The Harwood Unified Union School District (HUUSD) Board will now have three student representatives joining them around the table for discussions and updates.
At the December 19 school board meeting, three student representatives joined the HUUSD Board for the first time and introduced themselves and talked about why they wanted to be a part of the board.
Hannah Clark, Waterbury, a senior at Harwood, said she was interested in being on the board to better understand the board process and to make sure students have more of a say. Clark was eager to learn about the decision-making process.
Sophomore Carlton Cummiskey said he thinks there’s a gap between students and the school board and he would like to share his and his fellow peer’s ideas with the board.
The third candidate, Jake Lynn, a junior, echoed his two representatives’ statements. All three elected representatives went through a vigorous interviewing stage done by their peers. From there the students also met with their principal and assistant principal as well as the chair of the board, Christian Sullivan, and co-chair Caitlin Hollister.
Board members were welcoming to the students and interested in why the students wanted to join the board and how they would relay information back to their peers in the high school based on the decisions made by the board.
SHARE WITH PEERS
Clark said that they would share the happenings of the board with peers by presenting at school assemblies, sending email reports, sharing with all the school clubs and speaking one on one with their classmates.
Superintendent Brigid Nease wanted to know from the students what the needs are for the school, and wants the student representatives to report to the board as advocates for what’s lacking in the building.
Clark wanted to know about the different board committees and/or working groups and when they meet. Nease said that Laura Titus, administrative assistant for the Harwood Unified Union School District, will start sending the board packets to the students. Nease offered to find a time to meet with the students monthly and answer questions they may have.
Harwood Union Principal Lisa Atwood was present at the meeting and said she was proud of the student representatives and of all the students who were a part of the interview and application process.
STUDENT DRIVEN
“It was totally student driven, student planned, with guidance from Sam Krotinger and I, but representative from three particular groups – our student government, our leadership team, and our YATS group – came together in a short period of time. They presented at an assembly, they met with Christine and Caitlin, they crafted an application process, they did interviews, they met with Sam and I on their top four selections and collectively drove the entire process, and the decision-making process around who they wanted to represent them as their student reps,” said Atwood.
Atwood and Krotinger plan to meet with reps a few days after every meeting to help disseminate information and said that she only sees good things coming from the board and student collaboration.
Fayston representative Theresa Membrino suggested board buddies, where different representatives could partner with the students to go over board agendas and help them with discussion items. A motion was made to make them and was passed.
