Founding Student Council
My Role
I founded student council at Jane B Eisner Middle school for two reasons. I wanted to increase my students' access and change the culture at my school. All of the students at my school participated in a survey that asked about their experience at Eisner. The data my school received from the survey showed that our student satisfaction scores were the lowest in our charter network on every metric. The data led to a conversation among school staff about ways we could change the student experience at Eisner. During the meeting, I discussed with my colleagues the benefits of starting a student council and what that would like at our school. A few days later I held a meeting for all school staff to discuss student council. During that meeting, my colleagues and I developed our student council proposal, student council application, and future student council events. Once the proposal was developed, with input from various stakeholders, I received approval from my administration and I distributed the application packets to students and families.
This is the Eisner Student Council Application that I developed with the help of several of my colleagues. While I am in the student council teacher leader, it was important to me that the student council was formed with input from all stakeholders, which is why I held a staff meeting. This application communicates to students the benefits of joining student council, responsibilities of student council members, qualities that we are looking for in applicants, and provides application instructions. As outlined in the application, while in student council, members will build and develop their character, leadership, decision making, organization skills, and time management. Developing these skills opens doors for my student council members because it prepares them to be leaders who take initiative inside and outside of school. In addition, being a member of student council makes my students high school applications more competitive and prepares them to participate in future leadership positions.
This artifact is my meeting notes from our first staff meeting. The objective of the meeting was to establish a proposal for student council, outline student council elections, and determine student council responsibilities. This artifact shows how I am increasing my students' access by describing the responsibilities of student council members. Student council members are expected to be liaisons, advocates, event coordinators, teacher assistants, and leaders. As the teacher leader of student council it is my responsibility to support all of my students as they fulfill these roles and become leaders at Eisner.
This artifact is my email communication between my interim principal and assistant principal. This email was my third email to my administration requesting permission to distribute student applications to the student body and officially start Eisner student council. Student council elections were held during tribes the following week via a google form. Eisner student council consists of 13 passionate student leaders committed to making Eisner a better place for all students.
This artifact is my email communication between my interim principal and assistant principal requesting approval to distribute student council applications.
During the application period, I received over 20 applications from students. Once I received all of the applications I scheduled individual meetings with teachers to discuss the students that had applied. Using the feedback I received from teachers at Eisner I selected 9 tribes (homeroom) representatives. The next step was to host elections for the student body to select their executive board. I held elections for student council president, vice president, treasurer, and secretary. Once the members of student council were elected we began work immediately to bring a sense of community and pride back to our school.
As the founding teacher of student council is it is my responsibility to lead all student council meetings, establish open communication with council members, plan merit assemblies, host Fun Fridays, and build a lasting framework that future teachers can use as they lead student council. Since founding student council, I have established weekly meetings, created an agenda for meetings, received approval for an 8th grade formal, and have successfully held two events at Eisner. Student council meets weekly on Fridays during tribes. During our meetings, we receive a report from each student council member and then split into our various planning committees. Students are currently planning our next Merit Day assembly on March 6th and a multicultural fair that will occur after school during the second week of March. Student council has planned and hosted two events at Eisner: Fun Friday and Valentines' Grams.
This is a student-created advertisement about student council led Valentines' Grams. I founded student council for two reasons to increase my students' access and to create a better school culture that uplifts all students. The purpose of organizing this event for our school community was to show all community members some appreciation and love in an effort to develop a stronger more cohesive school community. My students advocated for the importance of including teachers in Valentines' Grams to foster better relationships between students and teachers.
This is an image of three 6th grade student council members presenting the Valentines' Gram event and distributing order forms to an 8th-grade class. This artifact showcases the skills that students develop while being in student council. These members are developing their public speaking skills and their advertising ability. For most 11 year olds it as a daunting task to speak to a room full of people, but these 6th graders took initiative and developed their public speaking skills as they presented Valentines' Gram to the entire school classroom by classroom. The students presented a total of nine times and after each classroom, I gave them feedback to improve for their next presentation. Developing strong public skills will open doors for my students as it will make them more competitive for job positions, student leadership positions, and extracurricular programs.
Fun Friday is an event that was hosted on the first Friday of February by student council. This event occurred during nutrition with all of the student body present. This Fun Friday consisted of a three-legged race between teachers and students. Each teacher selected one student from their tribe (homeroom) and tied their legs together. The purpose of this event was to hold a friendly competition between tribes to increase each tribe's cohesion, increase school spirit by making Fridays more fun and engaging, and foster better relationships between teachers and students. Following the event, the student council tribe representatives solicited feedback from their tribes about their experience during Fun Friday. Student feedback from the event experience was positive and students requested that we host more events like this one. Student council decided to establish a new tradition at Eisner, on the first Friday of every month student council will host a Fun Friday event with all school staff. Following this event student council demonstrated their ability to receive and implement feedback. Student council received feedback from students, teachers, and administration they used this feedback to create notes in their activity binder for better implementation of this event for future student councils. Below is a link to view the Fun Friday event planned by student council.
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Impact on Students
Being a member of student council at Eisner opens doors for my students. While in student council members gain meaningful experience that separates them from their peers. I have helped my students develop public speaking skills, graphic design skills, video editing, filming, event planning skills while working on projects that benefit our school community. These skills will open doors for my students as they apply to jobs, scholarships, elected positions, schools, and academic programs because these skills make them more competitive. Additionally, having student council on one's resume demonstrates commitment, initiative, flexibility, and compassion these desirable characteristics makes my students stand out when they apply to future endeavors. Below are two links that showcase the skills my students have been developing in student council.
https://www.torshtalent.com/video/eH3Xz6hKhiFX8gkkM
This artifact is a video that was written, filmed, and edited by student council members. This video was created to inform the school about what student council is, introduce the members of student council to the student body, and to set goals for this school year.
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https://www.torshtalent.com/video/MDoThj2EttELEcCE7
This artifact is a video that was created by my students and demonstrates their ability to take initiative and be flexible. Student council planned Merit Day, a school-wide assembly that celebrates students' behavioral, academic, and athletic achievements that occurs once a quarter. Unfortunately due to coronavirus safety guidelines, we were unable to have gatherings of more than 30 which prevented the assembly from occurring. Student council members worked together to develop this video to show appreciation to the students who won awards and designed activities for teachers to do with students in their classrooms to celebrate. This video further showcases the skills my students are developing such as editing, filming, and being flexible while being members of student council.
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Student council has been operating for a few weeks now at Eisner, but I have already seen a cultural shift at my school. Students have been showing more school pride and a stronger sense of community is building that has been felt by both students and staff. Student Council has successfully planned and hosted Valentine's grams, Fun Friday, and Merit day with larger events currently in the planning process. Student council members have made an impact on the school community and their own personal and professional development. Student council members are working to make the culture at Eisner more inclusive and positive while developing marketable skills such as public speaking, graphic design, and event planning. I am excited to see where this year will take and for the changes student council will make Eisner. Below are reflections written by teachers at Eisner these reflections serve as evidence demonstrating how student council has begun to change the culture at our middle school.
This artifact is three staff reflections written about student council. The reflections highlight two common themes. Each staff member identified how student council is leading to personal and professional growth in students which will open doors for students as they develop into better leaders and advocates. The staff members also identified how the school culture at Eisner is changing and growing into a better more positive place that encourages community, ownership, and responsibility.