Swatara Middle School Student Council

Swatara Middle School Student Council

SWATARA MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT COUNCIL

CONSTITUTION

Oberlin, Pennsylvania

C.D.S.D.

Preamble

We, the students of Swatara Middle School, in order to form a more perfect learning environment, believe that:

(Student council members will write 3-5 goals of school/council - examples follow)

  1. The Student Government will be based on democratic principles.
  2. All staff and students should work to create a safe and orderly leaning environment.

Article 1 – Name of the Organization

The SWATARA MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT COUNCIL, shall be hereafter be referred to as Student Council.

Article 2 – Membership

Section 1

Each grade (6th, 7th, and 8th) shall be represented by (1 student rep from each grade level homeroom). Elections for all homeroom representatives will be held during the first week of October for the current school year in each grade level homeroom at the discretion of the homeroom teacher. Each representative will hold their position for one school year.

Section 2

Qualifications for Membership

a.All representatives must maintain academic eligibility in all classes.

b.The representatives should exhibit willingness to work and a desire to see Student Council succeed.

c.The representatives should practice good citizenship, scholarship, and leadership.

d.The representatives must accrue no more than one detention for each marking period of the current school year.

e.The representative should not have acquired more than one day of In-School Suspension (ISS) or receive Out-of-School suspension (OSS) within the school year.

Section 3

a.Each homeroom representative (or alternate) should attend all general meetings of the student council.

b.Representatives may be removed from the student council if he/she misses three meetings without presenting reasonable excuses to the Student Council President or Advisor prior to the meeting.

c.Each representative shall attempt to express the desires and opinions of the students he/she represents.

Section 4

Responsibilities of Representatives

a.Report council activities to homeroom students on a regular basis

b.Present, as fairly as possible, students’ ideas and concerns to the council

c.Attend all council functions (fundraisers, work projects, etc.)

d.Make special effort to keep students informed about student council projects and activities

e.Encourage all students to participate in student council activities when possible

f.See opinions of students and staff on school related issues

g.Be courteous and respectful and display SMS school values at all times

Article 3 – Executive Organization

Section 1:

  1. Officers: Student Council will have the following officers which will serve in leadership capacity and help preside over the student council general assembly:
  1. President
  2. Vice-President (one for each grade level)
  3. Secretary
  4. Treasurer
  5. Historian
  6. Officer-At-Large (3 – any grade level).

Section 2:

General Qualifications of Officers

a.All officers must maintain academic eligibility in all classes.

b.The officers should exhibit willingness to work and a desire to see Student Council succeed.

c.The officers should practice good citizenship, scholarship, and leadership.

d.The officer must accrue no more than one detention for each marking period of the current school year.

e.The officer should not have acquired more than one day of In-School Suspension (ISS) or receive Out-of-School suspension (OSS) within the school year.

Section 3:

Specific Qualifications

  1. Officers – in addition to general council meetings, the executive board is expected to attend all executive board meetings. Officers will also attend committee meetings as assigned.
  2. President – the president shall be in 8th grade for the year of his/her service
  3. Vice-Presidents – must be in the grade level of the grade they represent for their year of his/her service (6th grade vice president, 7th grade vice president, 8th grade vice president)
  4. Secretary – the secretary shall be in 7th or 8th grade for the year of his/her service
  5. Treasurer – the treasurer shall be in 7th or 8th grade for the year of his/her service
  6. Historian – there will be no grade stipulation for historian
  7. Officer-At-Large – there will be no grade stipulation for these general officers
  8. Committee Chairman and Representatives shall be appointed by the executive board of student council as needed for planning/implementing council activities

Section 4:

Term of Office

  1. All elected/appointed officers/chairman shall serve a one year term beginning upon election in September/October of the current school year until the last day of June of the current school year.
  2. Representatives shall serve a one-year term beginning immediately after their election in the fall, until the last day of school in June.
  3. Committee Chairman shall serve for the length of time required for the planning and implementation of the committee activity. (Representatives may serve on more than one committee)

Article 4 – Responsibilities and Duties

Section 1: President

  1. Shall execute and carry out the Constitution of Swatara Middle School
  2. Shall preside over all general student council meetings as well as executive meetings
  3. Shall represent the student body of Swatara Middle School, when called upon to do so by the Principal, Assistant Principal, Student Council Advisor, or other SMS administration.
  4. Shall appoint, with approval from the Executive Board, all chairpersons.
  5. Shall appoint, with approval from the Executive Board, ad hoc committees as necessary
  6. Shall have the authority, with approval from the Executive Board, to call additional meetings for the student council
  7. Shall promote interest and participation in Student Council
  8. Shall require that all motions be submitted in writing to the council secretary
  9. Shall work with council officers on agenda and budget planning
  10. Shall submit all council reports to council advisor
  11. Shall work with the Treasurer on budget and calendar planning.
  12. Shall submit proposed general council meeting agendas to executive council for vote
  13. Shall participate as a voting member of student council, being the deciding vote in the event of a majority vote resulting in a tie.
  14. Shall serve as moderator during council debates, allowing all sides of an issue to be presented fairly.

Section 2: Vice-President

8th Grade Vice-President

  1. Shall be prepared to assume the responsibilities of the President at any time (see Section 1).
  2. Shall assist the President as directed
  3. Shall assist with the preparation of agendas and budgets
  4. Shall assist the President with coordination of committees and activities
  5. Shall contribute ideas during meetings
  6. Shall participate as a voting member of student council
  7. Shall attend all general student council meetings as well as executive meetings
  8. Shall be available to all council members and 8th grade students to hear and report on student concerns or issues

7th Grade Vice-President

  1. Shall be prepared to assume the responsibilities of the President at any time (see Section 1)
  2. Shall assist the President as directed
  3. Shall assist the Secretary with agenda preparation and meeting minutes
  4. Shall participate as a voting member of student council
  5. Shall attend all general student council meetings as well as executive meetings
  6. Shall be available to all council members and 7th grade students to hear and report on student concerns or issues

6th Grade Vice-President

  1. Shall assist the President as directed
  2. Shall assist the Secretary with agenda preparation and meeting minutes
  3. Shall participate as a voting member of student council
  4. Shall attend all general student council meetings as well as executive meetings
  5. Shall be available to all council members and 6th grade students to hear and report on student concerns or issues

Section 3: Secretary

  1. Shall be responsible for recording all minutes of the Student Council meetings for both general meetings and executive meetings.
  2. Shall be responsible for preparing and distributing agendas for all council meetings
  3. Shall be responsible for maintaining all student council records
  4. Shall be responsible for distributing minutes of previous student council meetings
  5. Shall make sure the student council advisor receives copies of all student council meeting minutes for general and executive meetings
  6. Shall take attendance at all meetings
  7. Shall be responsible for posting meeting dates and announcements for events and activities
  8. Shall be responsible for typing neatly all letters/correspondence sent/received to/from student council, and keep organized file for each.
  9. Shall be responsible for creating a student council directory
  10. Shall keep a phone and address book for all contacts
  11. Shall be a voting member of student council

Section 4: Treasurer

  1. Shall be responsible for the record keeping concerning all student council expenditures and income
  2. Shall be responsible work with advisors, president, vice-president and committee members to formulate an active budget for student council
  3. Shall submit monthly financial statements and report these statements at both general and executive meetings
  4. Shall be responsible for making cost analysis reports for proposed activities and projects
  5. Shall be a voting member of student council

Section 5: Historian

  1. Shall be assist the Secretary in recording and cataloging meeting minutes for both general and executive meetings
  2. Shall create/maintain an archive for all student council business
  3. Shall include in the SMS archive any relevant history of the school, staff, students and community
  4. Shall be a voting member of student council

Section 6: Officers-At-Large

  1. Shall assist the president as directed
  2. Shall assist the vice-presidents as needed
  3. Shall assist the secretary, treasurer and historian as needed
  4. Shall assist committee chairpersons as needed
  5. Shall be a voting member of student council

Section 7: Chairpersons

  1. Shall be responsible for agendas, proceedings, and work of the assigned committee
  2. Shall prepare, with the help of his/her committee, a project plan for the assigned activity
  3. Shall prepare a report on committee activities for the general and executive council

Section 8: Representatives

  1. Will share news of student council activities and event with the student body
  2. Shall bring issues/concerns to the general council from the student body
  3. Will notify his/her alternate representative and student council advisor that he/she is unable to attend a required meeting
  4. Will actively serve in the planning and implementation of at least one student council activity

Article 5 – Elections and Appointments

Section 1: Election of the Executive Board shall take place in September/October of the year of service.

Section 2:

  1. Specific election guidelines will be reviewed in February and submitted to administration for approval. Candidates shall receive a copy of all election guidelines
  2. Violation of election guidelines will be grounds for immediate removal from any student council positions (including general homeroom representation)

Section 3:

  1. All students will vote for Student Council President
  2. Presidential candidates must be in 8th grade
  3. There will be no more than 4 candidates
  4. All students will vote for Student Council Secretary and Treasurer
  5. Candidates for Secretary and Treasurer must be in 7th or 8th grade
  6. There will be no more than 2 candidates for each position
  7. All students will vote for Officers-At-Large
  8. There will be 3 officers at large from any grade level
  9. There will be no more than 2 candidates for each position
  10. Students will vote for Vice-President for their current grade level only
  11. There will be one vice-president for each grade level
  12. There will be no more than2 candidates for each grade level
  13. All students will vote for Historian
  14. This position may be filled by any grade level
  15. There will be no more than 6 candidates – maximum of 2 per grade level

Section 4: The candidate receiving the most votes cast will win the election (popular vote).

Section 5: The President and Executive Council will appoint committee chairpersons as necessary

Article 6 – Meetings

Section 1: All meetings shall be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised.

Section 2: The executive student council officers shall meet a minimum of twice a month

Section 3: The general student council shall meet a minimum of once a month

Section 4: Committees shall meet as needed

Article 7 – Impeachment and Succession

Section 1: Impeachment

  1. All officers (elected/appointed) and representatives shall be subject to impeachment for behavior deemed inappropriate by the administration
  2. Any suspension will be reviewed by the student council advisor and administration and could result in immediate impeachment
  3. Expulsion from school requires automatic impeachment from student council
  4. Academic ineligibility will be reviewed by the student council advisor and could result in a probation or impeachment
  5. Probation will be one month to resume academic eligibility
  6. Missing 3 or more meetings, unexcused, shall be subject to impeachment proceedings
  7. Any officers or representative who fails to carry out his/her duty in a responsible manner may have impeachment charges brought against him/her
  8. Impeachment proceedings are defined in the bylaws

Section 2: Probation

  1. The student council advisor, principal or assistant principal may place a student council member on probation for any disciplinary problems.
  2. Probation may last from one month to a full school year
  3. The student council advisor, principal or assistant principal may place a student council member on probation if that member has not met the academic requirements
  4. Probation may last from one month to a full school year

Section 3: Succession

  1. In case of the president’s permanent inability to serve, the 8th grade vice-president will assume all responsibilities of the office of president. The 8th grade vice-president will be replaced following clause (b) below
  2. In case of all other elected/appointed officer’s inability to serve, the president shall appoint from general applications or previous candidates, with approval from the executive board and student council advisor, a person to complete the term.
  3. When homeroom representative vacancies occur, they will be filled by special election/or appointment in the homeroom where the vacancies exist. Election/appointment will be held at the discretion of the homeroom and student council advisor.

Article 8- Amendments

Section 1: This constitution may be amended by two-thirds (2/3) of the student council and approval of the student council advisor and school administration.

Section 2: Any member of student council, faculty or administration may propose amendments to this Constitution.

Article 9 – Ratification

This constitution shall be in effect when it is approved by the administration then receives two-thirds (2/3) vote of the student body.

Bylaws to the Constitution

Article 1

Standing Committees

Section 1: All standing committees shall be composed of any student council member that wishes to serve on them.

Section 2: The standing committees shall be as follows:

  1. Public Relations and Publicity – Is responsible for the maintenance of the student council bulletin board, all advertisements for student council events, working with the secretary for all newspaper articles, and other school publicity as submitted and approved by the student council advisor.
  2. Service – Is responsible for the planning and implementation of any student council service projects
  3. Social – Is responsible for the planning and implementation of any student council social projects
  4. Spirit – Is responsible for the planning and implementation of any student council spirit projects.

Section 3: Final committee action must be approved by a majority vote of the general student council.

Section 4: All committee chairmen shall:

  1. Attend all Executive Student Council as well as General Student Council meetings
  2. Actively participate in the activities of their committee
  3. Maintain regular communication with officers, other staff members and student council advisor
  4. Give monthly progress reports on committee activities
  5. Submit a year end report relating to the actions of the committee during that year

Article 2

Ad Hoc Committees

Section 1: May be formed as deemed necessary by the executive student council

Section 2: Must have specific objectives for a one-time event/program. A project-plan must be completed as required with all student council events.

Section 3: The president, with approval of the executive board and student council advisor, will appoint a chairman for the committee

Section 4: Final committee action must be approved by a majority vote of the general council

Section 5: The committee chairman will submit an after event report of the event

Section 6: The committee will be disbanded at the conclusion of the function

Article 3

Impeachment

Section 1: From Article 7, Section 1 in the Constitution, these are the proceedings to be implemented when charges are brought before an elected/appointed student council officer/chairman/representative.

  1. Charges should be submitted in writing to the student council advisor
  2. The student council advisor will inform the Executive Board and a committee of students, faculty, and administration shall be convened to discuss the charges
  3. If the committee finds the charges to be credible, the student council member charged with impeachment shall present his/her defense to the committee
  4. The committee shall vote by secret ballot to determine the outcome. The principal must confirm the outcome and may overturn the result at his discretion. The decision of the committee with principal approval is final.

Article 4

Adoption and Amendments

Section 1: This document shall take effect upon its approval by the administration and two-thirds (2/3) vote of the executive board.

Section 2: Any member of the Student Council, faculty, or administration may propose amendments to the Bylaws.

Section 3: These bylaws may be amended upon approval by the administration and ¾ vote of the executive board.

Article 5

Jurisdiction

Section 1: This document shall be appended to the Constitution for the duration of its authorization, but shall be superseded by the Constitution in any conflicts.

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