ISKL’s Student Leadership Team (SLT) recently put their leadership skills into practice to shape a new mission, redefine their purpose, and develop the team’s plans for the future. Head of Committees, Isabella Jokela Class of 2020 explains the changes on behalf of the SLT.
High School “STUCO” changes name, framework, refines mission and purpose.
On behalf of the Student Leadership Team
Isabella Jokela, Head of Committees and Lisa Jensen-Hengstler, Advisor
The 2019-2020 school year brings a change in High School (HS) student leadership! The elected body of student representatives will no longer be called “Student Council” – instead we are The Student Leadership Team (SLT), a new name, a new framework, and a new mission:
SLT is a student-led platform that strives to advocate for student voice in learning, enrich the community, enhance school spirit, and create lasting memories for all students at ISKL.
The High School SLT is a body of 24 students, six from each grade level, elected by their classmates to represent them. Of those 24 students, two-three “Heads of SLT” are elected by SLT members to serve as the overall leaders/organizers of the group who meet with committee chairs to set meetings, agendas, plan, and facilitate committees.
SLT Mission committees are:
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Student Clubs and Activities
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Student Voice in Learning
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Community Spirit
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9th/10th Grade Community
These committees seek to foster the ISKL Mission in the High School. Each SLT representative will sit on one of these committees.
Each SLT student will also serve on one of the SLT event committees, which plan and organize important events for the HS community: Spring Fest, Graduation, and Prom. Throughout the year, SLT will ask for volunteers who want to join these committees to help plan them.
Beyond the committees, the Student Leadership Team is committed to explicitly learning and practicing effective leadership skills through a mentorship program (learning from each other and learning from the SLT advisors Ms. Kotcher and Ms. Jensen-Hengstler). Ms. Kotcher, new to ISKL last year, brings with her a wealth of experience in student leadership. Ms. Jensen-Hengstler is in her fifth year at ISKL and worked with the Student Council group since her second year here.
The SLT representatives were elected in May of last year and are already off to a great start. On Saturday, August 17, 2019, we had a full day retreat where we got to know each other and started planning our work for the year. We hit the ground running, hosting welcome back assemblies on the first day of school, then a Flextime Pep Rally on August 20, 2019, that rocked The Jungle with an amazing teacher dance-off and ping pong relay. August 21, 2019, the SLT Clubs Committee helped facilitate a Clubs Fair where student clubs and groups showcased their work and recruited new members.
Looking ahead, the team is really excited about “Fun Fridays”, supporting other student leaders in the school, and planning the 6th Annual Spring Fest. Save the date: February 29, 2020! SLT is planning for Spring Fest to be bigger than ever, including all facets of our school community and even inviting other schools to participate in the ever-popular “battle of the bands”.
Let’s have an awesome school year!
