Markham D.H.S.

(905) 294-1886 markham.dhs@yrdsb.ca
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Student Activity Council Constitution

Student Activity Council 

Markham District High School

2024-2025

 

Preamble

All Student Council candidates must go through the SAC Candidate Approval Process.

  1. The SAC Candidate Approval Process includes an application, teacher references, student nominations, an interview and approval from an Administrator (which will include looking at current and previous year’s grades, attendance and school-related discipline incidents). 
    1. Any student whose application is not approved will be told which stage their application failed to pass, but specifics as to “why” are optional, as in many cases the information must be kept confidential (which means the Advisors may not even know “why”).
  2. All potential candidates for Student Council will participate in an interview after submitting their application. Only candidates who pass the interview may then run for an elected position on SAC.

Article A - Introduction

The following document defines the mandate, structure, and operation of the Markham District High School Student Council, hereafter known as the “Student Activity Council” or “SAC”.

 

Article B - Mandate

  1. To promote the general welfare of all students by coordinating the student activities of the school and fostering school spirit and unity.
  2. To sponsor, initiate, and promote school activities.
  3. To act as a representative of the student body.
  4. To act as a liaison between the student body and the school Administration, Parents’ Council, and larger community.

 

Article C - Membership

Note: “Grade” is defined as the number of years in which one has been enrolled in high school, not the courses they may be taking (ie. a grade 11 student is in their third year of high school, even if they are enrolled in a grade 10 or 12 course).

  1. The following members of council shall be elected by the student body:
    1. Co-Presidents
    2. Spirit Coordinator
    3. Publicity Officer
    4. Jr. External Affairs Officer
    5. Grade 12 Representative
    6. Grade 11 Representative
    7. Grade 10 Representative
  2. The following members of council shall be appointed by a nomination committee made up of graduating SAC representatives and Staff Advisors
    1. Assistant Treasurer
    2. Communications Coordinator
    3. Grade Representative Coordinator
    4. Events Coordinator
    5. Sr. External Affairs Officer
    6. Media Coordinator
    7. Grade 9 Representatives (Appointed in the fall of the year in office)
  3. Council may include designated representatives from each organization listed below, if necessary:
    1. Music Council
    2. SAA
    3. Peer Mentors
  4. Council members who occupy an executive position in any other extracurricular organization should notify a SAC Staff Advisor. However, SAC Staff Advisors may not prevent any student from assuming an executive position in any other extracurricular organization in addition to a position on SAC.
  5. All SAC members must chair or co-chair one event, and actively participate in all Student Council events. SAC members chairing an event must have a presentation ready at least two weeks prior to the event, explaining the event and having schedules. Most of the planning for an event should be done outside of student council meetings. 
  6. The SAC member who chaired the event must write up an event report using the provided template and submit digital copies to the SAC Google Doc’s account and Staff Advisors, and a printed copy in the Event Write Up binder in the SAC Office, by the next two SAC meetings following the event. Failure to do so will result in ½ an absence for every extra meeting that the write up is outstanding.
  7. SAC members must attend all major SAC events (with the exception of Prom), unless a valid excuse is included. Attendance will be monitored by the Co-Presidents, Communications Coordinator, and the Staff Advisors. All meetings will be open to all members of the school with the exception of closed meetings called at the discretion of the President. The student body will be made aware of open meetings.
  8. SAC members are expected to actively contribute to all SAC events by:
    1. Voicing ideas during discussions
    2. Assisting with event planning
    3. Completing delegated tasks on the event day during their lunch/spare unless they have a valid excuse (Failure to do so will result in 1 absence)
    4. Completing delegated tasks on the event day while signed out of class unless they have a valid excuse (Failure to do so will result in 1 absence)
    5. Attendance will be monitored by the Co-Pres, Communications Coordinator, and Teacher Advisors
  9. All members of council, with the exception of the Staff Advisors, have the right to vote during council meetings.

 

Article D - Duties of Members

For All Members
  1. Shall create/update a guide which explains their position on the Student Council. The guide should include, but is not limited to:
  2. Roles and responsibilities
  3. Personal advice
  4. Personal feedback on dance companies, clothing wholesalers, and other contacts
  5. Files/templates used (in electronic forms on Google Drive). 
  6. This will be completed before the Student Council elections as it will serve as a "How-to" guide for potential candidates and successors. 
  7. Shall regularly contribute to SAC as a whole.
  8. SAC members shall attend and participate in meetings weekly, and must notify the following: Co-Presidents, Communications Coordinator and teacher advisors at least 24 hours in advance if they are unable to attend. Failure to notify 24 hours in advance will count as an unexplained absence which can accumulate and lead to removal from office. Where possible, SAC members should try to avoid appointments and other commitments on scheduled SAC meetings. 
  9. Experienced SAC members shall act as mentors to new SAC members, especially the Grade 9 and Grade 10 Representatives. This will allow the Grade Reps to job shadow senior SAC members in order to better familiarize themselves with the various roles and responsibilities of Student Council. It will also provide SAC with a larger pool of trained members and make the transition from one year to the next much easier.
  10. Shall read and agree to the position description and outlined responsibilities in the constitution at the first Student Council meeting and at the halfway point in the school year. Members are expected to independently carry out their responsibilities and ask questions when needed.
  11. Shall sign the Code of Conduct Contract by the end of September. 
Co-Presidents
  1. Must have at least one full year experience on the Student Activity Council (SAC).
  2. Must be in Grade 11 or 12 effective in the year of office.
  3. Shall preside over SAC meetings, present a SAC agenda for each meeting, and maintain rules of order.
  4. Shall act as SAC’s spokespersons to the student body and outside the school.
  5. May attend or send a representative to all meetings of the York Region Presidents’ Council and joint meetings of York Region Student Councils.
  6. May represent (or designate someone to represent) SAC at OSSSA.
  7. Shall oversee all council activities and act as an advisor to all branches of SAC.
  8. May attend or send a representative to the School Council meetings as scheduled. 
  9. Shall be responsible for notifying Student Council teacher advisors regarding Student Council members who have attendance problems or are not fulfilling their required responsibilities. The Staff Advisors will decide whether or not to work in conjunction with the Co-Presidents to determine an appropriate solution. The Teacher Advisors will speak with the Co-Presidents after a decision has been made.  
  10. Shall act as a liaison between the student council, student body, and administration.
  11. Shall send out a detailed agenda weekly 48 hours prior to the scheduled meeting time, including the order of topics to be discussed during the meeting and which SAC member is on snacks for the upcoming week.
  12. Shall work together and/or with York Region President’s Council Conference alumni to create criteria for delegates to represent MDHS at York Region President’s Council Conference for a year in office.
Treasurer
  1. Shall be responsible for keeping detailed records of all financial transactions. All cheque requests shall be prepared and signed by a staff advisor and Treasurer/Assistant Treasurer as soon after each Student Council meeting as possible. All cheque requests shall be delivered to the Budget secretary by Thursday morning (or whatever day the budget secretary writes cheques).
  2. Shall prepare and present a budget that is approved by student council, teacher advisors and Administration at the beginning of each school year. Shall prepare a mid-year and end-of-year budget update for student council, teacher advisors, and Administration. Shall provide a copy of this report to Staff Advisors, School Council and Administration. Shall make an analysis of spending patterns and recommend changes to council for the following year.
  3. Shall ensure, through periodic investigations, that all council funds are being spent properly.
  4. Shall submit financial records at the end of his/her term.
  5. Shall be responsible for overseeing all money transactions with the aid of the Assistant Treasurer and Co-President.
  6. Shall train, on a regular basis, the Assistant Treasurer.
  7. Shall be responsible for depositing money to the Budget Secretary in a timely manner.
  8. Shall be accountable to SAC as a whole re: financial transactions.
  9. Shall meet with an administrator as necessary to discuss the actions taken by the student council regarding financial transactions.
Communications Coordinator
  1. Must be in Grade 10, 11, or 12 effective in the year of office.
  2. Must have access to their own portable laptop computer at all times.
  3. Shall prepare the SAC website prior to the start of each school year, including:
    1. Updating the “About” or “Student Council” page with pictures and names of the new Council.
    2. Granting website edit access to the Senior and Junior External Affairs Officer and helping them navigate through it.
    3. Checking in with a teacher advisor about the renewal of the domain name for the website on an annual basis.
  4. Shall be responsible for overseeing the daily maintenance and upkeep of the SAC website.
  5. Shall be responsible for ensuring announcements submitted online to be read on the P.A. system:
    1. Shall send a confirmation email for all announcements submitted online and forward them to the secretary for display on television screens around the school.
  6. Shall be responsible for posting announcements on the SAC website before they are announced at school.
  7. Shall work with the Event Coordinator and Publicity Officer to update the SAC website with events, activities, and promotions.
  8. Shall work with the External Affairs Officer to prepare the “Calendar” page on the website and update the “Club List” page
  9. Shall prepare thorough, typewritten, proofread minutes of all council meetings, including attendance.
  10. Shall ensure that, within 48 hours of the meeting, emailed copies of these minutes are distributed to the Staff Advisors, Administration and SAC members, and uploaded in the “Minutes” folder on the SAC Google Drive.
  11. In case of absence, a member may volunteer or be appointed to take minutes. This member will type the minutes and forward them to the Communications Coordinator who will be responsible for proofreading, posting and filing them as per normal.
  12. Shall create a list of SAC members and their email addresses and spares/lunches to be posted on Google Docs, sent to Student Council Teacher Advisors and to Administration by the end of September and February each year.
  13. Shall sign-out SAC members and send the sign-out sheet to the attendance office at least 48 hours before the event date.
Grade Representative Coordinator
  1. Must have at least 1 year of previous SAC experience.
  2. Shall mentor the Grade Representatives and new SAC members throughout the year, with tasks including but not limited to:
  3. Helping out during the transition periods between councils at the end of the school year.
  4. Providing and distributing necessary resources to the Grade Representatives and new SAC members (i.e. guides, etc.)
  5. Overseeing and checking in on the duties of Grade Representatives (i.e. Event write-ups, Committee duties, etc.)
  6. Helping the Grade Representatives and new SAC members find tasks to complete within the Student Council.
  7. Maintaining connections between the Grade Representatives and new SAC members.
  8. Shall set up and facilitate all student council clothing sales and distribution (i.e. M-Gear, SAC Gear, or any other clothing related projects), with tasks including but not limited to:
    1. Reaching out to the student body or the Arts/Media department for designs
    2. Creating polls for the student body to vote for different M-Gear pieces
  9. Coordinating with other SAC members to come up with a suitable design for SAC Gear.
  10. Shall be responsible for organizing all SAC socials.
  11. Shall be responsible for creating schedules for Tuck Shop upkeep and maintenance, monitoring office supply levels and placing orders for new supplies as needed.
  12. Shall be responsible for determining which charities/organizations to support using various funds/proceeds collected from SAC events.
  13. Shall assist SAC presidents by holding SAC member “Check Ins” during the middle of the school year (preferably  February - March). 
  • Check Ins shall provide SAC members an opportunity to reflect on their time on council 
  • Provide SAC members stars and steps to improve moving forward.
  • SAC members shall review their duties in the Constitution
  1. Shall provide the council with constructive advice, pertaining to any event or duty drawn from previous year(s) of SAC experience.
Sr. External Affairs Officer:
  1. Must be in Grade 11, or 12 effective in the year of office.
  2. Is encouraged to attend a minimum of two YRPC meetings during the school year, dependent upon time availability, and present the meeting agenda at the next Student Council meeting, and/or seek a Student Council member to represent MDHS at said meetings.
  3. Shall act as the contact with peer mentoring and assist with clubs.
  4. Shall be responsible for presenting all proposals for events to SAC on behalf of clubs. The event proposal processes through the SAC website shall be explained to clubs at the beginning of the school year, with the procedural requirements of attaining event approval from SAC and school administration clearly outlined.
  5. Shall be in charge of compiling a list of all school clubs, monitoring club activity and holding bi-monthly meetings.
  6. Shall assist council committees with event planning. In particular, shall maintain a master calendar/schedule in order to coordinate all of the dates, times and locations of events.
  7. Shall respond to event proposals, informing club representatives of Council’s input and decisions. Responses of approval will confirm all details of the event (ie. location, time) and responses of disapproval will provide reasons for denial.
  8. Shall effectively communicate and collaborate with the Communications Coordinator to:
    1. Prepare the “Calendar” page on the SAC website with a full list of events prior to the start of the school year for the rest of the school to observe. Shall make regular updates throughout the school year as needed.
    2. Post and update club pages on the SAC website.
Events Coordinator
  1. Shall organize and delegate duties to the members of SAC during meetings to deliver school spirit events, including Spirit Weeks, Theme days, school dances, and Holiday events.
  2. Shall prepare a list of creative event ideas for the year using own ideas, as well as input from student body and SAC members that shall be voted upon by SAC.
  3. Shall work with the External Affairs team and teacher advisors to develop a Master Calendar for events to occur during the school year.
  4. Shall work with the Events Planning Committee to prepare Event Outlines and plans.
  5. Shall work with SAC to ensure events that are planned are equitable, accessible and inclusive.
  6. Shall delegate SAC members to obtain all necessary supplies for each event, including all prizes if applicable.
  7. Shall work with Communications Coordinator and Publicity Officer to further promote school spirit events through announcements, emails, teachers, Google Classrooms etc. and create a social media schedule.
  8. Shall be responsible for communicating with vendors for events and relaying information to staff members.
  9. Shall work with the treasurer and Assistant Treasurer to create a budget for events.
  10. Shall oversee each Event Committee to ensure that Event Checklists are submitted and relevant staff members are notified.
Publicity Officer
  1. Shall be a member of the announcements team. This announcements team shall be responsible for the music directly before the first period and shall have the power to, when necessary, restrict the length and/or content of announcements so that the announcements program will be of reasonable length.
  2. Shall create and frequently update a “Morning Music Playlist” consisting of school appropriate songs to be played before announcements
  3. Shall access the email for the purposes of retrieving announcements in the event that the Communications Coordinator is unable to do so.
  4. Shall be responsible for obtaining and issuing advertising supplies.
  5. Shall maintain and update the SAC Bulletin Board to inform students of upcoming SAC events, etc.
  6. Shall assist the Spirit Coordinator in promotional activities and the Media Coordinator in social media advertisements.
  7. Shall be responsible for creating announcements regarding events, spirit days, and other activities put forward by SAC in collaboration with the Spirit Coordinator.
  8. Shall be responsible for creating posters and promotional materials with the help of the Publicity Committee. 
Spirit Coordinator
  1. Shall work directly with the Events Coordinator and Publicity/Promotion committee to organize events including Spirit Weeks, Theme Days and Holiday events that are designed to raise school spirit, encourage participation, and provide enjoyment for the student body.
  2. Shall actively encourage student participation in events by organizing class visits, raffles, and other promotional activities.
  3. Shall work with the Publicity Committee to create banners, posters and social media posts for events as well as helping out setting up and organizing events.
  4. Shall be a member of the announcement team and assist the Publicity Officer in delivering announcements and music, specifically creating engaging announcements to advertise SAC events. 
Grade Representatives
  1. Each Grade Representative must be enrolled in his/her respective grade as a full time student throughout the year, effective in the year of office. Grade representatives are elected by his/her peers, with the exception of the Grade Nine Reps.
  2. Shall represent, seek out and communicate the views and opinions of his/her grade peers during council meetings. Shall also share information regarding council activities with these same peers.
  3. Shall promote the involvement of grade peers in school events, overall spirit and awareness. Shall encourage students to make use of resources offered by guidance in relation to mental health and well being. 
  4. Shall be assigned to a committee based on interest and strengths once elected and aid SAC members with specific tasks in said committee (Publicity, Events planning, Finance, Outreach). Shall have the opportunity to change committees if they wish, to further their understanding of different roles on SAC. 
  5. The Grade 9 and 10 Representatives shall have the opportunity to shadow other SAC members in order to better familiarize themselves with the various roles and responsibilities of Student Council and be provided with various, hands-on opportunities to help them understand more about SAC itself and the different roles in this council. This may include making banners/posters, helping out with logistics and planning and promotional activities at a more intricate level. Specific activities that Grade Representatives can contribute to include:
    1. Logistical Aspects:
      1. Grade representatives shall have the opportunity to work alongside other SAC members in the Finance Committee to understand more about the positions in this sector. 
      2. Activities may include helping out with preparing cash boxes before events and providing ideas for planning the sales and distribution of M-Gear and SPC cards. 
    2. Promotional Aspects:
      1. Grade representatives shall have the opportunity to work alongside other SAC members in the Publicity Committee to understand more about the positions in this sector. 
      2. Activities may include helping out with announcements, creating posters, banners, videos and overall, spreading awareness about SAC events to their grade. 
    3. Planning Aspects:
      1. Grade representatives shall have the opportunity to work alongside other SAC members in the Event Planning Committee to understand more about the positions in this sector. 
      2. Activities may include helping out with planning the logistics for SAC events and contributing to the formal plan.
Assistant Treasurer
  1. Must be in Grade 11 effective in the year of office. Under specific circumstances, a Grade 10 can be considered for the position. 
  2. Shall assist the Treasurer in all of their duties and/or assume the Treasurer’s duties when the Treasurer is unavailable.
  3. Shall assist the Treasurer prepare and present the annual student council budget.
  4. Shall be accountable to the Treasurer and SAC as a whole re: financial transactions.
  5. Shall accompany the Treasurer to the meetings held with the Administrator.
  6. Shall assume the position of Treasurer in the year that follows their time in power as Assistant Treasurer, at the approval of the Staff Advisors. 
    1. Staff Advisors shall meet with the Assistant Treasurer to discuss concerns that may arise during their term, and time will be provided for the Assistant Treasurer to improve the performance of their duties. If after the designated time the Assistant Treasurer has not improved the performance of their duties, then the Staff Advisors shall inform the Assistant Treasurer that a new Treasurer will be appointed for the following academic year. 
  7. Shall create a budget for the Semi-Formal dance.
Junior External Affairs Officer
  1. Must be in Grade 10 effective in the year of office.
  2. Is encouraged to attend a minimum of two YRPC meetings during the school year, dependent upon time availability, and present the meeting agenda at the next Student Council meeting, and/or seek a Student Council member to represent MDHS at said meetings.
  3. Shall assist the External Affairs Officer with clubs.
  4. Shall be responsible for presenting all proposals for events to SAC on behalf of clubs if the External Affairs Officer is not present. 
  5. Shall assist the External Affairs Officer in compiling a list of all school clubs and posting to the SAC website, monitoring club activity and holding bi-monthly meetings.
  6. Shall assist council committees with event planning. 
  7. Shall assist the External Affairs Officer in responding to event proposals, informing club representatives of Council’s input and decisions. 
Media Coordinator
  1. Shall be responsible for the planning, directing, and creating of SAC videos and media-related ventures and ensuring that they are viewed by the Teacher Advisors at least 48 hours prior to the event.
  2. Shall work with the Publicity Committee to plan advertisements and other SAC campaigns. The Media Coordinator shall be chiefly responsible for creating posters (both paper and electronic versions) for these campaigns.
  3. Shall be responsible for taking digital photos and videos of SAC events and activities.
  4. Shall be responsible for sharing photos of events with the Yearbook committee, and updating the “Pics & Vids” page on the SAC website, as well as uploading videos on Youtube.
  5. Shall act as a liason to the tech crew of the school.
Staff Advisors
  1. Shall provide support and guidance to council and act as a liaison with administration and staff.
  2. Shall be present at all Student Council meetings.
  3. Shall provide support and guidance to help ensure that council functions in a successful and unified manner.
  4. Shall supervise events.
  5. Shall monitor attendance at SAC events of all SAC members
  6. Shall be responsible for editing or censoring all material presented at all student assemblies  entertainment to see that it is of a quality suitable for such use.
  7. Shall work with experienced SAC members to mentor new SAC members, especially the Grade 9 and Grade 10 Reps.
  8. Shall not vote during SAC meetings, with the exception of Constitution Amendment meetings.8
  9. Shall have the right to veto any council decisions, if deemed necessary, with the exception of Constitutional amendments; administration holds veto power in this instance.
  10. In the case of a student council member having to depart council for any reason, it is the duty of the staff advisors to inform the Co-Presidents before the next scheduled student council meeting. 
  11. In the event that a member of Student Council has attendance problems and/or who is not fulfilling their required responsibilities, Staff Advisors shall collaborate with the Co-Presidents to determine an appropriate solution and/or consequence and a recommendation for impeachment can be forwarded to the Principal.

 

Article E - Committees

All SAC members will be split into four general committees (Outreach, Publicity, Events Planning and Finance) to complete general tasks collaboratively. The following committees are subject to change, depending on the interests and skill sets of the members.

Outreach Committee
  1. Shall be responsible for reaching out to different external groups including but not limited to: clubs and councils within the school, parent/school council, York Region’s Presidents Council and the administrative staff. Potential positions in this committee may include:
    1. Co-Presidents 
    2. Communications Coordinator
    3. External Affairs Officer
    4. Junior External Affairs Officer
    5. At least one Grade Representative
Publicity Committee
  1. Shall be responsible for the promotion of all SAC-related events. This includes creating announcements, posters, banners, and videos before a SAC event or other major school events. Potential positions in this committee may include:
    1. Publicity Officer
    2. Spirit Coordinator
    3. Media Coordinator 
    4. At least two Grade Representatives
Events Planning Committee
  1. Shall be responsible for creating an event outline, planning the logistics of SAC events and presenting a formal plan during our Student Council meetings. Potential positions in this committee may include: 
    1. Events Coordinator
    2. At least one Grade Representative
Finance Committee
  1. Shall be responsible for working together to create an opening and closing budget for SAC, preparing cash boxes before events and planning the sales and distribution of M-Gear and SPC cards. Potential positions in this committee may include:
    1. Treasurer 
    2. Assistant Treasurer
    3. At least one Grade Representative

 

Article F - Removal from Office and Position Vacancies

  1. Any of the following constitute grounds for impeachment: 
    1. 5 or more unexplained and/or unreasonable absences from SAC meetings. The decision of what qualifies as unexplained and/or unreasonable absences, and the final decision to recommend impeachment to the Principal, shall remain at the discretion of the Staff Advisors. 
    2. Failure to follow through with the commitments and responsibilities taken on when the member accepted their position on Student Council. Any council member may inform the Co-Presidents that another member is not fulfilling their role, and it is the Co-President's' responsibility to bring this matter to the Staff Advisors’ attention, or the council member may speak directly to the Staff Advisors about his or her concerns. 
    3. Failure to maintain a 70% average, currently failing grade in a course, and/or if they have classroom attendance issues.
    4. Activities or behavior which are disrespectful or detrimental to the safety and well-being of themselves or others (students and/or staff). 
  2. The process for impeachment of a Member shall be:
    1. The Member will be given one official warning followed by an allotted time period in which to correct their behavior. The Co-Presidents will be informed of the official warning. 
    2. If the behavior continues after the designated time, the decision for impeachment will stand. A discussion to impeach a council member for dereliction of duty will be between the Co-Presidents, Staff Advisors, and Administration. 
    3. Upon the decision of an impeachment, the council member will be given 2 school days to prepare an appeal which will constitute as a formal letter and/or a meeting with the Co-Presidents, Staff Advisors, and Administration.
    4. Administration will make a final decision and deliberate to the council member prior to the following SAC meeting.
    5. If a student is impeached, they are encouraged to pursue other leadership opportunities within the school (e.g. joining an extra-curricular club, trying out for a sports team, etc). But they are no longer eligible to run/apply in the next SAC Election.
  3. In case of a student council member having to depart the council for any reason, the member will be replaced if it is still in the first half of the year, i.e. before the January exam. The replacement will be decided upon by having the candidate who finished second in voting for that position to take their place. If it is a non-elected position then the teacher advisors who took part in the interview process will decide on another student to take on the responsibility of the role. If a suitable candidate is not found using the method stated, SAC will hold an interview process to decide on the replacement student for the vacant role.

 

Article G - Meetings

  1. SAC shall meet at least once a week on a pre-determined day and time.
  2. At least 70% of Council and one Staff Advisor must be present for any business to be passed and made binding. This is quorum.
  3. Motion Procedures:
    1. All members of SAC, elected, appointed, and designated have the authority to move, second, and vote for any motion.
    2. Motions should be passed if: 
      1. A debatable money request is made of council.
      2. A decision for an event or SAC fundraiser is necessary. 
  4. All members of council shall fully and unquestionably support any decision made binding through a recorded vote by council, even if the decision goes against personal opinion.
  5. Meeting Agendas should include, but are not limited to:
    1. Call to Order
    2. Approval of Minutes
    3. Approval of Agenda
    4. Club Proposals and Money Requests
    5. Old Business
    6. New Business
    7. Treasurer’s Report
    8. Calendar
    9. Staff Advisors
    10. Adjournment
  6. Regular SAC Meetings shall adjourn by 5:00 pm at the latest. Discussion on any items must terminate at this time. All remaining items on the Agenda are to be discussed in the following meeting.
  7. If it is deemed necessary, the Co-President, under the advice of Staff Advisors, may request the presence of all student council members at an emergency meeting outside of regular meeting times. Emergency meetings may only take place on school days outside of class time.
  8. A minimum of two SAC members must be assigned to bring a snack to one or more SAC meetings as scheduled by the Communications Coordinator. Failure to do so will result in a snack debt, and a snack must be provided at the next SAC meeting. 

 

Article H - Event Planning

  1. When a member of SAC has an idea to present to Council, he/she must ask to be added to the meeting’s agenda.
  2. A verbal proposal must be made to Council accompanied with a written plan outlining the rationale for having the event.
  3. The Council then discusses the proposal. For example: pros, cons, potential dates, duration, location, supplies, cost, supervision, permits, etc. 
  4. The sub-committee chair then asks for SAC members to volunteer to join the sub-committee. 
  5. The responsibilities of the chair include:
    1. Hold sub-committee meetings- deciding when and where the sub-committee shall meet.
    2. Taking attendance.
    3. Delegating duties (e.g. making appropriate contacts, arranging for supervisions, etc.)
    4. Organize a vote for all major decisions. Major decisions include: prizes, dance DJ’s, spirit week events, etc.
  6. The sub-committee chair must present a detailed outline of the event two weeks prior to the date of the event. If the sub-committee chair is absent from the meeting, another member of the sub-committee must update the Student Council.
  7. Failure to comply with any part of the event planning process may result in the cancellation of said event.

 

Article I - School Clubs

  1. Student Council will ask that each club, new and pre-existing from a previous year, complete an Extra-Curricular Club Charter at the beginning of each school year in order for a master list to be compiled.
  2. A set dollar amount of club fund is allotted to each MDHS club, and will be awarded at SAC’s discretion.
  3. Each club and organization must keep an accurate account of monies spent, including appropriate receipts of all expenditures and assets.
  4. Approval for events, fundraising or otherwise must be obtained from SAC prior to approaching the administration for inclusion on the function calendar for the school. The process of attaining SAC approval may serve as a screening process for school administration.
  5. Each club is to confirm the dates, times, and locations of its activities with the council.
  6. Each club and organization must have a staff advisor who is present at every meeting and event.
  7. Each club is to elect one representative to attend the monthly club meetings held by the Events Convener to discuss upcoming events.

 

Article J - The SAC Spirit Award

This award is to be presented at Commencement for the year involved.

  1. Council shall present the SAC Spirit Award to one graduating student. This award shall be based on academic achievement and general contribution to the school and shall be valued at $100. The council will choose the recipient with a vote.
  2. The recipient of the SAC Spirit Award may not have been a member of SAC in their graduating year.
  3. Potential recipients may be nominated by any SAC member, but the nomination must be seconded by another SAC member in order to be voted on.

 

Article K - Application/Nomination for Council

  1. General Application Procedures:
    1. Nomination forms will be distributed 20 school days before Election Day and must be completed and submitted to one of the council Staff Advisors 10 school days before Election Day.
    2. A candidate may only apply once; either for one elected position or for one appointed position, with the exception of the co-president
      1. If candidates applying for president are not elected or receive the role, they are permitted to be interviewed for an appointed position. 
    3. A candidate applying for more than one position is disqualified from both positions unless one of the positions was co-president and the other was appointed. 
    4. Applicants will be vetted by SAC advisors and administration for suitability for the position. If successful, student will be notified that they are permitted to run for the position.
  2. Any student wishing to run for the position of Co-President on SAC must:
    1. Must have at least one year experience on SAC in previous years
    2. SAC members will be surveyed during the meeting one week prior to the release of SAC application forms
    3. If no previous SAC member shows interest, candidates must hold an executive position on another school club which is run in a similar fashion to SAC, attend a minimum of 2 SAC meetings throughout the year, and be endorsed by the staff advisors of their club as a student who would be eligible to hold this position. If another club or activity renders the candidate unable to attend the two mandatory meetings to be eligible for election, they will meet with the Staff Advisors before said meetings to discuss an alternative.
  3. Any student wishing to run for the position of Communications Coordinator must submit a one paragraph piece of writing detailing why they are suitable for the position as well as a portfolio of relevant design work demonstrating technical abilities (i.e. web design work with software and programs), in addition to their nomination forms.  
  4. Any student wishing to run for the position of Media Coordinator must submit a 2-5 minute video that demonstrates their technological expertise and familiarity with video editing, photo editing, as well as photography/videography. The candidate must also submit a sample of graphic design work (either hand-drawn or digital). The candidate must also submit their nomination forms prior to being interviewed.
  5. Any student wishing to run for the position of External Affairs Officer must submit one piece of writing detailing why they are suitable for the position in addition to their nomination forms prior to being interviewed.
  6. The academic qualifications for all candidates shall be set at a 65% average of all courses taken that year on the date of the SAC application deadline. Administration has the ultimate say over any candidate’s inclusion on the ballot.
  7. All candidates must receive a copy of their position description/duties with the nomination form. Students running for appointed positions must be prepared to answer questions in an interview. In particular, they should be prepared to answer questions regarding the duties of the position they are running for.

 

Article L - Election Week/Elections and Appointment of Council

  1. Timelines for the Selection of a new Council:
    1. Selection of all members to council shall be held before Summerfest (formerly known as May Day), with the exception of the Grade 9 Representatives, who shall be appointed early in the following school year, and club representatives, who shall be appointed following the Elections and Interviews for new council.
    2. It is the duty of the newly elected council members to observe all council activities. This job shadowing is intended to facilitate a smooth transition between old and new council. The new SAC will take on all responsibilities of its post commencing at the summer meeting in late June.
  2. The Student Council Election Committee is composed of the Staff Advisors and graduating SAC members.
  3. All campaigning must occur during the lunches of the one week that is distinguished in the events calendar. The beginning of the week is noted by “Student Council Elections Campaign Begins” and the last day is noted by “Student Council Elections Assembly”. All campaigning must be approved by Administration.
  4. During the Elections Assembly, all candidate videos will be shown and all candidate speeches will be presented. The duration of videos and speeches is to be determined by the Elections Committee, Staff Advisors, and Administration. Videos and speeches will be approved by the Election Committee and Teacher Advisors. The approval of Administration may or may not be requested should a disagreement arise.
  5. Google Voting Form results must be kept for one week after elections, in case a recount is necessary.
  6. The Staff Advisors will create the Google Voting Forms and maintain them in a separate, private shared folder.
  7. The Executives will be responsible for interviewing and selecting the winning candidates for all appointed positions for the next year’s Student Council.
  8. All candidates must follow all rules and regulations as outlined in the “SAC Elections Regulations” or will be subject to disqualification.
  9. Each student running for any position on SAC is entitled to 25 8.5” x 11” posters and one electronic poster to be posted on the televisions for Blitz Week. A limit of one banner per candidate running to prevent anyone from having an unfair advantage during the election.

 

Article L - Amendments

  1. Amendments to the constitution must be passed at the end of the school year and/or prior to the election/nomination of the new Student Council.
  2. Proposals to amend this constitution may be made, in writing, at any time, and given to the Staff Advisors before the Amendments Meeting.
  3. Proposals must be seconded, in writing, by one other council member and initialled by a Staff Advisor.
  4. Two consecutive amendment meetings must be held; one to propose, discuss and if necessary alter amendment propositions, and another to vote on the amendments. These must be held on two separate days. The Staff Advisors chair these meetings.
  5. The syntax, spelling, and punctuation of the amendment may be changed after the first Amendment Meeting where the amendment is discussed and submitted at the second meeting as long as the initial meaning and intention of the amendment remains true. At the second Amendment Meeting, the Staff Advisors will advise the council of changes by reading the original amendment followed by the edited amendment.
  6. Agreement by at least 75% of the members is needed to pass an amendment.
  7. When passing an amendment to the constitution, all members of the council must vote, either in person or by proxy.
  8. Each staff advisor holds a vote.
  9. Any amendment may be vetoed at the discretion of administration even after it is passed. If this occurs, the former constitutional article will be reinstated; another vote will not take place.
  10. The editor of this document shall have the authority to correct spelling and grammatical errors without the need to propose amendments; however, the changes must first be approved by the Staff Advisors. A Staff Advisor may rule that what may seem like a grammatical change actually affects a reader’s interpretation of the Constitution, and therefore has the power to bring the amendment to the Council for a vote.