferably a gym reserved for GOTR and NOT in
conflict with other programs.
Provide safety plans of host site – including evacuation plans, fire drill dates.
Identify any Code of Conduct expected at the site that goes above and beyond
standard behavior of coaches or leaders of your school.
Management of team enrollment. Teams must have a minimum of 8 girls
and a maximum of 15 girls, however 12 is the recommended
maximum for a new site. If you have more than 15 interested girls, you’ll need
to implement and manage a waitlist (our online registration system can maintain
a waitlist as well) or add a team if there is enough coaching support. Teams
should include a blend of ALL applicable grade levels as much as possible.
Choose two days per week and the time the girls will meet for at least an hour and
a half each practice. Recommended practice length is 90 minutes, but can be
done in 1 hour and 15 minutes if needed. Please speak with GOTR regarding a
shortened amount of class time. Most sites practice right after school is dismissed
so transportation issues are eased. Please note girls must be available to attend
both classes per week. The only exception would be tutoring needs identified
after the GOTR season has started. Dates can be tentative now, but MUST
be firm before registration is open.
It is up to the site to recruit girls for the program. Girls on the Run DFW can
provide electronic copies of fliers to be distributed.
o Send flyers home with the girls
o Host a registration night at the school or rec center
o Post on facebook/rec center website
Coaches
Acting as a Girls on the Run coach is time intensive yet extremely rewarding volunteer
opportunity. All coaches are trained by Girls on the Run and are provided with a welldeveloped, well-researched curriculum, which has been used successfully by GOTR here
in the DFW area and across the country. We require a minimum of two GOTR trained
coaches per team to attend each practice. Coaches should carefully consider their
schedule when committing to be a GOTR coach. The season is 2 days per week for 10
weeks. Classes where more than 2 coaches are needed to cover both days of the season
for one class have been successful, but must be approved by GOTR staff.
Coaching Roles:
Site Contact
! Must be connected with the school/rec center (i.e. a teacher or parent)
! Link between site, coaches and GOTR
! Assist with marketing and coach recruitment
! Commonly also serves as head coach but this is not required.
Head Coach
Must be female
Manage coaching “staff”
Prepare and lead lessons
Commit to two practices/week unless sharing head coach duties
1st Time coach MUST attend an in person training and Veteran coaches can
complete training on line seasonally.
! Complete Coach Application
! Complete Background Check
Assistant Coach
! Assist with lesson instruction and planning of program events and celebrations
! Commit to one or two practices/week
! 1st Time coach MUST attend an in person training and Veteran coaches can
complete training on line seasonally.
! Complete Coach Application
! Complete Background Check
Substitute Coach
! Want to be involved but can’t commit to regularly attend practice
! Available in case Head Coach or Assistant has issues.
! Complete Substitute Training on line
! Sign Non-Compete on line
! Complete Background Check
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Coaching requirements:
All coaches must complete an online coach application, an online background check
and attend a GOTR training session. (Veteran coaches will be asked to reapply and
renew their training online seasonally)
! Adult CPR and first aid certification is required of one coach per site who will
attend all practices.
! All new coaches must attend a coaches training with the Girls on the Run staff
prior to the beginning of the season and before your class will be open for
registration. Fall training is typically held in August. Spring training is typically
held in January.
! Veteran coaches must attend a mandatory coaches meeting at the beginning of
the season.
! Substitutes will be required to review a substitute training on-line and complete a
background check.
! Coaches will adhere to organizational and reporting deadlines throughout the
season.
! Coaches will prepare for, supervise and participate in all lessons in a manner
consistent with the GOTR philosophy and follow curriculum as provided in
training and class manual.
! Coaches should participate in the end-of-season 5k event with their team.
! Coaches will plan and coordinate other program events throughout the season
such as practice 5k, community service project and end-of-season banquet.
We also recruit volunteers who we train as coaches and assign to schools
when the school is unable to provide enough assistant coaches. Let
GOTRDFW know as soon as possible if you will need assistance with coaches. However,
it is ultimately the responsibility of the host site to secure coaches for the program each
season.
5k Celebration
Girls on the Run DFW hosts or participates in 5k celebration at the end of each season.
All Girls on the Run participants throughout the DFW metropolitan area come together
for the semi-annual 5k (3.1 mile) run, which is the culminating event of the season. All
girls are required to have a running buddy on the day of the race to help them see their
goal through and celebrate their accomplishment. The event is open to the general
public.
Program Fees & Scholarships
Building confidence and setting young girls down the path of a healthy lifestyle is
PRICELESS! However, there are real costs associated with operating a non-profit
organization and delivering the Girls on the Run program to over 700 girls in the DallasFt. Worth area each year. The fee is $150 per girl for the twice per week, ten-week
program. Although the actual out of pocket cost to deliver the program is a bit higher
than this, the $150 fee helps cover the direct costs of one child’s participation. Our
council serves a large territory with a diverse population and we want to price our
program so it is affordable to all families. Therefore, families with limited income or
special circumstances can choose to apply for a full or partial scholarship. Scholarships
are awarded based on a sliding scale and available funding. Girls participate equally in
the program regardless of the fee their family selects. A scholarship form must be
completed.
The tangible items each girl receives with her program fee include:
! 20 professionally developed and researched based lessons (each approximately
90 minutes) conducted by trained Girls on the Run coaches
! Grown Up Guide – a companion to the curriculum
! Supplies for each class
! GOTR gift (may be a water bottle, logo socks, etc)
! An official Girls on the Run program T-shirt
! Participation in the end of the season Celebration
! Participation in the end of the year 5k
Getting Girls on Board
! Send flyers home with girls
! Host a registration night at the school or rec center
! Post on Facebook, school/rec center website
Repeating the Program
It is common for girls to participate in multiple sessions of Girls on the Run. There are
three different curriculums for Girls on the Run, which can be rotated each season a site
offers the program. Currently there is only one Girls on Track curriculum. Each girl’s
second (and some times third) experience with the curricula is different from the first.
Repetition is an important part of the learning process, which allows each girl a feeling
of mastery and an opportunity to be a leader or mentor to those who are new to the
program.
Please Note Policies are subject to change as situations arise. Please contact the
Director or Program Coordinator with any questions or exceptions to what you have
read above. This packet is not intended to be a complete list of all policies and
requirements more information will be provided during coach training.
Contact Us
If you have questions about starting a program, please feel free to contact:
Allison Gnade
Program Coordinator, Girls on the DFW
Phone: 214-484-3082
[email protected]
Or visit the website at www.gotrdfw.org
Fall 2015 Girls on the Run Season
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August 28th-Site and Coach applications due
August 30th-New Coaches Training
September 12th-New coaches training
September 14th-Classes Start
November 21st-5k Celebration
Please visit our website www.gotrdfw.org and click on
Program and then Start a Site for a link to our site and
coach applications.