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If you want your school to be a better place, where do you start? With the students, of course
By Jessica Morriss, Head of Community Relations, Amsterdam International Community School
The Amsterdam International Community School (AICS) is an IB World School, so naturally we encourage student voice and student-led initiatives. Additionally, as a community school, we want to ensure that everyone is represented and that decisions within our organisation are made with the students’ best interests at heart.
Our Secondary Student Council is key to this. They are a lively and well-motivated group, who really care about making the AICS a better place. Within their self-crafted mission statement, they outline their pledge to foster a safe, enjoyable, and effective learning environment, and that is exactly what they are doing.
Strenghtening links between the older and younger students
Together with staff and parents, the Council works on projects such as creating the new Mobile Phone and Laptop policy, organising an action-packed Games Night, communicating essential information via their online Student Dashboard, and the creation and unveiling of a new school mascot. They also work closely with representatives from the Primary Student Council, and are currently exploring ways to strengthen links between our youngest and oldest students, starting with initiatives such as a chess club and playground support during break times.
Learning is at the heart of everything we do
We liken the multiple layers of our school community to the different strata of Planet Earth. Our students are at the very centre of this – taking the lead on projects, making positive changes to the school, setting up fun things that bring students together, and working to ensure that we are living up to our vision of being ‘a community where learning is at the heart of everything we do’.
