Gianna Brocchini is officially a voting student member of the Ripon Unified school board.
In the past, the student representative to the board, as voted in the spring during the Ripon High elections for the upcoming year, was that of a non-voting member.
But that’s changed, according to RUSD board President Kit Oase at Monday’s meeting.
He indicated that recent changes at the state level now provides student board members to weigh in and cast their vote on all items with the exception of personnel decisions.
For Brocchini, her vote will count.
“I’m excited and a little nervous,” she said prior to being administered the oath of office.
Brocchini, a senior, did talk to last year’s student board member Dallas Waters on what to expect for upcoming year.
“It was good talking to him. (Dallas) calmed me down,” she said.
Brocchini, in addition, will report regularly to elected leaders on events taking place at the high school and the RUSD elementary sites.