According to Ari from Bialik Secondary College, there were a number of lessons to learn in setting up the student council.

Voting

Allowing students to vote for Student Council elections and totally removing class teachers from the process was a problem. This meant that the most popular students from each class were elected, not the most dedicated or thoughtful. The problems with having this situation were obvious as soon as tasks that required work without immediate reward or recognition appeared.

The popular students disappeared. The ideal model would give class teacher the chance to veto any students who they felt would not do the job well before putting this candidate to the student for election. The student council found this was necessary in order to get quality candidates.

Planning Meetings

Planning Student Council meetings on an ad hoc basis with only a rough agenda and meetings announced only a few days before they before they were held is not good. It creates a climate of uncertainty amongst the student. Meetings degenerated into socialising sessions with no clear focus.

Getting a Name for Action

The Student Council name needed to be clearly associated with events and activities happening within the school. When it happens - let it be known it was the Student Council that did it.

(Adapted from "Starting a Student Council" by Ari Sharp. Published in Connect No. 119 - Used with permission)

Your experience with Student Council may be very different. Often it is difficult as a student to get together with students from other schools to discuss how to get their organisations fired up. There are SC's that share these problems, there are also really effective Student Councils. Your experience and advice are important for others in developing their own student councils.