Student Leadership

The leadership development programme in CHIJ St Nicholas Girls’ School (SNGS) is a vehicle which the school implements for the benefit of its students. It is founded on the spirit of the school’s motto, mission and vision.

Guided by these fundamentals, our leadership programme seeks to nurture leaders who are committed to the excellence in everything they do. We also pride ourselves with the leadership brand that is distinguished by the pertinent characteristic of leadership excellence from the viewpoint of the disadvantage, for the benefit of the community. It is the intention that as the students realise their leadership potential, develop their skills and graduate from the programme. The main beneficiaries will be placed before the community and the individual.




The school desires every student who is part of the SNG community to undergo the leadership programme and grow because of it. It is a platform by which students develop their latent leadership qualities. They are equipped with key leadership skills and there are meaningful platforms to enact their learning.

The students’ leadership development programme is based on two principal provisions, the provision of ‘Training’ and ‘Opportunities’.

Drawing on J.C. Maxwell’s Leadership Model, the programme progressively introduces students to Maxwell’s Five Levels of Leadership. This programme will help them to understand leadership as influence, as well as to equip them with skills on how they can move up the levels of influence to become better leaders. This programme is also geared towards the equipping and polishing the key leadership skills and inculcating the school’s values required for students to exercise their leadership qualities and skills with excellence, and in which are characterised as being Christ-centered.

Cohort Milestone Leadership Training	At the end of the leadership training, the following objectives should be achieved:
Primary 3	Pupils should be able to: understand that leadership is an influence; understand that success depends on leadership; learn effective time management, with their various duties and responsibilities in mind.
Primary 4	Pupils should be able to: understand that leadership is an influence; understand the levels of leadership progression; learn effective communication; learn conflict management.
Primary 5	Pupils should be able to: understand that leadership is an influence; understand the levels of leadership progression; learn the power of shared leadership; know the importance of identifying and examining their goals; know how to achieve the goals they have set out to do.
Primary 6	Pupils should be able to: understand that leadership is an influence; understand the levels of leadership progression; learn the power of shared leadership; learn how to delegate, support, and direct a team; learn how to come up with solutions when encountered with a problem.

In summary, every student will undergo the prescribed leadership training. For students, who have displayed their talents and strengths in this area, further training will be given to develop their leadership skills laterally and in depth.

For students to have practical and purposeful application of the latent qualities and the training they receive, the school provides opportunities for all students and at all levels, each distinguished by their immediate context and complexity, towards the purpose of the development of the student herself, and also for the benefit of the school community and community at large.

At the class level, every class is structured as a class committee of which everyone is a member and everyone is given a responsibility. These responsibilities will provide more opportunities for the students to exercise their leadership skills.

 

Beyond the class level, students who have shown greater leadership potential as they serve in the class committee will be given further training and added responsibilities to develop them as student leaders:


Each level of responsibilities is distinguished from the previous by the complexity of tasks associated with the role and the position the student holds.

In line with the school’s mission and vision, we seek to ensure that students who are role models and responsible are given further opportunities to excel.

Students are assessed to qualify as a role model via Conduct Grade. The descriptors of the Conduct Grade state the expectations of behaviour for every student. The school also has the Leadership Grade that gives an indication of the students' level of leadership development in the following areas like acquisition of skills and character and influence.

Throughout the programme, students are constantly assessed via the two grading to ensure that they are given a right position and are provided with appropriate trainings and opportunities.

Conclusion

With each successful implementation of the development programme, each student will be equipped with the necessary skills to effect changes to the benefit of those around her. Through the various strata of leadership development trainings and opportunities, the school community will benefit not only itself, but also the community at large, thereby fulfilling the school’s mission via the school’s vision.

The prefects are selected at the end of the year by the teachers.  The selection is based on a set of criteria set by the Student Development Team.   

Yearly, the Head Prefect of St Nicholas Girls’ School is elected into position by the entire school population. During their campaign, the candidates for the Head Prefect position will communicate how they wish to contribute and serve the school. Upon election, the Head Prefect and Vice-Head Prefects will then carry out their promises made.