Article I: Name
This organization will be known as the High School Student Body of the Canadian Academy Secondary School and each registered student of Canadian Academy High School shall be a member.
Article II: Council
SECTION 1: PURPOSE
The High School Student government body shall be called the High School Student Body Council (SBC). The purpose of the SBC shall be to provide means for student expression in school affairs, give opportunity for student experience in various skills of leadership, make and interpret policies concerning clubs and social activities, and the welfare of the school.
SECTION 2: JURISDICTION
The High School Student Body Council shall have jurisdiction over all school clubs and their functions, all school dances, Spirit Week, and inter-school exchanges. The school newspaper obtains funding from the two Student Councils.
SECTION 3: MEMBERSHIP
The High School Student Body Council shall consist of the following members:
– Each 9 – 12 Class President
– Each 9 – 12 Class Vice-president
– Each 9 – 12 Class Secretary/Treasurer
– The Student Body President
– The Student Body Vice-President
– The Student Body Secretary/Treasurer
– Any additional members stipulated by the bylaws governing High School Student Body Council procedures.
SECTION 4: ELECTIONS
The President, Vice-President, and Secretary/Treasurer of the High School Student Body shall be elected in the spring of the school year previous to that of their term by all rising 9-12 grade students. These officers must be either in tenth or eleventh grade during the year in which they are elected. There shall be three separate secret ballots, one for Presidency, one for the Vice-Presidency, and one for the Secretary/ Treasurer. The term of these officers will commence on graduation day.
The President of each class shall be elected by secret ballot in the spring of the school year previous to the year in which he will serve his term. The term of the class President shall begin on the day following the last day of school and shall end on the last day of school the following year.
The Vice-President and Secretary/Treasurer of each class shall be elected by that class within six weeks of the beginning of the year. The term of these officers shall commence with their election into office and end on the last day of that school year.
In order to run for office a student must first be nominated as explained in Section 4 of the Bylaws. Once nominated, a vote of the electing body (the class for class elections, and the grade 8–11 student body for Executive positions) is called, and the candidate with the most votes becomes that electorate’s representative.
In the event that a Student Body Council member is unable to attend further meetings, he will be replaced by an election in the manner described above. In this case the member leaving office is ineligible to run again. In the case of a President (class or Student Body) being replaced, the Vice-President shall take office, and a new Vice-President shall be elected.
Article III: Student Rights
SECTION 1: IMPEACHMENT OF A STUDENT IN OFFICE Students have the option to petition for a reelection by completing a petition containing the signatures of 70% of the body that elected the member to office. Submission of this petition to their Student Body Council President shall cause a reelection for that candidate’s position.
The Headmaster and the High School Principal may remove any member of the Student Body Council for poor academics thought to be caused by that member’s involvement in Student Council.
Students may also be removed from office through the procedures described below under the Bylaws.
SECTION 2: REFERENDUM
A referendum may overrule a High School Student Body Council decision or decide a particularly controversial issue.
If a petition containing the signatures of 25% of the student body is submitted concerning a certain issue, a vote of the entire secondary school student body is required. In order for the issue to be passed, 70% of the student body must have voted, and a majority of voters must be in favor of it.
On constitutional issues, 55% of the secondary Student Body must vote in favor of the proposed amendment.
Article IV: Amendments
SECTION 1: AMENDMENTS
Constitutional Amendments must be made through the referendum procedure described in Article III, Section 2.
SECTION 2: AMENDMENTS OF BYLAWS
Amendments to the Bylaws may be made through a standard Student Council vote (see Bylaws, Section 3), but requires at least 2/3 of the entire High School Student Council in favor of the amendment.
Article V: Advisors
The High School Student Body Council shall have at least one advisor who is a teaching member of the faculty.
Article VI: Veto
The advisor, the High School Principal, and the Headmaster have the power to veto any constitutional amendment, bylaw, or law, and have the right to veto any bill passed by the Student Body Council. In this event the vetoing party must submit the reasons in writing to the Student Body President.
Bylaws
SECTION 1: DUTIES OF THE MEMBERS
The Student Body Council members shall represent their electorate to the best of their ability at Student Body Council meetings and in dealings with the faculty and the administration.
The President of the High School Student Body shall conduct the High School Student Body Council meetings, call any extraordinary meetings, and shall represent the High School Student Body Council in dealings with the administration. The President shall also appoint committees as the need arises.
The Vice-President of the High School Student Body shall assume the President’s duties in the President’s absence, and shall be responsible for communication between the student body and the High School Student Council.
The Secretary/Treasurer of the High School Student Body is responsible for keeping attendance and minutes for each meeting, for keeping track of the High School Student Body Council’s financial status, and for keeping track of the High School Student Body Council’s calendar.
The President of each class is to conduct all class meetings. The Vice-President of each class shall be responsible for reporting the activities of the High School Student Body Council to his class and for acting as president of that class in the President’s absence. The Secretary/Treasurer of each class is responsible for taking minutes at all class meetings, and for submitting one copy of these minutes to the High School Student Body Secretary/ Treasurer. All officers of each class are responsible for representing their class views at High School Student Body Council meetings.
Any additional members of High School Student Body Council, defined in a section of the Bylaws of the Student Body, will have their duties defined in that section.
All members are expected to attend all regularly scheduled Student Body Council meetings and to make all efforts to attend any extraordinary meetings called by the President.
SECTION 2: VOTING
In order to pass an issue through the Student Body Council, it must be voted upon, and a majority of the voting members must be in favor of it. The voting members of the High School Student Body Council are the following:
– The Student Body President
– The Student Body Vice-President
– The Student Body Secretary/Treasurer
– Each 9 – 12 Class President
– Each 9 – 12 Class Vice-President
– Each 9 – 12 Class Secretary/Treasurer
The chairman of the meeting (the President or the Vice-President) is not allowed to vote, but the President may give the Chair to the Vice-President if the President feels particularly strong on a given issue. In the case of a tie vote, the Chairman casts the deciding vote.
In order for a vote to occur it must be called either by the President or by motion (and subsequent seconding) by voting members of the High School Student Body Council. A quorum must be present in order to call a vote.
A quorum consists of two thirds of the voting members of the High School Student Body Council.
An issue successfully resolved becomes law. In the case that changes to a previously resolved issue become desirable to some or all members of the High School Student Body Council, a 2/3 majority of the entire High School Student Council must vote to remove the law, and a further vote must occur to instate another law.
SECTION 3. MEETINGS
The High School Student Body Council shall meet usually once a month, and on any extraordinary occasions (as called by the President or advisors as the need arises). In case of any discrepancy as to how to handle an issue, the issue shall be resolved according to Robert’s Rules of Order.
Any Student Body Council member who is absent from more than four meetings in one school year shall be recommended to the High School Principal for removal from Student Body Council (see Article II, Section 4, of the Constitution for replacement procedures).
All Student Body Council meetings are open to attendance by any interested parties. Spectators must be acknowledged by the President in order to address the Student Body Council.
SECTION 4. NOMINATIONS
Nominations for High School Student Body positions (High School Student Body President, Student Body Vice-President, and Student Body Secretary/Treasurer) require collecting twenty valid student (grades 9-12) signatures.
Nominations for class officers require the signatures of two members of the electorate. No student shall be nominated for more than one position in any given election.
SECTION 5. MINUTES
The Secretary/Treasurer of the High School Student Body is responsible for keeping detailed and accurate minutes for all meetings, and distributing them to all the High School Student Body Council members, the Advisors, the High School Principal, the Headmaster, and for posting them on Student Council bulletin boards around the school.
SECTION 6. REMOVAL OF A STUDENT FROM OFFICE
In addition to the methods described in Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution, a student may be removed from office by a 4/5 vote of the entire High School Student Body Council.