Student Leadership at Hilliard SS
At Hilliard State School, we focus on developing our students’ leadership skills through formal leadership opportunities and practical leadership experiences. Our approach recognises that students can be leaders across many different areas, and that leadership skills learnt in primary school can lay the foundations for future leadership opportunities and supporting general life skills.
Students don't have to be school captains or house captains to be considered leaders. We encourage our students to be leaders in the classroom and playground, through their support for other students, or their involvement in academic, sporting, cultural or community events and projects.
We believe that opportunities for Student Leadership help enhance a positive school culture and harmonious learning environment - making our great school even better.
Leadership Characteristics
Leaders are role models in our school. We expect that they display the following characteristics:
- Responsibility, Confidence, Getting Along, Integrity, Resilience, Creativity, Organisation
- Care and courtesy, and reliability
- Positive and enthusiastic
- Show empathy towards others
- Show self-control of own feelings and actions
- Openness (to new ideas and alternative points of view).
Year 6 Leadership Opportunities - Student Leaders
Students in formal school leadership positions will be expected to uphold the school code of behaviour. Such students play a vital role in the school because they represent the needs and wishes of all students in a variety of formal and informal forums and meetings.
Students in Year 6 are offered an opportunity to take on a formal school leadership position. They are encouraged to self-nominate and apply in writing for these positions and a formal process is undertaken to appoint the most suitable applicants. This process takes place in Term 4, in preparation for the following year. The 16 Student Leadership positions include:
- School Captains (4)
- Student Leaders (8)
- First Nations Leaders (2)
Eco Marine Ambassadors
Since 2023, Hilliard SS is proud to be a part of the non-for-profit EcoMarines Program. This program partners up with businesses, government, and like-minded organisations to support schools and community in creating a positive behaviour change for marine and terrestrial eco-systems. Mrs B, our EcoMarines co-ordinator, helps to facilitate Hilliard’s involvement and encourages students to take part, by organising meetings with Ambassadors and chaperoning students at events.
As a part of the training for this program, the four ambassadors and Mrs B participated in environmental workshops hosted at Tangalooma Island. and here they also networked with other schools and heard from some industry experts. The ambassadors will be organising various events throughout the year to help Hilliard and its community on its sustainability journey.
Year 5 Leadership Opportunities – Year 5 Mentor Program
All students in Year 5 are invited to participate in the Year 5 Mentor program, working with students in Prep to Year 2. This program supports Year 5 students to be active role models in our school and develop valuable leadership skills. These students wear a lanyard to identify them in and around the school grounds. This program takes place in Semester 2 each year.
Year 3-5 Leadership Opportunities – Class Leaders
Students in Years 3-5 are invited to apply for a position on one of our Student Leadership Teams (maximum of 2 student representatives for each of the three areas per class). These teams target a range of areas in school curriculum and students have an opportunity to work alongside Student School Leaders and teacher mentors as part of an effective team, implementing programs and initiating change. The Student Leadership Teams are as follows (meetings occur up to twice per term):
- Student Council Class Leader led by Student Council Presidents
-
Environment Class Leader led by Environmental Captains
- eLearning Class Leader led by eLearning Captains
Year 3-5 Class Teachers will appoint students in their class to these positions after receiving and considering written applications.