Name:

The name of the association of  students

described below will be St. Leo’s College Student Council.

Membership:

The membership of the student

council (S.C) shall consist of three head girls and

two representives from 1st to 6th year.

Rationale:

*The United Nations Convention on the rights of

the child gives younge people the right to

have their voice heard on issues that effect them

*The Education Act (section 27) states that

Boards of Management will encourage and assist

the operation of Student Councils

*One of the goals of the National Childrens strategy

published in November 2000 is that children and young people will be given advice in matters which affect them. Student councils are an ideal way to give students advice in their schools.

*There is a strong traddition of operating a student council in St.Leo’s College.

Aims and Objectives:

*To give students a voice and the opportunity to work in partnership with

management, staff, parents and students to improve their schools.

*To give young people a chance to become active citizens in their school

community, with real opportunities to experience citizenship for themselves

and make a real contribution to the ongoing development of the school.

*To afford students the opportunity to raise issues that are of particular

concern to students.

*To give students a chance to get to know students in other years and to work closely with them.

*To help create the conditions conducive towards the development of  interpersonal relationships characteristics of a school in the mercy tradition.

*To encourage students to become self confident, responsible and caring.

*To give students a chance to develop their leadership skills.

*Through their active involvement in school life, to foster in students a sense of loyalty to the school.

*To improve communications at all levels and with all of the partners in education.

*To actively embody the St.Leo’s College ethos through their actions and contribution to school life.

Terms of Reference:

As already noticed in “Aims and Objectives” above and including the following:

a) The management and staff of the school may not be discussed

b) No individual student’s problems, whether of a personal , social or academic nature may be discussed.

c) No individual student’s dealing with teachers, disciplinary or otherwise, may be discussed.

d) The SRC may not be used by any member to represent any perceived grievance of an individual student or group of students with respect to any teacher or with respect to the code of behaviour of the school.

Possibilities for student involvement:

a) Acting as an advisory body on students’ views.

b) Organising surveys of students’ interests and concerns as appropriate.

c)Organising a sports day and tournaments as necessary.

d)Managing and organising various notice boards in the school and the Student Council notice board in particular.

e) Suggesting groups/speakers who might be invited into the school to talk to students

f) Explaining the reasons behind certain rules and decisions to other students having been actively involved in the discussions themselves.

Staff Liaison Committee

A Staff Liaison Committee consisting of two teachers will represent the views and opinions of the teaching staff at the SRC meetings and will act as a conduit for information between the SRC and the staff.

Important Points to note:

a) Proposals must be for the benefit of the school in general.

b) Discussions merely lead to recommendation and not decisions. All recommendations will be presented to the principal or Board of Management as necessary for approval.

c) At least one staff member must be present at each meeting.

d)Any staff member has the right to attend any meeting of the council as he/she wishes.

e) A member of the council must be an example in dress and behaviour. Any member of the council may be removed if behaviour or attitude is deemed unacceptable or if their commitment to the SRC is deemed to be lacking. This decision would be taken by the liaison Committee in consultation with the principal. The latter would have the final say.

Election of SRC members:

As stated above the membership of the SRC shall consist of three head girls with 12 student representatives 2 from each year

The term of office is one school year. Representitives can also be re-elected .

The election of 2^nd to 6^th year representatives will take place in the last term of the previous school year and the election of 1^st year reps. Will take place during the first term of the school year .The src together with the staff liaison committee will preside over the elections a number of committees will be formed from src members.These will include the register of electors committee,The Public Relations committee, The Ballot Paper Committee,The Ballot Box Committee,The Polling Station Committee and The Cunt Committee.The duties of each are outlined in the Appendix below.

Students wishing to be nominated for the SRC must secure 2 nominations on the offical SRC Ballot Paper and have their nomination approved by their class head.The class head will Liaise with the year head/deputy principal as necessary a list of candidates from each year will be drawn up and students in each year will vote for their particular year’s representatives.

Appendix:

SRC Election committee

Collect class lists of everyone intending to vote

Put together a Register of electors

Produce in alphabetical order

On the day of the election cross off each name as they are handed a ballot paper

The Public Relations Committee :

Make posters advertising the upcoming election and put them up around the school

Contact each individual class about the election telling them when and where it is on

Candidates wishing to put up posters/fliers have to do it through this committee

The Ballot Paper Committee :

Design a ballot paper for each year

This should be done on a computer and printed out

Photocopy and have enough ready for the day of the election

The Ballot Box Committee :

Get a cardboard box for each year group on the outside of the box

Seal the lid on each box

The Polling Station Committee:

Set up the tables in the designated class room or hall

Set up a screen or a curtain so that voters can have a secret ballot

Watch over the ballot boxes to make sure that they are not interfered with

Watch over the ballot box to make sure they are not interfered with

The Count Committee:

Count the votes

Subtract any invalid or spoiled votes and work out the quota

Count the votes and declare the winner.

Visit: www.studentcard.ie for your ISSU scholar card.

Complete the online form with payment by visa, Mastercard or laser.You will be sent an email confirmation which you will need to print out and get stamped by your school,and then send to the above address with a passport photo.

With the card you can get discounts from the following shops:

• topshop topman   
• Cinema’s
• GAA
• vision express
• A/wear
• Leinster ruby
• laptops for students
• Petermarks
• Captain america’s
• Schuh
• Golden disc’s
• BT2
• Zumo
• go bus.ie
• Art & Hobby
• Arnotts
• 7up christmas on ice
• 15 m
• hickey’s pharmacy

• Vice Chairperson – Roisin Maher   L3

• Secretaries – Sarah May   L3  and  Bernie Dunne   F2

• Treaurer – Zoe Hayden  4C

• PR Team – Emma O’ Byrne  3B,  Kate O’ Brien  3D,  Emma Delaney  2F and Jessica Maguire 2D

6th Years-    Eugenie Wheatley L5 and  Roisin Maher L3

5th Years-    Bernie Dunne F2 and  Andrea Burke F1

4th Years-    Danni Callinan 4A and Zoe Hayden 4C

3rd Years-    Emma O’ Byrne 3B and Kate O’ Brien 3D

2nd Years-   Emma Delaney 2F and Jessica Maguire 2D