Dear Carmel Central School District Community:Student Reps Join Board of Education
This year, New York State required boards of education to include student representatives, and those chosen for the slots in Carmel intend to make the most of the opportunity.
Isabella and River, both seniors, worked alongside Max and Aarav, sophomores. Because all four students juggle packed schedules, they split attendance at the twice-monthly meetings.
Each student noticed something different at the meetings. What stood out to Isabella was the public nature of the discussions.
“It’s good that everyone can air their concerns,” Isabella said. “There is a sense of accountability because issues are raised and brought up in a public space.” Seeing decisions unfold in real time changed how Isabella understood leadership.
Aarav paid close attention to how the board functioned. The formal process was structured and deliberate, and surprisingly interesting.
“I learn something about how a board works at every meeting,” Aarav said. “There is a specific order that things must happen on the board. Someone makes a motion, and someone has to second it. It is interesting.”
River focused on the relationships in the room. Different opinions did not stop progress, they shaped it.
“It’s interesting to see that board members can have different points of view but there’s still a balance there,” River said. “They put things aside and make it work.”
Max viewed the role as a new way to connect with the community.
“I wanted to be able to speak about issues that are important to me and to other students,” Max said. “It’s a different way of interacting with my community and the teachers and students.”
Before each meeting, Superintendent Michael Plotkin meets with the students to review the agenda and explain what to expect. He emphasized preparation and problem-solving.
“If you want to bring up an issue, try to propose a possible solution,” Mr. Plotkin said. “That usually sparks a real conversation.”