With a unanimous vote Tuesday, March 11, the Pottsgrove School Board set the parameters to add a high school student to their ranks in the coming school year.
The guidelines in the policy adopted by the board call for a junior to be selected for one year of non-voting service on the board.
To be eligible, the student must maintain at least a ‘C’ average, not be failing any subjects, and ‘possess the qualities of good citizenship, good character and reliability’ as well as ‘exhibit personal integrity, intelligence and appreciation of the values of good education,’ according to the policy.
The board also wants the student member to represent and convey the views of their fellow students, as well as express his or her own opinions.
In order to nominate a student, each high school department is being asked to, by May 1, submit the names of recommended juniors to the student’s guidance counselor.
By May 15, the guidance counselors will compile a list of all recommended juniors in good standing to the principal, who will, in consultation with the guidance counselors, select four finalists who will be invited to apply.
In addition to requiring parental permission, the applicants must write an essay about his or her reasons for applying for the post, as well as submit to an interview with the principal and at least one school board member.
The final recommendation for appointment shall be made by mutual agreement between the principal and the school board members who participate.
The board is to act on the recommendation by the June meeting and the student appointed will serve from July 1 through June 30 of the following year.
Any proposal the student member wishes to bring to the board must be submitted in writing to be included in the monthly work session packet and ‘the concerns must have been presented to the administration prior to the submission to the board,’ according to the policy.
The student representative ‘should have held discussions with the Student Council, advisors and principals and, in some cases, even have taken a survey of the student body.’
The student member can be removed from the board if he or she neglects or refuses to attend two successive regular meetings, unless detained by sickness or legitimate reason.
The student members will not participate in closed-door executive sessions.
