Student Advisory Board
About the Student Advisory Board
The Student Advisory Board (SAB) is a group of high school students from each high school in SUSD that comes together to problem solve and help shape the overall student experience. Students meet monthly with SUSD District Leadership to collaborate and share current concerns and opportunities for improvement.
Spotlight Podcast
Student Life at Arcadia High School
In this student-led episode, Bete Gelan and Luciana Villanueva from the SUSD Student Advisory Board share what life is like at Arcadia High School.
From academics to clubs, athletics, and opportunities beyond the school day, they give an inside look at what makes the Arcadia experience stand out.
SAB: Students Interviewing Students
In this student-led edition of the SUSD Spotlight podcast, members of the Student Advisory Board (SAB) share how they serve their school communities, collaborate with district leadership, and help shape the student experience across SUSD.
Hosted by SAB President Fiona Riley, a senior from Saguaro High School, this episode also features President-Elect Matthew Lair, a junior from Desert Mountain High School, and Aashni Sahai, a junior from Saguaro High School.
Tune in for thoughtful conversation, real problem-solving, and powerful student perspectives you won’t want to miss.
Student Culture and Climate
The Student Advisory Board is a group of high school students from each high school in SUSD that comes together to problem solve and help shape the overall student experience. In this special episode of the SUSD Spotlight podcast, Arcadia High School senior Avery Liu and Saguaro High School senior Niki Natt discuss campus culture and climate.
News
Student Advisory Board - October 2026
The Student Advisory Board has officially returned for the 2026–2027 school year, and we are so excited to be back! We had our first meeting at the beginning of September, and we had a lot to talk about.
To start off, in our first meeting together as a board, we discussed one of the major “hot topics” currently affecting schools: artificial intelligence. Since AI is still altering the way that students learn, carry out their assignments, and interact with technology, we took time to examine how SUSD’s current district-wide approach is working in classrooms.
A major topic of that discussion was the AI posters that have been put up in classrooms throughout the district. Although these posters are intended to help teachers explain when and how AI can be used, students pointed out that the way they are actually being used differs from class to class. This led us into a discussion about what is currently being done well and what could be done to make the AI framework more effective across all classrooms.
The board is looking forward to continuing the discussion on how SUSD can establish expectations that are useful, realistic, and consistent.
We also began exploring the goals that SAB hopes to achieve this year through our subcommittees. Members will be working in these committees (Technology, Media and Marketing, Student Culture and Climate, and Safety and Security) to tackle problems that they believe are most important. Each of these groups will have the chance to look into their classrooms, schools, and the district as a whole to see where they can make a difference.
This year will feature the new Media and Marketing subcommittee, which hopes to highlight the best aspects of SUSD, such as its programs, students, staff, and the stories that deserve more recognition. They aim to use social media and other marketing channels to come up with imaginative ways to bring light to what is going on throughout the district.
Above all, our main objective this year is simply to make certain that students’ voices are heard. The purpose of SAB is to provide students with a direct means of sharing their ideas, concerns, and views with district leadership, and we hope to keep developing this role over the course of the year.
September was just the start, but it established the tone for what we hope will be a busy and productive year.
We are looking forward to our meeting in October, where Communities Celebrating Diversity (CCD) will be joining us as we move our initial goals forward into action.
Matthew Lair
SAB President
Student Advisory Board - June 2026
As we wrapped up this school year, Student Advisory Board (SAB) members had the privilege of speaking at the May Governing Board Meeting, as well as hearing from Roger Rickard from Voices in Advocacy during our final meeting of the year.
We concluded the year on a high note with an informative presentation to the Governing Board, sharing end-of-year updates and discussing issues affecting students across our district. SAB members highlighted several accomplishments from this year, including filming two SUSD Spotlight videos, conducting a facilities survey, and implementing several Lunch & Learn events featuring career professionals from a variety of fields.
Following our presentation, we received questions from Governing Board members on topics ranging from dress code and the bond to graduation regalia. We were happy to provide insight and offer the student perspective on a variety of important issues impacting our schools and district.
It was both a privilege and an honor to speak at the meeting, and we look forward to continuing these conversations and opportunities again next year.
At our last meeting, SAB members learned insightful information about ‘disagreeing better’ from Roger Rickard. He guided our board members through content on how to find common ground in dialogues, how to use language to lower the temperature of a conversation, and how to simply become a better speaker. This information will be valuable in both leadership and in our everyday conversations, and we thank Mr. Rickard for a fantastic presentation.
Following the special presentation by Voices in Advocacy, we had the opportunity to recognize our seniors as they head off to college. The board also recognized our outgoing president, Fiona Riley, for her leadership leading SAB this school year. We wish all of our members the best of luck in their next steps!
We wish everyone a fantastic and safe summer and look forward to a great 2026-2027 school year.
Matthew Lair
SAB President
Student Advisory Board Update - May 2026
As the school year nears the end, the SUSD Student Advisory Board (SAB) continues working diligently to ensure student voices are heard and meaningful progress is made.
Following our Teen Town Halls in March, SAB members connected with school and district leaders to discuss student concerns and next steps. These conversations addressed familiar topics like bathrooms and school lunches, while also exploring more complex issues such as AI and the SUSD Code of Conduct.
During our April meeting, SAB members engaged in thoughtful dialogues with Dr. Menzel and Dr. Sackos about the district’s future with AI and how we can influence students to use it as a tool and not a hack. We talked about how SUSD high school students feel about graduation regalia; what should be in and what should be out. Following our meeting, we hope to clarify this matter, providing something that is unified among SUSD, but not perfectly uniform, after all, it is not the Scottsdale Uniform School District.
Looking ahead, SAB is preparing for our May 12 Governing Board presentation, where we will share updates from our subcommittees and highlight student perspectives on key issues impacting our schools.
In the coming weeks, SAB subcommittees will finalize their Wildly Important Goals (WIGs) as they wrap up their yearlong work.
From the Climate and Culture Committee perspective, we will be recruiting ambassadors for a shadowing program set to launch in September and October. We are excited to bring this opportunity to life, stay tuned for more details soon.
Other subcommittees have also been active and impactful. The Technology and Communications Committee filmed another student podcast in late March. The Safety, Security, and Facilities Committee is working on initiatives to reduce parking lot collisions. Meanwhile, the College and Career Readiness Committee is developing career interest surveys and hosting lunchtime events to help students better understand the college application process.
Finally, for the regular readers of this column, you’ll be hearing from me now. Hi, I’m Matthew (Max) Lair, your soon-to-be-SAB President! I look forward to continuing to share a vivid perspective into what SAB is accomplishing, and I hope to demonstrate the change that we are making across our schools and in our district. Throughout my time on this board, I’ve seen firsthand that students truly do have the power to make a difference. If you're a student reading along, know that your voice matters and it is heard.
SAB President-Elect
Matthew Lair
Student Advisory Board Update - April 2026
At the start of the fourth quarter, the SUSD Student Advisory Board (SAB) is focused on finalizing progress on our WIG (Wildly Important Goals) efforts while continuing to elevate meaningful student voice across the district.
In March, SAB members gathered at the MDA to review WIG progress and reflect on the recent Teen Town Hall events held at each high school. These events bring together SUSD leaders and students to share perspectives, gather feedback, and celebrate each school community.
Below are highlights from each campus:
Saguaro (Fiona Riley)
This year, Saguaro introduced a new format that included both pre-submitted and live audience questions. This approach gave students time to reflect on key topics while also allowing for more spontaneous discussion. Popular topics included facilities improvements, AI use, and technology enhancements. With a record number of participants, the event featured a wide range of perspectives from across campus.
Chaparral (Olivia Dougherty)
At Chaparral, students shared mixed opinions about the upcoming lunch schedule changes, though overall sentiment was positive. Survey results showed that students feel the greatest need for improvement is in academics (29.4%) and school culture (20.6%). Students expressed interest in increased college application support, including ACT prep, as well as improvements to parking safety and campus facilities. Many also highlighted strengths, including the English department, theatre program, and diverse course offerings.
Desert Mountain (Matthew Lair)
Desert Mountain’s Teen Town Hall saw a record 300 students in attendance. Discussions covered a wide range of topics, including lunch schedules, CTE funding, campus maintenance, and technology access. The event led to actionable outcomes such as improved lunch line planning, recognition of funding needs for clubs and athletics, and greater clarity around AI use and life skills opportunities. With representatives from the City of Scottsdale present, students also gained insight into local resources and civic engagement.
Arcadia (Erika Bello Munoz)
Arcadia students raised a broad range of questions, including AI use in classrooms, campus facilities, graduation guidelines, scheduling changes, mental health resources, dress code updates, and school event planning. Overall, students were especially interested in understanding how and why school decisions are made, reflecting a strong desire for transparency and communication.
Coronado
Coronado’s Teen Town Hall is upcoming, and the school community is looking forward to a successful event.
Following the Town Halls, SAB members met to reflect on key takeaways, share recommendations for future events, and discuss each school’s contributions to district-wide conversations. Students also engaged in a discussion with Dr. Cronn about the SUSD Code of Conduct, offering feedback and insights from a student perspective.
To conclude the March meeting, SAB members worked alongside district subcommittee leaders to finalize progress on their WIGs for the 2024–2026 school years. As the May Governing Board presentation approaches, students are continuing their work through initiatives such as podcasts, principal meetings, and digital content.
SAB members remain committed to amplifying student voice, supporting one another, and making a meaningful impact across SUSD.
Fiona Riley
SAB President
Student Advisory Board Update - March 2026
As third quarter rapidly approaches, the SUSD Student Advisory Board looks forward to more productive months of service!
In February, SAB spoke at the regular assembly meeting of the SUSD Governing Board, providing an overview of the progress on the Wildly Important Goals (WIGs) and an update on dates for the upcoming Teen Town Hall meetings. During their presentation, SAB members shared WIG milestones, including launching the first student-hosted SUSD Spotlight Podcast and organizing two “Lunch and Learns” at Saguaro High School, where students heard from career experts about opportunities beyond secondary education.
The following week, SAB students met for their February meeting, where they continued the conversation about how specific subcommittees can help promote enrollment across the district and how students can take the lead in these initiatives. Students also heard from the AIR group and gave their final stamp of approval on new AI guideline posters for the SUSD community.
Annual Teen Town Hall preparations are continuing across each high school site, with SAB’s first meeting at Saguaro in early March. At Teen Town Hall meetings, SUSD officials join high school students to gather insight into specific concerns and areas for growth, as well as to hear perspectives on district events and understand celebrations from each secondary community.
In the coming weeks, SAB members will continue to make progress on WIG efforts by filming more SUSD Source Podcast episodes comprised entirely of students, working with site administrators to finalize a timetable for establishing SUSD Shadow Days, and finishing a poster to help educate parents and students about the importance of vehicle safety in parking lots.
In the weeks leading up to the next SAB Governing Board presentation in May, the board will continue working towards boosting enrollment and elevating student voice.
Fiona Riley
SAB President