Governance
How we share power and make decisions together as a community.
Shared Power
At LiftOff, students, educators, administrators, and community adults share power over core governance decisions. Together, they participate in the following committees:
Every committee is made up of a combination of educators/administrators, learners, and community members.
Student Involvement Structure
1. Rotating Representatives
Committee representatives rotate on a regular basis to ensure broad participation:
- a. Every student participates on at least one committee during their four years
- b. Students interested in leadership can take on committee chair roles in their third and fourth years
2. Regular Feedback
Representatives actively gather input from their peers through participatory action research during advisory meetings and other channels. This includes a continuous cycle of:
3. Constitutional Changes
Any major changes to the school constitution require approval through a community-wide referendum.
4. Open Issues
Any student can bring an issue to a committee's attention for discussion and consideration.
Oversight and Reporting
Leadership Adaptability
School leadership adapts and adjusts to meet students' evolving needs. This includes areas like:
- Courses
- Approach to health/wellness
- Integration of AI
Community Events
Our community gatherings, rituals, and celebrations are designed to reflect and respond to student progress and the insights we gain from our data.
Public Data Sharing
We share aggregate student progress on key indicators publicly. This data helps inform:
- Student committees
- Principal leadership reporting
Committee Reports
Student-led committees publish regular progress reports on the public website, keeping the broader community informed about school developments.
State of School
Each year, we publish a comprehensive State of the School report on our website.
Community Profile
We also maintain an internal community profile that tracks more detailed data for internal planning and reflection.