The Clearfield Area School Board of Directors meets multiple times a month to discuss important business along with items that affect the everyday lives of the students. Each year, there are two student representatives, one from the senior class and one from the junior class who inform the board on the daily lives of the whole student body and the activities that they are participating in.

The two representatives for the 2018-2019 school year are Katlyne Fye, the senior class representative, and me, Parker Marshall, the junior class representative.

The class representatives get selected by the principal at the high school. The representative is selected at the beginning of their junior year and then they move to the senior class representative after the finish their junior year.

As a member of the school board, I feel honored to be able to represent not only my class, but the entire student body to the people that choose how our daily school lives are run.

I am responsible for informing the board on the events that are taking place around the school, how the sport teams are performing, how the musical departments are doing, and what the clubs are doing.

I also am able to gain knowledge of what changes are happening around the school and what different changes are being made around the building and throughout the school.

The members of the school board also get to hear what impacts they are making around the school from a student perspective instead of a teacher’s perspective. This helps them to know how their decisions are impacting the student body.

Mrs. Gail Ralston, a member of the school board, believes that it is a huge honor to be a member of the school board because the members represent a large area. She says that there has been at least one class representative for at least twenty years in order for the board to know how their decisions are affecting the student body.

When asked what affect the student representatives have on the school board, Mrs. Ralston states: “Class representatives reflect the very reason that the Board exists and that is, of course, our students! You provide the perspective and voice, as well as, the news of student involvement in classes, clubs, booster groups and athletics. You are the bridge that connects us, and we always enjoy hearing from you.”

When asked what else she would like to share with our readers, Mrs. Ralston exclaims: “The ‘big picture’ that I would like people to understand is that by being a school board member you have a wonderful way to ‘pay back’ the families and community who provided such a wonderful gift with our schools. I am a product of CHS which includes its motto of Courtesy, Honor and Service. With my Clearfield High School degree, I was able to attend college and return to become an elementary teacher. I loved being a teacher and every child I ever had in my classroom, like Mrs. Dealyn Taylor, remains in my heart.

“But, and this is a very big conjunction, but, being on the Board enables me to ‘pay forward’ the very blessings that were given to me. Many people joke that a job with no monetary pay and lots of issues to be resolved would not be of interest to them. I would ask that they pause and look and think deeper. This is the best ‘job’ I have ever had! I hope to enable our children, and our children’s children, to grow into the best that they can be by giving the best that we can through the decisions we are called upon to make. Now, my absolute favorite part of being a school director is attending events and joining parents and families in applauding you, our students, and sharing your smiles. I hope that some of the readers of The Stampede will find that this position is something that they also decide to do.”