Student Council Constitution

ARTICLE I: Name and Objective

This organization shall be called the Student Council of St. Jude the Apostle School, Westlake Village, California.

ARTICLE II: Statement of Purpose

The purpose of this organization shall be to promote good citizenship, to encourage a high standard of scholarship, to promote school spirit, to demonstrate the practical application of democracy and to advance the welfare of the school and its members in every possible way.

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ARTICLE III: Powers of the Organization

The decisions of the Student Council are subject to the approval of the faculty moderator, the faculty at large and the principal of St. Jude the Apostle School. Rules and regulations of St. Jude the Apostle School always take precedence over any conflicting rules or regulations which might be passed by the Student Council.

ARTICLE IV: Membership

Students in grades three through eight are eligible to be members of the Student Council. Only students in grades seven and eight are eligible to be officers.

ARTICLE V: Elections

A. Class Representatives

                 1.    Number of Representatives: Each class in grades three through eight should elect two class representatives—one boy and one girl.

                 2.    Election Format: The format of the class election is at the discretion of the homeroom teacher.

                 3.    Candidate Requirements: All candidates for class representative must meet   the eligibility requirements, included in Appendix A.

                 4.    Timing: The election will be held during the month of September.

                 5.    Term:  Class representatives serve from September until June of the current school year.

B. Student Council Officers

1. Candidate Requirements: All candidates for officer positions must meet the eligibility requirements, included in Appendix A.
2. Timing: Election for Officers will be held in May.
3. Term: Officers serve from May of one school year until May of the next school year.
4. Application: Anyone wishing to be a candidate for a Student Council officer position must submit an Application to the Student Council faculty moderator.  A copy of the required Application can be found in Appendix C.
5. Election policies: The outgoing Commissioner of Elections and the faculty moderator will be responsible for election arrangements, including the counting of ballots.
6. Voting: Each student in grades two through seven will vote on the officers. Homeroom teachers will administer the voting and return the ballots to the Student Council faculty advisor.
7. Candidate behavior: All candidates must display good citizenship to their fellow candidates and all students. Failure to do so, as judged by the faculty moderator, faculty at large and principal, will result in ineligibility of the candidate.
8. Campaign limitations: There is a $10 spending limit on posters and other campaign materials. Candidates may not hand out food or other gifts.   
9. Speeches: Candidates must submit written copies of their campaign speeches to the faculty moderator in advance. Any candidate whose speech differs from the approved written version will be disqualified from the election.

B.  Special meetings: The Student Council President may request a special meeting at any time, with the approval of the Student Council faculty moderator.

C.  Absences: If any student has two unexcused absences from Student Council meetings, they may be removed from their position by the Student Council faculty moderator.

D.  Tardies: If any student has two unexcused tardies from Student Council meetings, they may be removed from their position by the Student Council faculty moderator.

ARTICLE VI: Meetings

A.  Time, place and frequency of meetings shall be at the discretion of the Student Council faculty moderator.

B.  Special Meetings:  The Student Council President may request a special meeting at any time, with the approval of the Student Council faculty moderator.

C.  Absences:  If any student has two unexcused absences from Student Council meetings, they may be removed from their position by the Student Council faculty moderator.

D.  Tardies:  If any student has two unexcused tardies from Student Council meetings, they may be removed from their position by the Student Council faculty moderator.

ARTICLE VII: Officer Qualifications and Duties

A.  General Qualifications: All officers must be upcoming seventh or eighth graders at the time of the election, with the exception of the President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer, who must be upcoming eighth graders.

B.  Requirements: All officers must maintain the eligibility requirements, included in Appendix A at all times. Failure to maintain these standards in any trimester will cause the student to lose their Student Council position for the balance of their term.

C.  Code of Conduct: All officers must follow the Student Council Code of Conduct, found in Appendix B, at all times. Violations of the Student Council Code of Conduct may result in the student needing to provide community service hours and may cause the student to lose their Student Council position for the balance of their term. Such determination will be made by the Student Council faculty moderator and principal.

D. Duties are as follows:

1. President: The President presides over all meetings and activities of the Student Council. The president also represents our school at all functions assigned by  the principal, vice principal and/or Student Council moderator.
2. Vice President: The Vice President presides over one meeting a month and when the president is unable to attend a meeting or function.
3. Secretary:  The Secretary takes the roll and keeps the minutes of all meetings.  The Secretary also is responsible for taking pictures at Student Council events for use in the school newspaper and/or yearbook.
4. Treasurer:  The Treasurer counts and handles all money from any Student Council event.
5. Commissioner of Religious Affairs:      This student is responsible for leading the daily morning prayers and prayer at all meetings and assemblies.  This person also helps with the May Procession.
6. Commissioner of Athletics:  This student reports the score of all St. Jude games, plans spirit pep rallies and helps with Olympic Day and athletic awards assemblies as needed.
7. Commissioner of Elections:  This student is responsible for the elections for the class representatives and the officer elections for the next school year.  This student is also responsible, along with the Commissioner of Extracurricular Affairs, for putting up and taking down the school flags each day.
8. Commissioner of Publicity:  This student prepares the Student Council bulletin board and prepares all posters, publicity flyers and announcements for Student Council events and other activities as needed.  This person also assists with the planning of school spirit events and activities.
9. Commissioner of Extracurricular Affairs:  This student is responsible for reporting the results of all non-athletic extracurricular events and for assisting with the planning of special events during the school year.  This student is also responsible, along with the Commissioner of Elections, for putting up and taking down the school flags each day.
10. Commissioner of Safety and Environment:  This student helps with playground safety, puts out the cones and closes the gate in the morning, opens the gate and moves the cones at the end of each day, and assists with any safety assemblies.  This person works with students and the administration on recycling and other environmental concerns.  This person is also the student liaison with the faculty Emergency Response Team.

ARTICLE VII: Ambassadors

As needed, ambassadors may be appointed to join the Student Council.  These ambassadors may be appointed by the Student Council faculty moderator, homeroom teachers or principal, at their discretion.  These students must meet and maintain the Student Council eligibility requirements and Code of Conduct, included in Appendices A and B.  The duties of ambassadors will be assigned by the Student Council faculty moderator.

ARTICLE VIII: Vacancies

A. Officers:  If a Student Council officer resigns, becomes ineligible or no longer attends St. Jude the Apostle School, the Student Council faculty moderator, with the approval of the principal, will determine whether to call a special election or appoint a student to fill the vacancy.

B. No Candidates:  If there are no candidates for a Student Council officer position, the Student Council faculty moderator, with the approval of the principal, may appoint a student to fill the position.

C. Class Representatives:  If a class representative resigns or becomes ineligible, the homeroom teacher, with the approval of the principal, will determine whether to call a special election or appoint a student to fill the vacancy.
 

ARTICLE IX: Amendments

A.     Amendments to this Constitution may be proposed by the Student Council.  The Student Council President will then take the proposed amendment to the Student Council Moderator and Administration for their approval.

B.     The Student Council faculty moderator, with the approval of the principal may make any amendments deemed necessary.

Appendix A: Eligibility Requirements for Student Council

All candidates for Student Council Officer and Class Representative must meet the following requirements. Once elected, all students must maintain these requirements. Failure to do so will result in the loss of a student's position.  (For purposes of the officer elections, "previous year" as used below shall mean the first and second trimesters of the current school year; for all other purposes "previous year" shall mean the prior school year).

    1.     For all subjects, candidates must have no grade in conduct or effort below a "C" in any of the previous years' trimesters.

    2.     Must have at least a "C-" in all subject areas for all trimesters of the previous year.

    3.     Must not earn more than five (5) points in any trimester.

Appendix B: Student Council Code of Conduct

As leaders and role models for the student body, Student Council officers are held to a higher standard of conduct. They must follow all rules, regulations and responsibilities of the school and be models of school spirit. They must be courteous and kind to the school faculty and staff, classmates and younger students. They must model exemplary behavior and attentiveness at all school events.

Appendix C: Application for Student Council Elective Office

(The Application form for Student Council Elective Office will look as follows):

I hereby petition the faculty of St. Jude the Apostle School to approve my candidacy for the Student Council office of:

                                                                                                                                                             .

I agree that if elected, I will abide by the Student Council Code of Conduct. I understand that failure to uphold the Student Council Code of Conduct will result in my providing community service time to the school, at the direction of the Student Council moderator, and that repeated failure may result in the loss of an elected Student Council position. In addition, I have read the requirements for Student Council officers, as stated in the Student/Parent Handbook and the Student Council Constitution.

Student Name:                                                                                                                                      

Student Signature:                                                                                                                              

Please attach to this application a one page written or typed essay on why you want to run for this office, some of your ideas for Student Council for this year and three positive attributes that you will bring to the Student Council.

Approval Signatures: I recommend this student's candidacy for a Student Council officer position and believe that they will uphold the Student Council Code of Conduct.

 (The form will then call for approval signatures as appears below).

Parent:                                                                                                                                                           

Homeroom Teacher:                                                                                                                          

Executive Summary

Students Eligible: Students in grades three through eight are eligible to be members of the Student Council. Only students in grades seven and eight are eligible to be officers.

Class Representatives

      •     Each class in grades three through eight should elect two class representatives - one boy and one girl.

      •     The format of the class election is at the discretion of the homeroom teacher.

      •     All candidates for class representative must meet the eligibility requirements, discussed below.

      •     The election will be held during the month of September.

Officers

      •     Elections will be held in May.

      •     Upcoming 7^th and 8^th graders are eligible Ambassadors.

      •     Ambassadors may be appointed to join the Student Council.

      •     These ambassadors may be appointed by the Student Council faculty moderator, homeroom teachers or principal, at their discretion.

      Eligibility

      •     Officers and class representatives must meet the following requirements.

      •     Once elected, all students must maintain these requirements.

      •     Failure to do so will result in the loss of a student's position.

      •     In addition, officers and class representatives must follow the Student Council Code of Conduct (below). Failure to do so will result in community service and may result in loss of position.​

1.   For all subjects, candidates must have no grade in conduct or effort below a "C" in any of the previous years' trimesters.

2.   Must have at least a "C" in all subject areas for all trimesters of the previous year.

3.   Must not have earned more than five (5) points in any trimester.

Student Council Code of Conduct

As leaders and role models for the student body, Student Council officers are held to a higher standard of conduct. They must follow all rules, regulations and responsibilities of the school and be models of school spirit. They must be courteous and kind to the school faculty and staff, classmates and younger students. They must model exemplary behavior and attentiveness at all school events.​