Giving students a chance to be heard
Communication, input and possible solutions from students are the three major factors I look for when I speak to students in my Student Advisory Council. For the past two years, I have been meeting each month, during lunch time, with a handful of students from Stebbins High School to address concerns of our current generation.
Student perspective helps provide me with a wide range of opinions from students with different religious, racial and socioeconomic status backgrounds; thus, I get a diverse set of opinions from our students about what matters most to them in regards to district initiatives and programs in our schools. A variety of topics from teaching and learning, to the school climate and culture, to the obstacles facing students today our discussed. While each agenda includes a primary topic of conversation for the meeting, students are invited to share concerns and ideas at any time.
This school year, advisory council members helped plan for next year’s ninthgrade transition to the high school. Ninth grade is a potential minefield for many young adolescents. During the freshman year, incoming students encounter new emotions, new social situations, and new intellectual challenges. Council members gave their unique perspective on what Stebbins teachers and administrators should do in order to strengthen the ninth-grade transition and engage students to have a happy, healthy and successful four years of high school.
As a superintendent and school administrator, I think it’s very important that students have a say in what happens in public education and have an opportunity for their voices to be heard. Student advisory council members provide me with invaluable information and advice that lead to positive changes in the Mad River School District.