Board of Ed Considers Changes to Student Rep Eligibility

The South Orange - Maplewood Board of Education will Monday discuss adding an "alternate" student representative. The Board has a non-voting student member; Policy 0143.2 provides for a second student member who will serve when the first is absent. The current student representative to the Board is , a rising senior, who began his second one-year term this summer.

To be eligible for either the permanent or alternate position, students must:

Be members of the student body in grades 9 to 11; Acquire signatures from at least ten teachers or staff members, as well as 75 students and one  member of the Board of Education; and have attended school in the district for at least two years.

The student representative is chosen by the CHS student body in an election held at the same time as Student Council elections.  If there is insufficient interest, a representative may be chosen by the Superintendent. The term is one year, July to July.

As to the role of the student, the policy makes clear: 

It will be the responsibility of the student representative to periodically update the Board on school activities; to represent the viewpoint of the student body; suggest through appropriate channels additional Board agenda items; serve on Board committees at the discretion of the Committee Chairperson; and to perform such other duties as determined by the Board President in consultation with the Superintendent.