Feature Article by Lyn Fiscus

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It's A Wrap!

People involved in the field of education have two calendar years--there’s the year that starts in January and the year that starts each fall (or late summer!) with back-to-school time. For most people, December provides an opportunity to wrap things up on two calendars--you’re finishing the regular calendar year and also wrapping up the first semester of school. As you wrap up this year, keep the following tips in mind:

• Take stock of where you are.  What goals have you achieved, what still needs work? Be sure to congratulate yourself for the accomplishments you’ve made so far and thank everyone who helped.

• Do something nice for the student body during exams--provide a hot chocolate break or send everyone a note with attached candy wishing them well on semester exams

• Be sure the files of all activities from first semester are in order before you jump into the new semester’s activities.  Have all the chairs and officers filed their reports?  Save yourself from having to reinvent the wheel next year by ensuring that complete records are kept of all the activities you sponsored first semester.

• Take time to relax and appreciate each other’s company.  It’s a busy time of year and your organization probably has service projects or other holiday projects going on. Be sure to make time to have some fun together--go ice skating, go caroling, have a party, whatever. It will be great for morale.

• Take a break --don’t even think about student activities while you are on winter break!  Give your mind and body a rest.

Starting the New Semester/Year

Before you know it the winter break will be over and it’ll be time to start the new year and new semester. To get off on the right foot, consider the following:

• Revisit your goals to see what still needs to be accomplished in the remainder of the year. Or, set some new ones!

• Review the school’s master calendar to make sure the dates of your activities are scheduled and don’t have major conflicts with other events.  While you’re at it, confirm site and room reservations, bookings with disk jockeys, etc.

• Start thinking about transitions--look around to see who you want to recruit to apply for leadership class, run for office, serve on a committee, etc. Before you know it, you’ll be back at fall with an opportunity to start a new school year again!

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Lyn Fiscus is a former leadership teacher, student activities advisor, and editor of Leadership for Student Activities magazine. She currently manages Leadership Logistics, a company she founded in 2004, which provides writing, editing, training, and consulting services to support positive youth development.You can e-mail her at lyn@alliance4studentactivities.org.