With a school district as large as the Iowa City Community School District (ICCSD), decisions made affect many people. The Iowa City School Board of Education is responsible for establishing policies that govern the operations of the ICCSD.
Ruthina Malone (she/her), is the president of the board.
“Our primary responsibility is to ensure that we have policies that will govern the operations of the district. We also use those policies to ensure that as a district, we strive to make sure that our strategic plan is progressing,” said Malone.
Despite the 14,805 students in the school district, students’ opinions and voices can sometimes be overlooked. Because of this, the Iowa City Community School District Board of Education decided to incorporate two high school students from each high school in ICCSD to participate in meetings and share feedback from their respective schools.
While these students are not official members of the school board, they act as representatives for their schools. Each of the ICCSD’s four high schools sends two student representatives from City, West, Tate and Liberty.
Naomi Thames (she/her), 11, is one of those representatives for Liberty.
“It’s important to have young people on the board because we are the future. People can plan and give out orders, but if there is no one there to carry on those things, it’ll die off,” Thames explains. “Young people deserve to have a say, too. We may not be as wise or educated, but what happens in the community affects us, too, [and] not just the adults,” Thames states.
By giving high school students a voice on issues and ideas that affect them, students feel more involved within their school and community. This can lead to more inclusivity and diverse perspectives.
Malone states, “It’s important for students to share their concerns and ideas because it helps our district function for all. It’s important to give our students an opportunity to share how decisions will impact them.”
Because of this inclusivity, students have helped the board move forward with certain issues.
“Students in the district recently completed a survey regarding a potential cell phone ban. That allowed us to hear some of their concerns and desires for moving forward,” Malone states.
ICCSD wants students to feel comfortable expressing their thoughts on issues in their community.
Malone expresses, “We are preparing our young people for the rest of their lives. We want them to be global citizens who are comfortable with sharing their thoughts and ideas in hopes of making impactful changes.”
With these new changes, ICCSD is adapting to consider the next generation, and preparing them for their future where they can make a difference.
