Iroquois board agrees student body will elect nonvoting student representative

The Iroquois Central School District board agreed Wednesday that the district’s student representative to the board will be chosen by the high‑school student body in the spring election and will serve as a nonvoting member who is not permitted to attend executive sessions.

Board members and administrators discussed the role, eligibility and onboarding for the student representative after the state required districts to allow student members beginning July 1. Trustees said the student will not receive compensation and will not attend executive sessions; the board will develop an onboarding and training program in coordination with Erie County School Boards (ECASB) resources.

Officials said the student representative will be expected to report back to the student body and attend monthly meetings; board members discussed requiring at least one year of enrollment in the district as a practical eligibility guideline and noted that most candidates are likely to be juniors or seniors.

The board asked staff to prepare a clearer statement of duties, an onboarding plan and suggested training materials; trustees said those materials should be shared with prospective candidates so students know the expectations before running. Several board members recommended a pre‑meeting briefing—either by the superintendent or board president—so the student knows what to expect at each board meeting.

Board members referenced examples from other districts and said many districts handle student onboarding with monthly check‑ins rather than a single long pre‑service training. The board discussed creating a two‑year pathway (student elected as a junior and serving again as a senior) but did not adopt a final term-length rule; trustees said they expect to refine details after the first year of implementation.

ECASB and district administrators will assist in developing training; staff said the district will use upcoming summer dates for board planning and training and will finalize the policy language to present to the board before the student election cycle in May.

“We want them to know what to expect before they run,” one board member said while discussing candidate outreach and materials. The board directed staff to finalize selection mechanics and training materials for the April meeting so students can be informed about the May election schedule.