SARANAC LAKE — As the Saranac Lake Central School District board of education meeting drew to a close on Wednesday, the board’s three ex-officio student representatives on the board jumped to be the first to make a motion to adjourn.
It was just a ceremonial motion, a sign of appreciation from the board for Agi “Muna” Kujabi, Sam Clark and Zuleyka Oliveras’ two years serving as the conduit between the board and the student body, but they jumped on it. The motion was seconded … and thirded.
“All those in favor?” Clark asked, imitating board Chair Mark Farmer.
“Aye” Kujabi and Oliveras said.
The three served as non-voting members of the board from September 2023 through June 2025. At each meeting, they gave updates on what students were doing academically and extracurricularly, and weighed in, occasionally, on issues the board talks about, including the most controversial and heavily debated decisions by administration.
On Wednesday, SLCSD Superintendent Diane Fox presented the students with a resolution of appreciation.
“You have distinguished yourselves by making outstanding contributions to the Saranac Lake Central School District by offering sound and thoughtful reports and input between the student body and board of education,” the resolution read.
Farmer said their feedback has been valuable for the board.
Clark said it was nice to see inside how things work at the school.
“For me, personally, it kind of taught me to talk to adults actually,” Clark told the board. “Especially high-authority ones like you guys.”
Kujabi said it was interesting to hear the discussions the board had.
“The meetings were actually pretty fun, so I thank you for that,” she said.
Oliveras said students come up to them and ask them questions about what’s going on in the meetings
“The juicy stuff,” Kujabi said.
Oliveras said they help bring information from the administration back to their fellow students. Clark said he also let his peers know that the board’s meetings are all recorded and they can watch them.
SLCSD has a habit of being ahead of the curve in terms of starting programs the state later mandates. The district was drafting diversity, equity and inclusion policies before it was mandated by the state in 2021; it banned cell phones in the high school before the state introduced its phone ban this spring; it changed its “Redskins” moniker to the “Red Storm” in 2001, 20 years before the NFL team of the same name did and well before the state’s recent push to remove team names relating to Native Americans; and it has had ex-officio student members of the board for years now, before the state starts requiring it this summer.
In September, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a bill requiring all school districts in the state, outside of New York City, containing a high school and all Boards of Cooperative Educational Services to establish a process to include at least one ex-officio, non-voting student member on the board of education.
“I’m pretty proud that as a school we were on board with this way before it was a requirement,” Farmer said.
About one-third of districts and BOCES across the state have at least one student representative, according to a March poll conducted by the New York State School Boards Association.
High School Principal Josh Dann said nine students have applied already to represent the student body to the board next year.