Lyndonville may follow Medina’s example with student on Board of Education
LYNDONVILLE – The Board of Education sees the benefit of having a student representative on the board, to hear directly from a member of the student body about school activities and the impact of some board decisions.
Medina has a student on the board, although in a non-voting capacity. The student also can’t sit in on executive sessions where personnel and possible litigation are discussed.
The Medina student representative was approved last May in a public vote by the community.
If Lyndonville wants a student representative, it also needs the public’s support in a vote. The Lyndonville BOE can decide up until April whether it wants to put the matter up for a vote in May 21.
“It would be a benefit for the board to hear from the students and for them to see the interworkings of the board,” said Ted Lewis, BOE president.
In Medina, the High School Student Association president serves as the student representative. Medina also has an alternate.
Harold Suhr, a Lyndonville BOE member, said he would support having several students on the board, to increase the student viewpoints. He said it’s impossible for one student to represent all students.
The state law limits districts to one student representative on the board, said Jason Smith, Lyndonville school superintendent.
Districts may be able to have a bigger pool of alternates. That’s something the district will research.
“I see it as a positive,” said Susan Hrovat, a Lyndonville BOE member. “I don’t see a negative.”
