Thirteen students from Marysville high schools took part.

Board president Pete Lundberg asked them not to hold back. “We want you to be honest and speak the truth,” he said. “That’s what we need to hear.”

Superintendent Becky Berg added, “You are here because we want to hear from you.”

The meeting is part of a series the board is having in an effort to “listen to the people we represent,” Lundberg said. They met with civic groups last week and will meet with parents next week.

The students were asked what they like about school.

Cyrus Williams of Arts and Tech said he liked that the board and school administrators want to hear the student perspective. At his school, there is the “teacher connection that shows they care.”

Jared Greenleaf of Mountain View said teachers treat students like adults. “We get so much more done,” he said.

Trevor Ashley of Marysville Getchell said he likes the Advanced Placement classes and that there is “little bullying.”

Jaylin Rivera of Tulalip Heritage said she likes the sports. “We all get pumped,” she added.

The students also were asked what they would like to see improve in schools.

Greenleaf said cut down on state testing. “No one likes doing all the tests,” he said.

He added that because he goes to a small school, they receive a basic education, but he’d like more opportunities. “I wish there were a lot more options,” he said.

Veronica Johnson of A and T said the student store has had to cut back on what it sells, which means less money. She also said the school needs a marketing class.

Williams said when he was a freshman the school had psychology but it was only for upper classmen. Now that he’s old enough, the class was taken away when the teacher left.

“There are classes we want to take,” he said, adding the number of foreign languages offered is limited.

Keller Kahl said it’s ironic that at A and T there are not many arts or technology classes.

Jessica Iglesias of MG said it is hard to pick an academy there.

“In eighth grade you don’t know what you want to do,” she said, adding she wishes students could cross over more into other academies. “We want to branch out and see what there is.”

Ashley said because they have to choose an academy, “It limits discovering the passion you have.”

He also said he doesn’t like taking tests online because some people can’t type very fast.

Ashley also said he thinks all students should be held to the same standard. For example, he said if students go to a party they should all be reprimanded the same way.

Courtney Stevens of MG said having the different academies makes it hard to get to know everyone. “It hurts the school spirit,” she said. “It’s hard to come together as one.”

Alisha Purdom of Marysville-Pilchuck said there is a “bad vibe this year,” and they would like some help developing “better school culture.” She said there were some huge issues during Homecoming, and they tried to talk out the problems but it didn’t work.

Bailey Nelson agreed, saying the school could use some help with cliques.

Students then were asked about technology in school. The consensus was that Chromebook computers have helped in many ways, but there also have been issues.

Some students don’t “take them to school on purpose,” Stevens said.

Others forget them or don’t charge them so the battery goes dead, Mikaylee Pablo of Heritage said.

Selma Marin of MV said people who don’t use them correctly cause distractions.

Alexis Harmon of MG said many “teachers don’t know what to do with them.”

Nelson agreed that some “teachers are clueless.”

Purdom said not all teachers have received training, so that will help, but she sees lack of curriculum as an issue.

But she also said Chromebook provides new tools for students to collaborate more, and gives access to computers to some who may not have them.

“A lot more people have access,” Ashley added.

Iglesias said, “I use it in almost every class I’m in now.”

At the end of the meeting, the students exchanged contacts with the hope of including all of the high schools in some future activities.

“Thanks for keeping it real,” Berg said.

She said later that the event went well.

“Whenever we can listen to the voice of students we are better connected to the classroom, and our ultimate purpose in this work,” she said.