Every Year 6 student at Katoomba Public School is given the opportunity and supported to take on a leadership role. Leadership can be displayed in many ways, and each year it looks a little different as each cohort of students brings their own interests, passions and skills to the roles.
Aside from the School Leaders and Koori Club Leaders, types of leadership opportunities may include Technical Support Team, Creative & Performing Arts Team, Fundraising Team, Sports Leaders, Environmental Leaders, Gate Keepers, Library Mentors and Press Team. These roles are discussed and negotiated with each year’s Year 5 group.
School leader nomination & election process
Year 5 – all year
The process of preparing our senior students for leadership within the school starts as they enter Year 5 and continues all year. The Stage 3 teachers have many discussions throughout the year with the students about “What is leadership?”, “What makes a good leader?”, “What do the current leadership team do well?”, “How could they improve?”, about responsible voting (eg you won’t necessarily vote for your friend), about the importance of confidentiality, about being kind, about our different skills and that not everyone is good at public speaking and that everyone has a different way of being a leader.
Year 5 – Term 4
In Term 4, Year 5 students are invited to nominate three peers who they believe would make a good School Leader.
Members of the school Executive Team collate the nominations and depending on the size and make up of each year’s cohort, select the top-ranking nominations (between 10 and 14).
At this point, the Executive Team can withdraw a nomination due to long term behavioural issues.
The successful nominees meet with the Principal and are invited to accept their nomination after discussion with their families. Students who may feel reticent about the role are encouraged to think about it and discuss before deciding.
Nominees are asked to complete an Acceptance Form that includes a biographical statement of suitability for the position of School Leader.
Successful nominees then write a speech which they will present to the whole school body. They are supported by their families and nominated staff members (Stage 3 teachers support all nominees). They have about two weeks to prepare their speeches.
The whole school, plus the families of the nominees, listen to each candidate’s speech. Immediately after the speeches, the school votes. Kindergarten and Year 1 students vote as a class; Year 2 – Year 5 students vote individually for the six candidates that they feel would make the best School Leaders. The votes are not ranked. All staff members also vote.
A staff team made up of Stage 3 teachers and members of the Executive Team count and collate the votes. The top 6 to 8 (depending on the size and makeup of the cohort of students) candidates are successful. The two students with the most votes will become the School Captains (the Captains are announced at Presentation Day).
Within the week, all nominees meet with the Principal and the Assistant Principal of Well-being and are told the results of the election.
At the next assembly, the new School Leadership team is introduced to the school.
At Presentation Day, the School Captains are announced, and all School Leaders take the Leadership Pledge with their family representatives, who pin on the leaders’ badges. The previous year’s School Leadership team are thanked, and they resign and stand down. The new leadership team takes office.
This process is reviewed and changed on an ongoing basis to continue to promote and support quality, caring, inclusive student leadership at Katoomba Public School..
Koori Club Leaders selection process
In Term 4, the Koori Club Teachers and members of the Executive Team select a Year 5 Koori Club student or students to be the Koori Club Leaders. These students are selected for their ability to guide, mentor and lead the younger Koori Club students. On Presentation Day they receive their badges, which are pinned on by a family representative.
Sports House Captains nomination & election process
There are four sports houses at Katoomba Public School. Students in Years 3 – 6 are allocated to a sports house. Each house has between 2 and 4 House Captains (dependant on the cohort). During Term 4, interested Year 5 students are nominated as House Captains for each house and each house votes for their Captains. The nominees with the most votes are elected as House Captains. By Term 1 of Year 6 the House Captains receive their badges.
Other Leadership Teams selection process
During Term 4 of Year 5, the Stage 3 teachers discuss and negotiate all other leadership opportunities with the Year 5 students and students are supported to identify areas where they would like to serve in a school leadership role such as part of the Technical Support Team, Creative & Performing Arts Team, Fundraising Team, Sports Leaders, Environmental Leaders, Gate Keepers, Library Mentors or Press Team. Each year these leadership roles change as each cohort brings its own set of skills, interests and passions. By Term 1 of Year 6, each student leader will have been presented with their leader’s badge.
Revised: February 2024