High school sophomores and juniors who attend Frederick County Public Schools may apply to serve as the 2022-2023 Student Member of the Board of Education. The nomination deadline is 4 p.m., Monday, November 8, 2021 for the term beginning in July 2022.
The role of the student member is to bring a student viewpoint on educational issues to BOE meetings, generally held two evenings per month. The function is not to represent any particular special-interest group of students on an issue, but rather to respect the diversity of students’ points of view, to improve communication between the student body, staff and BOE members and to inform students of policies and decisions executed by the BOE.
Interested sophomores and juniors should contact their student government advisor for a nomination packet or visit www.fcps.org/boe/Student-Board-Member-Election. Student government advisors and principals may also nominate a student. Applicants must complete the entire student packet, including nomination form, letter of recommendation and response to four questions in paragraphs of no more than 250 words per question (not bulleted lists) by the nomination deadline, submitting materials to FCPS Social Studies Curriculum Specialist Colleen Bernard, 191 S. East Street, Frederick, MD 21701.
First, a selection panel including the Frederick County Association of Student Councils (FCASC) Board and Student Government Association (SGA) advisors will review applications and narrow the field to five candidates on November 15. Candidate orientation will take place November 18. Candidates will present speeches at the December 2 Frederick County Association of Student Councils General Assembly. Next, at a January 6 meeting, each candidate will answer questions in a Town Hall format, 4:30-7 p.m. at the FCPS Central Office Board Room. They will also submit a one-page platform statement to post online.
This is the eleventh year that the selection process will include online student voting. Online voting will occur January 6-January 27 for students in all middle and high schools. Voting will determine whom the school’s SGA representatives support in a February 3 General Assembly. Student enrollment determines a school’s number of representative delegates.
Finally, the FCASC will submit the name of the candidate with the majority of representative votes cast by school delegates to the FCPS Superintendent. The new student member will have the opportunity to job shadow the outgoing member May-June.
For further information, please call FCPS Secondary Social Studies Curriculum Specialist Colleen Bernard at 301-644-5256.