2006 Mueller College Student Leader’s Vision:
” A dynamic, loving, enthusiastic community
striving to grow and attain Christ-likeness. ”
What We Believe
Mueller College is committed to the preparation of its students for life in the world, (the calling God has placed on their lives), and eternity. This mission is applied in Biblical principles through excellent education, Christian role modelling and living, and servant leadership training.
The main purpose of servant leadership training at Mueller College is to present students mature in Christ. Training is also important in developing Christian leaders and role models, students’ spiritual gifts through ministry and service, and a servant heart. The qualities and characteristics, we at Mueller College endeavour to foster (cultivate) are outlined below.
Qualities / Characteristics of Mueller College Leaders
- Careful in speech, actions, attitudes and dress
- Has new, interesting, creative ideas
- Is friendly and approachable
- Uses praise frequently and criticism sparingly
- Not afraid to stand up for their faith
- Has the respect and confidence of their peers
- Is a good overall role model for others to follow
- Is firm and decisive
- Is humble and able to admit errors
- Follows rules and procedures
- Is disciplined and self-controlled
- Is enthusiastic to achieve
- Is of good character and reputation
- Supports the vision of Mueller College
- Is a servant-leader
2005 School Leadership Team Roles
In 2005, there are approximately 120 student leaders from Year 6 to Year 12 – with the Year 12 Student Leaders being either Captains, Vice-Captains, Prefects or House Leaders. The Year 12 Student Leaders have two morning set aside (out of form class) with their mentors Mr Dickfos and Mrs Jose. Tuesday morning is primarily administration concerns and organisation, whereas Wednesday mornings are used for leadership training.
The Captains primary role is overseeing all the student leaders including encouragement and support – also in developing relationships with students throughout the school. The Vice-Captains have a support role for the Captains, Prefects and House Leaders.
The Prefects (in pairs) are involved in Leadership Training and Development in the younger grades in a Year Level Student Leader group. They help to coordinate the younger student leaders with their short and long-term goals (see attached Goals-2005), and develop their own leadership skills through experience. The Prefects are supported by two Teacher Mentors.
The House Leaders are involved in any activity to do with developing House Spirit in the four main areas of our school community: academic, relational, sporting, spiritual – obviously including athletics carnivals and school representation. They are coordinated by Mr Langford (HPE and Sports Coordinator) and Mrs Hetherington.
This new Student Leader Process was commenced in 2003, with the vision to have student leaders in each grade continuing to learn and develop leadership skills. This accumulates at Year 12 where the Student Leaders get to lead the whole school student community as Captains, Prefects or House Leaders. Last year the elected senior leaders were given the chance to select which position they wanted to pursue – prefect, house leader or mentor. We have a number of student leaders from Yr 12 to Yr 10 who also help in the learning support area (coordinated by Mrs Trish Heazlewood) with students who struggle socially at school. They act as a big brother, big sister – type mentor. This continues to be refined and is definitely starting to make an impact on those younger students.
The year started off with a Student Leader’s Retreat. This year we were at Camp Toowoomba for three days for a fruitful time of sharing, encouraging, learning and getting to know each other. This also was a time for each Year Level to come up with their own goals and mission statement. Half way through this year we have approximately 15 new student leaders stepping up in different year levels, and it has been exciting to see their interest in the program and watch their development as leaders.
Overall, we have been very satisfied with progress so far, but obviously continuing to refine, learn, guide and lead… Because we are still in infant stage we are looking forward to maturing with the process and the way God will use these students both at school and when they leave in whatever they do – as young, strong Christian Leaders.
For more information, please feel free to contact:
Scott Dickfos
(Student Leader Coordinator)
Mueller College
Ph: 3897 2740
s.dickfos@mueller.qld.edu.au
Why such a Leadership Model?
1 Corinthians 11:1 (Authorised Version)
“Be ye Followers of Me even as I also am of Christ Jesus.”
Leadership Selection Process – Year 12
Process:
- After Yr 11 Camp, relevant nominations forms made available to students who wish to nominate another student for a leadership position (Captain, vice-captain, prefect, house leader) – nominated students must be professing Christians.
- Nomination process publicised at Assemblies & in Daily Notices – Forms available from D25 (TA Room)
- Each nomination has a nominator & a seconder, with the signed approval of the student being nominated.
- A student can be nominated more than once, to various roles, through different nominators.
- All interested staff & Admin are invited to consider nominations and prospective roles.
- Leadership Mentors & Admin meet with Directors to discuss prospective leaders.
- Prospective leadership team meets with Directors in a social setting, eg afternoon tea – this provides an opportunity for Directors to ‘meet & greet’ student leaders.
- Final list to staff, prior to announcement at Presentation Night, where they are presented with their badges and Leadership Commitment Certificates signed by Directors and Principals. (Until this function, students are not aware of their specific positions / roles)
Functioning:
- Each year level student leadership group overseen by ideally two prefects and a teacher mentor for accountability and pastoral support.
- Weekly meetings are held where Year 12 prefects provide devotions, and leadership training appropriate to their assigned student year level.
- Teacher mentors are responsible for review process for their group and also for induction of any new leaders at review time. (see calendar)
- Students participate in an annual Student Leader Retreat at commencement of year to develop a vision, focus for the year and development of committee structures based on key mission statements areas – Academic, Spiritual, Relationships, Sport.
Notes / Issues:
- Years 10-12 students are involved with the nomination process for Year 10-12 Leaders.
- Focus on ministry by involvement in various service based committees.
- Community emphasis – service learning – servant leadership.
- Students cannot be appointed to dual roles, eg House Leader & Prefect.
- Student Leader numbers should be consistent with the leadership criteria
- If the leadership criteria for a position cannot be met, it would be more credible to leave the position vacant until an appropriate candidate was found.
- Leaders who prove to be unsuitable will be asked to step down by the Student Leader Mentor Team, after efforts to Biblically rectify any issues have been exhausted. (see Grievance Procedures).
- Vice-captains & House Leaders are co-ordinated by an appropriate staff member whose role is to oversee the engenderment of house spirit.
Leadership Selection Process – Years 7 to 11
Process:
- At the beginning of Term 4, relevant nominations forms made available to students who wish to nominate another student for a leadership position (student leader, middle school house leader) – nominated students must be professing Christians.
- Nomination process publicised at Assemblies & in Daily Notices – Forms available from D25 (TA Room)
- Each nomination has a nominator & a seconder, with the signed approval of the student being nominated.
- A student can be nominated more than once, to both roles, through different nominators.
- All interested staff & Admin are invited to consider nominations and prospective roles.
- Leadership Mentors & Admin meet with Directors to discuss prospective leaders.
- Prospective leadership team meets with Directors in a social setting, eg afternoon tea – this provides an opportunity for Directors to ‘meet & greet’ student leaders. (Group afternoon teas – Years 7-9 and Years 10 & 11).
- Final list to staff, prior to announcement at Presentation Night, where they are presented with their badges and Leadership Commitment Certificates signed by Directors and Principals. (Until this function, students are not aware of their specific positions / roles for Year 9).
Functioning:
- Each year level student leadership group overseen by ideally two prefects and a teacher mentor for accountability and pastoral support.
- Weekly meetings are held where Year 12 prefects provide devotions, and leadership training appropriate to their assigned student year level.
- Teacher mentors are responsible for review process for their group and also for induction of any new leaders at review time. (see calendar)
- Students participate in an annual Student Leader Retreat at commencement of year to develop a vision, focus for the year and development of committee structures based on key mission statements areas – Academic, Spiritual, Relationships, Sport.
Notes / Issues:
- Leadership program allows continuity from Years 6 to 12 & therefore the development of maturity & of leadership skills from an early age.
- Years 10-12 students are involved with the nomination process for Year 10-12 Leaders, whilst Years 7-9 students nominate Years 7-9 leaders.
- Focus on ministry by involvement in various service based committees.
- Community emphasis – service learning – servant leadership.
- Students cannot be appointed to dual roles, eg house leader & student leader.
- Student Leader numbers should be consistent with the leadership criteria.
- If the leadership criteria for a position cannot be met, it would be more credible to leave the position vacant until an appropriate candidate was found.
- Leaders who prove to be unsuitable will be asked to step down by the Student Leader Mentor Team, after efforts to Biblically rectify any issues have been exhausted. (see Grievance Procedures)
- House Leaders are co-ordinated by an appropriate staff member whose role is to oversee the engenderment of house spirit.
- The Year 6 process is to be managed by Year 5 / 6 Teachers, in conjunction with Primary Admin staff. (The relevant Year 6 nomination form is attached).
Guidelines for functioning;
- Student Leader Meetings only for student leaders – time for student leaders to debrief, be encouraged and trained
- Committees: encourage all students to be involved – including potential student leader candidates – in service learning and servant leadership opportunities
- All leadership roles are to be defined by duty statements, which are to be made available to nominees, so that they have a clear understanding of expectations.
Review Process:
- Formal review process occurs in Terms 1 & 3, however, all student leader performance will be continually monitored.
- Ideally, both student leader mentors for the year level initiates the review proforma to relevant staff, with an emphasis to be placed on strengths and constructive criticism.
- Form to be returned within a week
- Student Leader Mentors collate feedback & prayerfully present summary to leaders in a one on one interview. Opportunities will be provided for students to raise any areas of concern. (Term 3 review should include feedback on committee performance & prefects year level group performance).
- Accountability / Action Plan is formulated with student leader and if unsatisfactory resolution, Grievance Process is engaged.
- Process is concluded within 3 weeks.
- All staff are encouraged to provide any feedback at any time during the year; they are not restricted to formal periods of review.
Grievances Procedures:
Student leaders not performing in their role:
- Student leader is spoken to by a male and female teacher mentor
- Student is represented by prefect in charge of their year level leadership cohort
- Teacher mentor discusses concerns and process of probation (3 week period where teachers monitor student according to characteristics of a Student Leader.
- Student is offered opportunity to respond to concerns
- Student placed on probation for 3 weeks
- Teacher-Mentor emails staff at end of 3 weeks to ascertain student’s performance
- Meeting – Student leader reinstated/resigned (removed) as leader
- Reinstated – check up every 4 weeks
- If required to step down, the student leader mentor will support and encourage the student with a view to possible reinstatement of leadership position, if appropriate.
Student leaders requesting to be released from position:
- Student leader approaches teacher mentor
- Meeting with student, teacher and prefects in charge of year level – to discuss problems/concerns
- Concerns addressed – student remains as leader or concerns addressed but student still chooses to step down from leadership
- The student leader mentor will support and encourage the student with a view to possible reinstatement of leadership position, if appropriate.
Important Dates:
Term 1
- Leadership Camp
- Review Process (end)
Term 2
- Feed-a-Leader
Term 3
- Review (Early)
- Year 6 nominations
- Feed-A-Leader (end)
Term 4
- Nomination/election process
- Announcement of leaders
Year 6 Leadership Goals
inservio dominus
“not to be served, but to serve”
Meeting every Tuesday lunch in K2
(Miss McKee, Mrs Cooke)
(David Buchanan, Sara Murray, Deborah Chegwidden)
Goals:
- form new relationships (especially with young, friendless, new students)
- example/role model as a leader to encourage others to take on the role/responsibilities
- tell others of God’s love in our school and local and global community
Practical applications:
- introduce yourself to people in the school and spend time with them
- fundraising activities and ‘adopting’ a world vision child that primary chapel supports
- song leaders in chapel
- form a singing group that sings Christian songs in the community
- mentor year 5 students to prepare them for student leadership
- invite younger children to play
- invite year 1 students to a morning tea, introduce yourselves and serve them
- read to younger children
- devotions with younger children and take your high school prayer buddy with you
- clean school – lead by example
- watch out for people who have no friends
- maintain links with prayer buddies
- introduce new/lonely students to people in our school community
- share responsibilities with other year 6 students – have buddies to help them
- lunchtime craft/games once a week with other children – student leaders to lead these sessions
“looking for opportunities to serve…”
Year 7 Goals
confido oboedio accedo ascensus
“Trust, obey, that’s the way!”
Meeting every Thursday lunch in H5
(Mr Gynther, Mrs Sharrock)
(Billy Woods, Kirstyn Makin)
Goals:
- search for lonely kids
- form a trust
- give love, care, time, support
- meet regularly with mentors
- discuss what is being done
- support grade
“looking for opportunities to serve…”
Year 8 Goals
miseresco audentia catenatus Christus
“compassion, courage, cooperation in christ”
Meeting every Tuesday MT in J5
(Mr Smith, Miss Colyer)
(Clair Lacey, Kieren Kannan, Molly Balfour)
Goals:
- build friendship with at least 1 new person
- chat to people we don’t know
- be yourself
- compliment others
- take time
- include others
- pray for others
- work together and help each other
- show God’s love
- sit next to people we don’t know
- keep meeting and praying with our buddies
- lead by example: eg. chapel-singing
“looking for opportunities to serve…”
Year 9 Goals
circumvector Christus inservio
“through Christ we serve”
Meeting every Thursday MT in M2
(Mr Ramage, Mrs Kerr)
(Clare Rawlinson, Helen Brake, Daniel Rolls)
Goals:
- meet together once a week for prayer, encouragement, accountability…
- middle school house leadership
- clean an area – H/J/G Blocks
- encourage peers (pick a person)
- chapel testimonies/music
- paint lockers
“looking for opportunities to serve…”
Year 10 Goals
indipiscor educatio Christus exemplaris cohaereo
“Attaining knowledge and christ-likeness together”
Meeting every Monday MT in M2
(Mr Arnold, Mrs Cunneen)
(Ellen Reed, Andrew Boardman, Melinda Heazlewood)
Goals:
- Tuckshop roster
- Primary visits
- Encouragement
- Chapel (1 per term)
- Prayer partner commitment
- Year level meeting
- Meet new people
- Pray for students
“looking for opportunities to serve…”
Year 11 Goals
adulescentia responsio Christus
“the Youth’s answer is christ ”
Meeting every Thursday lunch in D15
(Mr Banks, Miss Nisbett)
(Joel Smith, Jessica Bishop)
Goals:
- Hit list – invest in one person this year
- Accountability partners to get together regularly
- Prayer group – Monday lunchtime in D9
- Separate male/female group discussion/devotion Monday MT
“looking for opportunities to serve…”
Year 12 Goals
lego conficio unitas diversitas Christus
“legacy through unity and diversity in Christ ”
Meeting on Tue/Wed mornings in A1
(Mr Dickfos, Mrs Jose, Mr Broadbent, Mr Langford, Mrs Hetherington)
Goals:
- Senior Bible study (male and female)
- Lunchtime leaders get together
- Random competitions – for house points
- Visit groups at lunchtimes in pairs
- Activity with younger grades at lunchtime
- Pray consistently for all Year 12 students
“looking for opportunities to serve…”
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