September 2024 Volume 11, Issue 1
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Dear friends,
It’s been over two months since Girls on the Run board and staff members gathered in Las Vegas for our 20th Summit, and the time we spent together continues to inspire me. While the lights of Las Vegas were captivating, it is the magnetic power of our shared connection that ignites my spirit. I can still see the smiling faces and hear the sound of laughter as old friends reunited, and new friends were made. This radiant energy fills my heart with gratitude and joy.
The enthusiasm, kindness, and idea-sharing that fills every room and conversation at Summit is indicative of the values-based leadership that has made it possible for Girls on the Run to thrive. |
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This year, 425 council board and staff members from 127 councils in the United States and Canada attended the event. The knowledge gleaned and relationships fostered will make it possible for each of us to expand our reach and deepen our impact in the years ahead. This was my 14th Summit, and the opportunity to both learn from and deepen my bond with board members, staff, partners, and speakers never gets old. Hearing your stories and seeing the passion you have for Girls on the Run fuels and fortifies my commitment to doing everything I can to advance our mission. The lingering energy of Summit continues to inspire the team at GOTR HQ as we prepare for the fall season. Our strategic initiatives are on track, and we are poised to train more coaches, serve more participants, and, most importantly, transform more lives. Together, we are making a difference in the lives of the families we serve. Thank you for the integral role you play in creating a better tomorrow for so many people in your community. With gratitude, |
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Summit Highlights from Board Members
At this year’s Summit, there were more than 20 expert breakout sessions over two days. Each session was tailor-made to support, educate, and empower board members, staff, and volunteers. Since Summit, we connected with several attendees to learn more about their favorite sessions and how they plan to leverage what they learned at their council. |
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Maranda Abitz, the board chair for Girls on the Run Fond Du Lac was truly amazed by the overall Summit experience. Her favorite session, Beyond the Finish Line: Crafting and Marketing Transformative 5K Experiences, left her inspired and energized. Listening to the race director of the Rock ‘n’ Roll series share real-life 5K experiences was a highlight for Maranda, and she learned many new ideas and strategies to enhance their next 5K event. Maranda is excited to present innovative concepts to her council and elevate the impact of their upcoming 5K with fresh perspectives and creative approaches.
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Christine Beall, board chair for Girls on the Run Vermont enjoyed the session titled Restorative Practices for Effective Team Communication and Conflict Resolution. The idea of community building resonated with Christine deeply. Christine shared that she appreciated the facilitator's emphasis on the idea that 80% of restorative practices are centered around community building, while the remaining 20% is focused on conflict resolution. The importance of fostering a strong sense of community left a lasting impact on her and she believes the insights shared will greatly benefit their council.
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We are giving an Energy Award to Girls on the Run Northwest Indiana who had three board members attend Summit! Board chair Gina Fezler was most inspired by the Five Steps to a High Performing and Engaged Board session. Gina shared that this session motivated her to envision a revised onboarding process for new board members and that she will be rolling out a new onboarding plan soon!
Board secretary Alyssa Gawlinski shared that Summit was a wonderful professional development experience both as a board member and in other personal and professional roles in her life. Alyssa enjoyed all the sessions and shared they inspired her to find innovative ways of making experiences at their council more engaging, creative, and girl-centered.
Board member Andrea Bowman also attended National Coach Training (T3) at the end of Summit and is now a certified train-the-trainer for the council. For Andrea, the most impactful part of Summit was having the opportunity to network, ask questions, and feel connected to others from sister councils. |
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Another Energy Award is going to Girls on the Run Shenandoah Valley who also had three board members attend Summit! Board Chair Laurel Webster walked away from Summit feeling inspired and encouraged for their upcoming board retreat. Laurel shared that as a new board chair, the Summit experience and board-related sessions were valuable and will set her up for success during her term. |
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New Foundational Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access Training
A new Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) foundational training is now available on the GOTR Learning Academy. This self-paced series provides board, staff, and volunteers with information and resources to foster a culture of inclusion and belonging within Girls on the Run. It includes four modules:
- Self-Awareness
- Understanding Bias
- IDEA at Girls on the Run
- Your IDEA Journey
For more information about the training, please email idea@girlsontherun.org. |
Annual GOTR Census Report - FY24
GOTR HQ has released the FY24 GOTR Census Report, designed to provide organizational insight, drive continuous improvement, and identify national trends. This annualized Census Report reflects organizational performance through FY24, specifically highlighting financials and staff.
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Council Staff Experience Survey: Results & Supportive Resources
Results are in from the Council Staff Experience Survey distributed last fall designed to better understand employee engagement and satisfaction.
A values-based culture where employees feel valued and are meaningfully engaged is central to building a high-performing organization. As such, The survey was based on the 'Best Places to Work' survey that GOTR HQ staff annually complete and more than 300 council staff (52% response rate) participated. The survey groups questions into eight categories: communication and resources, individual needs, future outlook, manager effectiveness, personal engagement, connection, trust in leadership, and team dynamics.
Significant areas of strength included team dynamics and trust in leadership with over 80% favorability.
Conversely, significant areas of improvement were prominent in the categories of individual needs and personal engagement. Comprehensive benefits, fair compensation and opportunities for career development were the lowest ranking questions.
Additionally, a key finding was that council staff who had performance management review processes reported stronger favorability than council staff who did not. |
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Reminder: Board Resource Page
As a reminder, the Board Resource Page is the online organizational hub for board members, including regional director support, governance, position descriptions, recruitment, orientation, IDEA, Mission Advancement Markers, webinars, board training, performance management, leadership recruitment and hiring, and succession planning. No login is required!
Tip: If your board is gearing up for new board member orientation or you are seeking foundational board training, be sure to check out the Board Fundamentals four-part mini-series or the Board Training Playlist.
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