Student Support at Kaipara College
STUDENT LEADERS
The student leadership comprises of twelve to sixteen year thirteen students who have been selected by the full school roll and staff. They represent, through affirmative leadership and role-modelling, the school's WAKA values. Student Leaders focus on the continued improvement of school life for students and lead the way in creating new and challenging opportunities that encourage student participation and development.
It is assumed that to be a student leader, one has shown leadership throughout their time at Kaipara College and will lead the student body throughout the school year.
Student Leadership operates within a high trust model and encourage student agency.
The student leadership group operate in a council-like format with general responsibilities and specific committee membership. These are: Arts and Culture, Sports, Academic and Community. Within these committees the student leaders work on specific projects alongside other students from all year groups.
THE 2024 STUDENT LEADERS TEAM
THE 2025 STUDENT LEADERS TEAM
STUDENT COUNCIL
The Student Council is open to students from year nine to year twelve.
Kaipara College students are welcome to join at any year level and self-nominate themselves to the council.
Voice and Agency
The Council serves as a student agency group or voice for the Board of Trustees' student representative. Its opinions are regularly sought by the student representative as a form of consultation. The Council may also proactively refer concerns, ideas or areas of interest to the student representative.
Te Kahui Ako o Kaipara, the South Kaipara Community of Learning group also consults with the Council for student agency. Senior Management may at times approach the student council to collect voice as well.
The Student Council may, at time to time, approach the student body through interviews, lunchtime activities or online surveys to capture timely and honest opinion.
Leadership
The Student Council is often the student group that is approached by the wider South Kaipara community for assistance and leadership. Our ambassador programme is led by the student council. Aspects within the ambassador initiative include; leadership, planning, communication with the whole student body, students within the community, debriefing and feedback.
Students who choose to be a member of the Student Council develop leadership and communication skills. They also create a track record affirmative leadership. This is considered when they become eligible for more senior leadership roles.
Specific Tasks
The Student Council assists with a number of specific tasks throughout the year. The general process includes open and honest discussion, sharing of school visions and plans, and practical activities and tasks that make a difference to our school and the wider South Kaipara community.
Meetings and tasks are led by senior members of the Student Council. Although these senior members meet regularly with the deputy principal to discuss any issues or seek guidance, it is the members that lead and participate. This approach allows for each member to take advantage of the opportunity to develop their service, leadership and communication skills.
YEAR 12 LEADERS
All Kaipara College Year 12 students are invited to join this group in Term Three of the year. To join, students self-nominate themselves. Those who join the group wish to serve the school body, and, in most cases wish to be considered for Student Leadership in the following year.
Year 12 students are encouraged to consider this group if they wish to make a difference and want to show their actual leadership skills and qualities.
Members of the group take on initiatives that will significantly impact on life at Kaipara College in the following year.
The group is quite large and it is understood that being in the group does not mean each student will be selected onto the Student Leadership team. However, any members who are available, will be offered leadership opportunities related to the initiatives they have researched and designed while in the Year 12 Leaders group.
STUDENT LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Kaipara College is a proud community where students of all year groups can take part in leadership opportunities in formal leadership roles, student voice, academic mentoring and through extra curricular activities and interests.
We work on developing and consolidating the following attributes for those students keen to be involved in leading the school in some way or another. Our leaders are:
- Role models of our school's WAKA values
- Strong Communicators
- Passionate, committed and positive about what they are doing
- Innovative and creative
- Collaborative and respectful towards others
Leadership opportunities include:
- Student leadership
- Te Roopu Rangatira
- Year 12 leaders
- Student council
- Community of Learning (COL) student voice
- Cultural and diversity based groups
- Sustainability group (CARE)
- Peer Student leaders
- Peer Sexuality Support leaders
- Music, Drama and Visual Arts captains
- Academic mentors
- Science mentors
- Sports council membership
- Team leadership, coaching and management, and more
Students are invited to take part in leadership opportunities through daily notices, assemblies, posters, peer and staff introduction. In most cases students can introduce themselves to these leadership opportunities.
STUDENT LEADERSHIP SELECTION PROCESS
The Student Leadership group will be selected through a democratic and inclusive process. Ideally there will be twelve to sixteen students selected. It is the College’s goal that the process is thorough and transparent and that all students have a fair and equal opportunity to be selected into the Student Leadership group.
Term III
- Year 12 students are invited to inform the present Student Leadership, or the deputy principal in charge, of their interest in being part of the Student Leadership team for the following year. Invitation will be given through two assemblies and daily notices.
- The current Student Leadership and staff will be given the list of those interested, to observe specifically for leadership qualities and activities.
- All Year 12 students are invited to join the Year 12 Leadership group at any time. The group is given one significant task to address. The task for 2018, as an example, was the reintroduction of a house system in 2019. The reintroduction of School Houses has been deemed a success with a solid foundation set for the following year. Students were observed for their team and leadership qualities. These qualities include task leadership, planning, communication, solution focused team work, creativity, appropriate behaviour and more.
- Year 12 Leadership Group agree on common campaign ‘vehicles’ for all students interested in becoming student leaders the following year. The final ‘vehicles’ may include posters, lunchtime meetings, website space and/or other.
- Call for self-nomination of candidates for Student Leadership the following year.
- Candidates given nomination form and guidelines for campaigning including the agreed campaign ‘vehicles’.
- Voting process to be completed. All students, including the current Year 13s, and staff may vote.
- Votes counted and kept confidential, except for between the Senior Leadership Team.
Term IV
- Six to eight students selected for interview by the Senior Leadership Team.
- Head (and deputy head) students finalised.
- Final Student Leadership group selected.
- Student Leadership group announced at the Senior Academic Prizegiving.