April 4: The final Superintendent’s Student Council meeting began with a warm welcome from Germaine Gilson, Chief of District Affairs. Followed by her introduction, Gilson introduced Superintendent Dr. James Gray. Dr. Gray opened with applauding the students on prioritizing helping others by taking the initiative to do a community service project during their last meeting. He also thanked them for their contributions and input during their council meetings and expressed the importance of uplifting others. “The point of these councils is to be able to have two-way communication with everyone,” he said “If you ever want to be a great person and great leader, it’s important to learn to build other people up and not just yourselves. I’m proud to see that you all understand this lesson, as I see this being implemented by you all choosing to invest your time for your meeting by reading to elementary students.” 

After Dr. Gray spoke, the students took a tour of Riverdale High School and then participated in a service project by reading to Jefferson Elementary School students.  On behalf of Dr. Gray and the Council, classroom books were donated to Jefferson’s Pre-K classes.  

February 9: The second Superintendent Student Council meeting began with a welcome from Germaine Gilson, Chief District Affairs Officer, where she introduced Superintendent Student Council member Raine Flatau. Flatau is a student from Thomas Jefferson School where the meeting was held, and she took the time to welcome her fellow student council members to her school.

Following the welcome and introductions was an Ideal School Day activity where the students were divided into groups of four and tasked with creating ideal school day scenarios. One person from each group reported their ideas to the rest of the group. Examples of some responses include: 

• “We want to start the day with a positive bus ride by playing calming music, then begin the school day by stating affirmations.” 
• “An ideal school would have community circles where students can talk to someone.”
• “It would be ideal to have teachers that can help with mental health and arrange student checkups with a teacher after or between exams.” 
•  “ An ideal classroom would be decorative,open, and colorful. Classrooms would also have a meditation section where a student can take a mental break.” 

Following this activity, the students engaged in an Understanding Mental Health: What Can I Do At My School session hosted by Rochelle Gautheir and Todd Cirillo, the district’s mental health counselors. “Mental health is simply a balance between the mind and the body. Keep that in mind,” said Todd Cirillo. He reviewed the difference between “having the blues'' and being clinically depressed. He explained that depression is manageable and comes through connections and conversation. While situational depression is a circumstance in which depression is more short term. The council separated into groups to discuss ideas to promote mental health awareness. Some of these ideas include: 

• Creating a documentary featuring district students that helps other students see how close to home these issues are and how normal it is to have such feelings
• Having adults share their own struggles with mental health, which will create an open discussion with teachers about mental health and show students that adults struggle too.
• Normalize mental health by messaging out mental health statistics

• Implementing mental health specific counselors in schools
• Arrange for designated times to discuss issues with teachers
• Send parents mindful, positive messages 

The group was then greeted by Dr. Gray where he began his conversation by addressing a comment regarding feeling as though there is a gap in communication between adults and students. “The age gap is not what makes people be able to relate to you; it is a mindset shift. I know many older people who are able to relate to younger people simply because their mindset is open to change. So this is a matter of mindset, rather than age gap. I encourage our teachers to have this mindset as well,” said Dr. Gray.  He also encouraged students to sit down with teachers and have these conversations with them as to how they can tackle many of the social and emotional support that they feel they are lacking.

The group then engaged in a rapid fire session with Dr. Gray where they were given an opportunity to ask questions, make comments, and propose solutions. Each student was asked to write down their question or comment on an index card, where Ms. Gilson would pull a few cards from a fish bowl. A few concerns that were brought to Dr. Gray’s attention included: 

• Providing additional support to students who are still struggling academically 
• Lack of counselors on school campuses 
• Need for a designated place on campus to decompress

The group then participated in a leadership activity facilitated by Diane Jackson, the Program Director of the Slone Group. The discussion was focused on leadership communication and began with an activity where each student was handed a picture and instructed to place the pictures in chronological order. Once completed, the students were asked what tactics they used in order to accurately place the pictures. Jackson mentioned that the lesson in the activity was to become more comfortable asking for resources, implementing teamwork, communication, and flexibility. Following this activity, the meeting concluded with a tour of  Thomas Jefferson School.

December 15: The first Superintendent’s Student Council meeting began with Germaine Gilson, Chief District Affairs Officer, instructing the students to describe themselves on a sheet of paper without using their name, ethnicity, school, or age. 

“I love history and particular political turmoil. I hope to never stop bettering myself as a person.” 

“I'm a leader and student athlete. I am also a proud immigrant and love wearing lipstick on everything.”  

“I'm currently taking dual enrollment classes and plan to have my associate degree by the end of my senior year.” 

“I’m known as Madam President. I love indie rock music and am on the cross country team, although I probably would’ve quit if it weren’t for the people on that team. People never really know what I’m going to say next. I hope to join the Peace Corps when I grow up.” 

“I am from a small town called Lafitte. My goal in life is to make the world a better place. I love math and can do it all day and every day. I hope to one day become a labor and delivery nurse.” 

Ms. Gilson concluded the activity,stating “You are more than just your name, your ethnicity, your age, or even your school. I want you to know who you truly are and realize that there are people in this world who need what you have to offer.”

The students then viewed a presentation by Rochelle Gauthier and Todd Cirillo, two mental health professionals who work with JP Schools to foster positive mental and emotional well-being for students and staff. The students received information about mental health, how to recognize the difference between depression and anxiety, and were taught various exercises that can be used to cope with such experiences. The students then engaged in an activity where they were taught effective ways to cope when encountering feelings of anxiety or depression. “This is an exercise that you can do to bring yourself to the present,” said Ms. Gauthier. 

The mental health professionals also explained what depression and anxiety symptoms look like, as well as what separates clinical depression from situational depression. “One in five adolescents have some sort of mental health diagnosis. Depression and anxiety are most common amongst high school students, which is why we want to focus on providing resources for these diagnoses specifically. This is normal and there's nothing wrong with that. We always want to normalize these feelings, because they are in fact normal. With this in mind, our goal is to see how we can be supportive,” said Ms. Gauthier.  

The Superintendent's Student Council spent the remainder of the time engaging with Superintendent Dr. James Gray after he spoke in depth about being in leadership roles for the right reasons and emphasizing how a strong work ethic can open a door to a promising career path. He also spoke a great deal about how important decision-making is as a leader.  Dr. Gray stated, “As a leader, when you are trying to do what's right for the entire population, you must be so grounded in who you are as a person. It’s important to take everyone's well-being into account, and make sound decisions based on what those needs are, all while being sure not to make an emotional decision. As superintendent of Jefferson Parish, I rely on my experience to make sure that you receive a quality education.”

2020-21 Student Leadership Council Members

• Lyra Adams, East Jefferson High
• Morgan Dallatte, Fisher Middle-High
• Malcom D'Ronze, Bonnabel High
• Faiza Filali, Haynes Academy
• Raine Flatau, Thomas Jefferson Academy
• Skye Gandy, Bonnabel High
• Caleb Goetz, East Jefferson High
• Nor Gorry, Grace King High
• Keionna Herrera, Grace King High
• Ravyn Hughes, West Jefferson High
• Juliette LeBoeuf, L.W. Higgins High
• Mahir Rahman, Haynes Academy
• Maida Shahid, Riverdale High
• Alysia Treece, John Ehret High
• Morgan Dallatte, Fisher Middle-High
• Raine Flatau, Thomas Jefferson Academy
• Nor Gorry, Grace King High
• Amari Jones, L.W. Higgins High
• Kelsey Loerwald, Fisher Middle-High
• Alina Richardson, Helen Cox High
• Kaitlyn Shelton, Thomas Jefferson Academy
• Malcom D'Ronze, Bonnabel High
• Skye Gandy, Bonnabel High
• Keionna Herrera, Grace King High
• Ashleigh Laws, West Jefferson High
• Kelly Parker, Patrick Taylor Academy
• Vivian Santillo, Riverdale High
• Balseba Tewelde, Patrick F. Taylor Academy

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2020-21 Student Leadership Council Recap

April 21: For the fourth and final Superintendent’s Student Council meeting, Germaine Gilson, Chief District Affairs Officer, opened the meeting with appreciation and inspiration for the Student Council members. “You are equipped, you have the skills, you have the support to succeed. Don’t let anything hold you back,” said Ms. Gilson. Ms. Gilson then welcomed several of the senior Student Council members to the stage for a reflection on their experience having spent multiple years in the Council.

“This is not just about learning from each other, but creating action. My proudest moment was that we actually changed the bullying policy.” - Morgan Delatte, Fisher Middle-High

“All three years have been amazing. It has been wonderful to be part of something bigger than myself. I’ve learned that being a good leader is leading even without the recognition or appreciation. Leadership isn’t about popularity.” - Ashley Laws, West Jefferson High

“I made memories with this group that I will never forget, such as meeting Cynthia Lee Sheng before she became Parish President. I have been introduced to people I would have never had access to without this council.” - Juliette Lebouef, L.W. Higgins High

“This Council has given me the opportunity to make a difference and really make a change at my high school. It enabled me to shine a light on how I was feeling and how other students were feeling.” - Kaitlyn Shelton, Thomas Jefferson Academy

Next, Superintendent Dr. Gray spoke to the lasting impact this Council will have. “Being on a team builds a level of camaraderie that can never be broken,” said Dr. Gray. He encouraged the members to stay in touch through the years. As these students progress in their leadership, it will become increasingly important to surround themselves with intelligent, sensible people. “Surround yourself with people who have different opinions from you to help you consider all impacts of a decision,” said Dr. Gray. Being a leader is not about making the popular decision, it’s about making the right decision. The network they are building is invaluable to inform their decision making for years to come.

The Council then engaged in a presentation on servant leadership with Dr. Shondra Williams, CEO of InclusivCare. She emphasized that servant leadership is not about the person with the highest title in the room, it is about the people doing the work. “I really think that at the end of the day it is not about me. It is about you,” said Dr. Williams. Every member on the team is equally important and worth celebrating. She illustrated this through a group activity to identify who in the room completed the most service hours during the year. Then, she presented the same prize to the student who completed the least amount of hours as the student who completed the most hours because both students tried their best.

Dr. Williams also reflected on the pandemic and how it forced all of us to recognize the leaders within. Many of us had to make sacrifices and were faced with difficult decisions. Despite the challenges of the last year, the lessons we’ve learned have equipped us for the road ahead.

The Superintendent’s Student Council spent the remainder of the meeting reviewing a proposed high school Counselor Profile for the district. In previous Council meetings, the group participated in discussions about their school counselor experience and provided informal and formal feedback via a counselor survey. Based on that insight, the group helped to create a Counselor Profile that will be shared with all high school counselors in the district to guide their work. This guiding document is just one way the Council has contributed to real decisions and policy-making at the district level.

February 10: During the third Superintendent’s Student Council meeting, Dr. Gray began with a discussion on servant leadership. Servant leadership puts the priorities of the people you serve into your work and all of your decision-making. Through student and teacher feedback, direct engagement and these Council meetings, we are able to hear stakeholder priorities and needs. Then, we can bring that knowledge into our shared decision-making. Dr. Gray emphasized that servant leaders put the needs of others before their own. Given the mental strains of this year, now more than ever, it is critical to support the needs of those around us. Sometimes, the right decision isn’t the most popular decision. Still, a servant leader pushes forward with the work that benefits those s/he serves.

During the meeting, the group heard presentations from two local non-profits: Second Harvest Food Bank and Jefferson Dollars for Scholars. Second Harvest is the largest food bank in Louisiana and provided more than 50 million meals in 2020, double what they provide in a typical year. Louisiana has one of the highest food insecurity rates in the country, and one in four Louisiana children are food insecure. Since the start of the pandemic, food insecurity has skyrocketed by 30%. Students were encouraged to consider programs, like Second Harvest when developing their service projects.

Jefferson Parish Dollars for Scholars has awarded scholarships surpassing $29 million to more than 5,800 Jefferson Parish students. While the organization distributes funds for academic enrichment programs, ACT and National Merit preparation, the majority of its funding is dedicated to college scholarships. The premise of Dollars for Scholars is that if everyone in the community gave $1, local students would be able to go to college.

The students also spent time discussing school counseling services as a follow-up to the last Council meeting. The feedback received from our Superintendent’s Council meetings will be used to inform and improve our processes as a district and contribute to shared decision-making.

December 16: The second Student Leadership Council meeting kicked off with a review of counseling services available on campus. As high school students prepare for graduation and college, it is important that they have regular interaction with counselors to prepare them for and help guide them through the admissions process. It was clear that one of the best ways to drive college attendance is through education on the college application process. Following the discussion, an admissions counselor from the University of New Orleans gave a presentation on academic life.

Germaine Gilson introduced Dr. Gray and moderated an open conversation centered around the Principles of Leadership. Some of Dr. Gray’s words of advice included:

• Whenever you start to make money, always pay yourself first.
• Hold true to your core tenets. Never compromise who you are as a person.
• You have to take care of your health
• Life is a pendulum, sometimes you will spend more time working and sometimes you will spend more time with family. Strive for work life balance.
• Your time is the most valuable thing you can give. That is how you will generate the outcomes you desire. Money fixes a short-term need. Time will have a long term impact

The students spent the remainder of the meeting planning for their service projects and incorporating what they learned about leadership into actionable next steps.

November 10: Students are at the center of everything we do in Jefferson Parish Schools. Thus, it’s important that we bring our students to the table and get their unique perspectives on how we can improve our schools. At the first Superintendent’s Student Council meeting of the year, members discussed leadership and how to be a positive influencer on campus. Students broke into small groups to work through sample challenges they may face at school, and how they can shift the situation to be a positive experience for their peers.

After giving students insight into his personal background and career path, Dr. Gray sat for a Q&A session with the members, answering questions that range from “how do we keep everyone safe during the pandemic” and if he prefers to read a book or watch TV to unwind in the evenings. This provided an opportunity for students to find their voice in a safe environment. Students also walked away with new friendships across the district and ideas to bring back to their schools to increase school spirit and strengthen a positive school culture.

At the end of the day, students laid the groundwork to set the agenda for future meetings. Below is a recap of topics the Student council would like to address:

• Creating opportunities for others to become involved in the success of our school
• Leading the culminating service project on campus
• Leadership and how to be a positive influencer
• Supporting students with virtual learning

The Superintendent’s Council meetings provide valuable insights to inform and improve our decisions at the district level. We will continue to share these recaps with you to ensure we are all working towards our shared goal of delivering the best outcomes for the students of Jefferson Parish.

• Torrence Bardell: Bonnabel Magnet Academy
• Michelle Lobo: Bonnabel Magnet Academy
• Savannah Cooke: East Jefferson High
• Jarod Thibodaux: East Jefferson High
• Emerson Boutte: Fisher Middle-High
• Morgan Delatte: Fisher Middle-High
• Rafael Betanco: Grace King High
• Fatima Alhasani: Grace King High
• Noah Bradberry: Grand Isle School
• Anjali Pellegrin: Haynes Academy
• Shivang Thakor: Haynes Academy
• Kierah Martin: Helen Cox High
• Phoebe Lee: Helen Cox High
• Sophia Trang: John Ehret High
• Gihad Hajajweh: John Ehret High
• Juliette LeBoeuf: Higgins High 
• Miguel Lopez: Higgins High 
• Logan Balfantz: Patrick Taylor Academy
• Gary Ramee Jr.: Patrick Taylor Academy
• Axel Romero: Riverdale High
• Lauren Bravo: Riverdale High
• Kaitlyn Shelton: Thomas Jefferson High
• Oscar Lee: Thomas Jefferson High
• Ashleigh Laws: West Jefferson High
• Olivia Taylor: West Jefferson High

Bonnabel Magnet Academy

• Isaiah Smith
• Miledy Mota

Helen Cox High

• Clinton Baldwin
• Waseem Thabata

East Jefferson High

• Aalysia Ursin
• Alexis Benitez

Ehret, John High

• Xavier Kent
• Elijah Parker

Fisher High

• Morgan Delatte
• Emerson Boutte

Haynes Academy

• Olivia Baisier
• Anjali Pelligrin

Higgins, L.W. High

• Treonda Toney
• Juliette LeBoeuf

King, Grace High

• Nyah Pittman
• Haleigh Lozano

Riverdale High

• Kayla Riley
• Cameron Price

Taylor, Patrick F. Academy

• Aiyana Ringo
• Dominic Mesa

Jefferson, Thomas High

• Natanael Pabon-Trinidad
• Kaitlyn Shelton

West Jefferson High

• Olivia Taylor,
• Ashleigh Laws

Grande Isle High

• Noah Bradberry