©2005 national association of secondary school principals

What is RSVP?What is RSVP?

RSVP is :RSVP is :

A new student engagement A new student engagement program sponsored by the program sponsored by the

National Association of Student National Association of Student Councils and the National Councils and the National

Association of Secondary School Association of Secondary School PrincipalsPrincipals



RSVP is :RSVP is :

A student council-led initiative A student council-led initiative to involve the entire student to involve the entire student body in active civic learning body in active civic learning

and citizenry.and citizenry.



RSVP is a means to:RSVP is a means to: Involve and empower students to Involve and empower students to

identify issues in their schools and identify issues in their schools and communitiescommunities

Provide students the opportunity to Provide students the opportunity to plan strategies and take action to plan strategies and take action to address and resolve the issues address and resolve the issues they’ve identifiedthey’ve identified



A process where student A process where student council leaders:council leaders:

Plan and facilitate student summits that Plan and facilitate student summits that engage entire student bodies engage entire student bodies

Assemble student action teams that Assemble student action teams that construct construct Civic Action PlansCivic Action Plans that address that address the issues identified during the summitsthe issues identified during the summits


Why RSVP?Why RSVP?RSVP supports Breaking Ranks II RSVP supports Breaking Ranks II

recommendations:recommendations:

To help personalize the high school To help personalize the high school experience:experience:

“ “Provide opportunities for Provide opportunities for students to learn about the values students to learn about the values associated with life in a civil and associated with life in a civil and

democratic society…democratic society…©2005 National Association of Secondary School Principals.

Why RSVP?Why RSVP?RSVP supports Breaking Ranks II RSVP supports Breaking Ranks II

recommendations:recommendations:

...their responsibilities within that ...their responsibilities within that society, and the ability to exercise society, and the ability to exercise those values within the school.”those values within the school.”


How Does RSVP Work?How Does RSVP Work?

Student council members, with the support of their principals and advisers, are trained on the RSVP process. They organize and facilitate student summits.



Students identify their key issues and concerns through a series of four summits. The student council shares the results of the summits to the school administration to seek permission to pursue a course of action.



Student council leaders invite other student body members interested in addressing the issues to serve on the RSVP Leadership Team, which can serve as a committee of the student council.



The Leadership Team works together to create civic action plans and sponsor one or more projects designed to solve the problem identified from the summits.


A series of 4 Student SummitsA series of 4 Student Summits

Summit 1: What’s on your Mind?Summit 1: What’s on your Mind?

Students voice their issues and Students voice their issues and concerns to RSVP student concerns to RSVP student

facilitators and use consensus facilitators and use consensus to identify the top 3 for their to identify the top 3 for their

summit group.summit group.



Summit 2: What should we do?Summit 2: What should we do?

Students suggest ideas and Students suggest ideas and action to address the top 10 action to address the top 10 issues the RSVP Leadership issues the RSVP Leadership

Team identified using the top 3 Team identified using the top 3 lists from the first summits.lists from the first summits.



Summit 3: What is your reactionSummit 3: What is your reaction to this plan?to this plan?

Students review drafts of civic Students review drafts of civic action plans developed by the action plans developed by the

RSVP Leadership Team and RSVP Leadership Team and suggest any changes to make the suggest any changes to make the

plan better.plan better.©2005 National Association of Secondary School Principals.


Summit 4: How can we makeSummit 4: How can we make our our plan better?plan better?

Students review civic action plans Students review civic action plans for a final time and ‘RSVP’ to an for a final time and ‘RSVP’ to an

invitation to get involved with the invitation to get involved with the selected civic action project.selected civic action project.


1.1. Provide opportunities for students to develop Provide opportunities for students to develop a group identity through participation in a group identity through participation in student council-led summits and civic action student council-led summits and civic action projectsprojects

2.2. Provide students with an effective forum to Provide students with an effective forum to voice opinions and express personal voice opinions and express personal perspectives on issues and then create civic perspectives on issues and then create civic actionaction

3.3. Create meaningful leadership opportunities Create meaningful leadership opportunities for all students, including “fringe” and for all students, including “fringe” and disenfranchised childrendisenfranchised children

Student CouncilStudent Council

Using RSVP, Student Councils can:Using RSVP, Student Councils can:

1.1. Provide opportunities for students to learn Provide opportunities for students to learn about the values associated with a civil and about the values associated with a civil and democratic society and exercise those values democratic society and exercise those values within the schoolwithin the school

2.2. Encourage students to voice their opinions on Encourage students to voice their opinions on relevant student and school issuesrelevant student and school issues

3.3. Institute instructional leadership changes that Institute instructional leadership changes that allow for meaningful involvement in decision-allow for meaningful involvement in decision-making by students…making by students…

School Leadership

Team

School Leadership Teams can use School Leadership Teams can use RSVP to:RSVP to:

1.1. Take advantage of opportunities to earn Take advantage of opportunities to earn recognition and acceptancerecognition and acceptance

2.2. Participate in forums and other dialogues Participate in forums and other dialogues to voice opinions and ideasto voice opinions and ideas

3.3. Seek and accept leadership and other Seek and accept leadership and other positions that afford decision-making positions that afford decision-making responsibilities and opportunities to take responsibilities and opportunities to take action action

Student BodyStudent Body

With RSVP a Student Body can:With RSVP a Student Body can:

The RSVP process begins by The RSVP process begins by EMPOWERINGEMPOWERING student student leaders.leaders.

Student councils using RSVP are empowered by their school Student councils using RSVP are empowered by their school leadership teams to:leadership teams to:

> engage other members of the student body, > engage other members of the student body,

> take the lead role in identifying student issues and > take the lead role in identifying student issues and concerns, andconcerns, and

> lead efforts to create civic-based, student-led projects> lead efforts to create civic-based, student-led projects

Giving students a Giving students a VOICEVOICE to identify relevant to identify relevant issues and concerns is another key element of issues and concerns is another key element of

the RSVP process.the RSVP process.

Student councils using RSVP can more effectively Student councils using RSVP can more effectively and genuinely connect with greater numbers of and genuinely connect with greater numbers of the student body. the student body.

RSVP Summits become the catalysts for students RSVP Summits become the catalysts for students to share concerns and identify solutions.to share concerns and identify solutions.

ENGAGINGENGAGING greater numbers of students in civic greater numbers of students in civic action is the goal of the RSVP program.action is the goal of the RSVP program.

School leadership teams can create opportunities for students to get involved on decision-making committees to help address student concerns.

School leadership teams lend additional encouragement and assistance to help students move from voicing their concerns to deciding on what positive actions can be planned to resolve the issues and solve the problems that the students identified.

Raising Student Voice & Participation is a Raising Student Voice & Participation is a

program of the National Association of program of the National Association of

Secondary School Principals and National Secondary School Principals and National

Association of Student Councils. This Slide Association of Student Councils. This Slide

Show and all related materials are copyrighted by Show and all related materials are copyrighted by

NASSP and may not be altered in word or form.NASSP and may not be altered in word or form.

©2005 national association of secondary school principals

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