Mukilteo schools, from the students’ side

Published 9:00 pm Friday, March 29, 2002

By Janice Podsada

Herald Writer

MUKILTEO — Carmen Lo, a student at Kamiak High School, wants the Mukilteo School Board to spend the day with her, rushing from one class to the next, lugging a book bag and scribbling notes.

The five-member board hasn’t shown up for the bell yet, but Friday it did the next best thing, inviting high school students to attend the school board meeting.

More than 20 students from Kamiak and Mariner high schools accepted the invitation and offered insight into what’s right and what’s wrong with the schools and their administrators.

"I don’t think they really experience what we see and experience every day," Carmen said.

Still, the board gets major points, said James Wiker, a senior at Kamiak.

James, along with Mariner student Kristine Greaby, a sit on the school board, elected to the position by their peers.

"As school representatives, we’re supposed to function as the voice of the students," James said.

The Mukilteo board is one of the few districts in the state that allow students to sit on the school board, said state Superintendent of Public Instruction Terry Bergeson, who spoke at the meeting and then spent an hour chatting with the students.

"More and more districts around the state are looking at the idea of having students on the school board," said Bergeson, who’s been in office for five years.

Few students attend school board meetings.

"They’re not very interesting for students," James said. "The board is a lot of down and dirty business — there’s no connection for teens."

By holding two joint student-school board meetings this year, the district is trying to establish a better rapport with students.

With the foremost proponent of Washington Assessment of Student Learning test, Bergeson, standing at the front of the room, students had the opportunity to talk about the weeklong essential skills test administered to fourth-, seventh- and 10th-graders.

"Colleges don’t look at the WASL," said Amanda Faddis, a student at Mariner High School. "I’m not thinking about the WASL, I’m thinking about the SATs (the college entrance examination)."

Currently, the state’s community college and public universities don’t look at WASL scores. Students learned that may change in the next few years, at least at the community college level, Bergeson told them.

Other students complained that teachers spend too much time teaching them how to take the test, especially the multiple-choice sections, at the expense of other class work.

But Tierra Campbell, a student at Mariner, said by preparing for the WASL, she learned critical academic skills.

Bergeson admitted that the current crop of students are the guinea pigs for the statewide test, which was instituted only in the last five years.

Switching gears, Josiah Westfall a student at Mariner High School, told the board that some high school seniors have a difficult time in school the second half of the year.

"Once you’re accepted into college, student motivation goes way down," Josiah said.

Rick Robbins, the Mukilteo district’s executive director of secondary education, said the board wants to continue meeting with students next year. The encounter has opened some eyes on both sides, he said.

"If you listen to kids, you discover they’re honest, straightforward and they really do care," he said.

You can call Herald Writer Janice Podsada at 425-339-3029 or send e-mail to podsada@heraldnet.com.