NASC Student Council Handbook Now Online

NASC E-Bulletin
Spotlight on Projects of Excellence

The National Student Project Database features more than 5,000 project entries that NASC members can search and review. Many of the projects include related links, photos, and documents that act as resources for councils wishing to replicate projects at their own schools.

Holiday/Basketball Recognition Assembly
Sig Rogich Middle School
Las Vegas, NV
This student council, with help from its feeder high school, created an amazing assembly with holiday and team decorations to recognize the women’s and men’s basketball teams. With the theme “Rock the Halls,” each grade did a holiday music lip sync: sixth-grade students performed music from the ’60s, the seventh grade did the ’70s, and the eighth graders performed tunes from the ’80s. READ MORE
Pancake Breakfast
Pocono Mountain West High School
Pocono Summit, PA
This student council’s annual Pancake Breakfast is one of the biggest and most popular events of the year. Months before it happens, student council members solicit donors to supply food or funds. Donor names are displayed on the “Wall of Caring” during the breakfast. Funds raised help families in the school who are in need during the holiday season. READ MORE

NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS


Pay It Forward through Student Leadership Initiative
The NASSP Student Leadership Initiative: Global Citizenship is well underway. Now, your students have a chance to show how they are making global change and give back to their favorite cause or charity. Tell them to share how they are making a difference with a post to Instagram using #MakingGlobalChange. One post each month through 2017 will be chosen to win $100 for the council’s charity of choice in the name of the council. We’re also recruiting students as global change ambassadors to spread the word about the initiative. Tell your students to visit www.makingglobalchange.org to learn how to get involved and get contest details.

National Student Project Database—New Features
In support of the NASSP Student Leadership Initiative on Global Citizenship, a new checkbox has been added to the “Project Information” section of the National Student Project Database. If your project reflects one of the five strands of global citizenship, check the box as you fill in your project submission. Users can search for projects tagged as global citizenship using the Advanced Search option. Also, when entering projects, you’ll note that the “Project Description” field has changed to “Project Summary.” The new label better identifies the field as the place where users should enter a detailed summary of projects, including details and data that inform readers about the project, how and why it was selected, its results, and its highlights. If your council is applying for the NASC National Council of Excellence Award, the project summary must be at least 200 words in length. During the coming year, NASC members can look forward to more upgrades as we work to enhance your user experience with the project database.

NASC Student Council Handbook Now Online
The NASC Student Council Handbook has been added under Adviser Resources on the NASC website. The handbook includes an outline and recommendations for council constitutions, meeting-related templates for officers, and a guide to project planning. Most chapters include sidebars with content specifically for middle level advisers. Find it under “Managing Your Council” and click into the Council Management Download Center.

Register Now for February LEAD Conferences
Registration deadlines for the two February LEAD Conferences will be here before you know it. December is a short school month and packed with important activities in and out of the classroom. It’s best to complete all of your arrangements for your council’s leadership trek to D.C. or Chicago soon. This is especially important for those intending to register for the LEAD DC Conference, which typically sells out before the regular registration deadline. Register soon to guarantee you and your student leaders can energize your leadership this spring!

Present a Workshop at LEAD!
We invite both advisers and students who will attend a February LEAD Conference to apply to be workshop presenters. For students, planning and presenting a workshop to peers is an important activity in their growth as leaders. It gives them the opportunity to prepare, practice, and share in creative ways to effectively communicate a topic to an audience. For advisers, presenting is an experience to include in professional portfolios and an opportunity to share best practices with peers and students. Find the Present a Workshop application on the LEAD website under the location you will be attending.

Destination New Hampshire
The 2017 NASC National Conference is guaranteed to be a rock solid leadership experience when it lands in the Granite State of New Hampshire, June 26–28. With host school Pinkerton Academy leading the way, NASC advisers and student delegates will be a part of the only national event of its kind specifically for student council. The conference features an exciting blend of top speakers and informative workshops promoting excellence in student council leadership. The sky’s the limit at the 2017 NASC Conference, so join us next summer to learn, network, and celebrate student council in the spirit of the conference theme: Out of this World Leadership! Check out the 2017 NASC Conference invitation video. Visit www.nascconference.org again in January for more conference details and workshop presenter information.

The Suspense is Over
The results are in and we congratulate Frederick Douglass Academy VII in Brooklyn, NY; Edward E. Drew Middle School in Fredericksburg, VA; and Downtown Doral Charter Elementary School, Miami, FL, as the winners in this year’s National Principals Month (NPM) #ThankAPrincipal video contest. Each wins a $200 Best Buy gift card. Watch the winning videos on the NPM website.

STUDENT COUNCIL TIPS AND TOOLS


Writing an Effective News Release
NASC councils host astounding service projects during the holidays, but some may go unnoticed by many in the local community without a news story. With online, print, and video options, local media outlets have become more amenable to share word about the great things student councils are doing. Still, the strength of the stories is often up to the writer. In school districts without trained public information officers, the task of sharing your council’s good news may fall to you, the adviser.

Recognizing that some of our members are writing their own press releases, we have created a simple and effective model. It is available in the NASC Communications Toolkit. Before you or your student leaders write the story of your next activity or service project, check out the NASC News Release Writing page. Follow the four key steps to creating a release that will grab the audience and bring more attention to your council’s efforts.

Frame Your Pride

Your annual certification of affiliation is a way to display your commitment to student leadership. Share the pride of affiliation for all to see with an attractive frame made just for it! In fact, why not use the holiday promotion discount (see sidebar item) to order a frame today?

See the frame in the NASC Store. »

frame photo