STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE TO THE BOARD
Please enjoy this article from outgoing
Student Rep to the Board – Abbi Bender!
In a
culture constantly motivated by change and innovation, the Howard-Suamico
School District and Board of Education prove time and time again that they are
unafraid of the fast-paced progress headed for the education system. With the
help of a hardworking administrative team, the passionate and dedicated school
board members take on big undertakings in adapting our district to better fit the
needs of the 21st Century in stride.
For
thirteen years, the Howard Suamico Board of Education has included the vital
position of a non-voting student representative at each biweekly board meeting
to be a direct link from the student body to board members. During the 2018/19
school year, I, Abbi Bender, was honored with the opportunity to fill this
position. My term comes to an end on May 20, 2019 and I am incredibly proud to
have been a part of such an innovative and passionate board that strives to better
the education of all students, and ultimately improve the community as a whole.
The end
of my term on the school board coincides with a lot of ends in my life. In a
couple of short weeks, I will become a graduate from the Howard Suamico School
District and end my time as a high school student. To me, it is easy to reflect
on the major changes I have seen throughout my education; I have vivid memories
of giving presentations on overhead projectors in kindergarten, the
implementation of the first SMART Boards in my second grade class, and where
classroom technologies are now, giving my peers and I the opportunity to create
and learn from dynamic and interactive presentations on two screens and
personal devices.
It is
harder, however, to recognize some of the smaller changes developing overtime
through dedicated conversations and meticulous planning. In November, the
Board, as well as district administrators, participated in a book study on Ted
Dintersmith’s What Schools Could Be. This study prompted challenging
conversations on the innovation needed to improve public education and the
direction of the district. By listening to and participating in this dialogue,
I was able to observe the dedication and fearlessness the Howard-Suamico School
District has when it comes to bringing positive change to their schools and
community. I left those board meetings exhilarated by the discussions and
unable to wait to share all the exciting topics (often prompting me to call my
mom on my way home because a seven minute drive was too long of a wait).
Following
these energizing meetings, I fulfilled my responsibility as the student
representative by communicating with my peers about the discussions that took
place at the board table. Despite technological advancements, classroom
education has, for the most part, remained stagnant throughout the lifetimes of
my peers and myself. While reporting out on ideas about “The Profile of a
Graduate” and “Individualized Learning,” my peers became excited about the
changes that will take place in their education throughout the coming years.
To my
peers, and to myself, nothing is more energizing than knowing that positive
change is coming, and the efforts are being led by a team of dedicated board
members and district administrators who are clear about their intentions to
influence our educational path in a way that will better prepare us for our
ever-changing futures.
For
more information about our governance policies or our school district, please
visit our website at www.hssdschools.org For additional information regarding this
article, contact Student Representative to the Board, Abbi Bender, at bendabbi@hssdschools.org or School
Board member, Garry Sievert at garrsiev@hssdschools.org
