Principal Frank Bell came up with the group PAC, which stands for Principal Advisory Council, that he started it three years ago.
“The idea came from a principal friend of mine that had just started one at his school and was having good luck with it,” Bell, principal, said. “I needed student voices in my ear, so this idea was perfect for the creation of a small, blended group of students that could represent multiple viewpoints to make GEHS the best it can be.”
Every year he sends out a survey to everyone to apply for the PAC and when students apply he has to pick which ones would be the best to join the PAC.
“I believe this may be the hardest thing I do all school year. We had nearly 70 students that submitted an application, and somehow, I have to get that down to around 20,”Bell said. “I decided on 22 students this year, and that was painful because I never enjoy turning any student down that applies. I do have staff members in the school help me with the choices.”
The group has meetings once a month to come together and discuss and talk about things to make the school a better place and also Bell provides his PAC with lunch.
“We eat. I say a few words. Then I’m actively listening to them while they talk,” Bell said. “They have some traditional homework at the first meeting, as they have to watch the movie, The Breakfast Club, as we talk about how students from different backgrounds and friend groups can come together and bond. That’s one of the greatest things to see happen in the PAC as we spend more time together.”
When they talk during their meetings they talk about ideas for the school and what they talk about cannot be shared outside of their meetings because it’s top secret.
“The PAC gives me new school ideas to consider, or tweaks to initiatives we already have in place. For example, the PACs in the past were at the table when the cell phone policy, 5-minute passing periods and final opt-out were discussed a year before implementation occurred,” Bell said. “They didn’t write any of them, but when I gave them some parameters, the students have great insight to make it the best it can be…even if they’re not altogether happy some changes are inevitable.”
The students of the PAC have to come together and come up with ideas on how to make this school a better place and a safer community.
“The goal is to have a mixed group of students that provide the principal with ideas, suggestions, changes or positive feedback, to make GEHS the best high school it can possibly be,” Bell said. “I often brag about my own work-trinity: the Building Leadership Team (teacher leaders), the Site Council (parent leaders), and the PAC (student leaders). All of these groups contribute to the success of the school as each team brings different perspectives to the table, all for the betterment of Blazer Nation. I strongly believe in a collaborative approach, knowing I don’t have all the answers. Getting the right people around the table to give input is critical to the success of any organization.”
Spencer Hare is a senior here at GEHS and he is one of the people picked by Bell to be in his PAC.
“I was picked for PAC by Mr. Bell after I wrote a short answer to a couple of questions he had pertaining to why we wanted to be in PAC, and what our ideas were for the school,” Hare, senior, said.
To get picked to be in the PAC, a student has to write a short answer paragraph about why they want to be in the PAC and what experiences they have to let Bell know what they are like and what they would do to make a difference.
“I did want to be part of PAC,” Hare said. “I felt that I have great experiences with many of the groups around our school and could give insight into how different students think.”
When they have meetings with Bell it’s all top secret so they can’t share anything with anyone or anybody not even their friends or their teachers because whatever they talk about can’t be shared at all.
“We are not allowed to share anything as the trust that we build and the information shared in our meetings is not for everyone in the school,” Hare said. “Many of the things we discuss may still be in progress or could never get implemented. Therefore disclosing those items could lead to issues where students may get the wrong idea of a process that is not fully decided.”
They talk about their opinions on how the school can be better and a safer community than it is now and they also talk about other stuff which they can’t share since it’s top secret and only discussed with Bell during their meetings.
“In our meetings we discuss our thoughts and opinions on different policies and events the school has,” Hare said. “We bounce ideas off of each other and help Mr. Bell developed ideas to make the school better and conform to some of the student opinions.”
