WHAT IS COUNCIL? (from Toolshed)
An excellent council is one that upholds standards. The mark of an excellent council is one that continually seeks to raise, simplify, and strengthen community standards and systems by asking powerful questions such as:
How is the health of our studio?
Are there individuals in our studio who need additional connection, friendship, and support?
What area needs to be strengthened or improved?
power hour, curiosity time, free time, quest, Leadership/L2B/L2L time (T/Th), studio maintenance
What system or game can we create or implement?
What options can we present to our studio so they can make a choice?
Acton studios are run by the Heroes, subject to contracts and covenants that delegate rights from parents to owners, owners to guides, and guides to Heroes, giving the Heroes a great deal of freedom and responsibility.
Two of the most important processes learned in an Acton studio are self-management and self-governance. As part of self-governance, Heroes will need to decide between more autocratic and more democratic forms of government.
Voyager studio has a council that consists of the elected squad captains. This creates a democratic-republic with limited powers. The details of how councils operate will change from studio to studio, and year to year, and experiments should be encouraged.
At times, you may be tempted to believe time taken to sort out governance issues takes away from learning. Quite the contrary, as in a free society such struggles may provide the most important lessons of all.
Council is the Heroes' elected governing body. Council leads the implementation of Studio Systems. Studio laws and systems are determined through a democratic process. Council's task is to UPHOLD systems such as:
Eagle bucks and honor code
Helping head of school and guide with strikes
Helping Heroes with their contracts
Studio Maintenance
Town Hall
Badge approvals
Appeals, disputes, and conflict resolution
Additional needs that arise
Serving on council is an honor and act of service. Serving on council is an honor sought by many Heroes.
TO RECOMMEND A STRIKE
Before sending a recommendation for a strike, use the studio systems available to learners
taking eagle bucks
peace table
COUNCIL MEETING QUESTIONS
Who in our studio is striving to keep their commitments? How can we support them?
Who is doing an exemplary job at their captain role? How can we support and celebrate them?
In what ways is our culture a powerful, positive one? How can we strengthen and celebrate this?
Who is exemplifying the leadership pillar of the week? How can we support and celebrate them?
Who has been an exemplary running partner? How can we support and celebrate them?
Who needs support? What do they need: A) friendship; B) a peace table; C) a character call out; D) a contract; E) a leadership role; F) something else?
HELPFUL DOCUMENTS
INAPROPRIATE WORDS OR ACTIONS: a letter to send to parents
You may use this document for taking notes in council meeting.
Run an ICEE with the council then identify an area that needs to be strengthened.
ICED: Identify a time of day that would be most powerful to focus on the ICEE principle identified as needing to be strengthened.