Although the first summit designed to get student thoughts and opinions about what could make Pioneer Valley High School better isn’t until later in January, trainings have already started to glean information from students.
The Raising Student Voice and Participation program encourages students to participate in democratic exercises by getting them to suggest ideas and concerns about student life on campus. Pioneer Valley Director of Activities Lisa Walters said in a press release that she thinks students are ready for the opportunity to participate in their educational environment.
“It will be refreshing to listen to what the students want and not what adults are telling them,” Walters said. “Too many people are telling students they have no say in their education.”
Changes are already in the works: A recent training session involving students, teachers, and administrators produced ideas that included a salad bar in the cafeteria and water filtration stations. Pioneer Principal Shanda Herrera and staffers are committed to making those student ideas a reality, according to the press release.
The first summit is slated for this month, and three more will take place once a month through April.
This article appears in Jan 9-16, 2014.