Student Leadership

Elected Leadership

Senior Leaders - representing the school

The Senior Leaders are under the leadership of the Year 12 Coordinator. The primary function of the Senior Leaders is to act as the student representatives of the school both to the school and to the community outside the school.

These students are leaders who have supported the school's Mission Statement through their actions and in particular, reflect the school's values of compassion, courage and hope. As such, they become the role models for all students at the school, demonstrating the high standards we ask of our students.

Though their primary role is to act as the student representatives of the school, they do have other duties that fall within their brief.

SRC Leaders - representing the students

The SRC Leaders are under the leadership of the SRC Coordinator. The primary function of the SRC Leaders is to act as the student representatives of their Year Group.

These students, chosen from their peers in Years 7 - 11, are leaders who also support the school's Mission Statement by providing an avenue for the students in their year group to share their thoughts and ideas; being the main source for student fundraising and organising student social events

House Leaders - representing the Houses

The House Leaders are under the leadership of the Sports Coordinator. They are chosen in Year 10 from the students in their Houses and are leaders who support the school's Mission Statement by supporting their houses in various activities.

Voluntary Leadership

Mission Team
The Youth Mission Team is under the leadership of the Religious Education Coordinator: Mission and consists of self-nominated students from each year group. This team is involved in leading and developing the faith life of the school.

Students in this team lead Assembly and Year Meeting prayers, run Liturgies, lead Masses, raise money for Caritas, enliven the stories of our founding Mercy and Lasallian charisms, write relevant articles on religious matters and events for the school newsletter and deepen their own faith through attendance at retreat and leadership excursions.

Peer Support Team
The Peer Support Team is under the leadership of the School Counsellor. This program involves selected Year 11 students who are trained as Peer Support Leaders, and all Year 7 students, in order to facilitate a smooth transition to high school. The program runs throughout Term 1. Training for Year 11 Peer Support Leaders occurs in Term 4 of the previous year.

Eucharistic Ministers
The Eucharistic Ministers are under the leadership of the Religious Education Coordinator: Mission. Senior students are offered the opportunity to serve the community by training as Ministers of Holy Communion. This important role is a visible sign of the students’ commitment to the service of the wider Church community. Training is offered by our Parish Priest, in collaboration with the REC: Mission.

Sri Lankan Mission Team
This team is made up of staff and students who volunteer their service to provide for both the social and physical needs of schools run by the De La Salle Brothers. All money raised goes towards this cause with the students funding their entire trip themselves.

Study Buddies Team
The Study Buddies Team is under the leadership of the eLearning Coordinator. Students in Years 9 and 10 are trained as Peer Literacy Tutors for students in Years 7 and 8 in developing their literacy skills.

Teams and Event/Activity Leadership

Students have additional opportunities to demonstrate leadership in sporting and cultural endeavours by leading a team, or having a leadership role for a particular event or activity.

Classroom Leadership

All students are challenged to exercise leadership qualities and skills within their own classrooms by reflecting the school's Mission Statement and in exhibiting responsible self-discipline and by demonstrating initiative in their work, both individually and with others.   Teachers provide students with the opportunity to develop these skills in a variety of ways.  
The Executive team is responsible for periodic review of the existing processes and systems in place for student leadership.

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ELECTED STUDENT LEADERSHIP PROGRAM 

Though there are many forms of student leadership at the school that the students may involve themselves in, there are only three that are voted on:

1) Senior Leaders - representing the school 
2) SRC Leaders - representing the students 
3) House Leaders - representing the Houses

Student Membership
1)         Senior Leaders

• 2 x Captains 
• 2 x Vice Captains responsible for learning and positive behaviour
• 6 x Leaders
• 2 x responsible for the SRC
• 2 x responsible for the Mission Team
• 2 x responsible for the House Leaders

2)         SRC Leaders

• 2 Senior Leaders responsible for the SRC
• 2 x representatives each from Year 7 - 10
• 4 x representatives from Year 11

3)         House Leaders

• 2 Senior Leaders responsible for the House leaders
• 6 x Captains
• 6 x Vice Captains

SENIOR LEADERSHIP PROGRAM

Though their primary role is to act as the student representatives of the school, the Senior Leadership Team do have other duties that fall within their brief.
Their duties include, but are not limited to:

• leading and organising the School Assemblies
• giving speeches that reflect the School's Mission Statement
• organising graduation activities
• assisting the Graduation Ball Committee
• supporting the SRC on Sheahan Day and the last day of the year
• providing support when called upon in Restorative Justice processes
• organising the supper for the HSC Graduation Mass
• organising the “First Day Back” BBQ for Year 7's
• providing hospitality to the new parents at the PCRC BBQ
• organising inter-senior competitions
• raising money to buy the school gift that include:
• the photo booth at the school disco
• Pancake Tuesday
• Slave-for-a-day
• HSC breakfast BBQ for Senior Students

Membership of the Senior Leadership Team
The Senior Leaders represent the school at functions and events both within and outside the school which highlight to the community, the outstanding nature of our students.

For this reason, membership onto the Senior Leadership Team cannot be seen as a popularity contest. Rather, it is one that has been discerned both by the school community and, after a period of reflection on what it means to be a leader at James Sheahan, by students who have put forward their names to be on the Leadership Camp.

Students on the Senior Leadership Team need to be above reproach and have demonstrated to the school community, their commitment to the values and ideals of James Sheahan. They need to be a minimum Level 3 on the Merit System and be prepared to move to a Level 2 if successful.

Students wishing to put forward their names are asked to complete a Reflection Criteria Application from the Year 11 Coordinator that will be read by the Year 11s and staff who will vote on them.

As the leaders will come from Year 11, the Year 11 students will vote for their representative (one male and one female) to be on the Senior Leadership Team. Having grown with each other for most of their High School life, they would have a good insight into which of their classmates best espouse the values and ideals of the school.

The staff will also vote for two students (one male and one female) to be on the Senior Leadership Team. Many are aware of students in Year 11 who have supported the school in many ways that are often unseen by others and should be recognised for this.

The staff attending the leadership camp will have met prior to the camp to develop a leadership program that will highlight the strength and leadership qualities of those attending. Over two days, they will see the students in action and will have firsthand knowledge as to how they respond to the activities developed. Therefore, they will vote for two students (one male and one female) to be on the Senior Leadership Team.

The students attending the leadership camp have done so for they wish to continue serving the school as its representatives. Over two days, they too will see their fellow students in action and gain a greater insight into who have the skills and sincere motives to best represent the school. They will vote for 4 students (two males and two females) to be on the Senior Leadership Team.

On the last day of the Leadership Camp, all votes will be gathered to determine the five females and five males to be on the Leadership Team.

Should the number be less than 10 students due to common voting trend in all instances, then the numbers will be made up based on the voting from the staff and students at the camp.

Once the Senior Leadership Team has been determined, each student will be interviewed by the staff attending the Leadership Camp who will then make the decision for the positions of boy and girl Captains and Vice-Captains as well as the leadership of the other key areas.

SRC LEADERS
Providing an avenue for the students to share their thoughts and ideas
In providing a voice for students in their year group, the SRC Leaders will bring to their SRC meetings, the thoughts, concerns and suggestions of their fellow students that may provide recommendations to the School Executive.

They will also be called upon when a student's perspective is needed as well as being part of the school's strategic planning. They will be called upon to speak at their Year meetings and other year-related events encouraged, when appropriate, to lead these meetings. To support the leaders in Years 7 -10, a Year 11 SRC leader will be assigned to each year group and act as mentors to the younger leaders.

As the representative of the students, they will be also called upon to represent the students at functions within the school.

Providing student fundraising activities
As the main source for student fundraising, the SRC will follow the School's Fundraising Policy that encourage the students to raise money for both outside causes as well as resources for the school. These include:

• Valentine's Day
• Caritas
• St V de P Easter Eggs
• St V de P Christmas Hamper
• Casual clothes day
• Swimming carnival BBQ

Providing social events
These include, but are not limited to:

• discos
• Sheahan Day Activities
• The last day of the school year
• The Sheahan Cup

Membership of the SRC Team
This will involve two processes.

2 students from the Senior Leaders will become responsible in representing Year 12 on the SRC and lead the SRC Team

Years 7 to 11 students wishing to be considered for the SRC are to put forward their names to the SRC Coordinator with Year 7 not occurring till the following Year. These students will give a one-minute speech at their Year Assembly and their year group will vote on them.

The top girl and boy from Years 7 to 10 and the top two girls and boys from Year 11 will taken.

HOUSE LEADERS 
Year 10 students, chosen in Term 4 from the students in their Houses, are leaders who also support the school's Mission Statement by providing:

• activities for the Year 7 PCRC Welcome BBQ
• motivation for their Houses at the Swimming and Athletics carnivals
• Inspiration and support for their Seniors in the Parade at the Swimming Carnival
• Guidance and practice for their Seniors in the March Past at the Athletics Carnival
• Encouragement to the Year 7's in their Houses during the Greg Kennedy Cup
• Support to the SRC for the Lenten Mission collection, discos and the last day of school
• Organisation of the Funland on Sheahan Day
• Sports equipment at lunchtimes
• Sporting activities for Year 6s during their Orientation Day

Membership of the House Team
Following the completion of the Senior Student leadership process, students in Year 10 wishing to be considered as House Leaders are to put forward their names to their House Patrons. These students will give a one-minute speech at a House Meeting and their House will vote on them. The top 2 votes will be taken with the student with the most votes becoming the Captain and the next count becoming the Vice Captain.