Springtown ISD is proud to celebrate the inaugural year of the Superintendentโs Porcupine Student Leadership Council (PSLC), an initiative created to better connect with students and gain a deeper understanding of their day-to-day experiences across the district.
Led by Superintendent Shane Strickland, PSLC was designed to bring student voice to the forefront, ensuring district leadership hears directly from those who experience Springtown ISD every single day.
โWe started the Porcupine Student Leadership Council because I wanted to truly understand what our students are experiencing day in and day out,โ Strickland shared. โFrom academics and programs to extracurriculars and student safety, this group gave us honest, meaningful feedback. So many ideas and initiatives came directly from these conversations, and we truly value the open dialogue weโve been able to have.โ
From the very beginning, the council was intentionally built to represent a wide range of student voices. Students involved in academics, athletics, fine arts, CTE programs, and extracurricular activities were selected to ensure perspectives from across the district were heard and valued.
Throughout the year, PSLC members participated in meaningful discussions that led to real action. One major focus area was bullying prevention and reporting, where students helped identify what the district should start, keep, and stop doing to create safer, more supportive campuses. Their feedback has already led to changes and new initiatives that are making a difference.
Students also played an important role in shaping conversations around technology, providing input that will directly support future Chromebook decisions through the districtโs Technology Advisory Committee.
In additional meetings, students worked through hands-on activities to share honest feedback about their experiences. High school students contributed ideas such as implementing an anonymous reporting tool to ensure concerns can be escalated quickly, as well as providing direct input on grading practices and classroom instruction. Through a โmagic wandโ activity, they shared their vision for improving campus culture and the overall high school experience.
At the middle and intermediate levels, students explored initiatives like Hope Squad, a peer-to-peer support system designed to give students a safe space to turn to one another. They also participated in an โemoji lesson,โ using real-time reactions to communicate how they feel in their classes, whether challenged and excited, confused, or disengaged. These honest insights gave district leaders a clearer picture of the student experience in the classroom.
The year concluded with a special, full-circle moment, bringing together all PSLC members in grades 6 through 12 for the first time. This final gathering allowed students to build connections across campuses, creating relationships that will carry forward as they move through Springtown ISD. Sixth graders met future peers, middle schoolers connected with high school leaders, and all students shared a common bond through their service on PSLC.
A special thank you goes to Howell's Cafe for generously hosting the group and providing breakfast for this memorable final meeting.
By creating space for honest conversation and student-driven ideas, the Porcupine Student Leadership Council has already made a lasting impact. Springtown ISD looks forward to continuing this work and expanding opportunities for student voice in the years to come, because in Springtown ISD, student voices truly matter.