The Council
On June 14, 1977, the Dresden Board of School Directors voted unanimously to support the system of governance at Hanover High School known as The Council by instituting the following policy (amended in May 1983): Policy JIBA
Regular meetings of The Council are held once each week (Wednesday 10:15a.m. to 11:00a.m.) during the school year. The meetings will be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order. All Council meetings are open to the public.
The Council Executive serves as Parliamentarian, as a liaison to the Administration, and as a resource to Council Committees and Officers. The Executive is responsible for procedures that facilitate Council business and for maintaining a complete historical record of the Council.
The Council has its own bylaws and has subdivided itself into six standing committees: Administration, Curriculum, Judiciary, Organizational Engineering, Student Activities and Student Life. The committees carry out functions of data gathering, investigations, proposal writing, communications and recommendations around specific tasks.
Board-Council Communication
See Dresden School Board Policy BBBH
Some Examples of What The Council May Do or May Not Do
The Council may:
Provide structures to facilitate student evaluation of administration and staff.
Make decisions on allotment of student activities monies.
Make decisions regarding rules and regulations governing student involvement in extracurricular activities.
Make decisions regarding procedures involving school dances, student lounge space, use of athletic facilities.
Issue statements of support or nonsupport of administrative decisions.
Make recommendations to administration involving curriculum and scheduling issues.
Protect due process rights of student body.
Make recommendations to the appropriate body on hiring of administrative personnel.
The Council may not:
Make decisions on scope and substance of curricular and extracurricular activities.
Make decisions on type of school response to violations of School Board policy, state law, administrative regulation or approved handbook rules.
Make decisions on staffing patterns in the school.
Make decisions on appointment of new staff and administrators.
Skip Bean Democratic School Award
Passed by The Council, Spring 2000
The Council sponsors this award that is given to a person or group in the school or community who furthers the purposes and ideals of a democratic school. This award is named in honor of Linwood H. (Skip) Bean, Jr., Associate Principal of Hanover High School from 1970 to 1997. Mr. Bean was a “founding father” of The Council and an outspoken advocate for and supporter of democracy at HHS. To nominate someone for this award, which can be given at any time, any member of the school community may write a short statement telling why the nominee should receive the award and submit the signed statement to Council. The recipient of the award will receive a “bag of beans” -- jelly, coffee, etc. The recipient’s picture will be posted on The Council bulletin board together with the nomination statement. Photos and statements will then be gathered in an award album.
Student Inclusion on Search Committees
The following motion passed at the 9/24/92 meeting of The Council and amended to include head coaches at the 10/1/92 meeting was approved by Committee on Instruction (COI) on 10/22/92.
The Council recommends COI that 2 students be included on all search committees for professional staff, administrators and head coaches. The student(s) will be chosen by the coordinator or the supervisor.