Clarke County School District Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council members Adaline McCullick (left) and Chloe Wallace (right), Clarke Central High School seniors, brainstorm at the Jan. 23 SAC meeting. According to McCullick, the SAC has discussed a variety of issues throughout the year – including clear bags and discipline – but felt the dialogue hasn’t always translated into observable changes. “I feel like a lot of it goes kind of behind the scenes (because) there’s not that many meetings. We’ll talk about something at one meeting, and then at the next meeting, (district offi cials will) be like, ‘We’ve done this, this and this to help combat that issue,’” McCullick said. Photo by Aza Khan
The Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council invites CCSD students to give their voice to the CCSD administration to help influence district policy.
The Clarke County School District Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council attempts to give CCSD students a voice in district decision making while also enhancing the students’ leadership skills. Hosting five meetings distributed throughout the school year, the SAC offers opportunities to junior and senior students from high schools across the district to offer comments on district-led initiatives.
According to CCSD Superintendent Dr. Robbie P.Hooker, the idea is that theseconversations will inform thedistrict’s approach in its highschools – one example beingthe implementation of a cellphone policy in CCSD middleand high schools at the start of the 2023-24 school year.
“I’ve always believed in student voice, so it was important that I see our students as the customers for our school district and if we’re gonna get better, we have to listen to their voice,” Hooker said.
Simultaneously, the district website states that a secondary aim of the SAC is to develop students’ own leadership – an approach that resonates with council member Temprince Battle, a CCHS senior.
“They’re offering us a student voice, so (if that’s) being promised to me, then I’d like my voice to be heard,” Battle said. “I want to be able to fight for my voice, like I’m being in the council (right now) and having my voice be heard, (but) I want to have my voice be heard in other rooms where I go.”
Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council member Temprince Battle, a senior, sits in the English hallway at Clarke Central High School on April 30. While Battle enjoyed their time on the council, they felt as if more meetings could have been beneficial. “I do think it was worth my time, but it didn’t take a lot of my time. We only had 5 meetings over the course of the whole semester,” Battle said. “Honestly, I wish there were a little more (meetings). I feel like I did say a lot I felt needed to be improved in the school district.” Video by Anna Shaikun and Luke Shannon
However, some SAC members like CCHS senior Amya Hopkins* feel the council fails to deliver the tangible changes students have provided feedback on, such as the accessibility of period products and snack vending machines.
“I’ve been saying the same things since last year, so I personally don’t feel that we’re extremely listened to,” Hopkins said. “ On (a form council members filled out), it said, ‘What is an idea that you’d like to see implemented?’ Each person there gave an idea, and I don’t think any of our ideas have been implemented.”
In response, Hooker pointed out barriers to implementation outside of the district’s purview, such as nutrition guidelines that regulate snacks schools can offer, while championing the council’s feedback on topics such as a potential clear bag policy.
“They said specifically, ‘I understand the athletic events (having a clear bag policy), but it’s going to be difficult for us to get clear bags that we can place our computer in, and then some female student said, ‘I have personal items in there. I don’t want everyone to see my personal items that I have in my bookbag.’ We took that into consideration and pulled it off the table,” Hooker said. “We can’t get everything that everyone wants.”
“They said specifically, ‘I understand the athletic events (having a clear bag policy), but it’s going to be difficult for us to get clear bags that we can place our computer in, and then some female student said, ‘I have personal items in there. I don’t want everyone to see my personal items that I have in my bookbag.’ We took that into consideration and pulled it off the table. We can’t get everything that everyone wants.”
— Dr. Robbie P. Hooker,
CCSD Superintendent
SAC member Mia McDonald, a Cedar Shoals High School senior, believes that the lack of tangible changes taking place doesn’t reflect the dialogue between council members.
“At this point, everything is still in the talking stage with what should and shouldn’t happen, but I believe things are moving in the right direction and that (my) and many council members’ concerns are being addressed,” McDonald said.
As Hooker advocates for his own Student Advisory Council, he is pushing for similar committees to be created at middle and high schools across the district as a means of connecting to the leaders in their school buildings.
“The message I’m hoping that students walk away with is (to) see a different aspect of not only district leadership, but the entire school district and understand that they do have a voice in helping us to get better as a district,” Hooker said.
Amya Hopkins is now a Viewpoints Staffer for the ODYSSEY Media Group, but at the time of this interview, Hopkins was unaffiliated with the program.
Story by Merren Hines
Story by Wyatt Meyer
Package by Luke Shannon
