On Thursday, December 11, 2025, eleven new PUSD Student Assembly/Council (SAC) members were sworn in by Board President Tina Fredricks at PUSD’s Board Meeting; three reelected SAC members were were also recognized. Family members and school principals attended to celebrate ofthe district’s growing student leadership. PUSD’s Student Think Thank (STT) election committee members, as well as SAC members, who are stepping down, were also in attendance.
“I’ve come to see the Student Assembly as a unique and meaningful system, one that isn’t about individual leadership or recognition, but more about what each member can contribute in service to others,” said Blair senior Lesley, who was in the first group of seven students who were elected in April 2024. As she steps down from her position, she will forge a new role via the STT to serve as a mentor to the newly elected members. (Read Lesley’s essay about serving on the SAC here.)
Newly elected SAC members expressed excitement about their role in the district next year.
“After one year of training with PUSD’s Student Think Tank, I’m excited to join the Student Assembly and Council,” said Abel, a new member who was sworn in last week. “I have always wanted to be part of something that makes changes in the system.”
Another incoming SAC member, Katherine, expressed excitement to “represent the student perspective and to be a voice for the PUSD student community.”
The swearing in ceremony marked the outcome of PUSD’s third student election process that is unique in its structure. Students from each high school rotate to attend PUSD’s board meetings and cast preferential votes decided by consensus to represent all PUSD’s high schools; the election process is overseen by a STT election committee.
“It’s important to serve on a committee for a student-run program for students by students,” said Azucena Paez, who served on this year’s election committee. “If an adult were implementing the elections, the process wouldn’t be as authentic – the elections are for all students!”
This year, as in the past two elections, the district’s STT election committee worked diligently and overtime to interview applicants, create and administer ballots that were distributed across high schools, and communicate with principals. The team also conducted presentations to English department teachers at their campuses to widen the pool of candidates.
In 2022, the STT presented their request to have student representation on PUSD’s board, and were invited to develop a structure to serve PUSD’s diverse high school community. Then-Board President Elizabeth Pomeroy suggested a model through which student board members would rotate each month to represent each high school. The STT members researched different school district structures and wove in added Dr. Pomeroy’s idea to come up with their own model which they presented to the District’s board in fall 2023, where it was approved. The first round of seven candidates were sworn in during PUSD’s April 2024 board meeting.
PUSD’s April 2022 board meeting with Board President Elizabeth Pomeroy and board; Superintendent Brian McDonald, Dr. Helen Chan, Jose Ortega; STT members (all who have since graduated); facilitator Sehba Sarwar; and PUSD’s Ethnic Studies teachers, including Manuel Rustin, David Flores, Totam Dao, and Rhyna Vasquez – some serve as STT/SAC advisors at their respective campuses.
New Student Assembly/Council members:
Blair: Xavier, 9; Abel, 11; CIS: Jamari, 10; Muir: Malena, 9; Isabel, 11; PHS: Marlee, 9; Nathan, 11; Alessandro, 12; Thurgood Marshall: Jenna, 9; Errol, 10; Katherine, 11.
Reelected members: Yul, 10 (Blair); Lula, 10 (Muir); Allison, 10 (PHS).
Students who are stepping down from the Assembly/Council and will join the district’s Student Think Tank to train new Student/Council members::
April 2024 – December 2025 term: Lesley, 12 (Blair); Jack, 12 (PHS); Terra, 12 (Muir); Lucas, 11 (PHS); December 2024 – December 2025 term: Adeline, 11 (Blair); Germon, 11 (Muir); April 2025 – December 2025: Theo, 12 (Thurgood Marshall).
This year’s student election committee comprised five students: Adhalia, 10 (PHS), Sydney, 12 (Blair), Dana, 12 (Blair), Julia, 10 (Muir), and Azucena, 12 (PHS).
To learn more about PUSD’s High School Leadership teams, please visit their web pages:
Images from PUSD’s December 11, 2025 board meeting: (Above) Student Council Member Lucas Kittle at the with board members Michelle Bailey and Patrice McKenzie in the background and Maria Montoya in the foreground; (Banner) New, reelected, and exiting Student Assembly/Council members alongside Student Think Tank’s election committee members as well as PUSD board members and Superintendent Blanco.
