Calvert County Public Schools (CCPS) is proud to announce that Jordan Hayes, a rising junior at Patuxent High School, has been elected as the 2023-2024 Student Member of the Board of Education. The Calvert Association of Student Councils (CASC) selected Miss Hayes for the prestigious position, and she was officially sworn in at the May 11, 2023, BOE meeting. Miss Hayes will commence her term on June 1, 2023.
In her role as the Student Member of the Board of Education, Miss Hayes aims to effectively represent the interests of students. She plans to hold regular student focus group meetings, which will be open to all Calvert students without any age restrictions, to gather opinions and perspectives on current Board of Education topics and areas of concern. By utilizing her personal experience and insights from students across Calvert, she intends to collaborate with the Board in order to enhance the overall school experience for students.
Miss Hayes brings a wealth of leadership experience to her new position. She has held numerous leadership roles, including Maryland Association of Student Councils Student Workshop Coordinator, Maryland Association of Student Councils Liaison, PHS Class of 2025 President, PHS Student Government Association (SGA) Vice President, MASC Division 7 Liaison, CASC Special Issues Department Director, CASC Student Workshop Coordinator, CASC Forum’s Coordinator, Southern Middle School (SMS) President, SMS SGA Vice President, and SGA Historian. Additionally, she actively participates in various extracurricular activities such as the PHS Varsity Cheer Team, Key Club, Chamber and Advanced Orchestra programs, as well as the Lung Health Ambassadors program.
Dr. Andraé Townsel, the Superintendent of Calvert County Public Schools, congratulated Miss Hayes on her appointment, stating, “Congratulations to Miss Hayes for her appointment as the 2023-2024 student member on the Board. As demonstrated by her previous leadership experience, she understands the value of student voice and the correlation it has to student success. We look forward to working with her next school year.”
The position of Student Member of the Board of Education is established by the Annotated Code of Maryland. While the student member does not possess voting rights, they are allowed to cast a symbolic vote on all matters brought before the Board. To be eligible for the position on the Calvert BOE, the student member must be a rising high school junior or senior in CCPS. The student member serves from June 1 through May 31. The primary responsibility of the student member is to facilitate the exchange of information between the BOE and students and is encouraged to share students’ feedback on issues under consideration by the Board.
Miss Hayes’ election as the Student Member of the Board of Education reflects the significance of student representation and engagement in shaping educational policies and initiatives. Her commitment to fostering an inclusive and student-centric environment will undoubtedly contribute to the continuous improvement of the educational system in Calvert County.