Wetumpka Middle School

Student Council Association

Constitution & By-Laws

Article I: Name

The name of this organization shall be the Wetumpka Middle School: Student Council Association.

Article II: Mission & Purpose

Section 1. Mission

The mission of the Wetumpka Middle School: Student Council Association is to provide opportunities to enhance student leadership development and contribute to the overall benefit of our school.

Section 2. Purpose

The purposes of the Wetumpka Middle School: Student Council Association shall be:

  1. Strive for good citizenship.
  2. Respect all individuals in the school & community.
  3. Involve students in sharing ideas to help make our school the best it can be.
  4. Help students work together for the betterment of our school.
  5. Give students practice in democracy in action.
  6. Train students to be leaders & activists.
  7. Develop social skills like decision making & conflict management.

Article III: Membership

Section 1: All students in the Student Council shall have the opportunity to be nominated, to vote, & to offer ideas for Student Council action.

Section 2: The members of the Student Council shall be representative elected by their homeroom classrooms.

Section 3: Qualifications of Representatives

A student who wishes to be a candidate for the Student Council shall:

  1. Be a good citizen
  2. Be a hard working student
  3. Relate well to others
  4. Be in good academic standing (cannot fail two or more subjects in a grading period)

Section 4: Nominations

Each homeroom in grades 5, 6, 7, & 8 shall nominate and vote one student to act as representative.

Section 5: Elections

Election of council representatives shall take place in the homeroom classrooms in grades 5, 6, 7, & 8. The student receiving the most votes shall be declared the representative. The student receiving the second highest number of votes shall serve as alternate, & shall take over if the representative is unable to complete his or her term.

Section 6: Term of Office

The term of office shall be for one calendar year, beginning in September & ending in May.

Article IV: Officers

Section 1: Officers

The officers shall be the President, Vice-President, Secretary, & Treasurer.

Section 2: Nominations

  1. Students must complete an application form for the office to be eligible for the election. (Applications will be made available at the 1st September Meeting.)
  2. Reviews of the application will be made by the advisor & the administration to ensure qualifications are met.
  3. Students must submit two recommendations from Wetumpka Middle School teachers, and receive at least ten nomination signatures from classmates.
  4. Students must present himself/herself at the 2nd Student Council meeting in September & present a nomination speech.

Section 3: Elections

The election of officers shall take place in September & shall follow procedures approved by the administration.

Section 4: Duties & Responsibilities

The officers shall have the powers & duties that are listed:

  1. President: (Elected from a rising 8th grader)

-Preside at meetings of the Executive Board of Officers and General Membership

-Represent the association on all public occasions and student council events where feasible

- In collaboration with the Student Council Advisor, develop year-long agenda items for the organization

  1. Vice President: (Elected from a rising 7th grader)

-Preside at meetings of the Executive Board of Officers and General Membership in the absence of the President

-The Vice President of the Student Council will represent the organization at all committee meetings

  1. Secretary: (Open to all students that meet the candidate eligibility)

-Compile and keep the minutes of meetings

-Maintain and distribute contact information for members of the organization

-Provide directions, notices, and the agenda of meetings to Officers and General Membership

-Coordinate any public relations materials relevant to the organization

  1. Treasurer: (Open to all students that meet the candidate eligibility).

-Keep track of the student council budget that is used for activities & community events

-Help with any other official student council business, which needs to be conducted

Section 5: Term of Office

The term of office of all officers shall be one calendar year, starting in September & ending in May.

Article V: Other Members

Section 1: The Advisor

The Student Council Adviser is appointed by the principal, and acting as a designee of the

Principal is empowered to manage council activities, oversee the council budget, provide leadership training, and assist with planning events, schedule meetings, as well as support the organization in an advising capacity.

-Appoint all committees required by the constitution, by-laws, or approved by the officers

-Supports the organization in planning and delivering agenda items, committee responsibility, and school wise related programs.

-Serves as the school liaison for the organization to administration, staff, and interested parties.

-Coordinates all financial matters for the organization related to any fundraiser activity.

-Serves as the faculty advisor for the organization to school administration, staff, and interested community and related organizations.

Section 2: The Administration

The administration shall have final authority over all student council activities.

Article VI: Committees

- The organization shall have four on-going committees represented by members who are appointed based upon volunteer opportunities and approved by the Advisor.

- The on-going committees will include: Constitution and By Laws, Fundraising, Service Projects and Special Committees.

- The agenda for these committees will be established by the Advisor based upon the plan of the officers.

- The on-going Student Council committees will be co-chaired by one student from the 6th grade and one student from the 7th or 8th grade.

Article VII: Meetings

-Meetings are defined by the organization Advisor and will typically be established at least twice a month during homeroom, normally the 1st & 3rd Thursday of the month. However, there will be times when Student Council will be required to meet after school.

- Committee meetings will occur as needed based upon agenda items or overall function of the committee and as deemed appropriate by the Advisor.

Article VIII: Rules

Section 1: Each representative has one vote.

Section 2: All motions require a majority vote of the members of the Student Council in order to pass.

Section 3: Roberts Rule of Order, Newly Revised, shall be the authority on any questions on Parliamentary procedure.

Section 4: No action of the Council becomes official until approved by the administration.

Article IX: Amendments

This Constitution may be amended by two-thirds vote of the Student Council. This Constitution must be presented & reviewed by the Student Council during the month of October.

Addendum I: Continuing Membership

(May 11th, 2017 - meeting -- including parents)

Members as of 2016 - 17 school year, will continue in their role as members of WMS Student Council. Those students may be elected in the next year(s) to serve as a classroom representative, and/or may simply act as an additional representative to a particular homeroom. (See minutes of May 11th, 2017, for any questions.)

Addendum II: Budget

The Student Council Advisor, and Student Council Officers (elected for the current school term) will submit an estimated fiscal budget, to the Principal, to include:

  1. Expenses, such as T-shirts, name tags, field trips
  2. Expense of Student Council gifts, such as luncheons & gift cards
  3. Estimated Donations
  4. Revenue from fundraisers

The fiscal budget must be submitted along with the constitution & by-laws by October of every school year, per the Elmore County Board of Education; and can be subjected to audit by either the school book keeper or Chief Executive Officer of the Board of Education.

Wetumpka Middle School

Officer Nomination Form for Student Council

DIRECTIONS: Please print information on this form.

STUDENT’S NAME: ______

GRADE: ______HOMEROOM: ______TEACHER: ______

I would like to run for the office of ______

(President, Vice-President, Secretary, or Treasurer)

This application is due Thursday, September 15th by 3:30 P.M. to Mrs. Howard, room 9.

What is Student Council? Student council is an organization for 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grade students. It offers students an opportunity to develop leadership skills, serve others and create a fun, positive school environment. Student council members organize student activities at Wetumpka Middle School throughout the year. In addition, students will plan and participate in service activities that benefit local and possibly national or world charities. We are looking for students who are enthusiastic, hard-working, exhibit school pride and are dedicated to creating a fun and exciting learning community for their peers.

Time Commitment:

• Students are required to attend all student council meetings. If a student misses three meetings, he/she will be given a warning. If he/she misses a fourth meeting, the student will be asked to resign from student council. Before completing this application, please make sure you are able to commit to the scheduled after school meetings. Absences due to other WMS extra-curricular activities will be excused, but the student will be expected to make advisors aware of these.

• Students will be asked to attend two monthly meetings. These will typically be held on the first and third Thursdays of the month during Homeroom. Our first meeting will be on Thursday, September 22nd, with officers.

• Students will be asked to take on some organizational responsibilities for school

activities/service opportunities before school, during the day and after school.

Please answer the questions below to the best of your ability in the space provided.

  1. Why do you want to be a member of Student Council?
  1. What could you offer the Student Council team?

3. Please provide one idea for a service opportunity that the Student Council could sponsor this year.

In order to complete this application, you will need TWO TEACHER RECOMMENDATIONS. Please provide the names and signatures of those teachers below.

1. Teacher Name: ______

Teacher Signature: ______

2. Teacher Name: ______

Teacher Signature: ______

3. Teacher Name: ______

Teacher Signature: ______

I have read the student council expectations and attendance policy and support my child in applying for Wetumpka Middle School Student Council.

Parent/Guardian Signature______

Student Signature ______

RECOMMENDATION/SUPPORT of Classmates, at least Ten Student Signatures Required:

DATE / NAME (Print) / GRADE / SIGNATURE

(Members of the 2016-2017 Student Council Team will be announced & posted on the Student Council website by Friday, September 16th.)

Student Council Advisor:

Mrs. Howard, 7th & 8th grade Social Studies and Contemporary Issues Teacher, Room 9

Wetumpka Middle School

Student Council Minutes

DATE: ______, 20___ TIME: __:__ - __:__

LOCATION: ______

MEMBERS PRESENT: ______

POINTS OF DISCUSSION:

______

______

ITEMS VOTED ON & PASSED:

______

UPCOMING SERVICE PROJECTS:

______

Approved______

Advisor Initials SEC’S NAME HERE, Secretary Date

______

Officer NameDate