Section:5000 Students
Policy Name:Student Representatives/Participation to the Board of Education
Policy Number:5138
Date Approved:6/11/2001
Last Revised:11/12/2013


The purpose of this participation is to help the Board of Education gain greater insight into student activities, programs, and needs, to encourage student involvement in school district governance activities; to provide awareness and understanding of mutual issues among community, school staff and students; to provide for the active involvement of students in their education; to foster inquiry whereby students may freely express their views and listen to and evaluate the opinions of others; and to demonstrate community service to the Town of Plainville.

1. Student representative to the Board of Education is open to all students in grades 11, 12, not to exceed two members, who have met the requirements for participation in Plainville's co-curricular activities.

2. The high school administration will determine and be responsible for election procedures. These procedures will provide an opportunity for all students in February to have attended a candidate's orientation by the Superintendent/Board of Education Members and current student representatives to learn about the roles and responsibilities of student representation in a timely manner. Any sophomore or junior who is interested in becoming a student representative must submit a letter of intent, have attended one Board of Education meeting, and met the academic requirements for participation in Plainville's co-curricular activities during the election year. Because student representative elections are held in May for the following school year, the student representatives shall be chosen by freshmen, sophomores and juniors in a school-wide election.

3. Student representatives shall serve a term of up to two (2) academic years.

4. Following their selection, student representatives shall attend an orientation session given by the Superintendent and at least one Board of Education member. This session will be held prior to the student representatives' first Board of Education meeting.

5. Student representatives will attend and sit on all regular meetings of the Board of Education and can be appointed to committees of the Board of Education at the discretion of the chairperson.

6. Student representatives will receive all regular meeting agendas, minutes, and other pertinent information, excluding executive session minutes/correspondence.

7. Student representatives will not participate in school Board of Education meetings from which the general public is excluded to include executive sessions, negotiation sessions, or personnel portions of regular meetings of the Board of Education unless otherwise invited by the Board of Education to participate.

8. Student representatives will be given an opportunity to speak during the portion of the agenda devoted to committee reports and at any other time. They may submit reports or studies and make requests to the Board of Education for consideration. At least one week prior to a Board of Education meeting, a student representative may ask the Superintendent of Schools to consider placing a specific item on an agenda.

9. The Superintendent will notify the student representatives one week prior to a meeting if he/she wishes to have specific student input given to an agenda item.

10. The student representatives will attempt to communicate to the entire student body once a month to obtain input and keep all students informed on all pertinent issues before the school Board of Education in ways approved by the high school administrator for student activities.

11. Standards for student representation/participation to the Board of Education will be addressed at the student orientation session following student selection. Should these standards not be met, the Superintendent/Board of Education will reserve the right to remove a student representative. In such cases, the position will be offered to the student who has received the next highest vote.

12. These regulations will be reviewed annually before each student representative election.

13. Student representatives will be requested to complete and submit a written evaluation of their term on the Board of Education.

Election procedures

By Board policy, two (2) students from high school serve as non-voting members of the School Board. This means that they sit at the table for all meetings, have a voice in commenting on issues, bring issues of
concern to the School Board, and bring back information to the student body.