Minutes 9.27.17/Agenda 10.4.17
Post date: Oct 17, 2017 11:19:47 PM
Agenda 10.4.17
Approval of Minutes
Reports
Common Ground Discussion
Notes and New Business
Council Minutes 9.27.17
“Once you get to where you’re going, feed the horse that got you there” -Unknown
1. Approval of Minutes
2. Reports
Mod: Welcome Jonathan and Casey, Council’s New and Tuition students that were elected!
A-Mod: Parliamentary Procedure change: Council has had lengthy discussions for questions. Trying to move away because getting too back and forth between leadership and the rest of the body. If you have a purely factual question that will benefit the rest of the body, rise to a point of information. If somebody has answer, either Moderator can give to author of motion. Will not have questions unless someone requests because it is complicated. Will move straight into debate. Is not time for rhetorical questions or questions that rise debate.
Treasurer: Council fund = $6,300.61, has gone down $283.68 dollars for basketball hoop. Co-curricular fund = $5,700, unchanged.
DSB: This year Dresden School Board is impressed with Council and wants to work together more. If they can be on our side, will give Council much more power. Middle school is working on creating restorative practice program like one in high school. A lot of work to be done on community service requirement motion, a lot of work there to be done. Board has a lot of questions still. Will be some time until Mr. Campbell comes in with a recommendation.
Secretary: No alternates can vote.
Admin: Talked about Attendance Policy.
Curric: Worked on a motion regarding standardizing course evaluations. Would love teacher input. Started discussion on midterms and follow-ups after.
OEC: Started organizing J-Comm elections which will be held Tuesday, October 3rd. Sign-up sheet made for Council members to sign up to be at election table.
SAC: Winter carnival planning, Quidditch signups on Facebook.
SL: Discussed cell-phone motion.
3. Environmental Club Allocation
“I move to allocate 500 dollars to the Hanover High School Environmental Club to buy new buckets”
Buying compost buckets for classrooms around the school. In the future, want to continue program sustainability throughout the entire school and community. Should be coming from school, not the co-curricular fund in the future. Has to do with overall functioning with school.
Historically, $5700 is good standing for co-curricular fund so have room to spend.
Consider writing to Target customer representatives to get a deal on composting at schools if buying at compost.
Have talked to building and grounds, who did not have the budget for this. 30 will be purchased and located in classrooms. Will have 30, see how it works, and expand as needed.
Have not looked locally for options.
Will be receiving one compost bin from Target to see how it works, will return if not satisfied.
30 will be enough to encourage the habit of compost. Last year many classrooms did not have compost bins.
Last year had yogurt containers, major upgrade. Holding compost, so there will possibly be a cheaper opportunity, although the Environmental Club has likely done a lot of research.
Solution to lack in number of bins could be having classrooms that are dedicated to having buckets. Different classrooms could have other forms of bins that could be emptied into bigger bins. Is significantly more costly to get bins in every classroom.
Can’t compost right now.
If we giving club half of the amount that they need, can probably fundraise the other half. Good benchmark to start at.
Past year, compost has been smelly and discouraged those from composting. Environmental club has been doing this for a long time and have done lots of research.
Problem is finding dedicated students who will go out twice a week to empty the compost buckets. Will be going out with wheeled trash can. Will pull out paper bag in bin. Someone has said that they will come pick up the compost from the school for free. Have been speaking to custodians about helping out because it is a lot of work.
Only composting 20% of food scraps while 80% is going to trash.
Motion Passes
4. Cell Phone Policy Motion (motion to postpone)
Motion to postpone the motion and move into philosophical debate about cell-phone use in the school.
Need to have a discussion. Citizenship and democratic school issue. More advantageous issue. If postponed will be brought back in timely fashion by passionate people.
Motion is just cleaning up wording, but think that there is a need for philosophical discussion.
First motion was made to clean up motion, but then amendments were made to express ideas, not the way to go. Need to have another discussion to find out where we stand as a school, and have a discussion with different members in the school with people outside of Council.
Much more complicated and needs more discussion. Has real impact on learning for different kinds of learners in children.
Motion Passes
“I move to strike Section 3 under “In order to complete a Golden Rod” in the HHS Handbook under Prior Notification Absences/Planned Absences in Section V: Student Policies and Responsibilities, Attendance Policy:
The main office receptionist checks off one of the reasons on the form:
Family travel
College visit
Scheduled medical appointment
Religious holiday
Travel for non-HHS sports
Bereavement
Other (please specify)”
Other motion will be coming soon. This wording passed in previous motion.
Administration doesn’t care why you are out, an absence is an absence. Want to add a section that if a student wants to specify, they are able to
Motion Passes
“I move to add the following wording at the bottom of the HHS Goldenrod:
Reason for absence (optional): _________”
Administrative committee has discussed this amendment and decided that this wording is the most concise. Gives students the ability to put their reason for absence if they feel it is pertinent to making up work. Wording on the back of the Goldenrod explains the way students should set up more time than already given for making up work.
Wording on back of Goldenrod and in handbook explaining that students should set up more time with teachers if they need it. Given one extra day as long as you have a discussion with your teacher. If you feel like you need it, you can bring issue to department coordinator or Dean of Students if necessary.
Teachers will not be asking why students aren’t missing school if not indicated on the Goldenrod because student has chosen not to share that information.
Feels like motion passed in last spring and how it is currently in practice is not in line with original motives with intentions and motives behind the Observances motion. This motion is more in line than what is currently on the Goldenrod. Urge Council to remember ideas that were brought up with Observances motion.
Motion Passses
6. Meeting Adjourns