Student leadership at River Hill High School is strong and vibrant.  Our students are developing initiative and improvement plans in response to the leadership conference they sponsored in October; the acronym RSVP (Raising Student Voice and Participation) acknowledges that student voice also requires student action.  They have identified four focus areas for improvement: communication, relationships, access to resources and support personnel, and school spirit. They have aligned their plans with the RHHS School Improvement Plan and the target of increasing student engagement.  Each plan includes a description, a list of deliverables, considerations critical to quality, potential challenges, and a proposed timeline.

The key to a successful plan is that it is also an actionable plan. While the work is an ongoing process, there are some tangible action items in place now:

• Communication needs to occur in many forms and many times.  We know our families are mostly accessing the newsletter with website features, but our students turn to Canvas annoucements and Twitter.  Be sure to follow us on Twitter River Hill HS@hcpss_rhhs.
• Relationships bond us together in school and as a school community.  Students identified a positve attitude and consistency as two critical attributes.  More smiles in hallways and classrooms, prideful announcements (It's a good day to be a Hawk!), and direct contact with school administration were highlighted as ways to establish strong connections.
• Greater access to resources and support will help guide students through the maze of accountability and applications.  While the future of college and careers is exciting, the process can be overwhelming.  Students want to learn in a safe and caring environment. 
• House rules for spirit and sportsmanship have been developed with a student advisory group and the AAM.  These have been shared with students.  We should hear them LOUDLY and PROUDLY as they represent RHHS.  Additionally, 'tis the season to celebrate, so our students will host a holiday fashion show (they may ask to borrow a parent's sweater) on December 23rd during HawkTime.

Please support our student leadership team.  We want to recognize their commitment and their actions.  As a RHHS community, we also can act to improve communication, relationships, support, and spirit.  We challenge you to come up with a plan to work alongside our students.