Scotch Plains-Fanwood Junior Mac Bastable was recently announced as the student junior representative and declared the 2024-2025 senior representative for the SPFHS student body to the SPF Board of Education. Bastable’s primary job is to advocate for students and report the current status of SPFHS at each SPFBOE meeting. He will collaborate with students and educators to implement enhancing initiatives for the school community.
“As a student representative to the Board of Education, I serve as a voice for the student body and can communicate directly with the BOE, [addressing] the wants and needs of high school students and ensuring that their concerns are heard,” Bastable told The Fanscotian.
While officially being elected as the SPFBOE junior representative in October 2023, Batable’s accomplishment was only recently widely announced.
After applying for the position in June 2023, Bastable went through the process of being interviewed by the superintendent of schools, Dr. Joan Mast, the current senior student representative and other board members. He applied with passion and dedication to make a positive impact on the SPF school district.
“[With] a student representative [on] the Board of Education, insight from the perspective of a current high school student can [be] provided, [allowing for] the [consideration] of student input in decision-making processes that directly impact our educational environment,” Bastable said.
Bastable is most excited to work with the 2024-2025 junior student representative once that is determined. Since being elected, he recalls a so far memorable experience collaborating with the current 2023-2024 senior representative.
“The senior representative, Sairah Llano, [has] been very helpful at showing me the ropes of being on the Board of Education.”
Bastable will utilize his position as the SPFHS student representative to create an inclusive community for students.
“I plan to make the SPF school district a better environment by highlighting [student opinions] and fostering greater student engagement,” Bastable said.
The class of 2025 and beyond will be able to appreciate and reflect on Bastable’s work as their Board of Education student representative at their graduation ceremony when Bastable presents himself to the student body. SPFHS thanks SPFBOE student representatives for their accomplishments made to the school community.
