SUMMIT HIGH SCHOOL
STUDENT GOVERNMENT CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE I. NAME
This organization shall be known as the Summit High School Student Government, comprising of the Student Council and four class councils.
ARTICLE II. OBJECTIVE
The objective of the Student Council is to coordinate the interests of the four class councils, to represent the interests of the student body, to promote the general welfare of the school, and to provide functions for the benefit of the school, its students, and community. The Student Council is the overseeing body in the Summit High School Student Government.
ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP
Section 1- The Student Council officers, class liaisons, and class officers are members of the total Student Government.
Section 2- All students of Summit High School receive representation through the Student Government.
ARTICLE IV. LEGISLATIVE BODY
Section 1- The Student Government shall consist of the following:
a. Student Council that will consist of President, Vice President, Secretary, Communications Chair, and 2 liaisons from Senior, Junior, Sophomore, and Freshman classes respectively
b. Four class councils that will each consist of President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer
Section 2- All members of the Student Government have one vote on matters coming before that board.
ARTICLE V. STUDENT COUNCIL
Section 1- Officers of the Student Council will consist of the following:
a. President
b. Vice President
c. Communications Chair
d. Secretary
e. 8 unelected liaisons (2 from each class)
Section 2- The Student Council shall be elected by the Summit High School student body in May/June of each year.
Section 3- The term of office shall be from July 1 of the elected year to June 30 of the following year.
Section 4- Qualifications for office:
a. Candidates must maintain an unweighted 3.0 GPA overall
b. Candidates shall present a petition to the Student Council advisors prior to the established deadline; the petition shall have signatures of five staff members and twenty-five students
c. Candidates must be willing to sacrifice time to serve on the Student Council; attendance at all meetings is mandatory
d. Candidates must have prior experience as an officer in the Student Government
ARTICLE VI. CLASS COUNCIL
Section 1 - The officers of the class council shall consist of the following:
a. President
b. Vice President
c. Treasurer
d. Secretary
Section 2- The class council shall be elected by the Summit High School student body in May/June of each year, except incoming Freshman classes.
Section 3- The term of office shall be from July 1 of the elected year to June 30 of the following year.
Section 4- Qualifications for office:
a. Candidates must maintain an unweighted 3.0 GPA overall
b. Candidates shall be subject to the approval of the administration and with regard to good school citizenship
c. Candidates shall present a petition to the Student Council advisors prior to the established deadline; the petition shall have signatures of five staff members and twenty-five students
d. Candidates must be willing to sacrifice time to serve on their respective class councils; attendance at all meetings is mandatory
ARTICLE VII. MEETINGS
Section 1- Meetings of the Student Council shall be held a minimum of once a week during the school year.
Section 2- Meetings of each of the class council shall be held a minimum of once a month during the school year.
Section 3- Special meetings of the Student Government shall be called at any time deemed necessary by the advisers, President, or by written petition of ten percent of the members of the student body.
Section 4- The Student Council shall meet approximately one week before each scheduled council meeting to determine the agenda for the next meeting and to discuss any current problems that warrant attention.
Section 5- Meeting times will be established by the government President and the adviser.
ARTICLE VIII. AMENDMENTS
Section 1- Any amendment to this constitution must be presented and approved by the Student Government at least two weeks prior to the final government vote and be given extensive publicity coverage during the week directly preceding the final vote. A majority vote of the Student Council and class presidents is necessary for approval of an amendment. All amendments must be approved by administration.
Section 2- Any amendment to this constitution shall be adopted when passed by a two-thirds vote of those members of the council voting on the amendment.
BY-LAWS
No. 1 Duties
Section 1- The duties of the Student Government shall be as follows:
a. To uphold the constitution, by-laws, and any other measure of the government
b. To attend all government meetings
c. To serve on government committees when appointed or elected to do so
d. To vote in government meetings
Section 2- The duties of the Student Council shall be as follows:
a. To consider and render decisions on all matters of concern to the student body and the school
b. To promote and delegate projects that will benefit the student body and the school
Section 3- The duty of the class councils is to promote and delegate projects that will benefit their respective classes.
Section 4- The duties of the officers shall be as follows:
1. Student Council
a. President
1. To preside at all government meetings and weekly meetings of the council
2. To set agendas for each meeting
3. To attend weekly meetings with administration
4. To see that all decisions of the government are enforced
5. To act as primary liaison between the student body and the administration
6. To hold meetings with all four classes to discuss current problems or generate events, and to relay any important information to each class president
7. To generate programs and fundraisers designed to promote the welfare of the school
8. To foster school spirit and implement events
b. Vice President
1. To perform the duties of the President in the latter’s absence
2. To act as liaison between the student body and Council
3. To oversee the grade representative system
4. To monitor all work being done by committees and periodically evaluate committee chairpersons and recommend to the council, if need be, any changes in a committee and its objectives
5. To help assist and generate programs designed to promote the welfare and spirit of the school
6. To aid the President in fostering school spirit and implementing events
c. Secretary
1. To distribute agenda for each meeting
2. To act as liaison between the student body and Council
3. To read at government meetings all correspondence to the council
4. To answer promptly all correspondence generated by Student Council
5. To support the President and Vice President in fostering school spirit and implementing events
d. Communication Chair
1. To act as liaison between the student body and Council
2. To keep updated the Student Council web-page (coming)
3. To keep all Student Government-based social media web-pages and events updated; Facebook, Twitter, etc.
4. To keep updated window and calendar in the school that are government responsibility
5. To make announcements over the loud speaker about upcoming events and fundraisers
6. To support the President and Vice President in fostering school spirit and implementing events
e. Class Liaison
1. To serve as the liaison between the student body and the Council
2. To help organize all Student Council events
3. To report back to their respective class councils
4. To obtain agenda for 1 class meeting a month
5. To support the President and Vice President in fostering school spirit and implementing events
2. Class Councils
a. Class President
1. To hold meetings routinely for the class council
2. To work alongside council members, adviser, and classmates to brainstorm ideas for activities and fundraisers
3. To serve as the voice of the class to the Student Council
4. To actively attend events and encourage classmates to do so as well and implementing events
b. Class Vice President
1. To perform the duties of the class president in his/her absence
2. To assist the class president and help plan events/fundraisers
3. To actively attend events and encourage classmates to do so as well and implementing events
c. Class Treasurer
1. To keep an accurate account of the class’s money
2. To deliver cash earned at fundraisers to the advisor
3. To deliver reimbursement requests
4. To actively attend events and encourage classmates to do so as well
d. Class Secretary
1. To maintain attendance and agendas for their respective class council meetings
2. To deliver keep track of deadlines for events and notify personnel involved
3. To send out any letters or correspondences on behalf of their respective class council
4. To collect forms, such as permission slips, as necessary
5. To actively attend events and encourage classmates to do so as well
All class officers must:
1. Take an active role in their respective councils and attend all meetings.
2. Perform such other duties that pertain to his or her office.
No. 2 Student Council Elections
Section 1- In May/June of each year the student body will elect the officers of the Student Council.
Section 2- The student body will elect the officers to the Student Council during class elections.
Section 3- A primary election will be held for Student Government officers when petitioned by more than one candidate.
Section 4- The Student Government will appoint members to unfilled seats whenever vacancies arise, through voting.
Section 5- All elected council members are subject to administrative approval.
No. 3 Class Elections
Section 1- The officers of the four classes shall be president, vice president, treasurer, and secretary.
Section 2- Officers of the sophomore, junior, and senior class shall be elected in May/June, preceding the school year in which they are to hold office. The officers of the freshman class shall be elected in the September of the school year in which they are to hold office.
Section 3- Candidates receiving the greatest pluralities in the general election shall be declared the winners.
Section 4- All elected council members are subject to administrative approval.
No. 4 Amendments
Section 1- Any amendments to these by-laws must be presented to and approved by the Student Council at least two weeks before the final government vote and be given extensive publicity coverage during the week immediately preceding the final vote.
Section 2- An amendment to these by-laws shall be adopted when passed by a two-thirds vote of the Student Council members voting on the amendment.
Section 3- Administration approval is required.
No. 5 Powers
Section 1- The Student Council, by a three-quarters vote of its elected members, shall have the power to expel any member for misconduct or inefficiency.
Section 2- Any Student Council member absent from two consecutive meetings without reasonable excuse shall be deemed inefficient.
Section 3- Administration approval is required.
No. 6 Impeachment
Section 1- If a Student Government officer violates any policies and regulations of Summit High School he or she will be subject to impeachment following an administrative review.
Section 2- If a Student Government officer fails to fulfill the responsibilities of his or her position he or she will be subject to impeachment following an administrative review.
Section 3- If a Student Government officer is impeached from office a re-election for such office must take place unless otherwise decided by the administration of Summit High School.
Section 4- Administration approval is required.