The Board of Education meetings are periodically scheduled conferences where representatives of Montgomery County come together to discuss the rising issues in the community. These meetings happen almost every week with an agenda taking the entire day. However, the Board of Education meeting on March 23, 2022 was the Annual Student Leader Board of Education meeting.
The Student Leaders Board of Education meeting is a full-day event where students take time to voice their concerns to the student board. It took place both virtually and in-person and lasted from 3:30 PM and was adjourned at 7:30 PM. The board published a 4-hour video of the meeting, along with a public agenda to show what was discussed at the meeting.
The first section on the agenda was the recognition section for several community groups in Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). In a heartwarming letter to the community, members of the board took time to appreciate groups such as Arabian Americans, Autism Awareness, and Student Volunteers. Along with taking time to recognize certain groups in the community, the board took time to talk about National Volunteer Week. With “more than 50,000 individuals volunteering to provide support to our students,” MCPS has been stellar in displaying great volunteering ethics.
The meeting then transitioned to a series of comments from the community about major issues in MCPS. One such message was from Carli Kathz, where she advocated for disability awareness in the community. This type of advocacy is a major focal point throughout the meetings. These meetings allow students and volunteers to express their concerns about major issues.
The main item on the agenda was to talk about the 2022-23 school year calendar. At this meeting, the Board advocated for a transition from the “Traditional Calendar” to the improvised “Innovative Schools Calendar.” These reflect changes such as staff breaks and parents’ concerns about going back to school.
The Annual Student Leaders Board of Education meeting is an amazing place for students to contact and affect real change in our community, further allowing the Montgomery County Public School system to flourish.
Article by Daniel Mathew of Poolesville High School
Photo courtesy of Carli Katz