Leadership

Student Leaders

The Gap State School maintains a strong commitment to developing leadership skills in all students. From Prep through to Year 7, students are given opportunities to reveal their leadership capacity and to further develop the skills and attributes required of our future leaders.

Leadership opportunities exist within the classroom setting and are developed through the sharing of various classroom responsibilities and roles. Additionally, the school also offers a variety of formal leadership positions.

Student Councillor

Each class in Years 3-7 has a representative on the Student Council.

Student councillors have a responsibility to discuss within each of their classes:

• any issues that are influencing their learning or safety
• ideas for school improvement
• fundraising in support of community/school projects - they are currently sponsoring a child from Indonesia

and to take any suggestions from these to meetings of the Student Council. The Student Council then discusses these suggestions and makes recommendations to the Principal if needed.

The Student Council meets monthly.

Senior Leaders' Badge

Senior Leaders' Badges are awarded to students from the end of Year 6. To obtain a badge, students must complete a written application form which involves earning signatures from school staff and community members testifying to the student's leadership qualities. Application forms are then approved by teachers and administrative staff.

Year 7 students who hold a senior leaders' badge are eligible to apply for School, House, and Music Captain positions; and may be invited to assist teachers in other programs around the school.

School Captains

Each year our School Captains and Vice-Captains perform a variety of important roles on behalf of our school. These roles include:

• greeting and meeting invited guests to our school,
• presenting information at Parent Information Nights and Open Mornings,
• duties at special events e.g. Sports Day, and ceremonies e.g. ANZAC Day.

Students in Year 7 who have qualified (at the end of Year 6) to receive a Senior Leaders' Badge are entitled to nominate for school captaincy positions. After nomination by peers, nominees are short listed by administrators and teachers. The short listed aspirants are then given an opportunity to prepare a speech to be presented to students in Years 5 to 7. Students from these year levels then vote on a boy and girl Captain. From this process a boy and girl Captain and Vice-Captain are selected.

House Captains

The Gap State School has four sports houses – Endeavour, Fortitude, Investigator, Resolution. Each of these houses requires Captains and Vice-Captains to perform certain duties leading up to Sports Day. Duties will include:

• collecting and putting away sports equipment,
• teaching younger students house war-cries,
• modelling good sportsmanship at all times,
• modelling and encouraging participation in sporting events,
• supporting teachers in their duties where appropriate.

Students who are not chosen as School Captains have the opportunity to nominate for house captaincy positions. Students choose their Captains during house meetings.

Band, Strings and Choir Captains

The Gap State School has three main elements to its music program – band, strings and choir. Each of these areas requires substantial commitment by students.

The selection of Captains in each of these areas occurs concurrently with the election of House Captains. The duties of Captains in the music program will include:

• collecting and putting away music equipment,
• modelling good behaviour, commitment and enthusiasm at all times,
• modelling and encouraging participation in musical events,
• supporting teachers during competitions and performances.

Leadership Opportunities

Students who have received a Senior Badge will have the opportunity to on responsibility for various aspects of school life. These include:

• Events Co-ordination
• Playground Support
• Hospitality
• Workplace, Health and Safety
• Public Relations

Possible roles include:

Events Co-ordination

• Develop skills in speaking while hosting school events
• Set up and use multi-media equipment
• Contribute toward organising entertainment for specific events
• Encourage and acknowledge the efforts of others supporting an event

Playground Support

• Assist teachers and teacher aides with monitoring playground areas on rostered basis
• Be a helper in the playground
• Run small group sessions with Early Childhood students
• Investigate lunch time clubs as an option for playground activities.
• Raise the profile of students “doing the right thing” through recognition of awards.

Hospitality

• Greet visitors to the school for special events and escort them to the area
• Take new students and parents on guided tours of the school and facilities
• Assist with setting up and clearing of morning / afternoon teasor other events conducted by the school.

Workplace Health and Safety

• Inspect playground equipment and outdoor environment for unsafe practices or equipment.
• Report problems to janitor / groundsmen
• Monitor and inform classes of circumstances and practices that may be unsafe
• Promote a safe school environment campaign
• Speak at assembly on problems that need to be improved

Public Relations

• Find ways to raise awareness of events in the school
• Take photos and liaise with a teacher to promote school events in the media
• Run fun competitions for students
• Write or coordinate articles for the newsletter about the good things the school is doing
• Speak at assembly about upcoming events and successes.