UNION RIDGE STUDENTS meet with Principal Angela Freeman every month on ways to improve the school for both teachers and kids.
Trying to find ways to improve life at Union Ridge Elementary School is a group effort for both the students and teachers. Student representatives from fourth through sixth grade discuss ideas for school improvement and other activities as part of the Principal Advisory Team.
Each month, representatives get input from the classmates for ideas and suggestions that might lead to school improvement and then present those ideas during a lunchtime meeting with the principal and other representatives.
Students are selected to serve on the advisory panel by their classmates and teachers, with some classes voting to select their representatives and others being chosen based on their classroom performance.
“The Advisory Team offers leadership opportunities for students while teaching them how to present problems and solutions for authority figures,” said Union Ridge Principal Angela Freeman.
Last school year, the team met with Connie Vowels, director of food services for the Ridgefield School District, discussing healthy food options with specific requests and suggestions such as not pre-mixing dressing in the salad at the salad bar, reducing the amount of grease in the pizzas and introducing additional healthy options to the menu.
Freeman directs the Advisory Team to develop ideas for solutions, “By asking questions and having ideas for solutions, adults will listen to your concerns and are more likely to be able to address them.”
Since students aren’t permitted to use personal music players during school, the advisory team suggested playing songs over the public address system before school begins in the morning. Representatives collected song suggestions from their respective classes while offering several suggestions of their own.
This year, the Principal Advisory Team intends to develop a program of student math tutors to help struggling students improve their math skills. Students interested in being tutors will take a classification test to determine which areas they would be most effective as a tutor. Students brainstormed different types of math which they thought students needed assistance with.
In addition to developing concepts for activities, the students serve as a sounding board for student reactions to ideas that have been implemented previously. Principal Freeman uses this information to alter processes and to receive feedback on how students are adapting to new rules.
