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Chappaqua board appoints Gabriela Brandt as ex officio student member; outgoing student reflects on year
Summary
The Board of Education unanimously appointed Gabriela Brandt as the district’s ex officio student board member for 2026–27. Outgoing student representative Matthew Wolstader delivered a farewell report summarizing student initiatives and thanked administrators and advisors.
President Wong moved and the board approved a resolution appointing Gabriela Brandt to serve as the ex officio student member of the Chappaqua Central School District Board of Education for the 2026–27 school year, subject to district policy 2245. The motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.
Gabriela Brandt, who addressed the board after the vote, thanked the board and administrators for the appointment and said she looked forward to representing the K–12 student body. "It is truly an honor to be able to serve as the student board member for the 2026 to 2027 school year," she said.
The board also formally recognized outgoing student board member Matthew Wolstader. In remarks to the board and audience, Wolstader recapped student government projects he helped lead this year — including the Stuff the Bus initiative, grant work for an outdoor classroom and student‑led Teacher Appreciation Week — and described the ex officio role as a valuable introduction to school governance. "It has been my pleasure to serve as the first ex officio student member of the CCSD Board of Education for this past year," he said, thanking staff and student leaders who supported his work.
The appointment and recognition were presented as part of the meeting’s opening agenda; the board invited students and families to be photographed with trustees in the rotunda following the presentation. No dissenting votes were recorded during the voice votes on the appointment and subsequent consent items related to the agenda.
Next steps: Brandt will assume the ex officio seat for the 2026–27 school year; the board did not enumerate additional conditions beyond compliance with district policy 2245.
