Dickson County Schools Launching Student Council to Give Students a Voice

Dickson, TN — Dickson County Schools is launching a district-level student council designed to give middle and high school students a direct opportunity to tell district leaders about their experiences in local schools.

The new council will include one student representative from each Dickson County school serving students in grades six through twelve, according to information presented during the director of schools' report to the Dickson County School Board on August 26, 2026.

The director plans to meet with the students four times during the school year, providing a regular forum for students to offer feedback about their experiences in Dickson County Schools.

"We are starting our first student council," the director told board members. "I will host grades six through twelve, one representative from each of the schools, four times a year to give feedback on their experience in Dickson County Public Schools."

The initiative is part of a broader effort by district leaders to gather feedback from students, families and community members as the school system works on school culture and student achievement.

District Also Seeking Feedback From Younger Students

While the new council will focus on students in grades six through twelve, district leaders are continuing a separate effort to hear from elementary students.

The district plans to continue hosting lunches with fifth graders, with approximately four or five students from each elementary school participating.

Those conversations give students an opportunity to discuss their experiences in elementary school as they prepare for the transition to middle school.

Together, the two programs could provide district administrators with perspectives from students ranging from fifth grade through their senior year of high school.

Part of Broader Community Feedback Effort

The student council is one of several initiatives highlighted by the director during the meeting.

The district has also established an Innovation Committee and is continuing a Community Leadership Team that brings community members into discussions about the school system.

At the same time, Dickson County Schools has launched a family survey focused on school culture as part of its Leader in Me initiative.

Administrators said the survey was distributed to families across the district. The district plans to review the results for trends and then administer the survey again in the spring to determine whether responses and perceptions have changed.

The new student council provides another source of feedback, this time directly from the students experiencing district policies, programs and school culture each day.

Students to Meet Four Times a Year

Details about exactly how representatives will be selected were not discussed during the board meeting. District officials also did not outline specific topics that will be placed before the student council.

Instead, the council was described broadly as an opportunity for students to provide feedback about their experience in Dickson County's public schools.

The group is expected to meet four times during the year.

The initiative could give district leaders a regular opportunity to hear directly from students about what is working in their schools and where they believe improvements could be made.

For Dickson County Schools, it also adds students themselves to a growing list of groups being asked to provide feedback as district leaders evaluate school culture and the overall educational experience.

The first student council meetings are expected during the current school year.