At St Joseph's, our school aims to develop each of our students, educationally, spiritually, emotionally and morally. Our school leadership program encompasses our aims.
Our leadership program gives all students in Years 5 and 6 the opportunity to strive as leaders and role models of our school. The program gives each of them the opportunity to ‘shine’ in ways they may not have before, or even believed they were capable of doing.
As a school, we strongly believe in teaching values to our students. These values will follow them throughout their lives. Our leadership program focuses on many values and we guide and develop our leaders in a supportive environment.
These values include:
- Care and Compassion: looking out for all – being a buddy to the Kindergarten students
- Doing your best: To seek to accomplish something worthy and admirable, try hard, pursue excellence
- Fair go: Each child is given an equal opportunity to strive for excellence and stand up as a leader
- Honesty and trustworthiness: This value will be encouraged in all students throughout the year as they are entrusted with more responsibility as leaders
- Integrity and respect: To show integrity through their moral and ethical code. To display, as leaders, the importance of standing up for what is right, even if it is not always popular
- Responsibility: To act responsibly, to set an example as a student leader.
As educators of the ‘whole child’, we see that these values are of major importance in developing children, so that they may handle the challenges they meet throughout life.
Students participate in a leadership day facilitated by our Principal, Mrs Whale and the Year 5 and 6 classroom teacher. This day allows students to discuss and evaluate what it means to be a leader at St Joseph's in a supported environment. Leadership badges are awarded to students at the end of the program, during a special ceremony in Catholic Schools Week.
School Leaders facilitate the Student Representative Council. Every week, elected students from Year 1 to Year 6, meet with their school leaders and discuss issues relevant to all the students. This group learns important negotiation skills as well as responsibility and basic democratic principles.