CLARKSVILLE, TN — The Clarksville-Montgomery County School Board will expand this fall with the addition of a new, non-voting student board member.
During the formal meeting on Tuesday night, the board unanimously agreed to add the position to their team, allowing for a student representative.
When board member Herbert Nelson presented the idea to his fellow school board members in April, he stated, “The goal of having this student on here is to get feedback directly from the students so we don’t just sit up here and operate in a vacuum.” We receive direct feedback from students about what is going on in their schools.”
Responsibilities of student board member
While the student board member is not a voting member, they are expected to participate in discussions about issues up for a vote and to provide feedback on behalf of their student peers.
There will be two student board members: the primary and alternate. The primary member must attend all formal board meetings.
If their schedule as a student allows, the primary may attend the informal meetings/study sessions, but it is not required. If the primary cannot attend the formal meeting, the alternate will take their place.
Prior to each meeting, the student board member (primary or alternate) will meet with designated CMCSS personnel to go over the agenda, as per the new policy.
In addition, they will discuss relevant topics, solicit feedback from student advisory members and other students on relevant topics, communicate student concerns and perspectives as requested by board members during meetings, and report board discussions and decisions to the Student Advisory Council each month.
The board’s presiding chair or vice chair will choose appropriate times during the meetings to recognize the student member for their input on discussions.
Qualifications
Students who are interested in becoming the student board member must meet the following criteria:
- Be a current junior or senior enrolled in a CMCSS high school.
- Be an active member of the CMCSS High School Student Advisory Committee.
- Have a record of good standing with no significant disciplinary actions.
The District High School Student Advisory Committee will nominate candidates for the position.
When will we see new board member?
The District High School Student Advisory Committee is not selected until August. Because the beginning of the school year is so busy with students returning to school, the board is giving the advisory committee plenty of time to vote on their primary and alternate nominees.
The advisory will vote and make their decision in September of each year. The selections will be presented to the School Board for final consideration and approval.
The primary member’s term begins in October, when they will start attending board meetings in a formal capacity. The primary can only serve for one term (one school year), but the alternate can be nominated for the primary position the following school year.
