Hampton Bays board names first ex officio student members to advisory seats

The Hampton Bays Union Free School District introduced three inaugural ex officio student members at its March board meeting: Vassel Datic and Kaden Nappy, both members of the Class of 2026, and junior Emma Schultis of the Class of 2027. The district said the students will attend board meetings, bring student perspectives to discussions and work on a meaningful project to report back to the board through June.

Under a recently enacted New York State law that allows school districts to include an ex officio student board member, the district explained that such student members generally do not have voting rights; the only exception noted for ex officio members is participation in votes to extend the superintendent’s contract. The district described its local approach as an application-based selection for seniors while inviting a junior to join this initial cohort to provide continuity into the next year.

A ceremonial oath was administered and the student members signed the district’s official signatures book, a permanent record the clerk described as archived in a fireproof filing cabinet. The board said the signatures mark the start of a “new chapter” that aims to bring more direct student voice into board deliberations.

The district said it will invite sophomores this spring to indicate interest in serving as student members in their junior year. Beyond participation in regular board meetings, the student members will be asked to identify specific issues and report to the board so trustees hear student perspectives directly when making decisions that affect the school community.

The board did not record a formal vote to create the seats in this transcript excerpt; the district framed the move as an implementation of the state law and a local choice about selection method. The student appointments and the oath took place at the start of the meeting; the board then moved on to presentations and the regularly scheduled agenda.