Student representatives told the Olympia School District Board of Directors that their Slack advisory group has expanded district‑level student input and proposed a student leadership (ASB) retreat to strengthen school governments and recruit future student leaders.

"We're really excited to be here today and appreciate you giving us the time to share what we've been up to," student representatives said as they opened a detailed presentation that covered committee work, policy reviews, ongoing Slack meetings, and plans for an ASB retreat.

The students described recent activities: participation in the policy Citizens Advisory Committee (policy CAC), edits to the student handbook, a small project to install washing and drying machines for families at a Garfield Elementary site, discussions about school safety, and a standing Slack forum used to collect student feedback on district policies (for example, phone rules and bathroom practices).

Students asked the board to support several practical items: a modest allocation or authorization for Slack printing, access to a district printer code to manage materials for meetings, logistical support for the proposed ASB retreat (venue, transportation, and food), and an annual opportunity for student reps to give a brief report at a board meeting. They also proposed clearer onboarding materials so future student reps can sustain Slack’s work.

The proposed ASB retreat would bring student leaders from middle and high schools together for goal setting, skills training and cross‑school collaboration. The students suggested inviting speaker James Laymon (a facilitator they met at a WASA event) and recommended that schools send delegations if overall attendance is large.

Student presenters said Slack currently includes roughly 25–30 students at meetings and that a broader recruitment effort — earlier publicity, in‑school visits and clearer application/onboarding materials — would produce a more diverse pool.

Directors praised the group and signaled practical support; trustees noted Slack can act as a standing student advisory body that the district can consult when officials need quick, student‑grounded input. The board did not take formal votes but staff indicated they would help with logistics and suggested appointing students to shadow events and plan next steps with district staff.

Student reps asked that the board notify Slack when student input is needed and said specific, actionable requests produce the most useful feedback. The group concluded with a request to establish clearer procedures for printing, meeting facilitation and a possible student‑rep annual report to the board.