Student Leaders pt.3 - SAT Accomplishments

Our inaugural Student Advisory Teams have concluded their assignments. Prior to the formation of these teams, my only hopes were that we would 1) begin to develop students to take-on leadership roles within our school, and 2) begin to give students a voice in regards to the decisions that we make that impact our school. Unfortunately, I did not have a clear, detailed plan as to how we would accomplish either of those two things. Nonetheless, throughout the past two months, it has been an absolute pleasure to watch these teams of students brainstorm ideas and plan actions that could improve our school.

The Student Advisory Team comprised of kindergarten, first, and second grade students decided early-on that they wanted to find a way to minimize the distractions that occur in the classroom while students are on the playground at recess. What follows is the skit/video - A Recess Rules Reminder - that the K-2 Student Advisory Team created to share with each of the classrooms in our school.

Our third through fifth grade Student Advisory Team had a larger laundry list of upgrades that they wanted to see take place. Amongst the things that we were able to accomplish:

• Announcing student birthdays, weekly, over the intercom
• Allowing fifth grade students to get the first opportunity for seconds at lunch
• No longer prohibiting students from talking with their peers at lunch (we even incorporated music playing in the background for our students during lunch)
• Having more assemblies, which they planned and then led an assembly regarding caring for all of our K-5 students
• (They wanted to raise money for new recess equipment, but I informed them that our Elementary Support Organization was writing a grant as well as planning to use some of the money raised from our walk-a-thon for that purpose)

My hope is that these students will continue to take-on leadership roles within our school despite no longer being a part of our Student Advisory Teams.

I am excited about the two new Student Advisory Teams that will form within the next week.

Like last time, the plan will be to start by asking the new members of our student advisory teams to begin thinking about what they would change about our school if they had a magic wand with such powers. From there we will see what kinds of ideas they formulate that we can explore implementing.

Because after all, this school belongs to our students. It should be our obligation to make every effort to make our school the place that our students envision.

The Caring is Contagious poster that was designed to have every student in the school sign as their pledge to be caring.