Student Leadership Positions & Groups
Students may apply to a leadership position or may serve on a committee with their advisor's permission. Because these are very responsible positions, students who have been chosen should be aware that if they violate our major school rules concerning drugs and alcohol they will be removed from their leadership position. Violations of those or other major school rules may jeopardize their right to continue as a member of a committee.
Dean's Advisory GroupThe Dean's Advisory Group is comprised of three teachers and three students, including the Clerk of the Discipline Committee, Clerk of the Faculty, one other teacher, one student member of the Discipline Committee, plus two others selected by Student Council.
This group meets regularly to advise the dean of students about non-academic issues that might surface in the community that deserve the special attention of (or early intervention by) the dean of students, or that might require the creation of a topic-focused ad-hoc group to explore the issue at hand.
Discipline Committee (DC) Six students and three faculty members are selected to serve on the school's Discipline Committee. Deans, students' advisors, dorm staff members, day student sponsors, and prefects join them in a three-step process on disciplinary responses to students who break major school rules (see
Major Discipline Procedures). Students should expect to be removed from the DC for violating confidentiality.
RETURN TO TOPDrug and Alcohol Coordinating Committee (DACC)
The Drug and Alcohol Coordinating Committee (DACC) is comprised of an equal number of students and adults representing different constituent groups in the school community. The purpose of DACC is:
- To review drug and alcohol issues
- To recommend policy to the faculty for consideration (DACC does not make policy)
- To recommend and assist in coordinating additional educational programs for different groups in the community, including students, faculty, and parents.
One parent representative from the Parents Association attends about four Drug and Alcohol Coordinating Committee meetings a year.
Environmental Stewardship Steering Committee (ESSC) Guided by Quaker beliefs in stewardship, simplicity, and social justice, George School commits itself to awakening all members of our community to the wonder of the natural world and to our shared responsibility to care for it well. Such are the aims of the Environmental Stewardship Steering Committee. To provide support in the accomplishment of its mission, the ESSC has created seven student leadership positions, two of which are filled by student council members. ESSC student leaders attend ESSC meetings on a regular basis, serve as liaisons between the committee and student groups, assist in the generation of actionable ideas, and help coordinate and carry out committee goals. In addition, ESSC student leaders are expected to act as role models to others in regards to issues of environmental sustainability, letting their lives speak to the importance of developing habits of living that show regard for the natural world in which we all live.
RETURN TO TOPGeorge School Committee (GSC) The school, which is under the spiritual care of the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, is overseen by the George School Committee, a group of appointed Quakers, alumni, parents, and friends of the school. The George School Committee functions as the school's board of trustees. In addition to the appointed members of the GSC, two students and two faculty representatives serve on the committee.
Peer Group Leaders Peer Groups, which meet in conjunction with the Essentials of a Friends Community course taken by all freshmen and new sophomores in the fall term, help new students adjust to George School and to the pressures of high school. Faculty and specially selected juniors and seniors lead each group.
Every other week Peer Group leaders run group activities designed to help new students adjust to George School. In the alternate weeks they assist their groups with school service in the kitchen.
RETURN TO TOPPrefects As senior prefects, students give leadership and support to their peers. Dorm staff members and day student faculty sponsors select prefects for their maturity and their perceived ability to handle the academic and social demands of the senior year at George School. Two prefects live on each hall of every major dorm; day student prefects are based in Marshall Center. All prefects attend in-depth training sessions beginning in the spring of their junior year. Because prefects, like all student leaders, are expected to model positive, rule-abiding, and respectful behavior for other students on campus, prefects who violate a major school rule are generally removed from their prefect position.
Student Activities Board The Student Activities Board is a group of students who have been selected to help create wonderful weekend activities for all boarding and day students. They must be aware of activities in and around the campus as well as hear the suggestions from the current student body of activities that students would like to do or see happen on weekends. These students will also work closely with the faculty and the deans who are on duty for the weekends to insure that activities go smoothly.
RETURN TO TOPStudent Council Each week, day and boarding representatives from each class meet with Student Council faculty sponsors to discuss campus concerns. In addition to nominating students to serve on various school committees, Student Council members act as ambassadors between the student community and the George School faculty and staff.
Students Associated for Greater Empathy (SAGE) Founded by George School students in 1971 and sponsored by two student-selected faculty members, SAGE is a student-run organization of peer counselors who are trained to listen, give support, share information, and make referrals. SAGE encourages students to speak to them on such issues as eating disorders, depression, date rape, addiction, stress management, Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI), problem-solving, and family matters.
SAGE members are always available to talk. On Friday and Saturday nights, members staff the SAGE Room, a drop-in center on the second floor of the Student Health Center. SAGE members work closely with the Student Health Center staff. Adults, specifically the deans and duty faculty, monitor the SAGE room whenever it is open. SAGE members maintain strict confidentiality, except in situations when good sense, caring, and school policy require immediate referral. SAGE members contact the nurse on duty immediately if a student reports to the SAGE room under the influence of any drug, alcohol, or tobacco substance.
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