Leadership Class
Course Description: This course is designed to get you ready for the “adult world” and to give you an opportunity to
apply the skills and theories you have learned throughout your education in real-life applications. We feel that this class
will not only help in your transition into the workforce, society, and/or university but will also make you more
competitive and prepared for being “grown up”. Throughout this year, this course will help you foster the management,
communication, goal setting, and financial skills that will set you apart from your peers and give you a glimpse into the
nature of leadership, responsibility and accountability. We hope this class will give you a chance to be capable and
responsible citizens, but even more so - leaders in a world trying to stop corruption, apathy, ignorance, and injustice.
Overall, NivaIS feels that now is an appropriate time for you to be regarded as adults because: a. you already are
(seniors), b. you already take on leadership responsibilities (SG), or c. you have proven you have the potential to be a
community leader (anyone else fortunate enough to be accepted). This is a class designed to allow you to develop
yourself in skills that are difficult to hone by presenting you with challenges that are difficult to accomplish. As your
teachers, we also want you to know that we are giving you a class like this because we truly care about you and your
success in life.
Purpose of Course’s Curriculum Structure and Design: The purpose of the course’s organization is to help you
understand that businesses, governments, and higher academia will demand results and actual products, not homework
and/or tests. Therefore, to help you become capable of such ventures we have organized this class around school
activities that you will be in charge of organizing and managing.
All activities will have:
1. A planning stage- where the class will discuss and organize how to plan and set goals
2. A management stage- where the class will implement their plan and communicate with the rest of the school
3. A reflective stage- where the class will discuss how effect and efficient the goals and management of the
activity were carried out
Along with activities, Leadership Class will answer essential questions concerning leadership that will clarify concepts
about authority and governments and also help you define yourself within these categories.
Goals of the Course: You will be able to plan effectively and efficiently, set goals and have the integrity to reach them,
communicate effectively through many modes of media, work effectively and resolve conflicts within a group, learn how
governments determine and create rules and laws, practice responsibility, leadership, and management, master basic
financial skills such as budgeting and marketing, and hopefully become a leader in any field you choose to join.
Methods of the Course: Students will be engaged in a variety of instructional methods ranging from:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Discussions based on media presented (books, music, and movies), lectures, and debates
School activities (planning, managing, and evaluating)
Answering Essential Questions
Defining vocabulary associated with leadership
Portfolios- students reflect on their devolvement in the arena of leadership skills
Yearly Outline:
Unit 1- What makes a successful leader/plan?
Activities in Quarter 1:
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Student Government Induction Ceremony
Senior Bonding Trip
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Unit 2- Why are values and business skills important for leadership/planning?
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Halloween
Fun Fair
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Units 3- What criteria can you use to judge leaders?
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Valentine’s Day
Camps
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Unit 4- Are leaders created or made?
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Elections
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Year Round Events: Community Service, Flagline, Niva Gazette, and Activity Boards
Words that will be defined and redefined throughout the year:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Communication
Goals
Management
Responsibility
Accountability
Listening
Service
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
Participation
Rules
Finance
Organization
Leadership
Problems
Solutions
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
Budget
Planning
Government
Representatives
Education
Purpose
Grades and Grading: Grades will be based on:
A.
B.
C.
D.
Communicating understanding - 30%
Projects (events) - 30%
Exams - 30%
Oral English is a part of this grade- 10%
Some grades will be determined by collaborations and review by the SG advisors and the Leadership Officers
(president, vice-president, treasurer, and secretary).
Policy for Receiving Grades:
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Each member of Leadership must complete at least 17 new benchmarks within a quarter.
Each member of Leadership must lead one activity
Each member of Leadership will participate and contribute in all school activities
Each member of Leadership is responsible for making NivaIS a better school and they must support the
major goals of the school
Each member of Leadership will act as a role-model for all NivaIS students
Officers
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President- helps grade other Leadership members, helps delegates and plans events, runs SG meetings,
organizes and schedules meetings, evaluates SG, makes personnel changes, represents the student body
in administrative meetings, and meets demands of constituents
Vice-President- helps grade other Leadership members, helps delegates and plans every activity, runs SG
reps meetings, and organizes and schedules meetings
Treasurer- helps grade other Leadership members, meets with other officers to plan school events,
meets and helps run Business class and work with Marketing and Accounting Classes, and updates
budgets for Leadership
Secretary- helps grade other Leadership members, meets with other officers to plan school events,
meets and helps communicate with teachers and homerooms, creates surveys for information, and
writes Leadership agendas
Evaluations Process for Leadership Class (Meeting the standards)
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Did SG create and follow a budget?
If there was any personnel issues did the SG officers change personnel to solve problems?
Did the SG meet the demands of their constituents?
Did you leave NivaIS better than you inherited it?
Did you communicate effectively and efficiently?
Did you plan, organize, and manage all student activities?
Did you serve your surrounding community?
Did you learn anything?
Money and Financial Opportunities:
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SG will have the right to tax any business venture set up by student organizations
SG will have the right to tax homerooms
SG must provide an opportunity for homerooms to make money (Fun Fair)
Problems to Solve for this year:
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Delegation - give titles and duties to everyone in Leadership class
Much more participation from homeroom representatives
Including middle school SG
More reflections from SG and Leadership members on the success of activities and the year
Better use of informational tools: websites, magazine, Flagline, and Niva Gazette
Community Service Projects
Update Activity Boards regularly
Improve Fun Fair