The Worthington Board of Education is set to implement significant changes to how they gather student input, transitioning from rotating student groups to a consistent cohort model that will meet 16 times throughout the school year.
New "VibeCheck" Program Takes Shape
Toya Spencer, Director of School Community Engagement, presented the proposal for what will now be called "VibeCheck" sessions at both Thomas Worthington and Kilbourne high schools. The rebranding signals a shift in how the district approaches student feedback. "While we have facilitated student feedback sessions at the high school for many years, it is because of students' thoughtful reflections that we have found ourselves at this point, making recommendations for substantial changes to our current model," Spencer explained to the board.
Key Changes to Student Participation
The most significant change involves student selection and consistency. Rather than rotating different groups of students throughout the year, the new model will feature 10-15 students who remain on the committee for the entire school year. This approach aims to build stronger relationships between students and board members while empowering student representatives to gather feedback from their broader peer networks.
"We will leverage these students' circle of peers for feedback and bring those responses to the sessions," Spencer said. "It allows you as board members to build relationships with a group of students for a whole year."
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Increased Meeting Frequency
The program will expand from 10 sessions per year to 16, with meetings scheduled during third and fifth periods to accommodate board member availability. No sessions will occur in August, December, or May.
Board member Nikki Hudson raised important concerns about maintaining broad representation: "While we only had equivalent of four different sessions at the high school every year, those were four different groups of students where you naturally got a broader scope of perspective than you would through the 10 to 15."
Emphasis on Diverse Voices
The discussion revealed a strong board commitment to ensuring the program reaches students who don't traditionally have a voice in school decisions. Board member Stephanie Harless, drawing from her software industry experience, emphasized the importance of hearing from students who "don't feel like they're being heard or it's not fit to their needs."
Board Vice President Amber Epling-Skinner pressed for details about the student selection process and what tools would be provided to help student representatives gather peer feedback effectively. Spencer indicated that principals would handle selection but emphasized the goal of achieving diversity across multiple dimensions including race, gender, academic standing, and extracurricular involvement.
Student Leadership Development
Board member Jennifer Best noted that unlike previous rotating models, the consistent group approach would allow students to become more comfortable over time. "I think with the same group of students, they will get a little more comfortable with the administration and with us and probably open up a little more," she said.
The board also discussed potentially having students lead some conversations and even present updates to the full board, providing valuable public speaking experience and resume-building opportunities.
Implementation Details Still Developing
Several operational questions remain to be resolved, including:
- The exact number of adult facilitators in sessions
- Whether to use digital tools like ThoughtExchange (an AI powered K-12 survey platform) for broader feedback collection
- Specific protocols for ensuring student representatives gather diverse peer input
- The format and frequency of summary reports to the board
Spencer committed to taking ownership of summarizing session themes and trends for board members, staff, and students, with district and building administrators determining appropriate follow-up actions.
Board Scheduling Underway
Board President Kelli Davis announced that scheduling for the first session on September 9th is already underway, with board members coordinating their availability for the expanded meeting schedule.
The enhanced student feedback program represents a significant investment in youth voice and reflects the district's commitment to incorporating student perspectives into decision-making processes. As the program launches, its success will largely depend on how effectively the selected students can tap into their peer networks and bring authentic feedback to board discussions.