Student leaders present transportation, meal, outdoor-learning and safety proposals to Lawndale board

Student leaders from across the Lawndale Elementary School District presented a slate of site-level proposals to the board on May 7, urging practical steps the district could take to reduce absenteeism, improve nutrition and boost student engagement.

Dr. Virginia Castro, the district superintendent, introduced the Superintendent Leadership Council and said the student teams had spent the year researching problems and designing solutions. "These students truly represent our future and serve as a strong example of student leadership in action," she said.

Jane Adams Middle School students framed transportation as a barrier to attendance. Angie Moreno said transportation problems "are directly linked to higher absenteeism and lower academic success," and cited research and a Jane Adams attendance clerk’s observation of roughly "50 tardies per day." The students proposed expanding school-bus service to all Lawndale students and coordinating stop sharing across sites.

Will Rogers and other schools presented complementary ideas: incentives and a carpool program to reduce morning tardies; William Anderson and William Green students proposed daily outdoor learning to improve focus and mental well-being; Roosevelt students proposed "share bins" and composting to reduce cafeteria waste and support a school garden; and Billy Mitchell students asked for more varied meal options and beverage choices to better meet older students’ needs.

Board members responded by asking how the proposals could be implemented and paid for. Trustee Coronado said the board would "take all of their proposals into advisement and decide which ones were doable, create a timeline," and suggested a task force or survey to estimate costs and next steps. Staff reported ongoing coordination with city transit staff to explore whether a city trolley route could be used to help students arrive on time; the administrator who mentored the Rogers team was said to be developing a route plan to share with the board.

Superintendent Castro and trustees emphasized that many student proposals were intentionally low-cost and focused on pilotable ideas; she asked staff to compile proposals and potential costs so the board could determine near-term actions and what might require multi-year planning. Trustees praised the students’ presentations and asked that certificates and signed acknowledgments be provided to participating students.

What's next: trustees agreed to review the students’ written proposals and consider a study session or task force to prioritize feasible items, with staff reporting back on cost estimates and implementation timelines.