SHS Student Council Constitution
Article I
Name and Purpose
Section 1.
The name of this organization shall be the Swampscott High
School Student Council.
Section 2.
The purpose of this organization shall be to develop
leadership skjills; promote harmonious relations throughout the entire
school; improve student-teacher relationships; improve school spirit and
morale; provide a forum for student expression; provide orderly direction
of school activities; promote community involvement and promote the
general welfare of the school/community.
Article II
The Principal
Section 1.
The principal shall reserve the right to approve all activities
and decisions of this chapter.
Section 2.
The principal shall meet with the President or other
Executive Council member biweekly, as needed, or when possible.
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Section 3.
The principal may decide on the eligibility of any officer of
the membership, based on an evaluation of grades, disciplinary record, or
other that (s)he deems relevant.
Article III
Faculty Advisor
Section 1.
The Advisor(s) shall be responsible for the direct, day-to-day
supervision of the Council and act as liaison between Faculty,
Administration, Students, and Community.
Section 2.
The Advisor(s) shall maintain files on membership, chapter
history, activities, and financial transactions.
Section 3.
The Advisor(s) shall review grades of all Members at the
end of each quarter to insure that academic eligibility for participation is
maintained.
Sections 4.
The Advisor(s) shall help the Officers understand and carry
out their duties.
Article IV
Membership
Section 1.
The Class Councils shall consist, when possible, of a
minimum of:
A. Four (4) senior officers and five (5) senior representatives.
B. Four (4) junior officers and five (5) junior representatives.
C. Four (4) sophomore officers and five (5) sophomore
representatives.
D. Four (4) freshman officers and five (5) freshman representatives.
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Section 2.
If any member leaves or is dismissed from the Council, the
full Student Council may vote on a replacement within two weeks to fill
the vacancy.
Section 3.
The Officers shall not be counted as Class Representatives.
Section 4.
In order to maintain a position as a Student Council
Member, a student must meet the Academic Eligibility Requirements as
listed in the MIAA Athletic Handbook.
Article V
Qualification of Officers
Section 1.
The Officers of the Student Council shall consist of a
President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Junior Vice President.
Section 2.
These Officers shall not be on Class Council or be officers
of National Honor Society.
They shall have been members of the
Student Council for at least one year.
Section 3.
The President shall be a member of the Senior Class.
Junior Vice President will be a member of the Junior Class. Other
offices may be filled by students in the Junior or Senior Class.
Section 4.
All Officer Position will be determined through popular
election by the full Student Council.
Elections will be held annually in
May on a date to be determined by the Executive Board and the
Advisor(s).
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Article VI
Duties of Class and Executive Council Officers
Section 1.
The President shall:
A. Preside over all meetings and functions.
B. Appoint all necessary Committees and Chairpersons.
C. Call special meetings when necessary with the Advisor’s consent.
D. Liaison with School Administrator(s).
E. Oversee of all Council records.
F. Act as a member of all Committees.
G. Prepare all agendas.
H. Perform additional duties as directed by the Advisor(s).
Section 2.
The Vice-President shall:
A. Assume the duties of the President if necessary.
B. Maintain order during meetings.
C. Act as coordinator to all Committees/Chairpersons.
D. Record, publish and report (to Advisor(s), Executive Board and
Solicitor) names of Members who have not met Community/Council
Services Hours requirements on a quarterly basis.
E. Act as Co-Administrator of all Council functions.
F. Be responsible for all paperwork from all Committees.
G. Perform additional duties as directed by the Advisor(s).
Section 3.
The Secretary shall:
A. Give proper notice for all meetings.
B. Take and record attendance at all meetings.
C. Notify members after two meetings have been missed.
D. Be responsible for all record keeping.
E. Record all minutes of all meetings.
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F. Assist with creation of signs, posters, etc. for Student Council
events.
G. Perform additional duties as directed by Advisor(s).
Section 4. The Treasurer shall:
A. Make financial reports on the request of President or Advisor(s).
B. Manage Council Fund Raising events and activities.
C. Monitor all financial matters.
D. Perform additional duties as directed by the Advisor(s).
Section 5. The Junior Vice President (Executive Board only) shall:
A. Prepare ballots for elections.
B. Prepare and collect nomination forms for elections.
C. Organize and oversee election speeches and Election Day.
D. Assist all other members of the Executive Council with their duties.
E. Perform additional duties as directed by the Advisor(s).
Section 6.
The Representative shall:
A. Coordinate all publicity for upcoming events, in the manner of
bulletin boards, announcements, cable TV, signs, and other such
mediums.
B. Arrange for photographers at any Council events when necessary.
C. Submit articles to school/local/region newspapers when necessary.
D. Assist all Student Council Officers in completing their duties.
E. Perform additional duties as directed by the Advisor(s).
Section 7.
Officers will be issued passes to be used within the building
for Council business only.
Section 8.
All Members will perform any/all additional duties as directed
by the Advisor(s).
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Article VII
Discipline of Members
Section 1.
Any deviation from the Student Council laws outlined in this
Constitution may merit punishment to be determined by the Council
Advisor(s) or the School Principal.
The Council Advisor(s) or Principal
may investigate any Member to determine if the Member is guilty of
wrongdoing.
In the event that the Advisor(s) or Principal finds a
complaint justified, the Advisor(s) or Principal may decree that the
Member’s pass be revoked; that the Member be forced to perform extra
hours of Community Service; that the Member be suspended for
no
more than one month; or ultimately, be impeached from the Student
Council.
Article VIII
Removal and Punishment of Members and Officers
Section 1.
The temporary leave or removal, as well as punishment, of
an Executive Officer or any Council Member may be deemed necessary
if he or she is not performing the required duties of his/her position(s).
Offenses meriting suspension/removal/expulsion include academic
ineligibility, failure to complete required quarterly Community Service
hours, or any other offense by which the Council Member doe snot
honors their commitment to the Council.
Section 2.
Student Council Ethics/Rules/Policy Violations Complaint(s)
Procedures.
1) An Ethics/rules/policy Violations Complaint must be filed by
an Advisor.
2) The Complaint must include all relevant information.
3) The Complaint must specify alleged offense.
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4) All Advisors will meet to decide whether an impeachment
hearing should be held.
5) The Hearing procedure is as follows:
A.
The Advisors all meet with the Member being accused.
B.
Charges are read by an Advisor.
C.
Advisor(s) presents case/evidence/closes.
D.
Defending Member presents case/evidence/closes.
E.
Questioning period may proceed at the discretion of
the
Advisor.
F.
Secret ballot taken on guilt/innocence (majority vote).
G.
Votes counted/verdict read by Executive Board
Advisor/punishment read.
6) If appealed, decision sent to floor for vote of full Student
Council.
7) If 2/3 majority votes to acquit, charges dropped.
8) If more than 1/3 votes to convict/expel, Student is removed
from the Council, suspended, etc.
9) All hearings, documents, and activities will be recorded and
entered into the record by the Secretary.
Section 3.
In the event that a Member should be impeached, the
Student Council will appoint a new Officer.
not hold office the following year.
An impeached Member may
Exceptions to this rule may be made
at the discretion of the Advisor(s).
Article IX
Committees
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Section 1.
Special Committees may be formed by order of the Officers,
Executive Board and/or Advisor(s) to direct certain activities. The
Committees shall consist of volunteers/appointees from the Council body.
The President shall be a Member of all committees.
Article X
Meetings and Attendance
Section 1.
The Student Council shall meet at a time, day and place to
be determined by the Advisor(s) and the Executive Board.
Section 2.
Special Sessions may be called at any time by the
President, Advisor(s), or Principal.
Special sessions may also be held by
attaining a vote from two-thirds of the Student Council Members, upon
the notification of the Advisor(s).
Section 3.
A Member can be impeached if he or she missed three (3)
unexcused meetings in the course of one school year.
This includes the
SHS Student Council meets and events AND class council meetings and
events.
Section 4.
At Class Council meetings, the Secretary shall take
attendance and by the next day, report attendance to the Executive
Board Secretary.
Article XI
Voting
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Section 1.
Before any vote can occur in Council, the issue must be
presented on the floor by the Council President.
Section 2.
All votes will be cast from the floor, unless a secret ballot is
deemed necessary by the members of Executive Board and/or Advisor(s).
Section 3.
Simple majority votes are required for passage of any item
on the agenda, with the exception of amending this Constitution.
Section 4.
The Secretary will record and log the results of all votes
taken.
Article XII
Executive Board Elections
Section 1.
Officers for the next school year shall be elected by plurality
Section 2.
Each Candidate for running for Executive Board Membership
vote of the present Council not later than the first full week of May.
in the Student Council shall meet the Academic Eligibility Requirements
set forth in the Student Handbook (via or the Athletic Handbook) before
taking out nomination papers.
Section 3.
Each Candidate for Executive Board Membership shall file
nomination papers with the Advisor(s0 not later than one weekend prior
to the election date.
Section 4.
Each nomination paper shall be processed by the Executive
Board and/or Advisor(s), which shall have the power to declare any
invalid nomination paper null and void.
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Section 5.
Elections for Council Members shall beheld during the month
of May, the exact date to be determined by the Executive
Board/Advisor(s).
Section 6.
Not less than fifteen (15) signatures of Council Members in
good standing must be submitted on a nomination paper (Standard form)
before a Member is allowed to run of an Executive Board
Position/elected office.
Article XIII
State Organization
Section 1.
The SHS Student Council shall be a member of the
Massachusetts Association of Student Councils.
Section 2.
Representatives to state organizations will be Executive
Council members unless separate election is required.
Article XIV
Community and Council Service Hours
Section 1. Consistent with the purpose of this organization (see Article 1
Section 2), Student Council Members will be required to perform three
(3) community service hours per quarter.
Section 2. Student Council will organize participation in on community
serbice event (cancer walk, My Brother’s Table, etc.) per quarter.
Section 3. Members who do not attend the community service event
must complete independent Community Service Hours, and approve the
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service with an Advisor.
The Vice-President will be responsible for
counting and reporting the number of Community/Council Service Hours
submitted on a quarterly basis.
Article XV
Evaluations & Recommendations
Section 1.
At the conclusion of each year, Student Council members
will complete a survey created by the Executive Board and advisors.
The surbey shall include an evaluation of the previous year’s Student
Council experience and recommendations for the following year.
Section 2. Recommendations made on the evaluation forms may be
considered as amendments to the Student Council for the following year.
Article XVI
Amendments
Section 1. This Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of
those present at a meeting called for that purpose, provided that the
proposed amendment has been presented to the membership at least
one meeting prior to the meeting at which it is to be voted upon.
(The format of this Constitution was based upon the Blackstone-Millville Regional Senior High School Council
Constitution.)
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