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Elementary student advisory groups take on leadership roles at school

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The third grade advisory group for the first nine weeks of school includes (left to right) Parker Kuehl, Quinn McGeough, Jacob Schellhorn, Will Hopes, Lacey Upton, Addison Buchheit, Ava Kishman and Morgan Jacobson.

The second grade advisory group for the first nine weeks of school is Jerica Wille, Devon Meyer, Moriah Moser, Cora Keehner, Will Howes, Aidan Meyer, Weston Fuelling and Clayton Henkes.

Beginning this year, MFL MarMac Elementary has two student advisory groups, one for second grade and another for third grade. 

They meet alternating once each six school days at lunch. Each advisory has eight total members. Six are selected from the Student of the Week Award winners. There is always one boy and one girl serving in advisory from each class section. The other two members were chosen by the original six as at-large members from the entire class pool. All advisory member students serve for nine weeks and then choose their own successor for the next nine-week school term.

Elementary guidance counselor Kurt Gaylor said the purpose of the student advisory is to:

—Have students take ownership over decisions for special events and other school activities.

—Be a student-first responder to help students with issues like bullying.

—Provide leadership skills training for student leaders.

—Assist with the overall school climate.

Gaylor said he and elementary principal Kathy Koether first discussed the concept last school year. Over the summer, he attended a conference on character in Dubuque. 

“While there, I attended a seminar where Dubuque Community High School students helped to present the idea based upon Dubuque’s advisory groups,” Gaylor explained. “I was able to visit with them after the presentation about if or how it might work at the elementary level. It was there that I made the decision to proceed with setting up our own student advisory groups.”

So far, said Gaylor, the advisory groups have made decisions about dress up days for homecoming and what types of activities students should participate in for Red Ribbon Week in October. They have also discussed issues related to the general school climate.

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