Voices of North Thurston Public Schools (NTPS) students are being heard. New Superintendent Dr. Deb Clemens introduced the Student Voice initiative as part of her Entry plan, giving students a seat at the table with school district decision makers.
When Clemens arrived from Cheney in July, her first goal was to meet with district stakeholders to learn about the culture and climate of the school community. She quickly learned through past surveys that students are the primary source of information about what is happening in the schools. Despite the existence of a newsletter and the school website, it is the students who are communicating the school information to the community. Clemens feels strongly that the “student voice” is crucial to the conversations that are happening at the district level. “We wanted to very intentionally provide opportunities to hear the students,” says Clemens.
A recent professional development series for principals on the importance of student voice meshed perfectly with the arrival of Clemens and her vision. “Allowing for student voice gives the students ownership of their education,” said Troy Oliver, Assistant Superintendent of School Leadership. “We can learn so much from the students. They are the core of what we’re doing.”
Superintendent Clemens and the NTPS school board adopted a policy this fall to appoint student advisors to the school board. Each NTPS high school selected a student representative to serve on the school board, providing a direct line of communication between the students and the Board.
According to The Quaglia Institute for Student Aspirations, increasing student engagement in school has a direct correlation with higher grades and fewer dropout rates. “It feels great to represent my peers and I was blown away to learn how much goes on at the district level,” says Timberline High School student advisor, Emily Arras. “I realized how much time, planning and thought goes into the decision-making that affects my school.”
Martha Arriaga, nominated by her principal at River Ridge High School, said, “I believe that giving students a voice in what happens in the district is huge. Increased communication between staff and students will increase trust and better our environment every day.”
Both students have been chosen to represent their peers for the first semester of the school year. They have attended two meetings thus far. Along with Arriaga and Arras, Rachel Pierson and Kyle Sommers were appointed as student advisors from North Thurston High School and South Sound High School respectively. Pierson and Sommers will attend meetings during the second semester.
Student advisors are given an opportunity to speak to the board at each meeting. As non-voting board members, student advisors offer input on topics such as the career center, food service and curriculum.
The NTPS school board is enjoying the student advisors’ contributions. “Everything we do is for the benefit of students,” says NTPS Board president, Aaron Owada. “It only makes sense if we ask for the students input in helping us make major decisions that will impact their lives.”
NTPS is not just listening to their oldest students. Superintendent Clemens wants to know about the school culture and climate at the middle and elementary schools as well. She has created a Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council that will include representatives from fifth, eighth, and twelfth grades. The group will meet four times a year and discuss a variety of topics including community service and leadership. “We are giving students ownership of their education which looks different to a second grader than it does to a high school student,” adds Oliver.
“It gives me a chance to share my ideas on how to improve the school,” said Karen Lin, the student representative from Salish Middle School. At the first Supt. Advisory Council students got to know each other with an ice breaker and sample and review a new chicken pot pie item from the school lunch menu. They also had table talks about Compassion, which is a major initiative in North Thurston Public Schools.
Combined with community conversations taking place at various locations throughout Lacey, along with listening tours at each of the district’s 22 schools and various departments, Superintendent Clemens is making student engagement a priority in the district’s work plan. Clemens has just begun her movement of hearing students in the district; she is also piloting student surveys. The voluntary online survey takes only a few minutes to complete. Results will provide feedback on motivation and how students perceive the culture of their school. When Clemens completes her inaugural year as Superintendent in the spring, she will be using all of these tools to develop a strategic plan for the district.
Excitement is brewing at North Thurston Public Schools as the community sees the value of listening to what students have to say.
For more information on North Thuston Public Schools, including board meetings, visit www.nthurston.k12.wa.us.
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