Your Council Crew

Think "Avengers," but less magical stones.

Your council's a wild mix of minds, from fresh-faced Grade 6s to busy but distracted Grade 12 veterans. This isn't a challenge; it's your superpower. Wield it wisely.

Embrace Diverse Perspectives: Younger students often bring innovative ideas and unique insights into issues affecting their specific grade levels. Older students can offer invaluable experience, mentorship, and a broader understanding of school dynamics.

Foster Inclusivity: Make sure everyone, from the shyest newbie to the loudest senior, feels like their mic is on. Create different ways for members to contribute, not just asking a question in a meeting and expecting a vibrant discussion. (Most of the time, you won't get one.) Think simple polls before a meeting, a hallway chat with a few members before the meeting to prime their thinking; having a passionate member come with a developed proposal to react to. 

Between Meetings

The Power of Preparation & Google Chat

With council meetings happening every two weeks, the real magic often happens in the interim. Effective preparation and smart use of Google Chat are your secret weapons for continuous progress.

Preparation is Key

• Develop Clear Agendas: Before each meeting, start an agenda and share it early. Include specific topics and relevant resources. Express out loud your expected/desired outcomes and allocate time that is realistic. Encourage members to add topics. 

• Pre-Game Power: Delegate tasks *before* the huddle. No more meeting-time research; we're here for action, not homework.

• Gather Feedback Proactively: Ping the chat for agenda items, burning questions, or cool updates. Get those brains buzzing pre-meeting.

• Review Previous Minutes: Always kick off your preparation by thoroughly reviewing the minutes from the last meeting. This helps you track progress on action items and ensures continuity.

Meaningful Meetings

Make Every Minute Matter

Your bi-weekly meetings are the cornerstone for decision-making, progress updates, and strengthening team bonds. Make every minute count!

Start and End on Time: Punctuality shows respect for everyone's schedule. Begin promptly and conclude as planned.

Facilitate Discussion, Don't Dominate: Your primary role is to guide the conversation and ensure everyone has a chance to speak, not to do all the talking. Actively encourage contributions from all members.

Designate a Note-Taker: Rotate the role to share the load and build skills. As most people "are busy", a purposeful and consist system for note-taking is your main tool for holding everyone to account and driving progress. 

Meeting Notes Best Practice

Set Clear Action Items: For every decision made or discussion point, clearly define:

• What specific task needs to be done?

• Who is responsible for completing it?

• When is the deadline for completion?

Recap & Roll: Always kick off with a quick review of past actions. Always end by reviewing/confirming decisions and deliverables. Ask, don't tell. It's only when they say it that you can be sure they were listening/understood.

Victory Laps: Celebrate every win, big or small. High-fives, virtual confetti – keep that morale sky-high! Every time you thank someone ("Thanks Sue for..."), you are reinforcing a positive behaviour and spotlighting a role model.

Building a Strong Culture

A truly successful school council operates as a cohesive, supportive team, not just a collection of individuals.

• Lead by Example: Your actions speak louder than words. Be consistently organized, responsible, respectful, and enthusiastic. Your energy is contagious!

• Delegate Effectively: Empower members by assigning them meaningful roles and responsibilities. This not only lightens your load but also builds their sense of ownership and develops their leadership skills.

• Mentor Magic: As high school leaders, you have a unique opportunity to mentor younger students. Guide them, share your experiences, connect them with your network and help them grow into future leaders.

• Crush Conflicts: Don't hide from disagreements. Lean into them. Find the courage to have heart-to-hearts with team members you don't agree with. Focus on seeking to understand first and always. Then you can truly uncover solutions. 

• Team Time Fun: Occasionally, throw in some quick games or goofy activities. Bonding is key, especially with a mixed-grade crew.

🔑 Your Epic Mission

You're not just leading; you're empowering. A killer team doesn't just make posters or organize activities, it *rocks* the school. Go make some positive waves!

1. To feel belonging: This doesn't have to mean something grand and majestic. It could be as simple as being seen and greeted by name by a G12 senior, knowing what's going to happen at an upcoming meeting, having a mentioned topic appear in an agenda. 
2. To grow (develop skills, knowledge): 
3. To