District 88 Superintendent Student Advisory Committee provides opportunity for student voice, inclusion

At District 88, one of our top priorities is to connect with all students to develop in each child a sense of belonging and encourage him or her to find success. As part of this focus on inclusion, I am continuing to implement a Superintendent Student Advisory Committee to hear directly from our pupils.

I’m committed to being accessible, inclusive, collaborative and transparent, and the Student Advisory Committee is one initiative to help meet that goal. The committee provides students with a seat at our administrative table and an opportunity to have their voices heard to help shape the future direction of the district.

The committee is comprised of students from Addison Trail and Willowbrook, who offer diverse backgrounds and perspectives. More than 50 languages are represented in District 88, and nearly half of District 88 students speak more than one language. We know embracing that diversity will lead to success in the classroom and beyond and will allow us to accomplish our mission of working for the continuous improvement of student achievement. Below are the members of the committee.

Addison Trail: Senior Verenise Morales-Saavedra, senior Joslynn Elakkatt, junior Mekalah Haywood, sophomore Aryan Shine, senior Vito Diciolla, senior Clarita Gaytan Vazquez, junior Jack DiDomenic, senior Lea Staller and senior Sofia Angiulo

Willowbrook: Senior Neeraja Kumar, senior Noah Campbell, senior Jade Inoshita, senior Elijah Smith, junior Natalia Garcia-Avila, junior Sean O’Brochta, junior Tia Kelly, sophomore Maggie Brennan, sophomore Aryash Sampat and freshman Jaclyn Bryers

The 2022-23 committee met for the second time on Jan. 30, and we will get together every other month throughout the school year. During the meeting, we had school-level discussions that included restroom use and coordinating lesson plans with substitute teachers. The main focus was to gather student feedback and input regarding the district’s final exam policies. The students broke into small groups to complete a survey, and we will use their responses as we continue to evaluate this topic.

I thank the committee members for their insight and dedication, and I look forward to working together to continue improving our schools.

With District 88 Pride,
Jean Barbanente, Ed.D.
District 88 Superintendent