NLHS STUDENT COUNCIL HANDBOOK

STUDENT COUNCIL CONSTITUTION PREAMBLE We the members of the NLHS, do hereby establish this constitution for the Student Council of 2. There shall be a school council which shall act as the legislative branch of the government, and which shall consist of the four elected executive officers and seven representatives from each grade.

NLHS. We, the members, shall foster a spirit of co- 3. There shall be a faculty advisor to the council. operation among the students and faculty; shall train 4. All representatives and officers shall be required for worth citizenship through the channels of self control, self-reliance, initiative, and responsibility; shall diligently coordinate and regulate student activischool. ARTICLE I 1. The name of this organization shall be the Student Council of Northern Lehigh High School. ARTICLE II - Organization 1. There shall be a school student government tives of the student body of Northern Lehigh High School. to attend all regularly scheduled meetings of the council, unless he or she is excused by the advisor. cers of the council shall be one (1) year. Any representative may be recalled by a majority vote of the council members at a council meeting or at the demand of the faculty advisor, after which the advisor will appoint the next highest vote recipient from the ballot. Any representative or officer who fails two major subjects in scholastic standing for any one marking period will be dismissed. for representative for his class should indicate so on the representative form distributed to home-

ties; and shall promote the general welfare of our 5. The term of office for all representatives and offi-

whose membership shall consist of representa- 6. Any student who is desirous of being a nominee

rooms near the end of the last marking period. 10. At a designated time in the last marking period of Students will go through a screening process in order to have their names accepted. Students will then partake in an interview process by a committee designated by the Student Council Advisor. 7. A council representative, chosen by the advisor, will aid in the screening. Criteria for the screening process will include: A. Character assessment: a. The student should have high moral and ethical values. B. The student must have displayed the ability to follow and respect school rules and regulations. B. Academicsany candidate for a representative or an officer position must abide by the eligibility requirements set forth by the current school policy. C. The ability to be an asset to a student council. 8. The executive officers of Student Council, chosen first from the Senior Class and, if necessary, from the Junior Class, shall be: President, VicePresident, Secretary and Treasurer. student council meetings. Excuse from attenARTICLE IIIDuties of Officers and Representatives 1. The president shall submit a written agenda for each council meeting to the advisor 2 days prior to the scheduled meeting. The president shall preside at student council meetings, shall perform such duties as usually devolve upon presidents of similar organizations unless otherwise ordered by the constitution, and shall call special meetings when deemed necessary. The president shall be responsible to see that the council gets underway promptly and runs smoothly and efficiently throughout his term. of the duties of the president and shall assume full responsibility of these duties in the absence or disability of the president. The vice-president will be a member of all committees, shall be responsible for electing a chairperson for each committee and for getting committee reports. The vicepresident shall assist the president in preparing the term, an interview process by a committee designated by the Student Council Advisor will be held to determine the executive officers for the following school term. Any student desirous of being a nominee for an executive office must have passing grades in all work, pass a screening process, and must submit a petition signed by twentyfive (25) underclassmen to the council faculty advisor before a designated deadline prior to the interview.

9. Student Council members are required to attend 2. The vice-president shall assist in the performance dance must be granted by the advisor. Two unexcused absences may result in removal from the council. As elected officers and representatives of the student body, it follows that council members are expected to attend and support all council events and projects.

the agenda for meetings. 3. The secretary shall keep a record of all the meet- ARTICLE VPowers ings of the council and provide a copy of the min- 1. The council shall make recommendations or proutes for each representative and members of the administration, shall carry on the correspondence of the school council, and shall keep a record of attendance at council meetings and call to the atabsences. 4. The treasurer shall keep a record of all the exmake a report of the finances at each meeting of the council. The treasurer is responsible for the accounts and for the collecting of money at any of the council functions. be to bring to council suggestions from their respective homerooms, to foster good school spirit, to support the activities of the school, to cooperate with teachers and administration for the betterment of the school, to set an example of good citizenship for the entire student body, and to convey to their homerooms the activities of the ARTICLE VIIPetitions and Requests student council. ARTICLE IVMeetings. 1. The council shall meet at least twice a month or as often as necessary at a time and place approved and regularly scheduled by the administration and/or advisor. 2. Special meetings may be called by the president, faculty advisor, committee chairpersons, or administration if deemed necessary. 1. A request for the consideration of any problem concerning student government, by one student or a group of students, may be presented to the council through any representative in writing. It shall be the duty of the representative to present the problem before the council. 2. A member of the administration or of the faculty may petition the council in one of two ways: (a) By presenting the problem to a council member who will in turn present it to council. (b) By apARTICLE VIVeto the school may be vetoed by the principal, whose option it is either to make a counter proposal on which council would take action, or to give an explanation to the student council officers and/or entire council. 5. The duties of the homeroom representatives shall 1. Any proposal passed by the council concerning posals for regulation by a vote of the majority of those present at the council meeting. A quorum for transaction of business shall consist of a majority of council membership. be presented to the principal for passing or vetoing as the case may be. properly vetoed by the standard procedure set forth in Article VI.

tention of the council anyone who has three (3) 2. These recommendations of proposals shall then

penditures and receipts of the council and shall 3. The proposals shall be discarded or amended if

pearing before the council and presenting the problem personally. ARTICLE VIIICommittees 1. The council shall establish committees to perform the certain functions necessary to school government. The nature and purpose of these committees shall be decided by the officers with the approval of with approval of the advisor. The vice-president shall be a member of each committee and aid in the selection of a chairperson. member of the council. ARTICLE IXDiscipline Code 1. To achieve an efficient and orderly operation of Student Council, we expect all council members and officers to meet their responsibilities with respect to behavior. 2. Any council member or officer who is suspended may be dismissed from council. The advisor will meet with council concerning the student and the incident and a vote will be taken concerning the status of the council member. In order to be dismissed, the individual must receive 2/3 dismissal votes. ARTICLE XAmendments 1. A petition for amendment to the constitution may be presented to the council after having been signed by one-half of the student body of the school. 2. An amendment may be made by the faculty adviThe chairperson shall be a

sor and principal if deemed necessary. ARTICLE XIProcedures for Replacing Officer and Representative Positions. A. RepresentativesVacancies of representative positions shall be filled according to the interview results. The position will be offered to the person who attained the next highest interview rating. 1. The successor to the council president shall be the vice-president. 2. The successor(s) for the position(s) of vice-president, treasurer, and secretary shall be elected from within the council by the council members and advisor.

the advisor. The officers shall appoint the members B. Officers.