Co-curricular

At Aim High we aim to help each and every student to discover and develop their individual talents and passions in all areas of the curriculum while recognising that learning is a broad activity encompassing many avenues. We provide an opportunity for every student to achieve. We recognize and value the contribution each student makes to this world as a unique individual with limitless potential. We encourage students to invest in their colleagues, family, community and themselves in discovering their place in the world and engaging in a process of learning that will continue long after they have left the school.
 * __Aim High Co-curricular Policy__ **
 * __Rationale__**

__**Policy Statement**__ While it is of the upmost importance that our school ensures that students meet their full academic potential it is not enough to cater only to these needs. Aim High aims to provide students with the opportunities to live up to the schools five core values: · Excellence · Engagement · Self Determination · Respect · Honesty It is through the availability of a range of opportunities complimentary and possibly parallel to the students’ academic experience that these values can, most usefully, be explored.

__**Aims**__ · To build a, functionally, self sufficient student leadership team. · To encourage students to build their own clubs, societies, etc. · To foster competition between school houses, thus engaging students and pushing them towards excellence. · To encourage students to engage with community issues. · To have every student and teacher participating in at least one co-curricular opportunity. · To build and maintain a culture of willing participation. · To build the students populations understanding of different electoral systems.

__**Implementation**__ · Have an SRC with representatives from each class; these representatives will be nominated by their peers/themselves, from these nominations a ‘ticket’ of candidates is selected by teachers before a preferential class election. · From the SRC draw committees: fundraising, sport, community, multimedia, celebration, clubs... · Appoint 4 middle school and 4 senior school captains from the student body. Individuals apply and are appointed by the staff leadership team (these students are not necessarily involved with the SRC). · House captains to be senior students and are elected directly. · Students wanting to initiate a club or society must first have 5 members and a staff sponsor. They can then be ratified and affiliated with the school and the SRC; giving them access to rooms and the ability to apply for funding. · At least one house competition to be held per term: athletics, swimming, talent, trivia, debating, chess, choir etc. to be decided and organised by the house captains.

__**Evaluation**__ Policy to be reviewed at least every three years, more often is the model becomes unworkable. __Academic Rationale__

Role and Selection of SRC members: The SRC is charged with representing the best interests and desires of their classmates. The SRC is to arrange itself into committees with a specific focus (these committees are to be run by the students; as with clubs they require teacher sponsorship). The SRC will have at least three general meetings a term. These meetings give the chance for students to present what they have achieved and to present class issues. Members of the SRC are trusted members of their class; their place on the council is due to them being the most preferred member of their class to represent them and their wishes.

Role and Selection of School Captains: School captains are the student figureheads of the school. They represent the school in public matters. They are encouraged to participate in SRC committees, they are charged with being role models for their peers in all areas. School Captains will be selected against the present administrations interpretation of the school’s values. Nominations will be called during term three and captains will be appointed in term 4 allowing them to work with the incumbents. A three tiered selection process will involve a written application, a speech to the SRC and appropriate teachers informing the audience of their intentions and goals as a school figurehead, and finally a formal interview with the incumbent captains, leadership coordinator/s, year 12 coordinator and a representative of the school administration.

Role and selection of House Captains: House Captains (HC) are elected directly by their house population (teachers included) in a ‘first past the post’ election. A house captain cannot be school captain but may be a member of the SCR. It is the HCs’ responsibility to organise house competitions throughout the year.