Lower School Elects First Student Council

February 15, 2007

Dr. Dennis began the morning of February 8 by welcoming the members of Packer's newly elected Lower School Student Council to his office for a special breakfast meeting.

The 12 representatives (a boy and a girl from each 3rd and 4th grade class) told Dr. Dennis that among their priorities were a more fair division of garden time between the 3rd and 4th grades; addition of more “kid-friendly” vegetables in the cafeteria, and a staggered dismissal time to reduce crowding on the second floor.

“It's an ambitious agenda, to be sure, but the children seem ready to tackle it,” said Dr. Dennis. “All in all, it was a very full half-hour meeting and certainly the highlight of my day.”

Rob Cousins, Assistant Head of the Pre and Lower School, was instrumental in organizing the council, the stated purpose of which is “to build a school-wide community by giving the children a voice in the way the school works and a chance to make positive contributions to the school environment and ethos.”

Mr. Cousins and Andrea Kelly, Head of the Lower School, are confident that the council’s benefits will include improved speaking and listening skills, self-esteem, active citizenship, and an understanding of the democratic process.

Mindful of the pitfalls of school elections, which can become “popularity contests,” Lower School teachers spent several weeks before the election teaching the 3rd and 4th grade how a student council works, what qualities it takes to be a good participant, and why democracy is important.

“We talked about maturity and why it’s a privilege to vote,” said Mr. Cousins. “We also stressed the importance of everybody being involved and that those children who aren’t on the council are vital to the process through their ideas and opinions."

On the day before the election, students made speeches, posters, and buttons. On Tuesday, January 30, each 3rd and 4th grader filed into the Alumni Room on Packer’s second floor to cast their ballots.

At an assembly the next morning, the new representatives were introduced. “We applauded them as well as everyone who ran,” said Mr. Cousins, “ to show that this is not just about these 12 kids, but rather it’s about the whole student body.”

One 3rd grade council member says she hopes her peers will be happy with the council’s decisions in this, its first year. “I won’t do it again in 4th grade, because then someone else will have the opportunity,” she says. “But I’ll be satisfied if the other kids are satisfied.”