Less than two hours after Franki Jacobo and Trajhor Allen took their oath of office as the new Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 Board of Education student members, they got a surprise from board President Michael Rodriguez.
After listening to administrators and board members talk about changes to grading policies for nearly 45 minutes, Rodriguez turned to Allen and Jacobo and asked their opinion. For Allen, a Waukegan High School senior, and Jacobo, a sophomore, it was unexpected.
“I was surprised,” Allen said. “I didn’t expect it. If I knew, I would have made notes and been prepared with my own questions.”
“It was quite a surprise,” Jacobo added. “I gave my own opinion. I was glad they wanted to hear from me.”
During the discussion on grading, administrators and board members talked about how much behavior should be included in students’ grades. They also said the grading policy must be as consistent as possible. Allen and Jacobo were ready when Rodriguez asked their opinion.
“I’ve heard suggestions, and I really do agree with some of your terms on the behavior and academic grading,” Jacobo said. “I have experienced myself how, if you’re engaged or just academically gifted, you don’t really have to do much.”
During the discussion, board member Anita Hanna said, as she has many times before, the graduation requirements should be increased from 17 to 23 credits as they were until 2022. Allen agreed after Rodriguez gave her the opportunity to speak.
“I really do agree with bringing the credits back up to the original credit limit,” Allen said. “I would like to go further into it when we have more time because with the assessment, it seems very interesting like how could students have a different type of learning ability?”
Jacobo and Allen were sworn into office by Rodriguez on July 22 at the Education Service Center in Waukegan as non-voting members of the District 60 Board of Education representing students at the three high school campuses, five middle schools and 15 elementary schools.
Both Allen and Jacobo said they will be fully prepared at the next meeting and the rest of the sessions throughout their term ending June 30. They will be briefing themselves on the agenda items to be discussed.
“I’ll be taking notes,” Allen said. “I’ll be ready when I’m asked.”
Seeing her tenure on the board as a learning opportunity, Allen said she looks forward to being the voice of her schoolmates. As a senior, she spends her time on the Washington campus. She said she will go to the Brookside building as well.
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Applying and then running for the representative of the Brookside campus, Jacobo said being a member of the board is an opportunity to “serve my community and my peers.”
Asked during an interview on Friday what policy they would like to change, both Allen and Jacobo selected items that were mentioned at the July 22 meeting. Jacobo is ready to lobby the seven members of the board elected by the public to reverse a grading policy new this year.
High school students will not receive a class rank based on their grade point average, and there will be neither a valedictorian nor a salutatorian as there were in past years. Jacobo said the top two honors should be restored.
“It gives students something to compete for,” Jacobo said. “I think it’s the right thing to do.”
After the July 22 meeting, Jennifer Rice de la Sanchez, the district’s director of teaching and learning, said that after the meeting students with a very high grade point average will graduate summa cum laude, magna cum laude or cum laude
“It’s getting pretty common around the area and in other parts of the country,” de la Sanchez, said referring to the elimination of class rankings. “More students can be recognized who have an outstanding grade point average.”
Along with representing the students on their respective campuses of the high school,
Allen and Jacobo are aware that they are also charged with looking out for the interests of the middle and elementary school students.
“I would talk to the parents of the elementary students,” Allen said. “I would also talk to the principals.”
Jacobo said taking a survey of middle school students is a way to gather their input across all five buildings at once. He too will reach out to parents. He sees value in personally talking to sixth, seventh and eighth graders.
During his first year and entering his sophomore year at the high school, Jacobo is part of the JOTC, the chess team and other activities, according to a news release from the district. Outside of school he is involved in community volunteering and a religious education program.
Part of the National Honor Society, Allen is also involved with the Future Healthcare Club, does a lot of dancing, has a part-time job working at a theater and volunteers for the Waukegan Park District, according to the release.
Nick Alatzakis, the district communications director, said students with at least a 2.0 grade point average can apply to the Board of Education to be placed on a ballot before the students. The board will then pick the members from the Washington and Brookside campuses from the top two vote-getters.