Old Bridge LMC adds student voices to collaboration

When the Old Bridge Education Association (OBEA) and Old Bridge Township Public Schools began developing their labor-management collaborative (LMC), they wanted to create a space where voices from across the school community could come together to identify challenges and develop solutions.

That meant bringing association leadership, members, administrators and board members to the table. LMC conversations also include teachers, ESPs, parents and other stakeholders. Traditionally, district LMCs have consisted entirely of adults. The Old Bridge team asked an important question: What about adding students?

“Since the whole point of an LMC is to be collaborative, we felt that students should also have a say in their education,” said Old Bridge Township Board of Education member Jennifer D’Antuono, who is part of the district’s core LMC team.

The decision has added a unique dimension to the collaborative. D’Antuono’s daughter, Lily, a senior at Old Bridge High School, serves as a student representative and brings a perspective to the table that adults may not always have.

A place for comprehensive conversation

OBEA President Ryan Sobin said the collaborative grew from an understanding that the district needed a forum where issues could be discussed by people representing different parts of the school community.

While Old Bridge Township already had Board of Education meetings, strategic planning and other district committees, the LMC created a different environment for discussion and problem-solving. Unlike the formal structure of a board meeting, the collaborative provides time for smaller groups to problem-solve together.

“We have representatives from all different areas of expertise,” Sobin said. “Our LMC truly is a spectrum of contributors.”

That broader representation is particularly valuable when decisions ultimately affect students.

“At the end of the day, we created an LMC to benefit the kids,” Sobin said. “It just makes sense to ensure they have a seat at the table.”

The student perspective

Lily is connected to numerous groups at the high school, including athletics, cultural clubs and the senior student leadership board. Those connections allow her to hear ideas and concerns from students with different interests and experiences.

“Right now, I’m the only student rep on the LMC, but I talk to many different student groups,” Lily said.

Student LMC participation is already demonstrating how input influences collaboration.

Driving change

Lily is also involved with the mental health and wellness committee, where members are exploring an idea to change what happens following state testing. Currently, high school students attend for a half-day of testing and then go home. Student feedback suggested a full day, with activities following testing that could make the experience less draining and give students something positive to anticipate.

“We’re working on the idea that after state testing, we could possibly do a full day of school with activities for students afterwards,” Lily said.

Lily’s suggestion also prompted consideration from another perspective. D’Antuono noted that remaining in school for the full day could ensure that students who rely on school meals receive lunch.

The discussion demonstrates an LMC core principle that one idea can be viewed through multiple lenses, allowing participants to identify benefits or concerns others may not have considered.

For Lily, the experience has demonstrated something very powerful. She said, “I know the effect that one voice representing others can have.”