[00:00:02]
OKAY.[1. Call to Order]
ALL RIGHT.I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS SPECIAL SESSION OF THE BATTLEGROUND SCHOOL BOARD TO ORDER AT OUR 3:57.
WE HAVE OUR INTERVIEWS FOR STUDENT SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER POSITION, AND OUR FIRST
[2. Student on School Boards]
INTERVIEWEE IS JOHANNA WAGNER.MARK WATRIN I'M THE PRESIDENT AND I'LL BE ASKING THE QUESTIONS.
WE'LL DO THAT CONSISTENTLY WITH ALL THE PEOPLE.
SO THE SAME PEOPLE ASK THE QUESTIONS.
SHOULD WE DO INTRODUCTIONS? YEAH.
I'M SHELLY WHITTEN I'M THE DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT.
I'M DANNY WATERS, SUPERINTENDENT.
SYDNEY CORDON SENIOR STUDENT REP.
RICARDO MARTIN DEL CAMPO JUNIOR STUDENT REP.
SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF, YOUR INTEREST IN ACTIVITIES, PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT WOULD PREPARE YOU FOR THIS ROLE AND WHY YOU WANT TO BE A STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE.
MY NAME IS AS YOU KNOW, JOHANNA WAGNER, SOPHOMORE PRAIRIE.
I PARTICIPATE IN UNIFIED SOCCER AS A PARTNER, AND I THINK THAT THAT HAS PREPARED ME FOR THIS ROLE BECAUSE IT'S TAUGHT ME HOW TO COACH OTHER STUDENTS AND OTHER ATHLETES AND HAS TAUGHT ME A LOT OF LEADERSHIP SKILLS.
I ALSO VOLUNTEER AT MY CHURCH AND WORK IN THE SUNDAY SCHOOL THERE.
I'VE WORKED THERE SINCE IN SEVENTH GRADE WITH THE THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLDS, SO I GET TO LEAD SUNDAY SCHOOL AND THAT HAS PREPARED ME TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH OTHER PEOPLE AND TEACH.
I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF CSU AT MY SCHOOL, CHRISTIAN STUDENTS UNITED, AND THAT HAS PREPARED ME TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH OTHERS EFFECTIVELY AND DISCUSS DIFFERENT ISSUES.
AND THEN THERE WAS THE FINAL PART OF THAT QUESTION, BECAUSE IT WAS REALLY A TWO PART QUESTION WAS WHY DO YOU WANT TO BE A STUDENT? I WANT TO BE A STUDENT REP BECAUSE IT WILL TEACH ME MORE ABOUT MY COMMUNITY AND THE WAY THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT RUNS AND THE WAY THAT DIFFERENT RULES ARE DECIDED.
OUR SECOND QUESTION, WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE THE ROLE OF A STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE TO THE BOARD? I THINK THAT THE ROLE THE ROLE OF A STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE TO THE BOARD IS TO LISTEN AND TO OFFER THEIR OPINION.
AS A STUDENT CURRENTLY IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.
I THINK THAT THERE'S A VERY UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE THAT WE CAN OFFER, AND I THINK THAT IT'S VERY HELPFUL TO THE BOARD TO HAVE THAT PERSPECTIVE OF SOMEBODY WHO WILL BE CURRENTLY IMPACTED BY THE CHANGES THAT WE MAKE.
NAME TWO OR THREE ISSUES YOU THINK MIGHT COME UP AT A SCHOOL BOARD MEETING THAT YOU COULD WEIGH IN ON? IF YOU CAN THEN PICK ONE AND TALK TO US ABOUT THAT ISSUE AND TELL US HOW YOU MIGHT CONTRIBUTE TO THAT DISCUSSION.
TWO OR THREE ISSUES THAT MIGHT COME UP.
BECAUSE WHILE WE DO HAVE THINGS LIKE FALCON SUPPORT, SAY THAT THERE'S 30 STUDENTS THAT A TEACHER IS TRYING TO HELP DURING 130 MINUTE CLASS PERIOD.
AND IT CAN BE VERY DIFFICULT FOR A TEACHER TO MAKE AN IMPACT ON ALL THOSE STUDENTS.
SO I THINK THAT MIGHT BE ONE THING THAT COMES UP.
ANOTHER THING THAT COMES UP MIGHT BE CLASS SCHEDULES AND HOW THEY CHANGE EVERY SINGLE DAY AND HOW THAT CAN IMPACT STUDENTS FOR RUNNING, START AND OTHER SUCH MATTERS.
I THINK THAT WE DO NEED TO HAVE TUTORING SESSIONS.
WE COULD HAVE SOME STUDENTS ACTUALLY HELP TUTOR OTHER STUDENTS IN THE LIBRARY DURING FALCON SUPPORTS, AND I THINK THAT THAT WOULD HELP STUDENTS UNDERSTAND THE TOPIC BETTER BY TEACHING IT TO THEIR FELLOW CLASSMATES AND WOULD HELP STUDENTS TO LEARN IT BETTER BY LEARNING IT FROM THEIR CLASSMATES.
THIS PAST YEAR, BATTLEGROUND BOARD HAS STRONGLY PROMOTED THE AND ENCOURAGED THE STUDENT VOICE.
HOW WOULD YOU CONTRIBUTE TO STUDENT VOICE AND HOW WOULD YOU ENCOURAGE ALL STUDENTS
[00:05:01]
WITHIN THE DISTRICT TO PARTICIPATE? IF STUDENTS AT MY SCHOOL BRING UP AN ISSUE TO ME, I WOULD ENCOURAGE THEM TO COME TO A BOARD MEETING AND SPEAK UP THEMSELVES TO TELL THEIR STORY AND WHY THEY THINK CHANGES SHOULD BE MADE WITHIN THEIR SCHOOL DISTRICT.IF YOU RECEIVED A COMPLAINT FROM A FELLOW STUDENT, PARENT OR COMMUNITY MEMBER CONSIDERING THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHAT WOULD YOU DO? I WOULD ADVISE THEM TO COME TO A MEETING TO SHARE THEIR VOICE SO THAT ALL PEOPLE ON THE BOARD CAN HEAR WHAT THEY WANT TO SAY.
QUESTION NUMBER SIX BOARD BUSINESS MEETINGS ARE SCHEDULED FOR THE SECOND AND FOURTH MONDAY EVENINGS OF EACH MONTH.
DOES YOUR SCHEDULE ALLOW YOU TIME TO PREPARE FOR AND ATTEND THESE MEETINGS AS WELL AS POSSIBLE SPECIAL MEETINGS LIKE THIS ONE TODAY OR STUDY SESSIONS? YES.
BY THAT TIME I WILL HAVE MY OWN CAR AND I'LL BE ABLE TO DRIVE MYSELF TO AND FROM THE MEETINGS.
BUT YOU DREW ATTENTION TO IT SO.
QUESTION NUMBER SEVEN IS GOING TO BE FOR YOU TO HAVE QUESTIONS FOR US, BUT NOTIFICATION TO FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS.
IF YOU WANT JOHANNA TO EXPAND UPON ANY OF HER ANSWERS OR YOU WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON ONE OF THOSE, WE'LL TAKE TIME TO DO THAT AS WELL.
SO, JOHANNA, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR US? I DO NOT HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
ANYTHING YOU WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON, SYDNEY AND RICARDO THAT GOES FOR YOU GUYS, TOO.
YOU CAN ABSOLUTELY PUSH A [INAUDIBLE] IF YOU WANT.
A FOLLOW UP TO QUESTION NUMBER FOUR, WHICH IS HOW WOULD YOU HELP A STUDENT WITH STUDENT VOICE? CAN YOU EXPAND ON THAT BESIDES IN ENCOURAGING THEM TO COME AND ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES? IF THEY WEREN'T COMFORTABLE WITH THAT, HOW WOULD YOU HELP THEM? WELL, I IF THEY'RE NOT COMFORTABLE COMING TO A MEETING THEMSELVES, I CAN BRING UP THE ISSUE THAT THEY TOLD ME ABOUT AT A MEETING AND SAY A STUDENT TOLD ME ABOUT IT.
AND THIS IS THE ISSUE THAT THEY EXPRESSED.
HERE ARE THEIR CONCERNS, AND I CAN SPEAK FOR THEM IF THAT'S WHAT THEY WOULD PREFER.
SO YOU'RE AT PRAIRIE HIGH SCHOOL? YES.
BUT YOU KNOW THAT THE STUDENT BOARD REP REPRESENTS ALL OF THE STUDENTS IN THE DISTRICT.
SO HOW WOULD YOU MAKE IT? HOW WOULD YOU WORK TO GATHER INPUT? REPRESENT STUDENTS WHO DON'T GO TO PRAIRIE AND ARE, YOU KNOW, GO TO SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE DISTRICT ? I WOULD MAKE DECISIONS BASED OFF OF MY EXPERIENCES, IN THE EXPERIENCES THAT I'VE SEEN OF THE CLASSMATES AROUND ME.
I THINK THAT'S THE BEST THAT I CAN DO TO LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE WHO COME AND SPEAK TO ME PERSONALLY AND ADVOCATE FOR THE STORIES THAT I KNOW OF AND THE STORIES THAT I'VE HEARD.
GOING BACK TO NUMBER THREE ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT COME BEFORE THE SCHOOL BOARD.
SO JUST CURIOUS, HAVE YOU EVER TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THE PRERECORDED SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS ONLINE TO SEE WHAT A TYPICAL SCHOOL BOARD MEETING IS LIKE? I HAVE NOT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR CLARIFICATIONS FOR JOHANNA? ALL RIGHT.
[00:10:04]
I GOT IT.MICS ARE ON.THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND I GET TO ASK THE QUESTIONS OF EVERYBODY.
AND WE'RE GOING TO INTRODUCE OURSELVES FOR YOU AND THEN WE'LL JUMP INTO THE QUESTIONS.
AND THEN AT THE END, WE'LL GIVE YOU A LITTLE MORE DETAILS OF HOW WE'LL TALK TO YOU AND NOTIFY YOU.
AND [INAUDIBLE] LET'S START OVER HERE.
I'M SHELLY WHITTEN, THE DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT.
SYDNEY CORDON STUDENT SENIOR STUDENT REP.
RICARDO MARTIN DEL CAMPO JUNIOR STUDENT REP.
SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF, YOUR INTEREST IN ACTIVITIES, PARTICULARLY IF THEY'VE HELPED PREPARE YOU FOR THIS ROLE AND WHY YOU WANT TO BE A STUDENT REP.
I'M A SOPHOMORE AT BATTLEGROUND.
[00:15:01]
I AM ON THE VARSITY GIRLS SOCCER TEAM AND I'M ACTUALLY THE CAPTAIN.I'M ALSO ON THE THE BATTLEGROUND HIGH SCHOOL TRACK TEAM.
I'M ONE OF THE VARSITY GIRLS THROWERS.
I AM ALSO A DRUM MAJOR FOR THE WIND ENSEMBLE AND THE MARCHING BAND, AND I AM THE BARRY SAX AND THE VOCALIST IN THE JAZZ BAND.
AND THESE ROLES HAVE PREPARED ME FOR LEADERSHIP, OBVIOUSLY, WITHIN BEING A CAPTAIN AND BEING A DRUM MAJOR.
YOU LEARN HOW TO TAKE COMMAND OF A TEAM AND ALSO MAINTAIN A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR PEERS.
IT'S A STUDENT LEADERSHIP ROLE.
I WANT TO BE A STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE BECAUSE I THINK IT IS A GREAT WAY TO NOT ONLY GET MORE INVOLVED WITH MY COMMUNITY, BUT TO GIVE BACK AND JUST BE ABLE TO NOT ONLY GET MY VOICE OUT THERE, BUT BE ABLE TO GIVE MY PEERS A VOICE FOR THOSE THAT MAYBE DON'T WANT A VOICE OR DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO GIVE ONE.
SO WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE THE ROLE OF A STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE TO THE BOARD? I CONSIDER THE ROLE KIND OF ALMOST IN A WAY CONNECTING THE STUDENTS MORE WITH THE PEOPLE, MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT THE STUDENTS AND GIVING THE STUDENTS THEIR INPUT TO THE ADULTS, MAKING THE DECISIONS AND GIVING THE ADULTS THE VIEWPOINT OF A STUDENT AND WHAT IT'S ACTUALLY LIKE FOR THEM.
YOU THINK YOU MIGHT COME UP BEFORE THE BOARD THAT YOU COULD WEIGH IN ON? PICK ONE AND TALK TO US ABOUT THAT ISSUE AND TELL YOU TELL US HOW YOU MIGHT CONTRIBUTE TO THAT DISCUSSION.
WELL, THERE ARE OBVIOUSLY SEVERAL ISSUES THAT MIGHT COME UP.
ONE OF THE BIG ONES, I THINK, IN MY OPINION, IS FUNDING.
I'M SORRY I'M THINKING HERE INVOLVEMENT MORE.
AND I THINK THOSE ARE THE TWO MAIN ONES.
I THINK FUNDING IS ONE OF THE BIG ONES FOR ME.
JUST FIGURING OUT WAYS TO DIVVY IT UP IN WAYS THAT DIFFERENT PROGRAMS CAN GET MORE INTEGRATED INTO THE COMMUNITY.
AND THERE'S MORE SPONSORSHIP AND NOT SPONSORSHIP, BUT MORE REPRESENTATION OF EACH INDIVIDUAL ACTIVITY RATHER THAN FOCUSING ON ONE OR TWO.
QUESTION NUMBER FOUR THIS PAST YEAR, THE BOARD HAS STRONGLY PROMOTED AND ENCOURAGED STUDENT VOICE.
HOW WOULD YOU CONTRIBUTE TO STUDENT VOICE AND HOW WOULD YOU ENCOURAGE ALL STUDENTS WITHIN THE DISTRICT TO PARTICIPATE? YOU ALREADY USED THAT TERM ONCE, BUT IF YOU COULD EXPAND ON IT, THAT'D BE GREAT.
SO I WOULD JUST CONTRIBUTE TO THE STUDENT VOICE AND TRY AND TAKE AS MANY OPINIONS ALONG MY PEERS AS I CAN AND GIVE THE KIND OF OVERALL OPINION TO THE ADULTS IN CHARGE AND TO THE BOARD.
AND I WOULD TRY MY BEST TO GET PEOPLE MORE INTO PARTICIPATION WITH THAT AND JUST OVERALL, JUST ASKING PEOPLE GETTING MORE LIKE ASKING THEM IF THROUGH WHATEVER METHOD, WHETHER IT'S TECHNOLOGICAL OR LITERALLY GOING AROUND AND ASKING THEM WITH A BOARD AND WRITING DOWN THEIR ANSWERS.
BUT I WOULD JUST GET MORE PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE BY SIMPLY GOING UP AND ASKING THEM AND COMMUNICATING WITH THEM.
QUESTION NUMBER FIVE, IF YOU RECEIVED A COMPLAINT FROM A FELLOW STUDENT, PARENT OR COMMUNITY MEMBER, CONSIDERING OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHAT WOULD YOU DO? WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD ASK MYSELF IF THIS COMPLAINT IS SOMETHING THAT I CAN CONTROL OR IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS OUT OF MY CONTROL, AND IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT I CAN CONTROL, I COULD LOOK AT WAS IT HOW I PRESENTED IT? WAS IT WHAT THE ACTUAL THING THAT I DID THAT THEY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH OR A COMPLAINT WITH, AND THEN I WOULD LOOK INTO WAYS TO TRY AND FIX IT TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY.
AND I'M INTERPRETING HERE, I'M THINKING IT WOULDN'T NECESSARILY BE A PROBLEM WITH YOU IN PARTICULAR, BUT THE PROBLEM THAT CAME TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, RIGHT? YEAH.
MORE JUST A PROBLEM THAT I HAVE A WAY OF FIXING.
[00:20:02]
QUESTION SIX.BOARD MEETINGS ARE SCHEDULED FOR THE SECOND AND FOURTH MONDAY EVENINGS OF EACH MONTH.
DOES YOUR SCHEDULE ALLOW YOU TIME TO PREPARE FOR AND ATTEND THESE MEETINGS AS WELL AS POSSIBLE? SPECIAL MEETINGS LIKE TONIGHT IS A SPECIAL MEETING OR STUDY SESSIONS.
LAST QUESTION IS GOING TO BE ONE FOR YOU TO ASK QUESTIONS OF US, BUT AFTERWARDS, WE'LL MAYBE ASK YOU TO EXPAND ON SOME OF YOUR ANSWERS, AND I'LL GIVE EACH BOARD MEMBER A CHANCE TO HELP WORK ON THAT.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR US? NOT REALLY, ACTUALLY.
I THOUGHT I WOULD, BUT I DON'T THINK I DO.
FELLOW INTERVIEWEES, BOARD MEMBERS.
I'M GONNA ASK YOU THE SAME QUESTION THAT I ASKED THE LAST PERSON WHO CAME AND INTERVIEWED.
YOU ATTEND BATTLEGROUND HIGH SCHOOL.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE EASY FOR YOU TO TO RECEIVE FEEDBACK AND GET INPUT FROM THE STUDENTS WHO ARE AT BATTLEGROUND.
BUT AS A STUDENT REP, YOU'RE GOING TO BE REPRESENTING STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT.
HOW DO YOU SEE YOURSELF GOING ABOUT GETTING FEEDBACK FROM STUDENTS WHO DON'T NECESSARILY GO TO THE SAME SCHOOL AS YOU? SO IN THIS SITUATION, I WOULD SEE MYSELF CONTACTING SOMEONE IN CHARGE AT OTHER SCHOOLS.
AND THEN IF IT WAS LIKE A QUESTION THAT I HAD PUTTING INTO THE FORM OF LIKE MAYBE A GOOGLE FORM SUBMISSION AND THEN SENDING THAT TO THE PERSON IN CHARGE AND ALLOWING THEM TO PUT IT INTO THEIR SCHOOLS FEEDS FOR THEIR STUDENTS.
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT TO THE BOARD, LIKE TOPICS LIKE LGBT RIGHTS IN SCHOOLS OR LIKE HOW WE CAN MAKE SCHOOLS MORE INCLUSIVE? YEAH, I DEFINITELY THINK BEING MORE INCLUSIVE WITH THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY WOULD BE A GOAL OF MINE, AT LEAST PERSONALLY.
JUST MAKING SURE THAT THOSE STUDENTS ARE AT THE VERY MINIMUM COMFORTABLE IN THEIR COMMUNITY AND MAKING SURE THAT EVERYONE IS COMFORTABLE IN THEIR COMMUNITY AND BEING ABLE TO GIVE PEOPLE THAT HAVE THAT STRUGGLE, OPTIONS AND RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO THEM THAT MAYBE AREN'T AS EASY TO ACCESS NOW.
YOU ARE BUSY, IMPRESSIVELY BUSY.
AND SO MY THOUGHT WAS AND I KNOW YOU ANSWERED YES.
QUESTION SIX ABOUT BEING AVAILABLE.
HOW DO YOU BALANCE IT ALL? I BALANCE IT ALL, I WILL ADMIT THAT TIME MANAGEMENT IS SOMETHING THAT I'M CURRENTLY IN THE MIDST OF LEARNING.
AREN'T WE ALL? IT'S DEFINITELY NOT AN EASY THING, BUT I'M LEARNING THAT COMMUNICATION IS MY BIGGEST THING.
I BALANCE IT ALL BY MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF MY COACHES, ALL OF MY DIRECTORS, MY TEACHERS, THEY KNOW WHAT I'M DOING ALMOST AT ALL TIMES WITHOUT OVERSHARING, OF COURSE, MAKING SURE THAT THEY KNOW THAT THIS IS WHAT I HAVE AND MAKING SURE THEY KNOW THAT I'VE WEIGHED THESE TWO THINGS.
IF I HAVE A CONFLICT AND WHICHEVER ONE IS THE BIGGER CONFLICT OBVIOUSLY COMES OUT ON TOP.
AND I'VE MADE SOME HARD DECISIONS, BUT I MEAN, IT'S WORTH IT.
SO I JUST WANT TO GO BACK TO QUESTION FIVE.
IF THERE'S A COMPLAINT MAINLY LIKE FROM A PARENT OR A COMMUNITY MEMBER AND IT'S OUT OF YOUR REACH TO FIX IT, KIND OF IT WASN'T SOMETHING YOU SAID YOU CAN'T FIX IT.
IT WAS POTENTIALLY SOMETHING THAT THE BOARD SAID.
HOW WOULD YOU GO ABOUT TRYING TO MITIGATE THAT? WHEN YOU SAY MITIGATE THAT, DO YOU MEAN LIKE WITHIN THE BOARD OR LIKE DIRECTLY AT THE PERSON THAT HAD THE COMPLAINT? JUST TRYING TO GET THE CLEAR.
NO, YOU GOOD, KEPT ME ON MY TOES.
SAY, LIKE IT WAS SOMETHING MARK SAID.
AND YOU HAD SOMEONE AFTER THE BOARD MEETING WANTING TO COME TALK TO YOU.
THEY WERE JUST SAYING SOME STUFF TO YOU.
HOW WOULD YOU GO ABOUT TRYING TO PROBLEM SOLVE THAT SITUATION? WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD SAY I WAS NOT THE ONE WHO SAID IT, BUT THE BOARD IS A TEAM AND WE DISCUSS THESE THINGS.
AND IF IT'S A QUESTION THAT I CAN ANSWER AS TO WHY MR. WATRIN SAID IT I WOULD ANSWER.
BUT IF IT'S NOT, I WAS IF LIKE, IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT I JUST LIKE, I HAVE NO REASON.
I HAVE NOTHING TO SAY TO THIS PERSON.
I WOULD REDIRECT THEM TO MR. WATRIN.
[00:25:01]
THANK YOU.SO I THINK I'M GOING TO END UP ASKING THIS OF EVERYBODY.
SO HAVE YOU TAKEN A VEIL OF THE SYSTEM THAT RECORDS BOARD MEETINGS TO LOOK AT ONE OF THE BOARD MEETINGS, OR HAVE YOU ATTENDED A BOARD MEETING? I LIKE NOT THESE, BUT LIKE ANY BOARD MEETING? I'VE WATCHED A COUPLE AND I'M GOING TO WATCH THE ONE TONIGHT AT HOME SO I CAN JUST DO MY HOMEWORK.
BUT YES, I HAVE WATCHED A COUPLE OF THEM.
AND SHE STILL WANTS TO DO THIS.
YOU DIDN'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR US.
OKAY, SO THIS TIME I'M NOT GOING TO FORGET ONE OF US AFTER THE MEETING, WE'LL CALL EACH OF THE INTERVIEWEES AND LET YOU KNOW.
SO WE'LL COME TO A CONCLUSION THIS EVENING AND BE AVAILABLE FOR PHONE CALL TONIGHT? I WILL, YES.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE'LL GET IT DONE IN BETWEEN MEETINGS, BUT THAT'S OUR GOAL.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
I'M CURRENT PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD, AND I GET THE TASK OF ASKING THE QUESTIONS OF EVERYBODY.
WE'RE GOING TO DO A ROUND OF INTRODUCTIONS.
SO, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY UP HERE, ALTHOUGH I SUPPOSE YOU COULD READ NAMETAGS TOO.
AND YOU'LL GET TO HEAR US TALK AND THEN WE'LL GET STARTED ON THE QUESTIONS.
AND ISAIAH, THE QUESTIONS ARE IN FRONT OF YOU.
AND THEN AT THE END, WE'LL GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION ABOUT HOW WE FOLLOW UP AND EVERYTHING.
HI, I'M SHELLY WHITTEN I'M THE DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT.
HI, TED CHAMPINE DISTRICT THREE.
MARK WATRIN, MARY SNITILY DISTRICT ONE.
SYDNEY CORDON SENIOR STUDENT REP.
RICARDO MARTIN DEK CAMPO, JUNIOR STUDENT REP.
SO PLEASE TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF, YOUR INTEREST AND ACTIVITIES THAT PARTICULARLY MAY HAVE PREPARED YOU FOR THIS ROLE, AND THEN MAKE SURE TO INCLUDE WHY YOU WANT TO BE A STUDENT REP.
I LOVE PLAYING THE PIANO AND I LOVE SCHOOL IN GENERAL.
LIKE, I JUST LOVE, WELL I DON'T KNOW IF I LOVE GETTING UP, BUT I LIKE GOING TO SCHOOL AND JUST EVERY DAY IT'S JUST SUCH A PLEASURE AND I FEEL LIKE SUCH AN HONOR JUST TO BE IN JUST SUCH A GREAT LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.
SPORTS HAS BEEN A BIG PART OF MY LIFE.
I DON'T KNOW IF I'M VERY GOOD AT THEM, BUT I'VE BEEN DOING THEM FOR A LONG TIME AND SOME THINGS THAT HAVE PREPARED ME FOR THIS ROLE IS I'VE SERVED LIKE AS SPORTS.
I FEEL LIKE IT'S ALWAYS TEAMWORK NO MATTER WHAT SPORT YOU'RE DOING.
AND SO I FEEL LIKE JUST BEING THAT PART OF THE TEAM, WHETHER LARGE OR SMALL, HAS PREPARED ME FOR THIS.
AND THEN MAYBE SOME A LARGER PORTION OF THAT IS THAT I SERVED AS ASB TREASURER FOR THIS YEAR AND IN MIDDLE SCHOOL.
AND SO YEAH, I THINK THAT'S A BIG PART.
I VOLUNTEERED FOR MY BASEBALL LITTLE LEAGUE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AND I VOLUNTEER AT MY CHURCH.
I WOULD LIKE TO BE A STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE BECAUSE I WOULD LOVE TO DO SOMETHING THAT INVOLVES GOVERNMENT OR PUBLIC POLICY MAKING.
AND I JUST THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY FUN AND INTERESTING.
I HAVE TO TRY TO KEEP UP WITH WRITING AND ASKING QUESTIONS AT THE SAME TIME HERE SO.
WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER THE ROLE OF THE STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE TO THE BOARD? I THINK THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO MAYBE JUST GIVE AN OUTLOOK OF WHAT OTHER STUDENTS ARE THINKING AND JUST THEIR DISPOSITIONS ON THE WAY THE SCHOOL BOARD IS RUNNING THINGS AND HOW THEY CAN MAKE IT BETTER IN THE STUDENTS PERSPECTIVE.
NAME TWO OR THREE ISSUES THAT YOU THINK MIGHT COME UP TO THE BOARD MEETING THAT YOU COULD WEIGH IN ON AND THEN PICK ONE OF THOSE AND TELL US ABOUT THAT ISSUE AND
[00:30:02]
HOW YOU MIGHT CONTRIBUTE TO THAT DISCUSSION.I DEFINITELY THINK FINANCES WOULD BE A BIG PART.
LIKE FINANCING, LIKE NEW SCHOOLS, LIKE FOR CAM, WHICH IS WHERE I GO.
LIKE WE'RE GETTING A NEW BUILDING.
SO THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE AN ISSUE THAT WOULD COME UP.
AND I ALSO THINK JUST MAYBE THE OVERALL PROMOTION AND IMPROVEMENT OF EDUCATION IN WHATEVER WAY, SHAPE OR FORM THAT MIGHT BE AND I SUPPOSE A WAY HOW I COULD CONTRIBUTE TO THIS DISCUSSION IS JUST GIVING THE STUDENT VOICE ABOUT HOW WE COULD IMPROVE THAT.
YOU'RE RIGHT ON CUE FOR THE NEXT TOPIC.
SO THIS PAST YEAR, THE BOARD HAS STRONGLY PROMOTED AND ENCOURAGED STUDENT VOICE.
SO HOW WOULD YOU CONTRIBUTE TO THAT STUDENT VOICE AND HOW WOULD YOU ENCOURAGE ALL STUDENTS IN THE DISTRICT TO PARTICIPATE? I THINK FOR THE STUDENT VOICE, I WOULD SAY I'M VERY OBSERVANT AND I JUST I LIKE THINKING LIKE WHAT OTHER PEOPLE MIGHT THINK ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS LIKE SCHOOL.
AND I'M JUST I JUST KIND OF WANT TO KNOW WHAT THEY KNOW AND I JUST WANT TO KNOW THEIR IDEAS SO I CAN BUILD OFF OF THAT AND MAKE MY OWN IDEAS AND PREDICTIONS ABOUT IT.
AND I WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE STUDENT VOICE BY BEING THE REPRESENTATIVE AND JUST BEING WILLING TO TALK TO EVERY STUDENT AND TO HEAR ALL OF THEIR PROBLEMS, CONCERNS, COMMENTS, AND JUST BEING OPEN TO ALL OF THOSE.
AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE OTHER STUDENTS, I WOULD SAY, JUST LIKE TALKING TO THEM IN A FRIENDLY WAY.
AND BUT ALSO, I DON'T KNOW, MAKING THE THE ROLE OF THE BATTLE GROUND SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD MORE KNOWN IN WHATEVER WAY THAT MIGHT BE.
SO LIKE IF I'M ON ASB, I MIGHT BRING THAT UP TO THE ASB REPRESENTATIVES AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
QUESTION FIVE, IF YOU RECEIVED A COMPLAINT FROM A FELLOW STUDENT, PARENT OR COMMUNITY MEMBER, CONSIDERING THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHAT WOULD YOU DO? WELL, I WOULD PROBABLY GIVE THEM THE BEST ANSWER THAT I COULD, BUT IF I KNEW LITTLE ABOUT THE SUBJECT THAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT, I WOULD PROBABLY REFER TO SOMEBODY ELSE, LIKE A TEACHER OR A PRINCIPAL OR A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER.
AND BUT I WOULD ALSO BE WILLING TO LEARN MORE ABOUT IT SO I COULD COME BACK TO THEM AND GIVE THEM MY THOUGHTS ABOUT IT.
OUR SIX QUESTION BOARD BUSINESS MEETINGS ARE SCHEDULED FOR THE SECOND AND FOURTH MONDAY EVENINGS OF EACH MONTH.
DOES YOUR SCHEDULE ALLOW YOU TIME TO PREPARE FOR AND ATTEND THESE MEETINGS AS WELL AS POSSIBLE, SPECIAL MEETINGS, TONIGHT'S AN EXAMPLE OF A SPECIAL MEETING OR STUDY SESSIONS? FOR EVERYTHING THAT I HAVE PLANNED.
THERE SHOULDN'T BE ANYTHING THAT WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO GO TO THOSE MEETINGS.
SO THIS NEXT PIECE IS GOING TO BE FOR YOU TO ASK QUESTIONS OF US, BUT THEN LET YOU KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO GIVE ALL THE INTERVIEWEES A CHANCE TO ASK FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS FROM BEFORE.
SO DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR US? I WOULD BE INTERESTED TO KNOW, LIKE, HOW THE BATTLE GROUND SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD RUNS? SO LIKE HOW LIKE A REGULAR MEETING WOULD GO? IF YOU COULD GIVE ME AN OVERVIEW OF THAT? WANT THAT ONE? THEY'RE PRETTY MUCH IS A SET ORDER FOR THE WAY THINGS GO.
SO WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE AND YOU CAN FIND THIS WHEN YOU GO TO YOU KNOW YOU CAN LOOK AT THE AGENDAS OF A REGULAR BOARD MEETING.
BUT I'M PULLING ONE UP FOR YOU RIGHT NOW.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE START WITH A CALL TO ORDER.
WE DO THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, THEN WE APPROVE THE ROLL CALL.
WE DO A ROLL CALL TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S HERE.
THEN WE HAVE AN AGENDA APPROVAL.
THEN WE TYPICALLY WE TRY TO INCORPORATE STUDENT VOICE IN EVERY MEETING.
SO WE'LL USUALLY WANT TO RECOGNIZE SOME STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS OR SOME STUDENT
[00:35:06]
PROJECTS THAT WERE DONE.LIKE, FOR INSTANCE, TONIGHT WE'RE HAVING TWO OF OUR STUDENTS FROM PLEASANT VALLEY MIDDLE WON THE STATE, THE WASHINGTON STATE HISTORY COMPETITION.
SO THEY'RE GOING TO COME HERE TONIGHT TO BE HONORED BY AND RECOGNIZED BY THE BOARD, BUT ALSO TO GIVE THEIR PRESENTATION.
WE THEN TYPICALLY AFTER THAT, IT'S MY TURN AND SHELLY'S TURN, WE'LL PRESENT YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT FROM THE ADMINISTRATIVE PERSPECTIVE.
SO WE HAVE REPORTS THAT COME FROM OUR KEY DIRECTORS AND KEY LEADERS.
AND THEN AFTER THAT, WE USUALLY HAVE A SESSION THAT'S FOR CITIZENS TO VOICE THEIR CONCERNS.
AND CITIZENS ALSO MEANS STUDENTS.
SO IF A STUDENT WANTED TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD, THEY GET 3 MINUTES, THEY CAN THEY CAN SAY SOMETHING THERE.
AND THEN WE HAVE OUR OLD BUSINESS AND OUR NEW BUSINESS.
AND NEW BUSINESS COULD BE A WIDE ARRAY OF DIFFERENT TOPICS.
IT COULD BE EDUCATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS.
IT COULD BE BOARD POLICIES THAT COME TO US.
TONIGHT WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT A BOARD POLICY THAT HAS TO DO WITH A COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL COUNSELING MODEL.
SO IT JUST DEPENDS WHAT'S COMING DOWN FROM THE STATE, WHAT'S COMING UP IN TERMS OF OUR AGENDA.
BUT PRETTY MUCH THAT'S A STANDARD PROCEDURE FOR A BOARD MEETING.
AND THEY GO, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THEY CAN BE AS SHORT AS IN AN HOUR AND A HALF AND SOMETIMES THEY CAN BE AS LONG AS 3 HOURS.
YEAH, IT JUST DEPENDS WHAT'S ON THE AGENDA FOR THAT PARTICULAR DAY.
AND ISAIAH, I INTERPRETED THAT A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
SO JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, LIKE AS SOON AS WE'RE DONE WITH THIS MEETING TONIGHT, SANDY OVER HERE IS ALREADY STARTING ON THE AGENDA FOR THE NEXT MEETING.
AND THEN AS BOARD MEMBERS, IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO LOOK AHEAD, SEE WHAT'S COMING, ASK THOSE QUESTIONS AND FIND OUT INFORMATION IF WE NEED TO BEFORE THE NEXT MEETING SO THAT BY THE TIME WE GET TO THE MEETING, WE'VE ALREADY DONE OUR HOMEWORK BEFORE GETTING UP TO IT.
SO THAT'S PART OF THE ROLE OF OUR BOARD.
YOU HAVE TO TYPICALLY TWO WEEKS, SOMETIMES THREE WEEKS IF WE GET A BI-WEEK IN THERE.
BUT IT'S TYPICALLY TWO WEEKS BETWEEN EACH MEETING.
YEAH, MAYBE ANOTHER QUESTION IS LIKE, WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE PART OF JUST BEING ON THE BOARD? YOU'RE ASKING ME IN PARTICULAR, OR CAN I CALL ON MY FELLOW? I GUESS THE WHOLE GROUP.
SO I HEARD YOU BACK AT THE BEGINNING.
SAY, YOU JUST LIKE LEARNING AND I JUST LIKE LEARNING AND I'D BEEN IN EDUCATION FOR A LONG TIME, BUT THIS WAS A SPECIAL THING TO LEARN ABOUT THAT WAS DIFFERENT THAN ALL THE OTHER THINGS I DID.
AND SO THAT'S A BIG PART OF WHY I'M HERE.
OTHERS? WELL, I'M GOING TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT BECAUSE I DON'T VERY OFTEN HEAR A STUDENT COME AND SAY, I JUST LOVE SCHOOL.
AND IT'S OBVIOUS THAT YOU MEANT WHAT YOU SAID.
I FELT THE SAME WAY WHEN I WAS IN SCHOOL, AND THAT'S WHY I MADE IT A CAREER AND THAT'S WHY I'M ON THE BOARD.
BUT I THINK MORE THAN ANYTHING, MY FAVORITE PART OF BEING ON THE BOARD IS BEING CONNECTED WITH STUDENTS LIKE YOURSELF WHO ARE REALLY VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THEIR LEARNING.
SO IT'S THE KIDS? YEAH, IT'S THE KIDS FOR ME, JUST BEING ABLE TO GET OUT AND MY FAVORITE TIME OF BEING ON THE BOARD IS BEING ABLE TO MAKE VISITS TO SCHOOLS AND GET TO GO TO THE CLASSROOMS TO SEE THE KIDS, TO TALK WITH THEM.
THAT'S WHERE YOU GET YOUR ENERGY, YOU KNOW, AND JUST BEING ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEM AND SEE HOW THEY'RE DOING AND GET A FEEL FOR THAT.
SOMETIMES WE'RE IN THESE MEETINGS AND IT GETS PRETTY DISTANT FROM SCHOOL.
WE TALK ABOUT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE POLICIES AND THE THINGS THAT AFFECT THE STUDENTS, BUT BEING ABLE TO BE WITH THE STUDENTS AND WE DON'T GET ENOUGH OF THAT, BUT THAT'S MY FAVORITE PART, IS BEING ABLE TO CONNECT WITH STUDENTS AND VISIT WITH THEM.
YEAH, MY FAVORITE PART ABOUT BEING ON THE BOARD IS JUST SHARING MY OPINION WHEN A MAIN THING WAS WHEN WE WENT TO THE WSSDA CONFERENCE.
WE HAD A WHOLE ENTIRE THING ABOUT STUDENT VOICE AND THAT REALLY MADE ME FEEL EMPOWERED THAT THESE PEOPLE UP HERE WITH ME, THEY WANT TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE THINKING, WHAT THE STUDENTS ARE HAVING TO GO THROUGH.
AND I THINK THAT'S JUST MY FAVORITE THING OF BEING ABLE TO SHARE MY PERSPECTIVE AND EXPERIENCE ON WHAT I'VE BEEN THROUGH.
YEAH, MY FAVORITE PART ABOUT BEING IN THE SCHOOL BOARD IS INTERACTING WITH OTHER STUDENTS, MAKING SURE THAT THEY KNOW THAT WE CARE, AND GOING OUT AND LIKE HELPING OUT OTHER PLACES THAT NEED OUR HELP.
LIKE CAM, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE A NEW BUILDING FOR YOU GUYS AND IT MAKES US REALLY HAPPY TO ACTUALLY LIKE PROVIDE STUFF FOR OUR
[00:40:02]
STUDENTS AND IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN.I THINK FOR ME IT CHANGED FROM WHEN I FIRST STARTED.
I WANTED TO JOIN THE BOARD BECAUSE I WANTED TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AND GIVING BACK TO SCHOOLS MADE ME HAPPY.
BUT WHAT I'VE DISCOVERED OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS IS THAT IT'S NOT GIVING BACK.
IT'S ALMOST I GET MORE FROM THE STUDENTS THAN I COULD POSSIBLY EVER GIVE TO THEM.
AND SO IT'S JUST BEEN LIKE ROB SAID, WE DO ALL THESE THINGS AND SOME OF IT CAN BE PRETTY INTENSE AT TIMES.
AND TO GET WHY, WHEN WE SEE WHAT YOU GUYS BRING FORWARD, WHETHER IT'S A SCHOOL TOUR OR WHETHER IT'S A PRESENTATION, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, HAVING CURRENT CURRICULUM FOR YOU GUYS TO LEARN AND BE SUCCESSFUL IN LIFE, I MEAN, IT'S JUST HUGE.
SO IT'S JUST REALLY BEEN A BLESSING TO SEE WHAT YOU GUYS BRING TO THIS BOARD AND TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT.
FOR ME, LIKE YOU, I LIKE THE GOVERNMENT OF IT.
I'VE ALWAYS ENJOYED GOVERNMENT AND POLICY AND YOU KNOW, THAT SOUNDS WEIRD, BUT IT'S ALL SO I LIKE THAT SIDE OF IT AND I TOO ENJOY BEING THERE TO SUPPORT THE KIDS.
BUT IT'S NICE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT AND EXTEND TO MAKE A CHANGE WHEN YOU SEE SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
I FOCUS A LOT ON THE SPORTS AND WE'RE DOING THINGS AND I ENJOY THAT.
AND I LIKE BEING ABLE TO BE INVOLVED IN THAT AND HELP PUSH THAT ROPE FORWARD.
ANYTHING ELSE ISAIAH? I DON'T THINK SO.
SO, BOARD, FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS, INTERVIEWEES, WE'VE GOT ABOUT 6 MINUTES LEFT IN THIS INTERVIEW SESSION.
SO IF YOU HAVE ANY FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS FOR ISAIAH ON PREVIOUS QUESTIONS? ISAIAH I'VE ASKED THIS QUESTION TO ALL OF THE INTERVIEWEES SO FAR.
BUT YOU'RE AT CAM, AND YET AS A STUDENT REP, YOU'D BE REPRESENTING ALL THE SCHOOLS AND ALL THE STUDENTS AT ALL THE SCHOOLS.
HOW WOULD YOU GO ABOUT LEARNING THE VIEWS, THE NEEDS, THE, YOU KNOW, THE ISSUES AFFECTING ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS? YEAH.
SO I THINK I DO AT LEAST HAVE SOME VIEWPOINT ON IT BECAUSE I DO SPORTS AT PRAIRIE AND I SPEND A LOT OF TIME AT PRAIRIE.
SO I GET TO KNOW A LOT OF THE STUDENTS, AT LEAST WHO ARE PLAYING SPORTS.
LIKE, I GET TO KNOW THEIR VIEWS AND JUST THEIR EMOTIONS, I GUESS, ABOUT SCHOOL.
AND BUT I WOULD ALSO BE WILLING TO DO MORE, I GUESS, TO LOOK INTO WHAT STUDENTS ARE FEELING IN ALL SCENARIOS OF THE SCHOOL AND OF THE SCHOOLS.
AND YEAH, I WOULD JUST BE LIKE WILLING TO LEARN MORE.
AND I ALSO AM ASKING THIS QUESTION OF ALL THE INTERVIEWEES AS WELL.
SO THIS IS FOLLOW UP TO NUMBER THREE ABOUT ISSUES THAT COME BEFORE THE SCHOOL BOARD.
HAVE YOU TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF OR WATCHED ANY OF OUR RECORDED SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS OR COME TO A LIVE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING? I'VE DEFINITELY NOT COME TO A LIVE ONE AND I BELIEVE I'VE WATCHED OR WAS.
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT TO THE BOARD, SUCH AS LIKE ISSUES WITH THE LGBT COMMUNITY IN OUR SCHOOLS OR ANY LIKE HOW DO YOU PUT IT ANY LIKE STUDENT VOICE ISSUES THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT TO THE BOARD? I THINK IN TERMS OF INCLUSIVENESS, CAM HAS DONE PRETTY WELL.
WHEN I GO TO PRAIRIE, I HAVEN'T REALLY SEEN TOO MUCH OF LIKE WHERE THERE WAS LIKE NON INCLUSIVENESS, I SUPPOSE YOU COULD SAY.
I THINK THE BATTLE GROUND SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS DONE A GOOD JOB OF THE INCLUSIVENESS PORTION OF THAT, AND I HAVEN'T REALLY SEEN ANYTHING THAT WOULD MAKE ME WANT TO PRESENT IT TODAY.
OTHER QUESTIONS OR CLARIFICATIONS.
WE WILL KIND OF DELIBERATE AFTER WE HEAR ALL THE INTERVIEWEES AND THEN WE PLAN ON CONTACTING PEOPLE HOPEFULLY THIS EVENING WITH THOSE DECISIONS ONE WAY OR THE OTHER OR HOW IT COMES OUT.
THERE'S BOTH A MAIN REPRESENTATIVE AND ALTERNATE THAT IS SELECTED.
SO YOU'VE GOT YOUR PHONE HANDY OR DID YOU HAVE NUMBERS FOR EVERYBODY? OKAY, GREAT.
[00:45:01]
YOU'LL HOPEFULLY HEAR FROM US.HE WAS LIKE, RIGHT DOWN HERE AT THE TABLE.
YEAH, I PROBABLY SHOULD JUST BE SITTING RIGHT HERE MAYBE.
YOU KNOW, I GOT TO GET CLOSER TO DENNY.
[LAUGHTER] THIS IS FOR [INAUDIBLE].
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD, AND I'LL DO THE QUESTION ASKING.
I'VE DONE THAT FOR EACH OF THE INTERVIEWEES.
WE'RE GOING TO START OFF WITH SOME INTRODUCTIONS OF EVERYBODY UP HERE.
SO YOU GET THEIR NAMES AND THEN WE'LL LAUNCH INTO THE QUESTION FROM THERE.
I'M THE DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT.
SORA WAS MY TOUR GUIDE WHEN WE WERE AT BATTLE GROUND HIGH SCHOOL RECENTLY.
I'M DENNY WATERS SUPERINTENDENT.
HI, TED CHAMPINE, DISTRICT THREE.
SYDNEY CORDON, SENIOR STUDENT REP.
HI, I'M RICARDO MARTIN DEL CAMPO, JUNIOR STUDENT REP.
QUESTIONS ARE IN FRONT OF YOU IF YOU NEED TO REFER TO THEM.
SO FIRST QUESTION IS TO TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF, YOUR INTEREST AND ACTIVITIES, PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT MAY PREPARE YOU FOR THIS ROLE AND WHY YOU WANT TO BE A STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE? SO I AM INVOLVED IN A LOT OF EXTRACURRICULARS AND ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT MY SCHOOL, AND I ALWAYS HAVE BEEN.
AND CURRENTLY I AM THE SOPHOMORE CLASS PRESIDENT AT BATTLE GROUND HIGH SCHOOL FOR ASSOCIATED STUDENT BODY, AND I'M INVOLVED WITH A LOT OF LEADERSHIP ACTIVITIES.
LIKE NEXT YEAR I'M APPLYING TO BE THE PRESIDENT OF NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY AND THE ELECTIONS FOR THAT ARE IN A FEW DAYS.
AND I'VE ALWAYS JUST BEEN SOMEONE WHO REALLY LIKES BEING INVOLVED WITH MAKING DECISIONS AND REALLY TALKING TO PEOPLE AND GETTING OTHER PEOPLE'S PERSPECTIVES ON A BUNCH OF TOPICS.
AND YEAH, AGAIN, I JUST REALLY WANT TO KEEP BEING INVOLVED AND KEEP GETTING LIKE MORE AND MORE TOES IN THE WATER FOR LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND I THINK THIS COULD BE A REALLY FUN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO, AND I HOPE THAT THAT CAN WORK OUT.
YOUR SECOND QUESTION, WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE THE ROLE OF THE STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE TO THE BOARD? I THINK THE ROLE OF A STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE TO THE BOARD IS REALLY PROVIDING JUST A STUDENT PERSPECTIVE ON ALL THE ISSUES AND TOPICS THAT MIGHT BE BROUGHT UP.
BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY IT'S ONE THING FOR, YOU KNOW, THE ECONOMIC AND ADULT PERSPECTIVE OF EVERYTHING REGARDING SCHOOL LIFE.
BUT AGAIN, YOU REALLY JUST NEED THAT PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE OF SOMEONE WHO'S GOING THROUGH ALL THE ISSUES THAT MAY BE PRESENTED AT EVERY NEW MEETING AND YEAH.
NAME TWO OR THREE ISSUES THAT YOU THINK MIGHT COME TO A SCHOOL BOARD MEETING THAT YOU COULD WEIGH IN ON AND THEN PICK ONE AND TELL US ABOUT THAT ISSUE AND HOW YOU COULD CONTRIBUTE.
WELL, FIRST OFF, ONE SPECIFIC ISSUE THAT I'VE REALLY BEEN THINKING ABOUT FOR THE PAST FEW WEEKS AND MONTHS IS THE GPA, LIKE WEIGHTED GPA DISCUSSION.
AND I'VE DEFINITELY BEEN BRINGING THAT UP AND I HOPE TO BRING THAT UP MORE IF POSSIBLE.
AND I KNOW THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF ACADEMICALLY ORIENTED STUDENTS IN OUR DISTRICT, AND I FEEL THAT THEY AREN'T AS REWARDED AS THEY POSSIBLY COULD BE WITH THE PROSPECT OF WEIGHTED GPAS.
AND OF COURSE, LIKE THAT WOULDN'T BE OF DETRIMENT TO ANYONE THAT WOULD SIMPLY JUST REWARD THOSE WHO HAVE RIGOROUS COURSES AND RIGOROUS CLASSWORK .
AND SOME OTHER ISSUES SUCH AS THE AP CLASSES THAT ARE PRESENTED WITH EVERY NEW
[00:50:04]
YEAR.I KNOW THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE, A LOT OF COURSES MAY BE CANCELED DUE TO NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE SIGNING UP FOR THEM AND SUCH.
AND I THINK THAT HAVING THE PERSPECTIVE OF STUDENTS WHO ARE WILLING TO PUT IN THE WORK AND SIGN UP FOR THESE CLASSES COULD BE VERY HELPFUL.
THIS PAST YEAR, THE BOARD HAS STRONGLY PROMOTED AND ENCOURAGED STUDENT VOICE.
HOW WOULD YOU CONTRIBUTE TO STUDENT VOICE AND HOW WOULD YOU ENCOURAGE ALL STUDENTS WITHIN THE DISTRICT TO PARTICIPATE? I FEEL THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF KIND OF ISSUES, LIKE SO-CALLED ISSUES THAT STUDENTS TALK ABOUT JUST AT SCHOOL AND WITH THEIR FRIENDS AND STUFF, AND THEY COULD JUST EASILY BE MENDED IF BROUGHT UP IN HIGHER LEVEL DISCUSSIONS, BUT THEY JUST AREN'T BECAUSE NO ONE REALLY JUST TAKES THAT STEP TO BRING THEM UP AND IT'S NOT HARD AND ANYONE CAN DO IT.
BUT I FEEL THAT SCHOOL BOARD LEVEL DISCUSSIONS ARE THOUGHT OF AS JUST REALLY HIGH LEVEL AND HARD TO ATTAIN, BUT THAT'S NOT REALLY THE CASE, AND IT COULD JUST BE THAT EASY.
BUT I THINK THAT JUST GETTING THE WORD OUT THERE THAT IT'S NOT THAT HARD TO FIX, YOU KNOW, SMALL ISSUES AND JUST DISCUSS THEM AT LEAST.
OUR FIFTH QUESTION, IF YOU RECEIVED A COMPLAINT FROM A FELLOW STUDENT, PARENT OR COMMUNITY MEMBER CONSIDERING THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHAT WOULD YOU DO? WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THERE ALWAYS WILL BE COMPLAINTS.
AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO REALLY REALIZE.
AND, YOU KNOW, EVEN JUST LIVING AS A HIGH SCHOOLER, LIKE I'VE COME TO REALIZE THAT BECAUSE YOU CAN'T REALLY DO ANYTHING THAT EVERYONE WILL AGREE UPON.
BUT JUST AT LEAST TAKING THOSE OPINIONS INTO ACCOUNT AND TALKING IT THROUGH WITH THEM, YOU KNOW, CAN MEND SOME THINGS BECAUSE ALTHOUGH YOU MIGHT NOT COME TO A COMPLETE CONCLUSION, A COMPLETE AGREEMENT, THAT, YOU KNOW, IT NEVER WILL HAPPEN.
OUR SIXTH QUESTION, BOARD BUSINESS MEETINGS ARE SCHEDULED FOR THE SECOND AND FOURTH MONDAY EVENINGS OF EACH MONTH.
DOES YOUR SCHEDULE ALLOW FOR TIME FOR YOU TO PREPARE AND ATTEND THESE MEETINGS AS WELL AS POSSIBLE SPECIAL MEETINGS, AS THIS IS A SPECIALMMEETING TONIGHT, FOR EXAMPLE, OR A STUDY SESSION? IT DOES, YES.
I DO HAVE A LOT OF EXTRACURRICULARS.
AND I DID SUBMIT THAT LITTLE LIST OF THINGS.
AND I HAVE A PRETTY RIGOROUS COURSE LOAD AND SUCH.
BUT I ALWAYS DO TRY TO PUT SOME MORE THINGS IN THERE AND ACCOMMODATE AND IT DOES WORK OUT AND I REALLY HOPE THAT THAT WOULD WORK OUT.
SO THE NEXT ONE IS GOING TO BE A CHANCE FOR YOU TO ASK QUESTIONS OF US, WHICH WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO.
BUT WE'RE ALSO TAKE SOME TIME.
BOARD MEMBERS WILL USUALLY HAVE SOME FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS TO THE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR US? SO YOU ASKED FOR QUESTION TWO, WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE THE ROLE OF A STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE? SO WHAT DO YOU GUYS CONSIDER TO BE THE ROLE OF A STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE ON THE OTHER HAND? OK, STUDENT REPS, YOU WANT TO CHIME IN? WELL, I GUESS LIVING THROUGH IT, IT'S VERY MUCH DIFFERENT THAN WHAT I WOULD HAVE INTERPRETED IT TO BE WHEN I WAS IN YOUR POSITION.
BUT VERY MUCH JUST STUDENT PERSPECTIVE AND GETTING EVERYBODY INVOLVED, ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, HOT TOPIC RIGHT NOW IS SEXUAL HEALTH CURRICULUM.
AND THE LAST BOARD MEETING, THERE WAS A LOT OF QUESTIONS, BUT THERE WERE SOME QUESTIONS THAT I COULD GET PERSPECTIVE ON AND KIND OF MEND, LIKE YOU SAID, SOME THOUGHT PROCESS ON IT.
BUT OVERALL, I JUST THINK KIND OF BEING A STUDENT REP IN THE ROLE OF IT IS VERY MUCH JUST COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE BOARD, WHAT OUR PERSPECTIVES ARE, AND THEN JUST THE COMMUNITY.
SO YOU BASICALLY SAID EVERYTHING I WOULD LIKE TO SAY, BUT OTHER THAN COMMUNICATION, IT REALLY IS JUST LIKE TRYING.
I DON'T KNOW HOW TO PUT IT, BUT LIKE HELP OTHERS UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING AND HELP LIKE ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO LIKE, ACTUALLY SHARE THEIR VOICE OR TALK ABOUT ISSUES WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE GET THOSE OUT AND HAVE FUN WITH IT.
AND I'M GOING TO SLIDE IN JUST FOR YOUR INFORMATION.
STUDENTS ON SCHOOL BOARDS IS NOT ALL THAT COMMON ACROSS THE STATE.
PROBABLY FEWER BOARDS HAVE STUDENT REPS THAN THAT SOME HAVE DIFFERENT SYSTEMS OF
[00:55:05]
GETTING STUDENT VOICE TO TO THEIR BOARDS.BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LEARNING.
WHAT ARE WE IN OUR FIFTH YEAR? SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR STUDENTS TO HELP BUILD THAT POSITION.
AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A STUDENT ON A SCHOOL BOARD? PERFECT THAT'S INTERESTING ACTUALLY, THAT'S COOL THAT WE HAVE THAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR US? OOH.
I'M TRYING TO THINK OF SOMETHING.
I KNOW THERE'S SOMETHING OUT THERE.
WHAT ARE SOME ISSUES THAT YOU GUYS THINK ARE IMPORTANT, LIKE RECENTLY THAT YOU WANT STUDENT INPUT ON? BECAUSE I KNOW YOU HAVE STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES ALREADY, BUT LIKE, WHAT ARE THE KINDS OF TOPICS THAT YOU THINK ARE REALLY JUST NECESSARY TO HAVE A STUDENT INPUT ON? I THINK THERE'S SOME THERE'S SOME BIG ONES THAT, YOU KNOW, SYDNEY AND RICARDO ALLUDED TO.
I THINK A LOT OF IT IS, YOU KNOW, AND YOU EVEN TALKED ABOUT IT, YOU KNOW, YOU TALKED ABOUT THIS CONCEPT OR THIS IDEA THAT THERE'S A LOT OF ISSUES OUT THERE THAT STUDENTS ARE TALKING ABOUT, THAT IF THEY COULD COME FORWARD AND SHARE WITH US THAT WE COULD SOLVE AND FIX AND IMPROVE THE SYSTEM.
SO THAT'S REALLY I MEAN, FOR ME, THAT'S REALLY WHAT IT'S ABOUT.
IT'S ABOUT LEARNING WHAT THE STRUGGLES ARE WHAT THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IMPROVE, WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE NOT DOING THAT WE COULD INTRODUCE TO OUR DISTRICT THAT WOULD MAKE THE EXPERIENCE FOR STUDENTS BETTER? SO IT'S JUST THE OPPORTUNITY TO FIX AND IMPROVE AND MAKE THE SYSTEM BETTER THAN IT IS RIGHT NOW WITH THE ULTIMATE AIM BEING, YOU KNOW, THE IMPACT THAT IT HAS ON STUDENTS.
YEAH, BECAUSE EVERYONE HAS DIFFERENT PRIORITIES.
I THINK TOO, FOR ME, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S BEEN A HUGE VALUE IS WE HAVE LOTS OF THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE DECISIONS ON THAT COME DOWN FROM THE LEGISLATURE OR THE STATE OR ARE JUST PART OF OUR NORMAL OPERATION.
AND WHAT WE DIDN'T HAVE PREVIOUSLY IS PEOPLE THAT ARE GIVING US REAL TIME INFORMATION AS THE BOARD IS TRYING TO MAKE DECISIONS.
AND SYDNEY SPOKE TO THAT IN THE LAST BOARD MEETING AROUND COMPREHENSIVE SEXUAL HEALTH CURRICULUM.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE WEREN'T IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE'VE BEEN IN SCHOOL, SO WE DON'T HAVE A PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT STUDENTS ARE CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING AND BRINGING A VOICE TO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE OFTEN NEED IN THE MOMENT.
AND SO HAVING THAT HELPS INFORM THE BOARD ON HOW TO MOVE FORWARD OR WHAT THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE STUDENTS ARE.
BECAUSE OFTENTIMES WE GET STUCK IN MAKING THE DECISIONS BASED ON WHAT ADULT NEEDS ARE OR WHAT ADULT BELIEFS ARE.
BUT REALLY, OUR BIGGEST CONSTITUENTS ARE OUR STUDENTS.
AND SO PERSONALLY, I HAVE APPRECIATED THE VOICE THAT THEY PROVIDE TO US SO.
AND I APPRECIATE YOU SAYING THAT, SHELLY, BECAUSE THAT'S EXACTLY THE WAY I FEEL ABOUT IT, TOO, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THERE ARE A LOT OF ISSUES AND LIKE SYDNEY BROUGHT UP WITH THE CURRICULUM ISSUES, IT NOT ONLY HAS BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE'VE ALL BEEN TO SCHOOL, BUT YOU KNOW, IT WAS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT WORLD TOO.
SO THE PERSPECTIVES HAVE CHANGED.
SO FOR ME IT'S ABOUT BRIDGING THAT GAP AND BEING ABLE TO TAKE ISSUES THAT WE DEAL WITH AT A ADULT LEVEL AND THEN TRYING TO CORRELATE THOSE TO HOW THAT IMPACT IS GOING TO BE FROM THE 2020 TEENAGE PERSPECTIVE, YOU KNOW, AND EVEN YOUNGER DOWN TO THE PRIMARY LEVEL, YOU KNOW.
SO YEAH, A LOT OF ISSUES TO DEAL WITH AT ALL.
[LAUGHTER] YEAH, I BELIEVE IT.
I THINK ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES CAME LIKE EARLIER THIS SCHOOL YEAR WITH THE LEVY AS WE DID GO THROUGH LIKE A LEVY FAILURE IN THE PAST, WE DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE THAT AGAIN.
SO SYDNEY AND I LIKE REALLY TRY TO PUSH THAT LEVY OUT THERE AND, YOU KNOW, HELP OUT THE COMMUNITY LIKE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE LEVY WAS ABOUT.
ESPECIALLY FROM A STUDENT PERSPECTIVE ON IT.
YEAH, BECAUSE IT DOES AFFECT THEM WITH ALL THE EXTRACURRICULARS AND THINGS WITH SPORTS LIKE I THINK THAT WAS HELPFUL TOO.
DID YOU GUYS MAKE THE INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT? YES.
AND THEN WE WERE ALSO ON KGW DID A STORY ABOUT IT TOO, TO GET THE EXTRA WORD OUT THERE.
WE'VE GOT ABOUT 3 MINUTES LEFT FOR FOLLOW UP OR ANOTHER QUESTION.
I HAD ACTUALLY WANTED TO ASK, IF YOU COULD ON NUMBER FIVE, YOU HAD RESPONDED AND TALKED ABOUT HOW THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE COMPLAINTS AND YOU CAN'T MAKE EVERYONE HAPPY.
BUT CAN YOU MAYBE TALK JUST QUICKLY, BRIEFLY, BEFORE WE RUN OUT OF TIME ABOUT HOW
[01:00:05]
YOU WOULD ACTUALLY DEAL WITH THIS, AN ACTUAL ISSUE IF SOMEONE BROUGHT YOU A CONCERN.DO YOU MIND GIVING ME, LIKE, AN EXAMPLE OF IF SOMEONE APPROACHED YOU AFTER A MEETING AND JUST SAID, I DON'T LIKE SOMETHING SOMEBODY AT THE BOARD SAID OR THEIR PERSPECTIVE ON THIS.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO? AT THAT POINT, I WOULD PROBABLY JUST ASK THEM WHY AND PROBABLY JUST TRY TO TALK THROUGH WITH IT, BECAUSE AT THAT POINT, IF IT WASN'T MY OWN PERSPECTIVE THAT WE WERE SPEAKING ON OR THAT THEY DISAGREED ON, IT'S NOT LIKE I COULD REALLY DEBATE WITH THEM ON IT OR JUST TRY TO CONVINCE THEM OF ANYTHING, BUT REALLY JUST KIND OF ASSURE THEM THAT THEY DID STILL HAVE A VOICE ON IT BECAUSE REALISTICALLY THEY DO.
AND IT IS THEIR RIGHT TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK OUT ON THAT AND COMPLAIN ABOUT THAT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT IS LIKE A MEETING IN WHICH EVERYONE HAS A VOICE.
BUT I GUESS ALLOWING THEM TO HAVE THAT DISAGREEMENT IS IMPORTANT.
I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION FOR NUMBER FOUR.
HOW WOULD YOU MAINLY CONTRIBUTE TO STUDENT VOICE? LIKE WHAT WOULD YOU BRING TO THE TABLE LIKE IN BOARD MEETINGS OR SAY YOU'RE ON A SCHOOL TOUR.
HOW WOULD YOU CONTRIBUTE TO IT? I'M INVOLVED IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT CLUBS AND ACTIVITIES LIKE AT MY SCHOOL, LIKE BAND AND TRACK AND FIELD AND CROSS COUNTRY AND NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY AND NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY, SORRY, AND ASB AND SUCH.
AND THAT KIND OF EXPANDS ACROSS A REALLY LARGE PORTION OF THE SCHOOL POPULATION, LIKE A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF PEOPLE ARE IN ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT CLUBS.
AND I FEEL THAT THEY ALL REALLY BRING DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES TO THE TABLE.
AND AS I INTERACT WITH A LOT OF THEM, THEY KIND OF BRING UP A LOT OF DIFFERENT TOPICS THAT I FEEL THAT I COULD EXPAND UPON AND I COULD JUST COLLECT THOSE DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, THOUGHTS AND IDEALS THAT THEY HAVE AND BRING THOSE TO THE TABLE.
AND ESPECIALLY IN ASB AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE HAVE A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS REGARDING THE POSITIVES AND NEGATIVES OF OUR SCHOOL AND WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND WE HAD ONE LIKE EARLY IN THE YEAR ABOUT KIND OF LIKE EVEN RACISM AND JUST REALLY INGRAINED IDEOLOGIES THAT OUR SCHOOL HAS AND WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A CONNECTION FROM ASB TO THE SCHOOL BOARD AND I FEEL THAT JUST ME BEING HERE COULD PROVIDE SOME OF THAT CONNECTION AND BRING SOME OF THOSE IDEALS TO THE TABLE OR SOME OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS TO THE TABLE.
ANY OTHERS WE JUST HAVE A MINUTE LEFT, BUT.
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT TO THE BOARD IN A FUTURE MEETING, THE WEIGHTED GPA THING.
YEAH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY JUST BEEN ON MY MIND RECENTLY AND WITH CLASS RANKINGS AND SUCH LIKE EVEN THIS YEAR, IT REALLY DOES AFFECT A LOT OF PEOPLE.
AND THIS GIRL THAT I KNOW, HER NAME IS CARLY POTTER, SHE WOULD BE RANKED NUMBER ONE DUE TO HER MANY, MANY AP CLASSES.
BUT SINCE SHE GOT MAYBE AN A-MINUS IN ONE OF HER CLASSES IN FRESHMAN YEAR, SHE'S RANKED BELOW OTHER PEOPLE WHO TOOK MAYBE ON LEVEL CLASSES.
AND WHILE STUFF LIKE CLASS RANK DOESN'T MATTER TO ANYONE, IT'S JUST IT DOES REFLECT ON COLLEGE APPLICATIONS.
EVEN JUST BEING ABLE TO SAY THAT YOU WERE VALEDICTORIAN RANKED NUMBER ONE.
AND I THINK THAT REALLY JUST GIVING STUDENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE REFLECTED BASED ON WHAT THEY DID ACHIEVE IS IMPORTANT.
WELL, JUST SO YOU KNOW, ONE OF OUR POLICIES THAT ALLOWS, YOU KNOW, NOW WE ALLOW FOR GRADUATIONS, GRADUATION CAPS TO BE DECORATED.
YEAH, THAT CAME FROM A BOARD FROM A STUDENT BOARD MEMBER.
THEY BROUGHT FORTH THE POLICY, THEY PUSHED IT THROUGH, THEY GOT IT CHANGED.
AND SO IT IS VERY POSSIBLE TO DO AND I KNOW PEOPLE ENJOY THAT.
SO I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT THE WEIGHTED AND WHAT EVERYBODY'S DOING AND THAT'S IMPORTANT.
IT'S A PLEASURE TO MEET ALL OF YOU.
SO WE DO PLAN ON DELIBERATING AFTER WE HEAR ALL THE INTERVIEWS.
AND SO WE HAVE YOUR PHONE NUMBER.
I BELIEVE ONE OF US WILL BE CALLING YOU.
WE SELECT A MAIN REPRESENTATIVE AND AN ALTERNATE.
[01:05:07]
HAVE A NICE REST OF YOUR DAY.MY NAME IS MARK WATRIN, I'M THE BOARD PRESIDENT.
AND I'M DOING THE QUESTION ASKING FOR EVERYBODY.
SO IT'S FAIR ACROSS THE BOARD.
WE'RE GOING TO START OFF WITH SOME INTRODUCTIONS OF ALL THE PEOPLE UP HERE AT THE TABLE SO YOU CAN HEAR US SPEAK, AND THEN WE'LL LAUNCH INTO THE QUESTIONS AND WE'LL HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF FOLLOW UP AND GO FROM THERE.
SO WE'LL START WITH THE INTRODUCTIONS.
I'M THE DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT.
HI TED CHAMPINE DISTRICT THREE.
SYDNEY CORDON, SENIOR STUDENT REP.
RICARDO MARTIN DEL CAMPO JUNIOR STUDENT REP.
DO I INTRODUCE MYSELF? SAY IT AGAIN.
DO I INTRODUCE MYSELF? PLEASE GO RIGHT AHEAD.
HI, I'M ISABEL MORELL, AND I'M RUNNING FOR STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE.
SO THEY'LL LEAD RIGHT INTO OUR FIRST QUESTION, WHICH IS TO GO AHEAD AND TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF, SOME OF YOUR INTEREST IN ACTIVITIES, PARTICULARLY IF THEY PREPARED YOU FOR THIS ROLE AND THEN FOR SURE WHY YOU WANT TO BE A STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE? OKAY.
SHOULD THIS MIC BE WORKING OR DO YOU HAVE TO TURN THIS ON? I CAN HEAR YOU.
I DO TRACK AND SOCCER, BOTH ON A HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL.
I ACTUALLY JUST GOT HERE FROM PRACTICE AND I THINK THAT I'D REALLY HELPED WITH STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE BECAUSE I CAN REACH OUT TO ATHLETES THROUGH THAT AND I KNOW I'VE TALKED TO A LOT OF NEW PEOPLE THIS YEAR THROUGH PLAYING TWO SPORTS, SO THAT'D BE GREAT.
I'M ALSO CURRENTLY A SOPHOMORE REPRESENTATIVE IN ASB, SO I DO HAVE SOME LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE THROUGH THAT AND I HAVE LEARNED QUITE A BIT ABOUT THE SCHOOL BOARD JUST THROUGH THAT AND HOW SORT OF LIKE THE LEVELS OF RULING IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
AND I'M ALSO IN SPEECH AND DEBATE, SO I FEEL LIKE THAT COULD BE HELPFUL.
AND I'D SAY ANOTHER ONE OF MY BIG INTEREST IS ART.
I'VE DEFINITELY TRIED TO FIND WAYS TO REACH OUT THROUGH OUR SCHOOL, THROUGH THAT.
AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
HOW ABOUT SPEAK TO THE WHY? TO THE WHY.
WHY DO YOU WANT TO BE A SCHOOL BOARD REPRESENTATIVE? I REALLY WANT TO HAVE A BIGGER ROLE IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM BECAUSE I CURRENTLY FEEL LIKE THE STUDENTS ARE SORT OF ISOLATED FROM IT.
I DON'T REALLY HEAR A LOT ABOUT SORT OF HOW THE UPPER PART OF IT WORKS OTHER THAN JUST LIKE THE THINGS THEY DO, I GUESS.
AND I WANT TO LEARN KIND OF MORE ABOUT THE DECISIONS, WHY THEY'RE MADE AND WHO MAKES THEM, WHAT ARE THE REASONING, THINGS LIKE THAT, AND BE A PART OF THAT, ESPECIALLY WITH THINGS THAT IMPACT THE EVERYDAY LIFE OF STUDENTS.
YOU READY FOR NUMBER TWO? SURE.
SO WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER THE ROLE OF THE STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE TO BE TO THE BOARD? THE STUDENT VOICE.
DEFINITELY, I THINK THEY NEED TO DO WELL AT DISPLAYING STUDENT INTERESTS, CONFLICTS AND THINGS THAT AFFECT THEM ON A MORE PERSONAL LEVEL OUTSIDE OF JUST STATISTICS AND THINGS SORT OF LIKE THAT.
I THINK THEY NEED TO BE LIKE THE REAL LIFE VERSION OF A STUDENT AND HONESTLY DISPLAY THAT THROUGH THEIR VOTING AND REASONING AND WHAT THEY ADD TO THE SCHOOL BOARD.
SO WE'RE GOING TO ASK YOU TO NAME TWO OR THREE ISSUES THAT YOU THINK MIGHT COME BEFORE THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING THAT YOU COULD WEIGH IN ON, AND THEN PICK ONE OF THOSE AND TALK TO US ABOUT HOW YOU MIGHT CONTRIBUTE TO A DISCUSSION ON THAT? DO YOU THINK YOU CAN MENTION A FEW THINGS YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT IN THE PAST? I DO HAVE SOMEWHAT OF AN IDEA OF WHAT THE SCHOOL BOARD DOES, BUT I GUESS NOT NECESSARILY SPECIFICS.
[01:10:01]
WELL, IT COULD REALLY BE ANYTHING.SO IT COULD REALLY BE THINGS THAT YOU WERE INTERESTED IN HEARING US TALK ABOUT THAT YOU THINK WOULD BE GOOD ISSUES FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD TO ADDRESS.
OBVIOUSLY, SOME BIG ONES THAT PEOPLE HAVE BROUGHT UP BEFORE, FUNDING, FOR INSTANCE, AND HOW WE SPEND OUR MONEY, YOU KNOW, CURRICULUM, CLASS OFFERINGS, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING IN THOSE LINES, THERE'S CULTURE AND CLIMATE ISSUES.
SO, YOU KNOW WHAT WOULD BE OF PARTICULAR INTEREST TO YOU THAT YOU MIGHT LIKE TO SEE THE BOARD DISCUSS? I KNOW IN MY INTERVIEW WITH MS. [INAUDIBLE] SHE MENTIONED THAT IN A FEW YEARS THEY THE SCHOOL BOARD MAY GO OVER A NEW MATH CURRICULUM.
AND I THINK THAT THAT ACTUALLY BE REALLY INTERESTING TO SEE BECAUSE I DO HAVE SOME IDEAS AND SORT OF ISSUES WITH THE CURRENT MATH CURRICULUM OR AT LEAST THE WAY IT'S SET UP.
AND I THINK I COULD REALLY HELP WITH THAT BECAUSE I DO LOVE TAKING MATH CLASSES, BUT SOME OF THEM THE CURRICULUM IS JUST UNBEARABLE AND I THINK A LOT OF STUDENTS FEEL THAT WAY.
[LAUGHTER] SO I'D REALLY LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THAT.
CAN YOU THINK OF A SECOND ONE? OH.
I KNOW BEING IN SPEECH AND DEBATE, WE HAD A LOT OF ISSUES WITH FUNDING THIS YEAR AND BECAUSE OF THAT WE COULDN'T WE DIDN'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THINGS LIKE GO TO NATIONALS OR BE A PART OF LIKE THE NATIONAL SPEECH AND DEBATE ASSOCIATION BECAUSE IT COSTED TOO MUCH MONEY.
AND I THINK THAT SOME OF THOSE SORT OF UNDERFUNDED AND UNDER-RECOGNIZED CLUBS, SPORTS, ANYTHING LIKE OF THAT MATTER SHOULD HAVE A LOT OF FOCUS ON THEM.
ALSO IN TRACK, I DO HIGH JUMP AND OUR HIGH JUMP MATS ARE REALLY OLD AND KIND OF A SAFETY ISSUE.
SO I THINK WE DEFINITELY NEED TO FOCUS ON FUNDING FOR THINGS THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED DESPERATELY RATHER THAN JUST LIKE GETTING NEW JERSEYS OR SORT OF THINGS OF THAT MATTER.
SO OUR NEXT QUESTION IS, THIS PAST YEAR, THE BOARD HAS STRONGLY PROMOTED AND ENCOURAGED STUDENT VOICE.
HOW WOULD YOU CONTRIBUTE TO STUDENT VOICE AND HOW WOULD YOU ENCOURAGE ALL STUDENTS WITHIN THE DISTRICT TO PARTICIPATE? HONESTLY THROUGH TALKING TO PEOPLE.
I THINK THAT'S REALLY THE BEST WAY TO REACH OUT, IS TO JUST BE FACE TO FACE, ASK THEM ABOUT THESE SORT OF THINGS, ASK THEM WHAT THEIR IDEAS OR OPINIONS ARE.
BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW, I THINK WHEN YOU TALK TO SOMEONE MAN TO MAN, THEN THAT'S THE BEST WAY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY REALLY MEAN AND WHAT THEY WANT.
AND HONESTLY, I THINK THROUGH PLAYING SPORTS AND DOING CLUBS AND ACTIVITIES AND TAKING LOTS OF DIFFERENT CLASSES AND STUFF, YOU'RE ABLE TO REACH OUT TO A WIDER VARIETY OF THESE PEOPLE AND SORT OF SEE HOW PEOPLE'S OPINIONS MAY DIFFER OR BE THE SAME, AND THEN JUST [INAUDIBLE] BRING THAT OPINION BACK HERE.
QUESTION NUMBER FIVE, IF YOU RECEIVED A COMPLAINT FROM A FELLOW STUDENT, A PARENT OR A COMMUNITY MEMBER, CONSIDERING THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHAT WOULD YOU DO? I THINK I WOULD ASK THEM TO CLARIFY MORE AND GIVE THE REASONING.
AND IF WHAT THEY'RE SAYING JUST ISN'T CORRECT, I COULD CORRECT THEM ON THAT.
OR I COULD LISTEN TO WHAT THEY'RE SAYING AND BRING IT UP BACK HERE.
BECAUSE IF IT'S A GENUINE COMPLAINT AND THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH IT, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO BRING THAT UP AND TRY TO RESOLVE IT.
WHEREAS IF IT'S JUST MORE OF AN OPINION THING, IT'S STILL IMPORTANT TO LIKE UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT IT'S JUST AS IMPORTANT TO EDUCATE THEM.
SO OUR SIXTH QUESTION HERE IS BOARD MEETINGS ARE SCHEDULED FOR THE SECOND AND FOURTH MONDAY EVENINGS OF EACH MONTH.
DOES YOUR SCHEDULE ALLOW YOU FOR TIME TO PREPARE AND ATTEND THOSE MEETINGS AS WELL AS ANY POSSIBLE SPECIAL MEETINGS, TONIGHT IS A SPECIAL MEETING EXAMPLE OR STUDY SESSIONS? YES, I SHOULD BE ABLE TO ATTEND ALL OF THEM.
I DON'T SEE ANY REASON WHY I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO.
THE SEVENTH QUESTION IS FOR YOU TO ASK QUESTIONS OF US IF YOU HAVE ANY, BUT THEN I'LL LET YOU KNOW THAT WE WILL PROBABLY FOLLOW UP ON SOME OF THE QUESTIONS, MAYBE ASK YOU TO EXPAND ON SOME OF YOUR EARLIER ANSWERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR US? YES.
WHAT'S YOUR ROLE IN DECIDING CURRICULUM FOR SCHOOLS?
[01:15:05]
SURE.IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE BOARD.
SO WE DO GO THROUGH A PROCESS INTERNALLY, THROUGH A COMMITTEE AND REVIEW MULTIPLE CURRICULUMS, AND THEN THAT COMMITTEE MAKES A RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD.
THERE'S TWO READINGS OF THE CURRICULUM, AND THEN THE BOARD MAKES A DECISION ON WHETHER THEY ACCEPT THAT DECISION OR NOT.
AND IF NOT, THEN THEY DIRECT US TO GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND COME UP WITH A NEW PROPOSAL.
SO YEAH, AND THERE ARE REGULAR CURRICULUM AND SUPPLEMENTAL CURRICULUM.
AND SO FOR REGULAR CURRICULUM, IT HAS TO BE BOARD APPROVED.
IF IT'S A SUPPLEMENTAL PIECE, LIKE THE THINGS THAT A TEACHER MIGHT PULL OFF OF A WEBSITE OR USE WITH ONE OF OUR ADDED TECHNOLOGY CURRICULUMS, THEN THAT WOULDN'T NECESSARILY INDIVIDUALLY BE BOARD APPROVED, BUT THEY USE THE REGULAR ADOPTION MATERIALS THAT GOES THROUGH A PROCESS.
THERE'S ALWAYS A COMMITTEE AND THERE'S ALWAYS A PROCESS.
YOU HAVE TO VET SEVERAL CURRICULUM, MAKE SURE YOU GO THROUGH AND SCREEN THEM FOR THAT THEY MEET THE STANDARDS, THAT THEY'RE NOT BIASED, THAT THEY ARE INCLUSIVE OF ALL STUDENTS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
AS A STUDENT WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO VOTE.
HOWEVER, WE'RE ALLOWED TO GIVE OUR OPINION TO HELP WEIGH IN, LIKE KIND OF LIKE WEIGH IN ON OUR, LIKE, THOUGHTS ON IT.
SO THAT'S REALLY HOW IT IS FOR THE STUDENT PERSPECTIVE.
AND A LITTLE FOLLOW UP JUST ON THAT.
THE BOARD'S ROLE IS REALLY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PUT GOOD PEOPLE IN PLACE TO DO THAT WORK AND TRUST THEM TO DO THAT WORK, BUT THEN ALSO HEAR FROM THEM HOW THAT WORK IS BEING DONE.
I KNOW YOU'RE SEPARATED BY DISTRICTS.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? WE EACH LIVE IN A GEOGRAPHICAL AREA WITHIN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SO, LIKE, DISTRICT TWO IS KIND OF COVERS PART OF BATTLE GROUND, BUT IT GOES INTO WHERE TUKES VALLEY MIDDLE SCHOOL IS AND THE ELEMENTARY INTO VENERSBORG AND ALPINE HEIGHTS AND OTHER LIKE YOU'RE UP IN THE AMBOY AREA AND YACOLT.
SO IT TAKES US INTO GEOGRAPHICAL SECTIONS.
THE DISTRICTS VARY IN SIZE, BUT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO REPRESENT THE SAME AMOUNT OF PEOPLE.
SO, FOR INSTANCE, THE SOUTHERN DISTRICTS WHERE IT'S MORE POPULATED, THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT SMALLER.
THE NORTH DISTRICT, DISTRICT ONE, WHICH MS. SNITILY REPRESENTS, IS A REALLY LARGE CHUNK, BUT THAT'S BECAUSE THERE'S FEWER PEOPLE THAT LIVE OUT IN THAT DIRECTION.
BUT WE ALL REPRESENT EVERYONE IN THE DISTRICT.
AND WHEN THE PEOPLE VOTE, THEY VOTE FOR ALL OF US.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO ASK HOW DO YOU DECIDE FUNDING FOR CLUBS AND SPORTS? IS IT JUST BASED ON NECESSITY OR IS THERE LIKE A SET BUDGET FOR EACH SPORT EACH YEAR? IF YOU LOOK AT ASB, IF THE FUNDS ARE COMING FROM ASB, THAT'S REALLY DECIDED WITH THE STUDENTS.
SO STUDENTS, THE ASB OFFICERS, THE GROUPS THEY MEET AND THEY MAKE DECISIONS.
HOWEVER, THERE ARE CERTAIN SET AMOUNTS THAT COME FOR CERTAIN THINGS.
THE DISTRICT, FOR INSTANCE, PAYS FOR COACHES, AND THAT'S SET, ITS STANDARD FOR COACHES, ADVISORS.
GROUPS THAT THOSE DECISIONS ARE MADE.
ALSO, I WANT TO FOLLOW UP ABOUT THE HIGH JUMP MATS.
I HEARD THAT WE MIGHT BE GETTING A NEW TRACK.
IS THAT TRUE? OR BECAUSE I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT HOW OUR TRACK IS NOT THE BEST.
I DON'T THINK THAT PRAIRIE IS UP FOR RESURFACING OF THE TRACK RIGHT NOW, BUT I THINK IT'S WITHIN THE NEXT TWO OR THREE YEARS.
IF YOU GET ON THE BOARD, YOU CAN SPEED THAT PROCESS UP.
[LAUGHTER] YEAH, THAT'S THE GOAL.
THE TRACK'S A LITTLE BARREN RIGHT NOW.
WE COUNT ON GETTING GOOD INFORMATION FROM THE FIELD, LIKE STUDENT VOICE, SO THAT WE CAN PLAN IN ADVANCE TO MEET THOSE CHALLENGES WHEN THEY COME UP.
AND WE'D LIKE TO HEAR OF EVERYTHING IN ADVANCE.
[01:20:01]
SOMETIMES WE DON'T.ANY OTHER FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS? WE ARE AT TIME, BUT WE CAN TAKE A LITTLE BIT MORE, MAKE SURE YOUR QUESTIONS ARE ANSWERED AND.
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT TO THE BOARD IN THE FUTURE, SUCH AS LIKE LGBT ISSUES OR STUDENT INVOLVEMENT? I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS REALLY WHAT YOU'RE ASKING, BUT I DO DEFINITELY WANT TO TAKE A STANCE ON STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH BECAUSE ALMOST EVERYONE I KNOW HAS BURNT OUT AT SOME POINT IN THE SCHOOL YEAR.
AND I'VE NOTICED IT'S BEEN A REALLY BIG GROWING PROBLEM.
SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO JUST KIND OF TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT, DO THINGS TO HELP STUDENTS OUT AND PREVENT THESE ISSUES.
ANYTHING ELSE BOARD? OKAY ISABEL.
[A. Evaluate the Qualifications of Candidate RCW 42.30.110 (1)(h) - Action]
WE'RE GOING TO GO RIGHT INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AND GO THROUGH THESE.SO WE HOPE TO HAVE ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS GET BACK TO YOU.
YOU HAVE YOUR PHONE HANDY OR THAT WE CALL AND LET YOU KNOW WE SELECT BOTH A PRIMARY REPRESENTATIVE AND AN ALTERNATE.
IT WAS A PLEASURE.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.