Ridgefield School District Welcomes Three Student Representatives To Board Of Directors (Photo) - 08/26/26

The Ridgefield School District Board of Directors welcomed three new voices Tuesday evening, swearing in three Ridgefield High School students who will serve as student representatives to the Board for the 2026-27 school year.
 

Sophomore AJ Tretheway, junior Henry Dudley, and senior Elizabeth Ibarra will each serve a one-year term, providing student perspectives and helping ensure student voice is represented during Board discussions and deliberations.
 

“We are incredibly excited to add their voices to our school board,” Superintendent Dr. Jenny Rodriquez said as she introduced the three representatives during the August 25, 2026, Regular Board Meeting.
 

The new student representatives bring a shared enthusiasm for leadership, service, and representing their peers.

Ibarra thanked the teachers and staff members who helped inspire her interest in serving her community.
 

“I just want to thank Ridgefield and all my teachers growing up who've really put this spark and this passion in me to help my community and help my peers to feel that their voice is heard,” Ibarra said. She added that she hopes to bring information and student perspectives back to the Board to help make Ridgefield “a more inclusive and fun place to be.”
 

Dudley also expressed his appreciation for the educators who have helped him grow and said he is looking forward to finding ways to contribute.
 

“I just want to say thank you to the district and thank you to all my teachers over the years,” Dudley said. “They've really given me the chance to grow and learn with them. I'm super excited to help out everywhere that I can.”
 

Tretheway thanked her family, teachers, and administrators for encouraging her to grow as a leader.
 

“I'm thankful for my mom and my dad for helping me push myself to be a leader and grow,” Tretheway said. “I'm super excited.”
 

Board President Brett Jones welcomed the students and emphasized that Board members are looking forward to hearing their perspectives throughout the year.
 

“We're happy to have you guys,” Jones said. “It's going to be fun to listen to your words of wisdom, and we're going to listen and hopefully work cohesively. I think it's a great opportunity for all of us.”
 

The addition of student representatives gives the Board an opportunity to hear directly from students as it discusses issues affecting Ridgefield schools.

Throughout their one-year terms, Tretheway, Dudley, and Ibarra will bring their experiences and perspectives to the Board table while gaining firsthand experience with school district governance and leadership.

The students were selected following adoption of a new policy last spring, written by the members of the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council. Interested high school students will be eligible to apply in the spring to serve the following school year.