The Richmond County School System welcomed its 2024-25 Student Advisory Council on Tuesday night to address the board with a presentation of their findings regarding district wide issues.
This council is made up of middle and high school students who meet six times during the school year with district leaders to discuss issues affecting students throughout the Richmond County School System.
During the March 18 Board of Education meeting, the Student Advisory Council spoke about their observations relating to the academic calendar for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 school years, metal detectors in schools, and increases in consultation for post high school options.
Asynchronous Learning Days
Council members shared that students enjoy Power-up Asynchronous Learning Days, so long as their asynchronous assignments are relevant to their current learning. Further, students said that these Asynchronous Learning Days give them time to catch up on assignments.
They suggested that the school district continue implementing Power-up Asynchronous Learning Days in the coming school years.
Interim Deputy Superintendent Marcus Allen shared later during the board meeting that the calendar will include two Power-up Asynchronous Learning Days for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 school years, with the caveat that those could be used as in-person learning days.
Post high school consultation
Council members also discussed students’ need for more consultation on post high school options before and during their time in high school.
“We believe there is a need for more consultation to provide students awareness of the opportunities available to them during our high school tenure in our district,” said Advisory Council member Taylor Murray from Westside High School. “We also know that financial literacy, career counseling, mentorships, mental health and wellness support, parental involvement and engagement all contribute to student development and are key competencies in driving student success beyond the classroom.”
The council members noted particularly that Richmond County students need more SAT and ACT prep.
“High dollar scholarships require higher SAT and ACT scores,” said Advisory Council member Rhianna Waltower from Hephzibah High School.
Metal detectors and school safety
The conversation around metal detectors in schools was brought up, and the council provided pros and cons for the anti-violence technology.
According to the council, metal detectors may create budget issues due to the quantity needed, along with creating delays in entry for students. Despite this, they agree that metal detectors would still contribute to providing peace of mind for students and teachers.
They suggested students feel most secure when administration, teachers and public safety officers are visible and engaged with students throughout the day, helping to deter safety incidents.
“School safety is a concern for all the students on the advisory committee. Though some of our schools experience more security and safety issues than others, it is our belief that our school system does its best to keep all of our students, staff and property as safe as possible,” said Za’niyah Whitehead from T.W. Josey High School.
