Salem Lutheran School

Student Council

Guidelines

President

Shall preside at all of the regular and important meetings of the Student Council, and on occasion, will speak for the Council.

Must have at least two years experience as a representative or one year experience as a student Council member and be from the 6th grade.

Vice-President

Shall perform the duties of the president if she/he cannot preside at the meeting for any given reason. Is responsible for the end of the year elections. Must be from the 5th grade.

Secretary

Shall maintain a written record of all special or regular meetings. Is responsible for dispersing minutes recorded from previous meeting. Shall be responsible for all correspondence from the Student Council and maintaining a record thereof.

Must have at two years experience as a representative or one year experience as an officer. Can be from the 4th, 5th or 6th grade.

Treasurer

Shall maintain a record of all financial matters related to the Student Council including fundraisers. Is responsible for dispersing financial information to the PTO and school office.

Director of Religious Affairs

Is responsible for leading some announcements at weekly chapel. Will assist the Salem Chaplain at appropriate events. Can be from the 4th, 5th or 6th grade.

Director of Environmental Affairs

Is responsible for setting up and organizing “green” programs. Can be from the 4th, 5th or 6th grade.

Director of Publicity/Community Outreach

Is responsible for creating signs, school bulletins, and posters. Is responsible for school publicity and creating and writing an article for the school newsletter. Can be from 4th, 5th or 6th grade.

Students planning to run for an office must be entering 4th Grade in September.

Candidates must also meet the Academic and Behavioral Requirements as outlined in the Student Council Application.

Salem Lutheran School Student Council Election: Rules and Procedures

  1. Fill out the application, have it signed by your parents and submit the completed form to your classroom teacher by the due date on the form.
  2. Prepare a speech to be delivered in front of the student body. Candidates may NOT involve assistants or supporters in their presentation. Speeches should be no longer than 2 minutes. Your speech should include the following:
  1. Introduction of yourself, the office you are seeking, and why you are interested in running for this position
  2. Your years of previous experience (if any) on the Student Council
  3. How you plan to serve Salem Lutheran School if elected to this position
  4. Share examples of ways you demonstrate responsibility and reliability
  5. Ultimately, your speech should indicate what kind of person you are
  1. Make ONE campaign poster using 20” x 30” poster board. Posters will be displayed the Wednesday prior to the Monday on which speeches are made. It is the student’s responsibility to submit the poster to a Student Council Advisor.
  2. You, as a Student Council candidate, may not hand out candy, offer to purchase an ice cream treat, or approach another student in any way offering to buy or get them something in return for a vote. This is considered a bribe. Any candidate offering a bribe will be immediately disqualified from running for an elected office. No electronic solicitation of votes: text, e-mail, IM, and/or phone calls will be allowed.
  3. You may wear a pin to identify yourself to members of the student body. Candidate may distribute endorsement labels – no larger than 2” by 3” – see attached addendum regarding campaigning and example of correct label size.
  4. You may not destroy – nor take part in planning to destroy – another candidate’s campaign through your involvement in the promotion of negative gossip such as character defamation, destroying/defacing of an election poster, etc. If someone catches you participating – or hears that you have been involved – in this negative type of behavior (and the allegations prove to be true), you will be immediately disqualified from running for an elected office.
  5. The most important aspects to running a good and efficient campaign is to treat your opponents and colleagues in a positive Christian manner and to have a lot of fun! Good luck!

PLEASE SIGN AND RETURN to your classroom teacher.

I have read, discussed, understand, and will comply with the Salem Lutheran School Student Council election rules and procedures.

Signature of Student Council Candidate

______

I have read, understand, and will support my child to comply with the Salem Lutheran School Student Council Election rules and procedures.

Signature of Parent

______

Salem Lutheran School Student Council

Election Campaign Application

Before completing this form, please note the following:

Student Council Qualifications

All Student Council members must maintain a 3.5 GPA or better and a Very Good (V) average in behavior each quarter.

  1. Name: ______
  2. Grade: ______
  3. Office Applying For: ______
  4. Previous Student Council Experience (position and year served): ______
  5. Please attach to this form a copy of your most current report card. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
  6. Approval Signatures:

Parent/Guardian: ______

Classroom Teacher: ______

Student Council Advisor: ______

Principal: ______

Student Council Addendum Regarding Campaigning

In the interest of fairness to all candidates, please observe the following rules:

  1. Parents may not campaign on school property or during school functions. This includes, but is not limited to, the parking lot, Salem Lutheran Church and school based activities.
  1. Candidates may distribute campaign materials.
  1. Candidates may not forcibly place materials, advertisements or other visuals on any one person.

Non-adherence to the above rules may result in disqualification.

Salem Lutheran School Student Council Constitution

Preamble

We, the students of Salem Lutheran Elementary School, in order to establish democratic procedures guiding our activities and to breed a sense of intelligent leadership, school spirit, Christian conduct, scholarship, responsibility, and student-to-administration cooperation, do hereby establish this constitution.

  1. Salem Lutheran Elementary School Student Council
  1. Goals
  1. To develop leadership skills within the student body.
  2. To provide activities that nurture school fellowship and pride.
  3. To serve the school community.
  1. Specific objectives
  1. To demonstrate leadership qualities through direct classroom representation and the democratic election process.
  2. To provide activities that build awareness of social issues: drug awareness, environmental concerns, community outreach, etc.
  3. To support weekly chapel services.
  4. To instill school spirit and pride.
  1. Qualifications for Student Council members
  1. All Student Council members must maintain a 3.5 grade point average (GPA) each quarter.
  2. All Student Council members must have a Very Good (“V”) or better in Conduct/Citizenship each quarter in all subjects.
  3. Experience
  1. Executive Officers must have at least two years experience as a representative or one year experience as an officer.
  2. Directors must have at least one year experience as a classroom representative.
  1. Executive officers duties“including but not limited to”
  1. President - Shall preside at all of the regular and important meetings of the Student Council. Is responsible for leading the flag salute ceremony the Monday of Salem Socials Week.
  2. Vice President - Shall perform the duties of the president if she/he cannot preside at the meeting for any given reason. Is responsible for the end of year elections.
  3. Secretary - Shall maintain a written record of all special or regular meetings. Is responsible for dispersing minutes recorded from previous meeting. Shall be responsible for all correspondence from the Student Council and maintaining a record thereof.
  1. Directors duties – candidates from 4th through 6th grades

1. Director of Religious Affairs - Is responsible for leading some announcements at weekly chapel. Will assist the Salem Chaplain at appropriate events.

2. Director of Environmental Affairs - Is responsible for maintaining a green campus.

3. Director of Publicity/Community Outreach - Is responsible for creating signs, school bulletins, and posters. Is responsible for school publicity and creating and writing an article in the school newsletter.

  1. Class Representatives
  1. Grades 3 – 6 will each nominate and elect 1 student representative per class to serve on Student Council
  1. Elections
  1. Candidates for the office of President must be from 6th grade. Candidates for the office of Vice-President must be from 5th grade. Candidates for the office of Secretary must be from 4th grade.
  2. Candidates for the office of Directors can be from 4th, 5th or 6th grades.
  3. Nominees may only run for one office.
  4. The political assembly should be at least 2 days prior to the elections. Elections should be done on a secret ballot with the most votes winning the election
  1. Bylaws
  1. Procedure of Removal
  1. Attendance
  1. Student Council members including classroom representatives are expected to attend all regularly scheduled meetings and functions. Council members that miss two unexcused meetings will be subject to removal from the Student Council. Refer to the Salem School Handbook regarding attendance policy.
  1. Causes for removal
  1. Lack of attendance
  2. Failure to keep minimum grade standards
  3. Suspension
  4. Failure to complete responsibilities for office
  1. Activities
  1. The president shall oversee and monitor the activities proposed by the Student Council.
  2. Student Council Advisor(s) will be chosen from the Leadership Committee members consisting of faculty and/or staff.
  3. Approval for activities will be submitted to the Student Council Advisor(s). Upon the advisor(s) approval, it will be submitted to the school principal for approval.
  4. Approval from the school principal must be obtained a minimum of 4 weeks prior to the activity.

Submitted by the Faculty Leadership Committee Advisors

Mrs. Ghada Huleis, Principal