On April 11th, the new LSC student representatives were officially elected. Students Max Levin ‘25, Michael Lane ‘24, and Heidy Martinez ‘26 were elected to represent the students of our school and will begin their work on July 1.
LSC members consist of parents, community members, as well as students who serve the local school council as representatives.
“I feel highly grateful for the opportunity and high position given to me. I can’t wait to get started and share student voices in LSC,” said Martinez.
In addition to the student representatives, the administration is also excited about the work they will engage in for their peers.
“I am really lucky to have both exiting and entering LSC members who are dedicated to Jones and to our vision for the school,” said Principal Kerry Dolan. “And are willing to put in work to be collaborative and to work together to strengthen our foundation and to continue to build upon it collectively”.
Student representatives, like other members of the LSC, play an essential role in representing their peers and making decisions at LSC meetings during their one-year tenure.
“I want to have the opportunity to build stronger connections and friendships. Not only that, but I want to be a vessel that allows students at JCP to have a stronger voice when it comes to faculty and decision-making, especially communities that feel misrepresented at Jones,” said Martinez.
With a new change in administration, these newly elected members are prepared to take on the school-wide responsibility of advocating for their school community.
“It’s always complex. I’m the one to admit I don’t know everything,” said Lane. “I am always going to be heard and listen to other people’s opinions so that when new issues occur, I am going to be on the ground ready to listen.”
Representatives must be ready to adapt to changing environments and sentiments in the school community.
“A month ago, there seemed to be lots of altercations, and that was my statement to address that, but I feel like the past few weeks have calmed down,” said Levin. “So, that is not my main concern anymore.”
These students participate in a variety of activities to better link all of the students.
“I want to increase all types of cultural curiosities; I want to bring more engagement towards students and bring JCP’s school spirit back,” said Martinez.
Student representatives not only value comments and expressions, but they also take part in student events and clubs to obtain a better grasp of the student experience.
“Here at Jones, I am currently on SGA [Student Government Association], and outside of student government positions, I am also a student-athlete,” said Lane.
Others have a more extensive familiarity with various communities at Jones.
“I participate in many clubs: I am an officer of JCP’s Folklórico Dance Assembly, a member of the Spanish National Honors Society, a scholar at UChicago’s Collegiate Scholars Program, and many more,” said Martinez.
Lane, a second-year LSC member, has previous experience in this role and plans to transition his focus to the current state of Jones.
“My first year on LSC, I was mainly focused on hiring a new principal, as we have Ms. Dolan now, and I am transitioning from hiring a new person to helping Ms. Dolan get used to Jones,” said Lane.
It’s not always an easy role; it demands time and attention. This role requires methods for focusing your attention on students and how you reach them.
“So far, it’s been a bumpy road, things sometimes go to four- to five-hour meetings to complete tasks,“ said Lane. “Sometimes it’s challenging to hear criticism from the public, but it’s very important to listen and learn.’’
Members are prepared to address different responses and opinions.
“Even though I am not going to agree with everyone, I just want to make sure that they feel like they are heard,” said Levin.
Hearing different opinions and getting involved was why people like Martinez ran. Martinez is the youngest member of the LSC.
“My inspiration for applying to LSC was heavily based on wanting to get more involved and contribute to my school community,” said Martinez.
All three LSC members have the same goal of bringing unity to Jones and addressing any issues that may arise with proper communication and teamwork.
“If any issues arise, I would be glad to talk about them with staff and the LSC board. It’s important to address these problems and get to resolutions,” said Martinez.
