By Jackson Stocker ‘27
The Conestoga Valley School Board is “necessary, and for those of us that really, really care and are invested in education for kids, and want to see CV thrive and do really well, it is a cool place to serve,” according to Mark Gensel, a member of the board.
Every 4 years, Conestoga Valley has an “election year” to appoint new members. This year marks that time.
Along with new members this year, the Board also voted to elect a new president and vice president or re-elect the current. This is an event that happens every year.
The president and vice president of the school board either have a term of 1 year or up to 3 years, based on their choice. Board members have terms of 4 years. A president must be nominated, either by themselves or another member, and the public, and then the board will decide to elect them.
At the Harry W. Wirth Administration Center in the district building, school board meetings happen on two Mondays a month (usually the second and third).
The first board meeting of the month is called a “work meeting,” which is when the board discusses items that are on the board’s agenda. These topics are determined by the superintendent or school staff. This could include contracts and presentations.
The second meeting is when voting on the topics discussed the prior week happens. These meetings are required by law to be open to the public, such as residents, parents, and guardians in the district.
At the meetings, the public is allowed to speak in front of the board in two different areas, one in the beginning for topics or items on the agenda, and one at the end for topics or items that are both on and off the agenda.
A section from the Conestoga Valley School Board Information page explains that “district residents, taxpayers, and parents may speak before the board following the procedures outlined below. Nonresidents will need to request, in advance, to be placed on the agenda.”
Meetings are open to students as well, but most students either do not know they can attend or are not aware of the process of the school board. Avaah Lilly, a junior at the high school says she “did not know that this year was an election year.”
The school board livestreams every meeting. If you would like to watch and experience what a meeting looks like, this is the Conestoga Valley School Board “About” page on the district website: https://www.conestogavalley.org/school-board/about-the-school-board.
“The school board is really responsible for governing the school district… Our employee is the superintendent. The superintendent then runs the business that is the school,” Mark Gensel explained.
The board mainly reviews “big ticket items” according to Gensel, such as curriculum, school, and budget.
School board members may get involved for a variety of reasons. Gensel explained he is 43 and a father of 4 children who are enrolled in the district – one 3rd grader, one 5th grader, a freshman and a senior. During the 2020 coronavirus lockdown, Gensel was intrigued by the board and the way that they worked.
Gensel mentioned that volunteering on the school board allows him, “to kind of see the whole school district from a helicopter view point.”