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Post date: Apr 4, 2018 1:08:41 PM
Agenda 3.28.18
Approval of the Minutes
Reports
Council Election Calendar Announcement
Vision of a Graduate Discussion
Notes and New Business
Council Minutes 03.07.18
“Somewhere inside all of us is the power to change the world.” -Ronald Dahl (Matilda)
1. Approval of Minutes
2. Reports
Mod: Student Voices Summit on March 23rd, any Council members welcome to attend. Meeting with other students from New Hampshire to talk about importance of student voice. Contact Linda Addante for more details.
A-Mod: Course Standardization Motion has been signed by Administration. Dress Code Motion will be signed soon.
Treasurer: Council fund = $6240.90. Co-curricular fund = $4400. Bringing a motion to Student Life to bring new seating in school to encourage people to sit in other places than library, atrium, and cafe.
DSB: Recently wrote Broadside article.
PR: New things on bulletin board. Motion sheet, minutes, and agenda included that will be updated weekly.
Secretary: Sophomore alternate can vote.
OEC: Talking about updating handbook with Ms. Eakin.
SAC: Budget sent out to clubs.
SL: Working with Treasurers on idea of more social spaces within the school. Will talk to Jamie Teague soon about contract with cafe and data about cafe.
CPP: Talked about motion for homework free weekends during school year. Would have to be followed by staff. Ideas were before Footlighters shows, March Intensive, April break which allows students to go to school events and get rest.
I move to add “with potential for more disciplinary action” after the word “longer” under Consequences of Violation and strike “Any student violating the Student Expectations will have Open Campus privileges revoked for a period of time at the discretion of the administration. Additional disciplinary action may be given at the discretion of the administration.”
Amendment goes against goal of motion to change punishment from schedule up to revoked off-campus privileges.
Motion Fails
Should be punished with taking away of privilege that was broken instead of punishment in school.
Unclear what would happen if student had Goldenrod and was with parent.
I move to strike “Any student violating these expectations will be scheduled-up immediately for one week or longer in the event of a subsequent offense.”
If someone is scheduled up and student goes to JComm and states that they were wrongfully schedule up consequence should be ceased until final decision for consequence is determined.
Best is to leave punishment up to Administration instead of having same punishment for all actions. Very different if student forgets to sign out or sits at the wrong bench. Interested in period of time that happens between offense and punishment coming down from Administration.
Amendment is null: should have been struck before.
JComm has talked about this a lot. Trust that wording is strong. Leaving it up to discretion of Administration is best.
When a student goes off-campus, the rules should be the same because the school is still in session. Believe a schedule-up is a better punishment because the student is still in school technically.
Should address what happens if student is off-campus with Goldenrod. Schedule-up is easier to manage. Revoking off-campus privileges forces teachers to pay more attention but seems more fair. List was sent out to teachers with students that had revoked off-campus privileges. Will need to be more creative, but spirit of motion is in right place and makes more sense.
Motion Passes
4. Intent Statement Motion Amendment
I move to amend the Intent Statement under Council Bylaws under Article to read, “Main motions must begin with a statement of intent and that statement will always accompany the motion as it is discussed by various groups until it has been approved by the principal. Intent statements may only be amended after the motion has been referred to committee and cannot be amended during the debate of the main motion in a full Council meeting.”
Does not make sense for speakers to have Intent Statement for simple motions.
Main motion is anything that doesn't interrupt another happening motion on the table. For example, amendments, closing debate are not main motions.
Motion Passes
5. X-Period Standardization Motion
Students don’t have time to meet with teachers. With schedule that we currently have, there’s no time for students to have a break. A lot of pressure to take lots of classes for college. Minimizes stress while maximizing communication between students and teachers. Gives students time to get help from teachers, particularly those who are busy and wouldn’t be able to meet with teachers outside of class time. Balances out different subjects: allows more time to meet with math, science, and language teachers who don’t generally give X’s. Fosters community within school. Helps those who can’t do clubs because they don’t have time to eat otherwise. Schedule fix may be better solution, but this is solution for way schedule is set up currently.
Difficult for students who take 7 classes and are a part of extracurricular activities to find time to talk to teachers, so standardizing X-periods would be helpful.
X-periods are valuable. Are able to get food, talk to teachers, catch up on homework. A lot of X-periods in some subjects spent doing assessments or assignments. Getting more homework on X-period is detrimental to student.
X-periods used to be standardized in past. Allows for students to manage time. If student does not manage time, there is consequence. Teachers need to give responsibilities back to students. X-periods encourage positive teacher-student relationships. Allows for struggling students to get help and not feel distant. Also makes consequence of schedule-up worse. Right now, schedule-up for many students is not a big deal because not all teachers are giving X-periods.
Sad that students are needing more time in school to talk to teachers and eat, but don’t believe that standardizing X-periods is the best solution. Would be great if student received X-period in all classes, but is a lot of time. May be more systemic issue. Students can do certain things that can be done if student feels overwhelmed, such as taking easier classes or reducing extracurricular activity involvement to make it more manageable.
Is a larger issue that cannot be simply fixed by standardizing X-periods. Particularly frustrating when students receive more work on X-periods, that defeats purposes. Unfair that in some subjects X-periods are expected, while in other subjects students do not expect X-periods.
Hard to put general blanket statement over all classes when all classes are very different, particularly in different subjects.
I move to amend the motion to read, “X-periods should be given once a week during a full five day school week (not required should there be a short week, delayed opening, or early release, but recommended).”
Very helpful to have X-periods on short weeks as well.
Motion Passes
6. Meeting Adjourns
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