The following report was presented by South Orange-Maplewood Board of Education Student Representatives Asa Glassman and Oliver Nesin (who read the report) at the September 26, 2024 Board of Education meeting:
Hi to all. I hope everyone starts of the year has gone smoothly. My name is Oliver Nesin. I’m a senior at Columbia marking my 13th year in the district, and I’ll be the new student rep to the Board of Education for the ’24 to ’25 term alongside returning representative Asa Glassman.
Asa and I have held meetings with administrators to hear the plans that are being laid out for the coming school year, as well as possible solutions to issues that have grown in our district in recent years. As the year began, problems with guidance were at the forefront of many students’ minds with the release of schedules coming only a week before the first day of school. As these schedules were finally released, problems were ubiquitous, with many students having gaps in their schedules, being double scheduled in the same periods, and not being able to take the classes that they registered for. I wanna give a big thank you to the guidance counselors who worked tirelessly to fix these problems, with most of these significant issues being resolved within eight school days.
However, these scheduling errors that were relegated to the counselors and teachers are still being felt across the student body, especially among our many students with additional learning needs, some of whom are taking classes without a co-teacher when their needs require that level of support from the school.
Both our guidance counselors and our students deserve a better level of organization so that the simple issues can be worked out and the focus can move to real guidance for students in their high school years and planning for their lives after Columbia.
IDs are once again declared to be a requirement for students in Columbia. However, this is a promise that has been uttered to Columbia students many times, leading students to view the policy as nothing more than a joke. I’m hopeful that this time the promise will be kept and our security will be made a priority.
The negotiations now being held between the board and the teachers union cannot be overlooked by the student body, both for the immediate and future effects that they will have on students.
Teachers salaries need to be made a priority for our district.
Although many of the teachers of our district possess a true passion for education, they are still people who need to be compensated for all the work that they do. The teacher retention rates and performance boosts due to raises have been shown to be correlated with higher student performance. In addition, the district’s upcoming requirements will need to be filled by new teachers who will have no incentives to come to our district unless they’re attracted by competitive wages.
If we are nothing else, we will be a place of learning. Both the board and SOMEA need to ensure that the students are not forgotten in their disputes. As the senior class approaches deadlines for higher education amidst chaos, spurring anxieties from students and parents alike, I hope that this district can overcome its internal struggles to become an environment where students can truly thrive.
And I look forward to a productive year with all of you. Thank you.
