Course Syllabus

Leadership Development

Course #1007D

2024-2025

Rm 318

Mr. Shattuck 

Day 4 (A Block) 7:45 am - 8:30 am

Course Overview: The Leadership Development Course is designed to help student leaders at WHS expand upon their leadership skills through self-reflection, collaboration, problem solving, and execution of positive action. The course meets once per cycle and awards students 1 credit towards the required 136 credits to meet the graduation requirements of Wellesley High School. Students are invited to attend the class once they have been appointed to a leadership position by their peers or faculty/staff. 

Participants: The following student leaders are required to attend Leadership Development Class:

Class Officers

NHS Executives

Challenge Success Presidents

Key Club Presidents

Y.E.S. (Young Ethnic Scholars) Presidents

Student Congress Executives

G.L.O.W./S.E.T Presidents

If any of the students have a conflict with another class, students are expected to attend that other class and attend Leadership Development once their schedule allows them to do so without missing other classes

Objectives: The Leadership Development Course serves three primary purposes for student leaders:

• Individual Leadership Growth: Students will participate in several exercises that are intended to help them better understand what it means to be a leader by developing a working definition of student leadership and identifying the skills needed to execute effective leadership. Exercises will include class readings and reflections, introspection, leadership discussions with other student leaders, examining case studies, and role playing.

• Taking Action: Students will have the opportunity to take advantage of the time they have together during select times throughout the course. Student leaders will develop their mission and come up with creative ways to make progress towards that mission. They will collaborate when defining action steps, roles, and effective measures of communication to their constituents.

• Discussions re: “State of the School”: Inevitably there will be events on a local and/or national scale that impact the climate of our WHS community. Leaders will be called upon to generate possible courses of action that need to be taken in order to preserve a welcoming community at Wellesley High School. Students are invited to share their perspectives in a respectful manner in a space free of judgment and ridicule. We will practice appropriate civil discourse and processes for respectful disagreement among members of the class.

• Grading: The Leadership Development grade is 100% participation based and all students are expected to be active participants in both class-wide discussions and personal reflections. Attendance is mandatory. If students miss class, they should reach out to Mr. Shattuck within 24 hours to be made aware of what was covered and what may need to be completed outside of class as a result of their absence. Students who attend consistently and actively participate will earn a “P”. Those who do not adhere to those basic expectations will earn an “F”. 

• Office Hours: Students in Leadership Development class can attend office hours every Thursday afternoon from 2:35pm - 3:15pm. Student can meet Mr. Shattuck in his office during that time. The best way to reach Mr. Shattuck is by email or by meeting him in his office in person. An appointment to meet with Mr. Shattuck can also be made by reaching out to Perrin House Assistant, Ms. Iarossi.