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Student board representative urges policy change to formally include scholars in board decisions
Summary
A student board representative proposed adding explicit protections and participation mechanisms for scholars in the School‑Community Relations policy, recommending annual retreats, pairing students with trustees and clearer channels for student input; board members welcomed the proposal and agreed to explore policy committee follow‑up.
Zakiria McClendon, the district’s student board representative, asked trustees to revise the School‑Community Relations policy to explicitly recognize scholars as participants in policy discussions and governance. She outlined proposed additions — a declaration that scholars’ academic futures are guaranteed on enrollment, an annual retreat for student engagement, pairing scholars with board members for experience, and broader outreach to ensure student perspectives inform policy.
"I would like to add a third declaration that states all scholars academic futures are guaranteed a strong finish the moment they become a partner of JPS," Zakiria said, and asked for mechanisms that let students see policy making firsthand. Board members praised the presentation: "It's obvious that you've done quite a bit of research with this," one said, and another urged that student board members be plugged into policy subcommittee meetings so they can report back to peers.
Trustees discussed practical next steps. A board member who chairs policy work said the proposal would be reviewed in committee; another recommended pairing student board members with trustees or including them in subcommittee meetings to increase transparency. No formal vote was taken; the board indicated support and directed staff to consider policy committee review and language options.
