MSBSD school board introduces ordinance to remove Student Advisory Board Rep altogether

During the May 22, 2024 meeting of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District (MSBSD), board members introduced an ordinance to disband the Student Advisory Board Representative (SABR).

The ordinance would instead call for student input to the board.

“The board believes it is important to seek out and consider the ideas, activities, viewpoints, and accomplishments of school sponsored organizations,” the change reads.

The change states that the Superintendent or designee shall develop a process to provide input from K-12 student organizations across the District during the reports section of regularly scheduled MSBSD school board meetings.

Additionally, the ordinance would omit a bi-weekly report from the SABR and instead a quarterly ‘Secondary School Student Government Report’ from a district-wide group of secondary students elected from their school’s student body to serve as a student government representative.

These representatives will meet with their elected peers to discuss initiatives, highlights, celebrations, suggestions or recommendations to the Board, and opportunities for Board members and other stakeholders to engage in their school’s various activities. Additionally, K-12 student organizations across the District will be selected to address the Board during the school year and provide information and input. Involving all MSBSD schools (brick and mortar elementary and secondary schools, charter schools, special mission schools, and alternative schools) will provide the Board with a broad student perspective from a diverse group of students and schools. An accompanying administrative regulation (AR 9110) will articulate the process for K-12 student organizations and secondary school student governments to provide input to the Board.

“This is upsetting, and really heartbreaking,” said former SAB Representative Ben Kolendo. He said that the SAB remains a protected student association.

Ocelia Bell, the new SAB representative said that the SAB/ Student Government Association (SGA) is a protected association under Alaska Regulation and the Department of Education.

“The SAB/SGA’s responsibility is to advocate and advise on behalf of student governments, and act as a governing body over all student governments within our district.”

She went on to say that the SAB/SGA would be willing to restructure, and have the SAB Representative elected by all student governments, something she says the SAB has wanted to do in the past, but Bell says that move has received significant pushback from school administrators.

“However, with the school board’s support, I think (restricting the SABR) would be a good change to the SAB/SGA,” she said, adding that it would facilitate and manage with the superintendents and student government representatives to provide an individual to present and respond to the school board’s questions.

Nicole Kirkpatrick, a high school Civics and Government teacher for the past 15 years, who will also be serving as the student government advisor for Colony High School, was the only one to comment on the ordinance, telling the school board she is unwavering in her support for the continuation and strengthening of the SAB representative role, urging the preservation of the SAB representative position.

“This role is not just a title. It is a crucial platform for fostering our civic involvement and ensuring that student voices are heard. Unimpeded civic involvement is a cornerstone of a healthy democracy. This is why you are all sitting up here. You were elected by the people of which put you here, just like our students,” she said. “It is vital that we model this for our students.”

She told the board that, according to the National Center for Education statistics show that only 23% of students in the 8th grade are proficient in Civics, and while the MSBSD is perhaps higher than that, it only underscores the need for engagement.

“By maintaining the SAB representative position, we offer students a tangible way to participate in governments and understand the impact of their voices in the decision-making process.” Kirkpatrick told the board that the SAB representative is a direct conduit between the student body and the school board, and that it fosters a sense of community and mutual respect.

According to the sponsor statement for the ordinance, the MSBSD established the Student Advisory Board in 1979, and with the exception of some changes made during this school year, the SAB has been the sole source for student input in the Board’s deliberative process. In 1979 the Mat-Su Borough School District had a total of three high schools and a student enrollment of approximately 4,000 students. “Since that time, not only has the district grown and changed dramatically but the ways in which the community at large and students can participate with and provide input to the School Board has also changed.”

The statement goes on to say that the proposed changes to BP 9110 would remove the establishment of the Student Advisory Board from policy and expand opportunities for students to be able to present to the Board.

“The policy revisions transition from a single source of information on behalf of all students to a regular rotation of different student groups more representative of the varied needs, priorities, and viewpoints of all schools.”

There was no discussion among school board members after the ordinance was read. There will be further action at the next school board meeting on the item.

“Regardless of the future outcome of BP 9110, the Student Advisory Board Executive Board is fully committed to fostering a positive partnership with the school board and other governing bodies in our community,” said Bell.

Bell also told the school board that during their last SAB meeting of the school year, they hosted multiple representatives from middle schools and high schools from throughout the district to discuss recent school board decisions, including the Library Citizens’ Advisory Committee’s most recent recommendations, the Safe Schools Act, the MSBSD resolution in opposition of Mental Health education legislation, and the lease extensions for charter schools.

She said they have begun planning for four elementary school events similar to the recent ‘Geography night’ event that would include Reading, Math, Science and another Geography night.

Bell also announced their new executive board for the upcoming school board, including President Lily Shea from Career and Technical High School, VP Riley Flynn also from CTHS, Secretary Ai Devine from Wasilla High School, the SABR-elect, Earl Davidson from Su Valley Junior-Senior High School, and Bell from WHS.

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the school board is set for June 5, 2024 at the MSBSD Administration Building in Palmer.