A+ Student Council Constitution

A+ Student Council Constitution

A+ STUDENT COUNCIL CONSTITUTION

PREAMBLE

We, A+ Academy Student Council as a member of the Texas Association of Student Councils, sponsored by the Texas Association of Secondary Principals, in order to instill American ideals, to encourage citizenship, to develop leadership, and to support student councils of this State, do organize ourselves to operate under the following constitution.

ARTICLE 1 - NAME

The name of this organization shall be the A+ Academy Student Council.

ARTICLE 2 – PURPOSE OF THE A+ ACADEMY STUDENT COUNCIL

Section 1: The A+ Academy Student Council exits to promote civic responsibility, leadership, scholarship, and human relations within the student body. A+ Academy Student Council serves two distinct functions: legislation and service

The legislative purpose of the A+ Academy Student Council is as follows:

  1. To represent the interests of the entire student body
  2. To review and respond to feedback of the student body
  3. To act as liaison to the school administration and/or School Committee, when it becomes necessary for students issues to be addressed at this level
  4. To create bodies amongst its membership when necessary to achieve general and specific goals of the council

The service purpose of the A+ Academy Student Council is as follows:

  1. To provide aid to the students, the school and the community
  2. To host school functions which may include, but are not limited to, pep rallies, dances and teacher appreciation
  3. To sponsor a number of as community service activities, in a manner which brings the school and community closer together as a whole
  4. To create an atmosphere that promotes student involvement in both the council and other student organizations at A+ Academy

Section 2: The purpose of the Council shall be to:

  1. Strive for good citizenship.
  2. Strive for academic excellence.
  3. Respect all individuals in the school and community.
  4. Involve all students in sharing ideas to make our school the best it can be.
  5. Help all students work together in our school.
  6. Give all students practice in democracy in action.
  7. Help other citizens and groups in our community.

ARTICLE 3 – MEMBESHIP

Section 1: All registered students of A+ Academy shall become members of the Student Council and are voting members of the Student Council upon election to office.

Section 2: Any 7 to 12 graders may become a member of A+ Academy Student Council.

Section 3: The principal of A+ Academy is directly responsible for the welfare of the school, it is expressly understood that powers herein delegated to the Student Government of the A+ Academy Student Council electorate are in whole subject to the advice and consent of the principal or his/her designee.

Section 4: Any student who wishes to be a member of the A+ Academy Student Council, either a member or officer:

  1. Maintain 2.0 on the report card at the end of each six weeks
  2. Have all homework completed on time
  3. Strive to be well organized
  4. Have the ability to work well with others.
  5. Maintain high attendance at school.
  6. Be punctual to school, to class and to A+ Academy Student Council meetings.

ARTICLE 4 – ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDENT GOVERNMENT

Section 1: Form of Government: The government of A+ Academy shall be vested in the student body and a student council.

Section 2: Structure of the Student Government: The student government shall be consisting of the following bodies:

  1. A+ Academy Student Council
  2. All other bodies designated by the A+ Academy Student Council

ARTICLE 5 – COMPOSITION OF THE BODIES OF A+ ACADEMY STUDENT COUNCIL

Section 1: Structure of the A+ Academy Student Council: The A+ Academy Student Council shall be compromised of all students from 7th to 12th grade.

Section 2: Structure of the Student Body per Class: The class shall consist of the President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. The President of the class will be designated as representative for the class on the A+ Academy Student Council Executive Board.

Section 3: Structure of the Executive Board: The Executive Board shall consist of Executive Representative (who must be a senior) and each underclass presidents will hold representative positions on the Executive Board.

ARTICLE 6 – POWERS AND DUTIES OF A+ ACADEMY STUDENT COUNCIL

Section 1: The Powers and Duties of A+ Academy Student Council:

  1. To give advice and consent to legislation for the regulation of students within the Student Body.
  2. To consider all financial matters relating to Student Body funds
  3. To assign jurisdiction among bodies of the A+ Academy Student Council, in case of dispute over any responsibilities not expressly delegated to one certain body.
  4. To fill all vacancies of Student Body Officers by the means stated in the election rules.
  5. To interpret the meaning of the Constitution in case of dispute.
  6. To maintain communication between students and administration on matters concerning the general Student Body (i.e., curriculum issues, athletics, attendance, etc.)
  7. All members shall have one vote on A+ Academy Student Council issues with the exception of the A+ Academy Student Council President, who shall only vote in the case of a tie.

Section 2: The Powers and Duties of the Student Class

  1. To hold meets when called by class advisor and/or president
  2. To review the effectiveness of A+ Academy Student Council, form suggestions, and propose a course of action to be taken for improvement
  3. To discuss any concerns of the Student Body, and initiate action through the A+ Academy Student Council

Section 3: The Powers and Duties of the A+ Academy Student Council Officers and Executive Board

  1. To hold regular meetings
  2. To discuss agenda proposed by the A+ Academy Student Council, A+ Academy Student Council Executive Board or any other Student organization that will affect the Student Body
  3. To make the Student Body aware of all school activities
  4. To provide the Student Body with all sides of an issue.

Article 7 – Powers and Duties of the Members of A+ Academy Student Council

Section 1: Powers and Duties of the A+ Academy Student Council Officers: The powers and duties of the A+ Academy Student Council Officers are as follows:

  1. President
  1. To preside at all A+ Academy Student Council meetings
  2. To call special meetings of the Executive Board when requested by the administrator or advisor
  3. Be responsible for scheduling and running all meetings of A+ Academy Student Council
  4. When necessary, initiate voting on council matters
  1. Vice President
  1. To preside at all A+ Academy Student Council meeting when the President is absent
  2. Be responsible for upholding the A+ Academy Student Council’s Constitution and By-laws.
  3. Oversee the recruitment of new students to participate in A+ Academy Student Council
  1. Secretary
  1. To preside over meetings when both the President and Vice President are absent
  2. Record and preserve minutes of all A+ Academy Student Council and the Junior Class President to serve on Executive Board Meetings
  3. In charge of relaying information to all A+ Academy Student Council members
  4. Records attendance
  5. Record official minutes for A+ Academy Student Council
  6. Report on the previous meeting’s minutes at each meeting before submitting them as official record.
  7. Report progress made in any A+ Academy Student Council goals, activities and events.
  1. Treasurer
  1. Keep track of all matters concerning A+ Academy Student Council money
  2. Works closely with the Business Office, which handles A+ Academy Student Council money.
  3. Be responsible for reporting at each of the meeting the status of the council budget. This information shall include profits, expenditures, and available revenue.
  1. Historian
  1. In charge of making a scrapbook so A+ Academy Student Council members can see what previous councils have done.
  2. Serve as the webmaster for A+ Academy Student Council web site, Facebook and media sites, insuring that it’s kept up date.
  3. In charge of maintaining of any and all media
  4. Maintain an organized binder for submission to the Texas Association of Student Council

Section 2: All Members of A+ Academy Student Council:

  1. To attend all meetings of the A+ Academy Student Council. If they cannot attend, they must report to the advisor in advance.
  2. To present his/her views as well as those his/her constituents
  3. To report to his/her constituency the details of the A+ Academy Student Council meetings and to hold a class vote if required by the A+ Academy Student Council

Article 8: Student Council Elections

Section 1: Election Committee: The election committee shall consist of all outgoing (i.e. seniors) involved in A+ Academy Student Council. They shall be charge of all Student Body election.

Section 2: Powers of the Election Committee

  1. To present the A+ Academy Student Council with election procedures for approval prior to the first notice of election dates
  2. To check the eligibility of each candidate before placing his/her name on the ballot
  3. To tabulate the ballots and submit to the advisor the names of the successful candidates; this must be done immediately after the close of the polls

Section 3: Student Body Elections

  1. Any member of the Student Body at A+ Academy who will be enrolled the subsequent semester may campaign for A+ Academy Student Council office provided they meet the standards set by the election committee.
  2. Election Procedures
  1. All candidates shall submit a signed grade report.
  2. All candidates must have four (4) Teacher Evaluations.
  3. Those running for A+ Academy Student Council Officers must be in good standing with A+ Academy Student Council and attend at 80% of the A+ Academy Student Council events or activities.
  4. All candidates who shall be placed on the final ballot will be given the opportunity to speak before an assembly of the entire student body, if possible.
  5. All newly elected officers shall server for one term, lasting one year. Officials can, and are encouraged to run for office during following years, provided they are not graduating.
  6. All other election procedures will be set by the Election Committee with A+ Academy Student Council on a yearly basis.

Section 4: Class Elections

  1. Qualifications: Any member of a class may campaign for a class office provided they meet standards set by the election committee.
  2. Election Procedures
  1. All candidates shall submit a signed grade report.
  2. All candidates must have four (4) Teacher Evaluations.
  3. Those running for Class President must be in good standing with A+ Academy Student Council and attend at 80% of the A+ Academy Student Council events or activities.
  4. A general election of each class shall be held when specified by the Election Committee
  5. All candidates shall be given the opportunity to speak before an assembly of their class, when possible.
  6. All newly elected officers shall server for one term, lasting one year. Officials can, and are encouraged to run for office during following years.
  7. All other election procedures will be set by the Election Committee with A+ Academy Student Council on a yearly basis.

Article 9: Exclusion

Any student expelled or suspended from A+ Academy Student Council shall be denied the right to vote in the election.

Article 10: Initiative, Recall and Removal from Office

Section 1: Initiatives: On a written petition of 25% of the A+ Academy Student Council or 50% of the members of the Student Body, the A+ Academy Student Council shall take immediate action on any matter of school interest referred by such petition.

Section 2: Recall (A+ Academy Student Council, Class Officer and/or Executive Officer): Any officer, upon a petition of 25% of their constituents, shall be subject to recall vote, which will be open to constituents. Before the recall vote, the officer in question will be given an opportunity to speak before an assembly of the constituents. A majority (51%) of the votes cast are required to remove an officer.

Section 3: Removal from Office

  1. Student Body officers, upon petition of 1/3 of the A+ Academy Student Council shall be subject to a vote remove them office.
  2. The officer in question will be given the opportunity to speak beforeA+ Academy Student Council
  3. 2/3 vote is required to remove the officer from office
  4. An out-of-school suspension or in-school suspension automatically removes the officer from A+ Academy Student Council
  5. Students must maintain a GPA of 2.5 or better. Students that fail to meet that expectation will be placed on academic probation for six weeks, at which time they will be required to bring their GPA up to a 2.5. Failure to do so will result in removal from office.
  6. Officers may be removed by the advisor and/or administrator at any time for violations of the sign student code of conduct.

Article 11: By-laws

The A+ Academy Student Council is empowered to write all appropriate procedures and regulations necessary to carry out the letter and spirit of the Constitution.

Article 12: Amending the Constitution

An amendment to the Constitution may be proposed and discussed at a regular meeting of the A+ Academy Student Council. A 2/3 vote is required to accept the amendment. A 2/3 vote is required by the A+ Academy Student Council to carry the amendment. Upon passage, it will be added to the existing constitution.

Article 13: Ratification of the Constitution

The ratification by a majority of the A+ Academy Student Council in general vote shall be sufficient for the establishment for this Constitution as the governing instruction for the A+ Academy Student Council

A+ ACADEMY STUDENT COUNCIL Page 1

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