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Baldwin board adopts policy to seat one nonvoting ex officio student member elected by high-school students
Summary
The board approved a new policy allowing a single, one-year ex officio student member elected by the high-school student body; the student may attend public board meetings and subcommittees but may not vote or attend executive session.
The Baldwin Union Free School District Board of Education voted on March 19 to adopt a new policy permitting an ex officio student member on the board. The student will be elected by the high-school student body, serve a one-year term (July 1–the following commencement) and participate in public board meetings as a nonvoting member.
Board members said the policy is intended to strengthen communication between student leaders and the board while preserving confidentiality for personnel, negotiations and student records. The adopted language specifies that the ex officio student shall not attend executive sessions, shall not vote, and will not be part of quorum determinations.
The policy requires the student candidate to be entering 11th or 12th grade and to have attended Baldwin schools for at least two years. The student will serve on the student-council executive board and will receive orientation and training provided by the superintendent or designee. The board left open the option to appoint the student to subcommittees, while noting the student may decline such appointments.
Board discussion: the board’s subcommittee that drafted the policy said the one-year limit was intentional, designed to give more students the opportunity to serve. Trustees confirmed that ex officio student members will be indemnified as board members and that the policy would take effect in time for a July start date for the first student member.
A motion to adopt Policy 2245 (Ex Officio Student Member of the Board) was moved by Mrs. Kools, seconded by Mrs. Doresca, and approved unanimously.
Context: the board also adopted a separate revised policy (0110.2) addressing harassment in the workplace during the same meeting and handled routine consent items including personnel actions. At this meeting the board appointed Steven Saravia as assistant principal of Baldwin High School; the appointment was announced as approved on the personnel actions report.
