A proposed student committee could increase student input on Indian Prairie School District 204 issues and trigger discussion and proposed changes for things like school start times, two students say.
High school seniors Neha Tokala and Aayush Gupta presented the student committee proposal to the Indian Prairie School Board last week after months of work, and the idea received interest from board members.
Greater representation of students in district decision-making was a campaign issue in the 2021 school board election.
“Over the course of the last two years, there have been many important decisions that affect students. But too often, (the) student voice is not considered,” said Gupta, a senior at Waubonsie Valley High School.
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Under the proposal, the committee would have nine people: one junior and one senior student from each of the three high schools, an assistant superintendent and two school board members. The committee would meet both as a whole and in student-only gatherings.
“This time will primarily be spent toward discussing important district events, from school board meetings and work-shopping new ideas to the school board,” said Tokala, a senior at Metea Valley High School.
Committee members would be appointed for coming school year, but after that they’d be elected by the student body in the second half of the school year, the two teens aid. The hope is school board members will rotate in and out of the committee.
“We’re still work-shopping ideas and trying to determine who our permanent council will be,” Tokala said. “We’re taking the time to set the foundation before we pursue any new ideas or initiatives.”
Gupta said two topics students are already interested in are representation and school start times.
“We want to make sure students are provided the adequate ability to learn and function at schools,” he said of school start times.
Board member Allison Fosdick said she worked closely with the student team and spoke highly of the proposed committee. Currently, student input on proposals or policy is limited to public comment at board meetings, school advisory councils and email, she said.
“You are filling a missing piece here. … Having an opportunity to create a platform to make sure we’re including student voice and hearing student voice, I think, is critical,” Fosdick said.