For years, the Super Student Advisory Board position (SuperSAC) has mystified the student body about what the exact role is. However, the SuperSAC role is vital, and gives the input of the student body to Portland Public Schools officials.

In previous years, one SuperSAC has been elected by the associated student body (ASB), however, this year there will be two SuperSACs, one appointed by administration, and one elected by the ASB.

The ASB SuperSAC has already been elected this spring, and this year sophomore Kendall Accetta was chosen. A SuperSAC’s duties entail meeting twice a month with other SuperSACs from PPS schools, attending two PPS meetings, and advocating on the behalf of their student body, according to Lincoln teacher Hanisi Accetta, who coordinates leadership.

Other SuperSACs have been focused on implementing new classes, like Ethnic Studies and Queer Studies, Hanisi Accetta said. Due to the success of the Ethnic Studies class, it will now be implemented in all schools across PPS.

“A lot of decisions get made at the District Office and with the school board [without] student input. It’s an easy thing to be making big decisions and forgetting who your client is. It’s important to check in with students,” said Hanisi Accetta.

Due to the recent passing of the bond to improve Lincoln High School, this year’s SuperSACs will be instrumental in communicating the wishes of the student body into the plans for the new building.

“We also have started pre-planning the first ever PPS Leadership Summit with all of the schools, so [SuperSACs] will be in charge of implementing that next March,” said Hanisi Accetta. “We will have representatives from all of the student unions across the schools…as well as all of the leadership classes.”

According to Hanisi Accetta, this year’s SuperSACs will also work on bring more student engagement, by holding three town halls during flex so students can voice their opinion.

This year’s SuperSAC, Kendall Accetta, Hanisi’s daughter, says the most important issues for her are “making sure there is equal opportunity, and I know that other Portland Public High Schools think of us as a somewhat rich high school,” said Kendall Accetta. “I want to work on giving a voice to the students that may not have the same opportunities that people see us as.”