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Battle Ground board appoints Toby Wynne as student representative; Daniel Vargas named alternate
Summary
After interviewing six candidates in a special meeting, the Battle Ground School Board appointed Toby Wynne as student representative effective July 1, 2025, and selected Daniel Vargas as alternate pending acceptance. The motion passed 4-0.
The Battle Ground School Board appointed Toby Wynne as the district's student representative, effective July 1, 2025, and selected Daniel Vargas as the alternate pending Vargas's acceptance, the board announced at the end of a special meeting convened to interview six candidates.
The interviews were conducted by a panel that included current student representatives and board members. Candidates answered structured questions about their interests, leadership experience, how they would represent the district's roughly 12,000 students, availability for meetings and events, and how they would handle complaints from students, parents or community members. The board voted 4-0 to approve the appointments.
Why it matters: The student representative provides a direct student perspective at board meetings and participates in discussion with an advisory vote. Julia, the current senior student representative, told candidates: "My job is to advise. So as a student representative, we're not fixing the issues ... we have an advisory vote." That advisory role means the representative's vote is heard by directors but does not carry the same legal weight as a director's vote.
The panel asked each candidate about practical commitments the role requires: attending regular 6 p.m. board meetings on the second and fourth Mondays, work sessions that sometimes begin at 4:00 or 4:30 p.m., school tours during the school day, and the three-day Washington State School Directors Association annual conference in November. Several candidates said they could attend meetings and the conference, with potential scheduling conflicts (for example, varsity athletics) to be resolved with coaches or school staff.
Board discussion and motion: After all interviews, a board member moved to appoint Toby Wynne and to select Daniel Vargas as alternate pending acceptance. The motion carried by voice vote, 4-0. The motion set the representative's term to begin July 1, 2025.
What candidates emphasized: Candidates described a mix of prior leadership roles and motivations to represent peers. Several mentioned club leadership, student government experience, participation in HOSA or ROTC, and work reaching out to quieter or underrepresented students. Candidates also discussed district issues they might weigh in on, including phone policies, the district levy and student safety or bullying. Several suggested using surveys or school visits to gather broader student opinion rather than relying solely on public comment at board meetings.
Meeting notes: The special meeting opened for the stated purpose of conducting interviews for the student representative slot and concluded with the appointments and adjournment. The transcript includes an unattributed reference to RCW 42.30.110 during the meeting. The board scheduled the newly appointed representative to begin on July 1, 2025.
The appointments followed a public interview process that the board characterized as aimed at ensuring student voice in district decision-making.
