School board to look at allowing student members

By: 
Lee Pulaski
City Editor

SHAWANO — High school students might be invited to sit on the Shawano School Board, if a planned policy is approved by the board Monday.

Superintendent Randi Anderson brought the policy to the district’s policy and curriculum committee this week. Her proposal would be to have a junior and a senior from Shawano Community High School sit in at board meetings and join in the discussion on issues.

“My proposal is that they will serve a two-year term” for the junior and senior years, Anderson said. “That gives them two years to be an active board member.”

The student board members would not be voting members of the board, so they would not count if the board could not establish a quorum of members in attendance. Anderson noted the students could only contribute to the conversation on issues discussed in open session and would not be allowed to enter into closed sessions.

“They’re part of the dialogue,” Anderson said.

Anderson told the committee that the district had no policy on whether to permit student board members, so she obtained the policy from Neola, a company from Ohio that helps create school policies and guidelines.

School board member Chris Gull expressed concern about being able to find interested students. He noted that students who might be interested in such an opportunity would likely be already involved in a number of extracurricular activities and sports.

School board member Diane Hoffman said the board should be able to decide which students end up on the board.

“Whenever we have an open seat (on the existing board), anyone interested puts their name in for consideration, and then they’re voted on by the board,” Hoffman said. “Any students should go through the student council and then go before the board.”

SCHS Principal Scott Zwirschitz said he would work with Anderson on developing the process for appointing student board members.

lpulaski@newmedia-wi.com