Constitution of the Student Council 

Article I

Title

The organization's name shall be the Student Council of Green Hope High School.

Article II

Mission and Goals

We, the students of Green Hope High School, do hereby establish this Constitution of the Student Council of Green Hope High School in order to give voice and representation to all students to promote the following goals:

1. To serve as a link between students and administration.

2. To encourage the highest possible degree of scholastic excellence.

3. To promote and sustain both individual and collective integrity and honor.

4. To reflect merit and distinction upon Green Hope High School in all forms of endeavor.

5. To foster and preserve the traditions of Green Hope High School.

6. To encourage and develop ties between students and teachers in pursuit of academic excellence.

7. To practice the art and science of democracy.

8. To encourage and promote the highest possible level of collective school spirit and enthusiasm for excellence.

Article III

Powers and Duties of the Student Council

- Section I -

1. The Student Council shall approve projects within the limits of its capabilities for the betterment of the school.

2. The Student Council shall secure the advice and consent of the administration before taking on any project.  It must abide by the principal’s veto of any project or activity.  

3. The Student Council shall coordinate and direct its own committees.

4. The Student Council shall coordinate and direct its own elections.

5. The Student Council shall promote and plan extracurricular activities.

6. The Student Council shall review club applications on a yearly basis and recommend possible candidates to the administration for approval.

7. The Student Council may act in any capacity to support the work of the principal, such as helping in the orientation of new students.

- Section II -

1. An amendment to this Constitution may be proposed by any student, faculty member, or member of the administration.

2. The President of the Student Council in conjunction with the advisors has the power to veto amendments.  If the president vetoes an amendment, the Student Council must vote again and a majority of the members must vote for the amendment to pass.

3. Amendments to the Constitution of the Student Council of Green Hope High School must be ratified by a majority of the student council.  

4. All amendments must be approved by the principal and faculty adviser(s) to the Student Council. 

5.  All amendments shall be dated with the year of ratification.

Article IV

Frequency of Meetings and Provisions for Special Sessions

1. The Student Council shall meet at a time agreed upon by the members of the Student Council.  

2. Inter-Club Council meetings may be held monthly at the discretion of the President of the Student Council and his/her faculty adviser(s).

3. Special meetings may be called only with the permission of the Student Council faculty adviser(s).  

Article V

Membership of the Student Council

Section I:  Responsibilities of Student Council Members

1. Membership of the Student Council shall consist of the Executive Board of Officers, composed of a President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer, in addition to all class officers and representatives.

2. Members of the Student Council are expected to attend all meetings of the Student Council.   Prior approval is required from the Student Council faculty adviser for excused absences. Members who have more than two unexcused absences per semester shall be subject to impeachment for failure to fulfill their duties.

3. Members of Student Council are required to participate in activities planned by Student Council. Members who do not fulfill this requirement shall be subject to impeachment for failure to fulfill their duties.  

4. All officers and members of the Student Council shall maintain a 3.0 weighted grade point average at minimum.  Any officer or member whose grade point average falls below a 3.0 in any quarter shall be placed on probation until the next interim report.  Students on academic probation are prohibited from voting in any Student Council decisions.  If the member’s grade point average remains below a 2.5 following the interim report, the student will be suspended from Student Council.

5. Each member and officer of the Student Council must maintain a high standard of ethical and moral conduct.  Any violation will result in automatic suspension from the Student Council. Violations include, but are not limited to, cheating on any assignment, after-school detention, in-school suspension, and out-of-school suspension. Student Council Advisers and/or the GHHS Administration reserve the right to remove a student council member for any violation.

Section II:  Removal Procedures

1. Removal proceedings may be brought against any member or officer of the Student Council who, in the opinion of the majority of the Student Council, has failed to complete duties satisfactorily or who has failed to meet all standards set forth in this Constitution.

1. The accused has the right to be informed of the accusations brought against him/her.

2. All accusations made will be brought before the Executive Board for review prior to being presented to the rest of the Student Council.  

3. The Student Council shall hear the charges with the President of the Student Council presiding unless the President himself/herself is being impeached, in which case the Vice-President will preside.

4. It shall take a majority vote of the Student Council to convict the accused.  If accused, the convicted must immediately resign from office.

5. Student Council Advisers and/or the GHHS Administration reserve the right to remove a student council member for any violation without discussion from other members.

2. Students removed from office may not claim membership in Student Council on their transcripts for the year in which they were removed.

3. Students removed from office are ineligible to run for office during any upcoming elections.

Article VI

Duties of Officers and Committees

Section I:  The Executive Board of Officers

1.  President of the Student Council

1. The President shall be a member of the senior class of the school.  

B)  The President must have served at least one term as a member of the Green Hope Student Council prior to his/her election.

3.  The President shall be responsible for carrying out the functions of the Student Council in accordance with the Constitution.

4. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Student Council.  

5. The President shall create and appoint committees as necessary.

6. The President shall preside at all trials of impeachment except his/her own.

7. The President shall attend and preside over all Inter-Club Council meetings.

2.   Vice-President of the Student Council

1. The Vice-President shall be a member of the junior or senior class. The Vice-President shall assume the duties of the President in his/her absence.

2. The Vice-President must have served at least one term as a member of the Green Hope Student Council prior to his/her election.

3. The Vice-President shall preside over the annual revision of the Constitution.

4. The Vice-President shall oversee all committees.

3. Secretary of the Student Council

1. The Secretary may be a member of the senior, junior, or sophomore class.  

2. The Secretary must have served at least one term as a member of the Green Hope Student Council prior to his/her election.

3. The Secretary shall take and report the minutes of all Student Council Meetings.

4. The Secretary shall be responsible for all Student Council correspondence.

5. The Secretary shall keep attendance of all Student Council members at meetings and activities.  

6. The Secretary shall be responsible for e-mailing/uploading a copy of the minutes of each meeting within two days of the meeting to all members.

7. The Secretary shall be responsible for updating the SGA Google Calendar of all meetings, activities, etc.

4. Treasurer of the Student Council

1. The Treasurer may be a member of the senior, junior, or sophomore class.  

2. The Treasurer must have served at least one term as a member of the Green Hope Student Council prior to his/her election.

3. The Treasurer shall account for all Student Council funds and record all transactions.

5) Historian of the Student Council

1. The Historian shall maintain documentation of all requirements for Honors Portfolio submission for the North Carolina Association of Student Councils.

2. The Historian shall create a scrapbook documenting all Student Council events throughout the year.

Section II: Class Council

1. Each class shall elect a President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and three Representatives.

2. Nomination and election of candidates for class offices shall conform to the standards set forth in this Constitution.

3. All class officers and representatives shall serve as voting members of the Student Council.

4. Officers of each class shall serve as representatives of their respective classes, as such, shall assume duties and responsibilities necessary to provide leadership for the projects and activities of their class.

The primary role of the Class Officers is to serve as the leadership for their specific classes.  

1. Class Council President

   1. To create and hold regular meetings of the class steering committee. 

   2. To prepare an agenda for all steering committee and class meetings, with the assistance and  counsel of the class sponsor. 

   3. To collaborate with other class officers.

   4. To seek the advice and counsel of the class sponsors. 

   5. To obey and enforce the SGA Constitution. 

2. Class Council Vice President

1. To attend regular meetings of the class steering committee. 

2. To preside at the meetings in the absence of the President. 

3. To provide class information to the school in a variety of ways, including social media. 

4.  To collaborate with other class officers. 

5. To seek the advice and counsel of the class sponsors. 

6. To obey and enforce the SGA Constitution. 

     3) Class Council Secretary

1. To assume duties of the President in the absence of the President and Vice President. 

2. To keep minutes and a record of attendance at all meetings. 

3. To be responsible for any class correspondence. 

4. To track all community service hours for steering committee meetings and class events. 

5. To collaborate with other class officers. 

6. To seek the advice and counsel of the class sponsors. 

7. To attend all class and steering committee meetings. 

8. To obey and enforce the SGA Constitution. 

      4) Class Council Treasurer

1. To maintain an accurate record of all transactions and funds of the class. 

2. To coordinate the fundraising efforts of the class. 

3. To collaborate with other class officers. 

4. To seek the advice and counsel of the class sponsors. 

5. To attend all class and steering committee meetings. 

6. To obey and enforce the SGA Constitution. 

      5) Class Council Representatives

1. To assist the Class officers in achieving their respective class goals. 

2. To communicate regularly with the officers of the other classes, serving as an ambassador for  their own class. 

3. To maintain a class bulletin board in their commons area, which will be used to share  information regarding the class leadership, administration, fundraising and events. 

4. To collaborate with other class officers. 

5. To seek the advice and counsel of the class sponsors. 

6. To attend all class and steering committee meetings. 

7. To obey and enforce the SGA Constitution. 

8. Be a member of the Business Alliance as a community service duty

Section II: Standing Committees

1. All standing committees shall be chaired by members of the Executive Board of the Student Council.

2. All chairpersons shall be appointed by the officers of Student Council.

3. Chairpersons shall call meetings of their committees with the approval of the faculty adviser(s).

4. Chairpersons shall preside at the meetings of their committees.

5. Chairpersons shall deliver a report on their committees’ activities at least once per month.

Article VII

Elections

1. Election of a Student Body President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer shall be held in the spring for the upcoming school year.  

2. Election of senior, junior, and sophomore class officers and representatives shall also be held in the spring for the upcoming school year.

3. Elections of freshman class officers and representatives shall be held in the fall of the current school year.

4. Nominations for every office shall provide proof of qualification to be presented to the Student Council adviser as evidenced by the completion of a required application.

5. Students may be declared as qualified candidates only after they have presented all their credentials and have met all the qualifications specified by the application and by dates set by the Student Council adviser.

6. Candidates may be declared ineligible by Student Council adviser(s) and/or Administration for violation of established campaign rules or discipline, attendance, or academic concerns.

7. Seniors are not permitted to vote for next year’s class officers or Executive Board officers.

8. Votes shall be counted by Student Council Advisers or those appointed by the advisers.  

9. Winning candidates will have received the highest number of votes in the general election except for the position of representative of each class.  The representative positions will be decided based on the highest overall scores from rubric judging of applications. A panel of faculty members (not to include current advisers) will score the applications using the rubric; applications will not include applicants’ names when being scored.

10.  Vacant positions will either not be filled or filled at the discretion of the Student Council Advisers and/or Administration.