‘One of the best opportunities’
Westport student rep says pilot program to serve on school board was beneficial
WESTPORT — After welcoming two student representatives on a trial basis for the 2023-24 school year, the Board of Education is discussing how to continue the pilot program, which most members agree has been beneficial.
“In the spirit of compromise and consensus, we said that the bylaw would be for just one year, we would try it out and at the end of that year, we would revisit it,” school board Chair Lee Goldstein said of the student representatives at the May 2 board meeting.
When the idea of adding student members had come up the previous school year, the community was split on whether it would be beneficial.
The school board did not vote on the issue at the recent meeting, but members will decide whether the program should be set with a permanent bylaw or be decided on a year-by-year basis.
All of the board members who commented at the meeting were in support of keeping student representatives.
“This didn’t happen spontaneously,” Superintendent Thomas Scarice said.
About three years ago, Scarice received input from parents, faculty and students, and one of the priorities within social-emotional development was to increase student voice.
It became a core priority in the school district’s strategic plan, and adding student representatives to the board became an initiative, as well as establishing student councils at various schools, he said.
“I just think that the work speaks for itself,” Scarice said about the value of the program.
Though the decision to add student representatives came at the end of the 202223 school year, the representatives did not start until January.
“I think that this has been one of the best opportunities that I’ve been given at Staples,” senior representative Anya Nair said.
Having an ability to comment on policy changes is important, Nair said, even though she’s not allowed to vote.
“Having that opinion also allows administrators to rethink how students feel about it, because, at the end of the day, the policy does go to the students,” Nair said.
Nair, who is preparing to head to college, said her role as a representative made her realize what she wants to do as a career and helped her deiced to major in international relations and public policy.
She said it would be great to have student representatives each year, and said it is a positive way to make change.
Junior representative Calum Madigan was not at the meeting but sent comments to Goldstein.
Serving on the school board has been an amazing experience, Madigan said, as he was exposed to how the board makes decisions for the district and then applying what he has learned in classes and meetings.
“I feel I was able to bring a fresh student perspective to the board and provide insider information,” he said.
The Staples student council also appreciates the student representatives, Nair said, and the student reps have sometimes brought messages from the council to the board meetings.
Nair said she has a friend who is a student representative on the Connecticut Board of Education and said the programs are similar. For example, neither board allows the students to vote during actions, which she said she agrees with.
If the program were to continue, Madigan would become the senior representative and a current sophomore would apply to become the junior representative, starting in September.
Board member Jill Dillon said the student representatives have added to discussions and said she wants to see the program continue.
Moving forward, Vice Chair Dorie Hordon asked whether it would be beneficial to add mentorship between board members and the students.
Nair said she is in a group chat with Goldstein and Madigan, and also said rotations between board members could be beneficial to see different views.
“Having that individual mentorship would probably very much help,” she said.