"The Albemarle County School Board on Thursday discussed having a high-school student sit on the board as a non-voting adviser in an effort to connect more directly to students’ perspectives.

A student representative from Western Albemarle High School presented the board with the pros and cons of having students attend board meetings versus having board members go to student council meetings.

She supported having student council members rotate their attendance, stating that a student’s life can be hectic.

Superintendent Pamela Moran said the division is attempting to get students more involved in School Board decisions.

“I believe every board member has said that we would like to see a greater level of student engagement in the work of the board and how they impact students,” Moran said.

School Board member Brian Wheeler said the option to have a student give input at each meeting is worth investigating. He said there may be ways the board can accommodate students’ busy schedules.

Rotating students at meetings would allow for more student leaders to participate and feel they are involved in the board’s decision making, board member Pamela Moynihan said.

Board member Stephen Koleszar suggested that the student advisory position could be a chance to implement a service-learning program in the county high schools. He recommended that students receive credits for participating.

By including the student adviser role as part of a class, students could conduct research projects for the board and provide feedback in more depth, Koleszar said.

Student representatives from the four county high schools were part of a “High School Program of Studies Steering Committee” the school division formed this year to discuss eliminating weighted grade-point averages, changing the high-school grading scale and using Standards of Learning tests as final exams for high school classes.

While proposals to have a student sit on a school board are unusual, a select few school divisions have adopted the practice.

Anne Arundel County in Maryland has a high-school student as a voting member of its School Board.

The Albemarle School Board will continue to consider the option and vote on it at a future meeting." (Matt Deegan, The Daily Progress, November 10, 2006)