STUDENTS TAKE ON LEADERSHIP ROLES
An O ’ Hara Elementary fifth grade safety patrol helped her kindergarten students at dismissal time . The safety patrols at O ’ Hara work several positions during the school year .
STUDENTS TAKE ON LEADERSHIP ROLES
Elementary Students Serve School & Community , Model Positive Behavior ox Chapel Area FOX CHAPEL AREA SCHOOL NEWS
Kerr Elementary School computer literacy teacher Stan Strzempek knows from personal experience the value of student council . “ From the time I was in fourth grade until I graduated , I was involved in student government . It helped shape me into the person I am today ,” he said . That ’ s why he “ jumped at the opportunity to start student council at Kerr and give kids that same life experience .”
Kerr ’ s student council is organized so that as many students as possible benefit from the experience . Two representatives from each third , fourth , and fifth grade class are elected and they serve for half-year terms . Fourth and fifth graders can be elected as officers . Mr . Strzempek said that on average , 44 students participate on student council during the school year .
The goal of the student council is to allow students the opportunity to become responsible leaders within the school and the community while promoting schoolwide positive behavior and modeling the ideals of respect , responsibility , and integrity . Kerr ’ s student council meets at least three times a month during lunchtime and recess .
Mr . Strzempek conducts six lessons with each new group of student council representatives , covering topics such as setting goals , listening skills , leadership and what makes a good leader , and public speaking .
“ The biggest lesson I try to promote is to take pride in helping others in school , at home , and in the community ,” he stated . “ The reward is within your actions . At the end of the day a
22 FOX CHAPEL AREA smile and a thank you should be the only thing you need .”
The Kerr Student Council promotes school fundraisers and activities throughout the year . Fifth grader Taylor Aluise discussed two fundraisers that student council sponsored while she served as her class representative ,
Hartwood fifth graders help the first graders , one-on-one , to reinforce their reading skills . The reading buddies program is very popular at Hartwood Elementary .
including the turkey feather fundraiser to collect money and gifts for needy area families , and a dog biscuit collection for service dogs . Taylor also described the end-of-the-day buddies program in which the fifth-grade representatives help kindergartners at dismissal time . “ We sharpen pencils , zip up jackets , do lunch count – and anything teachers ask us to do .”
Fifth grader Joe Seifried , who ran and won his election bid for president of student council , said his mother suggested he think of a problem that he wanted to fix at school . Joe decided he wanted to change the policy that students at Kerr sit at