SPPS Student Advisory Team

Last year the Saint Paul Public School board started discussing how to engage students in a more meaningful way.  There had been some student engagement in the past but usually it focused around specific special projects.  There was a need for youth voice and student engagement at the system level.  As many youth workers know, creating honest and quality youth voice can be difficult but also very important.

The Saint Paul Public School board created the Student Advisory Team which consists of 10th – 12th graders who will help the school board engage the student body more effectively.  In its first year the Student Advisory Council will be creating and defining the council: creating its mission, vision, purpose and even its name.  There are a few things the group has already defined.  They will work on projects that are suggested by the board, suggested by the group itself and suggested by the student body.

The first thing they did this year was collect video interviews with peers asking the questions: “What does SPPS feel and look like to you” and “What do you want SPPS to feel and look like to you.” The goal was to be able to paint a picture of what students want SPPS to look and feel like and begin generating ideas of how to make that happen for all students.  What they arrived at, with the help of Graphic Recorder, Tim Foss, was they want SPPS to look and feel like a place where “everyone thrives”.  They have also accepted the school board’s request to present on student experience with School Resource Officers.  After completion of that project, they will move on to other self-defined projects.

Check out the team’s Facebook for videos and information and look for applications for the Student Advisory Team in the spring!