By Crystal Hayduk
In an effort to gain greater insight into the student experience and receive feedback from a high school student’s perspective, the Chelsea School District Board of Education will soon have student representation sitting at the table.
According to Chelsea High School Principal Mike Kapolka, the board wanted to pursue a student liaison. Student representation on the board of education is a local trend, as Dexter, Saline, and Milan also include students.
A student representative will attend board meetings, although it is not yet known if the student will be asked to join any subcommittees. As non-elected board members, the students will not have voting rights, but will be able to share the opinions and beliefs of the students they represent as well as their own. Students will not attend closed sessions or be involved in contract negotiations.
“The role of the student board member will primarily be as an intermediary between students and the full board,” said Kapolka.
The successful student board candidate will be a junior or senior who has experience in a cabinet position of a club or group. Students applied in writing with a letter of intent, and submitted two letters of recommendation – one from a teacher and one from the advisor of the club or group for which the student has held office.
Six applicants were interviewed on Nov. 18 by a team composed of Kapolka, board member Greg Rhodes, teacher Laura Lutz, and student Mary Hermann.
In an update to the board at their regular meeting on Nov. 23, Kapolka suggested that the board consider appointing two students instead of just one. “If there are two students – one senior and one junior – there could be one rolling open seat every school year,” he said.
The senior student would graduate, the junior student would move up to the senior’s seat, and a new junior would be chosen.
Rhodes said that he was “truly impressed” by the six students that the team interviewed, and that they represented large, but different, sections of the student population.
Superintendent Dave Killips asked the board to provide direction regarding the appointment of either one or two students. “You aren’t wedded to this decision and can always change at a later date if necessary,” he said.
Board member Dana Emmert said she found merit in the appointment of two students, especially because the rolling openings permitted a type of mentorship opportunity.
The board approved two students to begin in January. They will vote on the selection of the students once they receive the recommendation from Kapolka and the interview team. It is expected that the vote will take place at the board’s next regular meeting on Dec. 14.
