NORTH VERSAILLES — Often times, the best changes come from within.

Seeking a way to give students input on decisions about East Allegheny Senior High School and to understand their perspectives, principal R.J. Long recently formed the Principal’s Leadership Council.

“We’re just getting it started,” Long said. “We had class meetings at the start of Quarter 2 to just kind of reset our expectations and talk about attendance and behavior. Our attendance rates are pretty good this year, so I just wanted to meet with the classes. One of the things I want to do in the second quarter is really focus on getting kids more involved and listening to them.”

The Council is open to all students in Grades 9-12, and Long said the initial sign-up period yielded 44 students. The Council is working to figure out the best days, times, and ways to meet, as students are on different schedules and two of the students who signed up attend the Forbes Road Career and Technology Center.

Early on, meetings have been held during lunch periods, during which Mr. Long and students engage in meaningful discussions about various topics.

Part of the initial focus of the Council is to redesign the indoor court to make it more student-centered.

“It’s a place that (students) want to be. It’s pretty sterile and pretty 70s-looking right now, so what can we do to make that space more student-centered and student-friendly?” Long said. “That’s a space that everybody sees and walks through every day, and hopefully that then can be utilized to drive some change, whether it’s painting, art, and coupled with our rebranding. How can we tie that in with what students want to see?”

Students interested in joining the committee and making their voices heard can contact Mr. Long.