Middle school students recently shared their likes and dislikes with consultants as the district crafts a new five-year strategic plan.
Menands students representing grades six, seven and eighth met in three groups for round-table discussions with representatives of Capital Region BOCES, sharing what they liked about the K-8 school and what they thought could be improved.
“It was fun. We got to talk about things we like and things we want changed,” said sixth grade student Sydney Taylor.
Everything from lockers to curriculum to cafeteria offerings were on the table as the students spoke and BOCES representatives documented their input.
“There needs to be more space between them so you don’t whack someone while trying to get into your locker,” said sixth grade student Astrid McNamara.
Taylor said her feedback included food commentary. “I think the lunches should be better. There should be more options that we like,” she said.
Meanwhile, Taylor, McNamara and others offered plenty of platitudes about their Menands School experiences.
“I like how we have assemblies and we come together and have fun,” Taylor said, while another student praised the school’s sense of community.
The student input was part of a larger gathering of information from community members, parents, faculty and staff during the last six months.
The information is being processed and will be used to craft a draft five-year strategic plan that will be presented to the Board of Education in the coming weeks, said Superintendent Jennifer Cannavo. The new strategic plan will be used to guide the future of the school starting with the 2026-27 school year.