Superintendent Rick Sernsey convenes Putnam County student advisory council to surface school priorities

Superintendent Rick Sernsey hosted a podcast episode of The Pulse with Principal Tim Adams and six student council members from across Putnam County to review issues the district’s student advisory council has raised this year. The council, which meets three to four times a year, brings student perspectives to district and school leaders on classroom practices and operational matters.

Students described recurring concerns: dress‑code enforcement and how rules affect self‑expression, long block periods that can be tiring in some classes, bullying and reporting options, limited elective offerings in some schools and desire for earlier exposure to CTE pathways, and school lunch variety for diverse diets. Sernsey and Adams said administrators use council feedback in leadership meetings, pointed students to reporting tools (email, panic apps, Fortify Florida) and encouraged students to contact principals or form clubs when electives are not available.

Adams noted practical constraints that shape course offerings, including teacher allocations, student signups and safety requirements for hands‑on classes such as welding. Food service director Miss Hawthorne was named as a point of contact for menu ideas. The podcast closed with Sernsey inviting students to apply for next year’s superintendent’s advisory council and thanking participants for their input.