Inviting Student Input

Students also played an important role in the design of SLCs, helping to guide and shape program development for the school's future. The school uses a variety of means to ensure students' voices are heard, including:

• A student leadership institute in which students learn to serve as facilitators, mentors, and role models
• Days of Dialogue, a two-day, schoolwide program in which all students can voice their opinions in small groups facilitated by trained student facilitators
• Student participation on the faculty council and the principal's advisory board
• Student-run forums on topics raised by students

When students voice concerns, the school searches for solutions. For example, when Montclair students said that increasing student-teacher interaction was a major area of concern, they proposed a "teacher fair" as a way to open conversations with teachers outside the academic area. For one day, teachers were asked to share something personal about themselves. Not all teachers participated in the day, but those who did gave very positive feedback —as did the students.