10/28

Agenda: 10/28/2011

1.          Approval of Minutes

2.         Reports

3.          Dance Guidelines Motion

4.         Notes & New Business

“Political courage is not political suicide.” ~Arnold Schwarzenegger

Council Minutes 10/21/2011

1.          Approval of Minutes

2.         Reports

·      [Mod]: We really need to work on attendance! Be here on time. Also, let’s calm down about the CCCC, everything is being taken care of.

·      [Sec]: Senior, sophomore and freshmen alternates may vote.

·      [Exec]: Robert’s Rules are used to make meetings go smoother, not as weapons.

·      [SL]: We’re talking about CG Switch, getting more information from CGSC, etc.

·      [SA]: We are planning quidditch, sign-ups begin on October 31^st.

·      [OEC]: Our new Council members are Ethan Gorman, Lazlo Bardos, and Susanna Penfield. We’ve also set the freshmen CC free, they’re looking for staff advisors.

·      [Curric]: We’re taking another look at the CCCC, working with others.

3.          Test Returns Motion

·      Discussion:

o   Over the past few years, we’ve been hesitant to pass bigger motions. Don’t be afraid of what’s going to happen in the administration, either pass/fail a motion based on its ideas and its impact on your constituents.

·      Motion: I move to amend the original motion to read: “I move that all graded tests and quizzes be kept in a locked file cabinet in the corresponding resource centers where students may sign them out and review them in the resource center.”

o   [B]: I think this would please both sides because it would provide access to students’ tests and it would also provide test security.

Motion overruled by moderator, not in the spirit of the original motion.

o   I know many kids that would like to see their tests and be able to keep them permanently, it’s frustrating from a student’s point of view. But we also do have to keep test security in mind. I don’t see why science teachers can’t modify their tests like other teachers do.

o   Teachers shouldn’t have to jump through hoops to test their students.

o   It’s a teacher’s right to do as they wish with their tests.

o   It would not be that difficult for teachers to modify tests, and it would keep the material more relevant for each class. It can be detrimental to a student’s education when some teachers will not modify their tests.

·      Motion: I move to amend this motion to include a written agreement signed by the student, his/her guardian and the teacher, stating that “this test is private material and may be used only by the student for the purposes of studying, review and other pre-approved academic actions.”

o   [James Harvard]: This keeps the original intent of the motion, to let students study from their tests, yet adds a layer of responsibility.

·      Clarifying questions

o   Would any violation of this be a violation of the academic honor code?

§  Yes.

·      Discussion

o   This isn’t even necessary.

o   I think the whole thing should just be referred to Curric. I think it’s offensive to say that teachers are lazy, and students DO cheat.

o   Students have already agreed to this with the academic integrity policy, so this could help enforce it, but this change might be unnecessary.

o   Even when teachers say tests are available, they’re really not. Many students can’t study during the school day.

o   Nobody said teachers were lazy. Students are here to learn. In a work setting, it’s acceptable to take shortcuts to make your job easier, but not if it affects a student’s education. However, the amendment adds more student responsibility to the mix.

o   Compromise is really important here, this would be a good solution.

·      Motion: I move to refer this motion (including the amendment) to the Curriculum committee.

o   [Gabe]: This is obviously an important issue, I think committees could work this out better.

·      Discussion:

o   I agree with this referral, but I think Admin may be a better committee since Curric is so busy lately.

·      Motion: To move to amend the amendment to refer this motion to the Admin committee

Debate (on amendment to amendment) closes.

Motion (to amend amendment passes) passes.

Debate (on modified referral) closes.

Motion (to refer to Admin) passes.

4.         Notes & New Business

·      [Ms. Addante]: Just FYI, there is a Dresden Athletic Funding Update Review Committee which is actually looking at many of the same issues Council talked about a few weeks ago.

·      Motion: I move to change the handbook policy concerning dances to read “HHS Students may bring guests to HHS dances. Guests will be required to show a high school ID and may be required to give their name, address and telephone numbers to the adult at the ticket table. All other guests must get prior permission from the dean of students.

o   [Ms. Stevenson]: We’ve had problems with HHS alumni and other college guests trying to gain entry the night of the dance. Some prior notification may be beneficial.

Meeting adjourns.

10/21

Agenda: 10/21/2011

1.          Approval of Minutes

2.         Reports

3.          Test Returns Motion

4.         Notes & New Business

“A problem well stated is a problem half solved.” ~Charles F. Kettering

Council Minutes 10/7/2011

1.          Approval of Minutes

2.         Reports

·      [Mod]: We’re still looking for suggestions concerning meeting locations/setup.

·      [A-Mod]: Feel free to come to Exec on Wednesdays to present any agenda items.

·      [DSB]: There will be a interview about NEASC on CATV.

·      [Sec]: Junior & sophomore alternates may vote.

·      [SL]: Feedback on food vending machines would be helpful.

·      [SA]: Possible money allocation next week.

·      [OEC]: New/tuition members will be joining us next week.

·      [COI]: Approved school-wide goals, we also reviewed MI options.

·      [Exec]: We had some good CG discussion last week, we can get through some confusion with Robert’s Rules etc. It’s also great to have varied viewpoints.

3.          Extended Study Hours Discussion

·      [Jennie]: ESH is new this year. It provides a place for HW after school, but let’s talk about ways to get the word out.

·      How late is ESH open?

o   Until 4:00.

·      Why does it exist?

o   In the past, parents have wondered about a program like this, where there is supervision and assistance for students’ homework.

·      Can students be required to attend?

o   It would be good to see teachers require/encourage the use of this program, but we don’t want it to become a detention.

·      We should definitely look into holding this in a better location. Combining the library and ESH programs might be a good idea.

·      The library would be effective, maybe with a few more computers.

4.         Robert’s Rules Customization Motion

·      [Rachel]: This is actually a bylaw notification for a bylaw revision coming next week, but here is a general idea of what will be coming:

o   Striking only speaking once during a debate/discussion

o   Remove the ability to call order of the day

o   Remove the ability to call an informal poll

o   Add the ability to have a 15 second authorship speech for closing debate.

5.         Athletic Function Motion

·      Motion: I move to form an ad-hoc committee to reassess the athletic activity fee to free up funds and to ensure greater efficiency in the allocation of funds process.

o   [Ethan]: Whether or not you agree with my ideas, this would simply create a committee to gather more information.

·      Clarifying questions:

o   Will this be coming back to Council afterwards?

§  Yes

o   How will members be chosen? Have you talked to Mr. Jackson yet?

§  Volunteer basis. We have not yet talked about working with other existing committees.

o   Have you consulted with the athletic advisory committee?

§  Not yet. They have a lot of things on their plate right now.

·      [Mod]: Proposal rejected. Right now, we will wait until the AAC has met to form this committee.

·      Motion: I move to reconsider the moderator’s decision.

o   [Carl]: Right now, we’re just forming a committee. This would be harmless to approve now.

·      Clarifying questions:

o   So this issue would have to wait two months until AAC?

§  Yes, this would be postponed until the AAC has met.

·      Discussion:

o   It would be advantageous to create this ad-hoc committee now.

o   This isn’t that urgent, we could take our time with this.

o   This is not that big of a deal: just because it’s an ad hoc committee doesn’t mean they can’t communicate with the AAC.

o   If we already have an AAC, this committee would be redundant.

·      Question of Privilege: Stop talking! It’s distracting

Debate (on appeal) closes.

Motion (to appeal) fails.

Motion (to form ad hoc committee) overruled by moderator.

6.         1:1 Technology Discussion

·      Ms. Murray will bring this next week.

7.          Notes & New Business

·      Motion: I move to require teachers to give back tests to students and let students keep them after they’ve been taken.

o   [Carl]: Several teachers give back test for a few minutes, then take it away and lock it up in a file cabinet. This makes studying inconvenient, especially if students have to find time before and after school on short notice. The purpose of school is to let students learn, not to make teachers jobs easier. Let students see their own mistakes!

·       Clarifying questions:

o   Would this apply to midterms or finals?

§  No.

·      Discussion:

o   This motion seems very logical, maybe a contract showing students’ responsibility of their own tests would be beneficial as well.

o   This is not an issue that can be resolved individually, we not a larger policies. Teachers can modify their tests if they want to protect academic integrity. The fear of cheating is getting in the way of learning.

o    Test security is not isolated to HHS, only small parts of the NECAPS are released each year. It is common practice in education for teachers to reuse tests.  This implies that teachers are lazy.

o   The issue here is test security, sometimes changing tests is difficult.

Meeting adjourns.

10/7

Agenda: 10/7/2011

1.          Approval of Minutes

2.         Reports

3.          Extended Study Hours Discussion

4.         Robert’s Rules Customization Motion

5.         Athletic Funding Motion

6.         1:1 Technology Discussion

7.          Notes & New Business

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” ~Thomas Edison

Council Minutes 9/30/2011

1.          Approval of Minutes

2.         Reports

·      [Mod]: Just FYI, although the executive officer can advise the moderator on whether or not an amendment is within the spirit of the motion, it’s ultimately up to the moderator. I have decided that Rachel’s amendment to the CG motion is not within the spirit of James’ original motion.

·      [Treas]: Composting training next Friday during Activity Period.

·      [Sec]: Junior alternate may vote.

·      [DSB]: We looked at child restraint guidelines and goals for the coming year. I spoke out against a 1:1 technology suggestion.

·      [Curric]: Discussed survey with Mr. Bill/NEASC committees.

·      [SA]: Pep rally went very well, now we’re working on Quidditch.

·      [SL]: Wednesday Schedule Motion will work out with the buses, we’re also working on food vending machines.

3.          Common Ground Switch Motion

·      Motion: I move to refer the Common Ground Switch Motion to Student Life.

o   [Jennie]: We shouldn’t be deciding this in Council while COI is evaluating Common Ground. We can have SL representatives working with others to work this out a little better first.

·      Clarifying Questions:

o   What will SL be doing with us that we can’t do?

§  We can have more people involved, SL would link everything together as they gather more information.

o   What happened to the survey?

§  It was an informal poll and we don’t have the results yet anyways.

·      Discussion:

o   Let’s not worry about this getting lost in committee, committees can be timely and productive.

o   It generally takes over two weeks to get an answer from a committee, nothing that we can’t do ourselves right now. Let’s strike this down and just either pass or fail the original motion.

o   There are already two committees working on this, SL could make this too complicated.

o   COI will not be providing an answer! It was only a year-long goal to look at this issue.

·      Motion: I move to postpone the CG Switch Motion until we have had time to gather and analyze results from COI.

o   [Ethan]: This would give us time to get more information from COI.

·      Clarifying Questions:

o   Would this postpone the entire discussion?

§  Yes, until after we get results from COI.

·      Discussion:

o   This was the main idea of the referral, but this would work better.

o   This will take longer than the original referral. This would not be one of COI’s priorities, so let’s let SL handle this instead.

o   This is a big issue, COI should take as much time as they’d like to figure this out.

o   We should not postpone or refer this, let’s vote on the original motion.

o   Again, there will NOT be any definitive results coming from COI!

o   Our minds are made up, let’s just vote on this!

o   Many times we are frustrated with the US Government because they get nothing done, but the system is designed that way! Let’s take our time.

Debate closes.

Motion (to postpone) fails.

·      Back to original motion to refer the CG Switch Motion to Student Life.

Debate closes.

Motion (to refer) passes.

4.         Wednesday Schedule Motion

·      Motion: I move to shift the start of 5^th period on Wednesdays five minutes, therefore ending the school day at 2:00.

o   [Dan G]: This motion is coming back to Council from Student Life. We looked at the issue and got the OK from the bus companies, so we should be all set to go with this.

Debate closes.

Motion passes.

Meeting adjourns.