District 57 introduces new student board members; students spotlight adaptability in Portrait of a Graduate video

The District 57 Board of Education on Oct. 16 welcomed two new student board members and received a student‑produced video highlighting the district’s monthly Portrait of a Graduate theme, adaptability.

Principal Katie Kelly and Vice Principal Grisbeck introduced a video produced with Salerno Productions featuring second‑through‑fifth graders describing what adaptability means in school and life. The video included student examples—adjusting to schedule changes, learning to read menus in another language while traveling, and using breathing exercises to calm down before classes—and emphasized adaptability as a skill to use at home and at school.

The board also announced two new seventh‑grade student board members. Safina Siddiqui, a seventh grader at Lincoln Middle School, said she applied to be a student board member to “be a bridge in helping my peers reach our board.” Penelope (last name not provided), also a seventh grader at Lincoln, said she wanted to “unite voices” across schools and described her outside‑school interests in reading, soccer, swimming and cross‑country. The board thanked the selection committee, including Member Dorner, for its work on interviewing candidates.

Student board members Michelle and Josh presented a short construction update video that included a site superintendent describing the initial Lincoln sitework—fencing, excavating a construction road, removing a maintenance building and staging areas. Michelle and Josh noted that construction limited access to PE/recess areas and said schools had provided alternate options for students during the transition.

The board recognized the value of student voice in governance and took photographs with the new student representatives.