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· Enables administration to hear from their most important stakeholders
· Encourages students to have a voice in determining school policy
· Provides an opportunity for students to have ownership in their school
· Student-created initiatives have greater acceptance among their peers.
Why should you empower student leaders?
Empowering Student Leaders
vassp summer conference 2014
How can administrators empower student leaders?
· Before school lets out, meet with newly elected officers to plan for the next
school year.
· Have your SCA Advisor conduct summer workdays. A successful school year
requires planning. As an administrator, make sure you check in on the summer
workdays to show support for your leaders.
· Meet monthly with student leaders throughout the school year. Encourage
them to express areas of concern, ways to improve the school, and what has
been successful.
· Allow student leaders to take a larger role in student and staff recognition.
Urge students to be creative and make sure all students believe they are part
of the school. Schools that have a positive school climate have students and
teachers who perform at a higher level.
Easily Incorporated Tips
Piecing It All Together
· Have an open door policy for your student leaders. Make them feel comfortable
coming to you for suggestions.
· Listen to their concerns. There are many problems that can be avoided by listening
to these very important stakeholders.
· Create a committee of student leaders from various aspects of the school. Make
sure to include Student Council, class officers, athletic captains, music and arts
representatives and a variety of club presidents.
· Delegate tasks that can be performed by students. They will appreciate the fact
that you trust them, and they will complete the tasks efficiently and up to your
standards.
· Participate in the events that they plan. This impacts the overall climate of your
school.
· Give shout-outs for their accomplishments to the entire student body and send
thank you notes. You will make a lasting impact and make student leaders want to
work hard for you and for the school.
Mr. Michael Perez
Principal,
Grassfield High School
Mrs. Andrea Vail
Student Activities Director,
Grassfield High School
Assistant Principal I,
Hickory High School
The Grassfield High School Planning Council consists of student leaders, parents,
teachers, and administrators. It focuses on the strengths and weaknesses of the
school. It has been successful because it incorporates all stakeholders. It meets
quarterly so that issues that are present at each phase of the school year can be the
topics of discussion.
Examples of Student Led Projects Each year, the SCA welcomes
students, teachers, administrators,
bus drivers, custodians, cafeteria
workers, and clerical staff back by
creating a theme and decorating a
wall in the cafeteria with each
individuals name. This is an easy way
to provide individual recognition to
everyone that is essential to the
success of the school.
Student leaders are a major part
of the Freshmen Transition
Program. They plan and participate
in a variety of team-building
activities, as well as create and
perform a skit on entering high
school. At the conclusion of the
day, the student leaders facilitate
a question and answer session.
This allows rising 9th graders to
enter high school with many
questions answered.
One hour prior to Back to School
Orientation, the student leaders
from each club set up a display
for our “Club Fair.” This allows
parents and students to see the
variety of clubs and activities
that are offered. Parents and
students are able to sign up for
the club, get information, and ask
questions of club officers and
sponsors.
Let student leaders choose service
projects. When a JV Football player
at a rival school suddenly passed
away, the students felt compelled
to do something to help his family.
Student leaders sold “Service
Links” throughout the week and
presented the principal of the rival
high school a check to go towards
funeral expenses. This allowed
students to see the impact they
can have on their local community.
Encourage school spirit. Students
who believe in their school want to
cheer for their school. We have an
annual Red Out football game. It is
traditionally the first home game
of the year. It really sets the tone
of spirit for the year. The Student
Council designs and sells shirts
each year before the game. They
are a tradition at our school.
Use student leaders for student
and staff recognition. One easy
project is to have your student
leaders complete a “Post-It
Positive” project. Positive
messages are left all over the
school. Share a Smile was a
project where every student came
to school on a Monday and had a
personalized note in their home-
room. Student leaders should be
prominent in staff recognition.