Minutes 12/13/13

Agenda 12/20

1) Approval of minutes

2) Reports

3) Summary of headphone motion

4) OEC bylaw revision

5) Tech motion – homework

Council Minutes 12/13/13

11)   Approval of minutes

22)   Reports

(Treas)- Co-curric funds are now at $2,111.25 after the money allocation passed last week.

(Admin)- We are working on details for the MLK assembly.

(SA)- We are working to change how winter carnival signups are done. We might need help from more council members.

(Curric)- We are bringing back restorative justice the Friday after break.

(Historical records committee)- We are starting to meet. Anyone who is interested contact Sarah Siegel or Ms. Addante!

33)   Weekend homework discussion:

•The upperclassmen seemed to think it was less work than past years

•The freshmen seemed to think it was a lot

•Many students voiced that they thought we have too much homework assigned on regular weekends (this is something to look into)

            -Need time to look at regular weekends

•We need to find out if it’s one teacher assigning things over break- if so we need to inform them about what the handbook states.

•We need to have more discussions around this in common ground

  -We should touch on the quality of homework assignments

•We should follow up after holiday break and see how the students feel

“I move to suspend this discussion until after holiday break.”

Debate closes.

Motion passes.

44)   Headphone Motion

Motion: “I move to require the use of headphones in the atrium.”

•This is an imposition of taste- you’re assuming everyone around you likes your music when you're not using headphones

•There is a power struggle between staff and students

•This motion would prevent any sound to be played unless with the use of headphones.

•Would acoustic café be affected by this?

•What would happen if someone does not have his or her own headphones?

•The library does not lend them outside of the library.

•How would this be enforced?

•This is trying to address too many things at once

•Is the café involved in this? Or only the atrium?

•If people want a quiet place they should find another area in the school (library, silent study, resource centers)

•The real issue is the loud speakers being played – the speakers shouldn’t be allowed.

•Teachers should be able to stand up to students

•We shouldn’t have another rule 

•People are generally reasonable

•”A poor choice on a small number of people shouldn’t ruin it for everyone else in the atrium because they’re not respecting others.”

•As council members we need to make this aware to the student body and hopefully they will respond well and be more reasonable about the loudness of their music.

•The atrium is a unique gathering place (different from other schools)- it's a place for people to talk and socialize. Sharing music and videos is often involved with this.

•In most circumstances this can be solved with communication.

•Our school is about personal responsibility.

•We will talk about follow up steps for this particular issue.

Debate closes.

Motion fails.

Meeting Adjourns. 

Meeting Adjourns.

Council Minutes 12/6/13

Agenda 12/13

1) Approval of minutes

2) Reports

3) Weekend homework discussion

4) Headphone discussion

Council Minutes 12/6/13

11)   Approval of Minutes

22)   Reports

(Treas) – Co-curric funds are at $2,282.25. Council funds are at $1,798.04.

(SL)- We are thinking of creating an adhoc committee for the condom motion.

(OEC) – We are working on bylaw revisions and also working on putting more things up on the council board.

33)   Paper Report Card Motion:

Motion: “The Environmental club moves that paper copies of report cards no longer be distributed to students at the end of each academic quarter. Parents may request by email, a paper copy of their child’s report card from the guidance office. Parents will be notified that grades have been finalized on the portal via the principal’s weekly newsletter.”

•Parents like the hard copy and can keep it for records

•The report cards would be emailed directly to the parents

•Stacey would have a lot more to deal with. She wouldn’t have the time to sort through all the requests.

•There is the ability to print in out yourself in a different format.

•There is an email capability on portal (it can be emailed it as frequently as you want)

•We should work on finding a way to email them in a nice format that is easy to print like a PDF version.

Amendment: “The Environmental club moves that paper copies of report cards no longer be distributed to students at the end of each academic quarter. If parents want a paper copy of their child’s report card, they must send a request to the guidance office by a week after receiving the principal notification. The guidance office will then print out and mail those report cards.”

•This is too much for guidance to handle

•About 25% of report cards aren’t picked up 

•a PDF version is the best idea for this

Amendment on the amendment

Amendment: “I as a representative of the environmental club move that paper copies of report cards no longer be distributed to students at the end of each academic quarter. Parents along with students at the end of each quarter will be emailed a PDF version of their child’s report card from the guidance office. Parents will be notified that grades have been finalized on the portal via principals weekly newsletter and if the student or parents wishes a printed report card they will take it upon themselves to print it.”

•If you owe the school money how would that work now?

•Are we putting too much trust into power school?

• We should have a survey to see how many people would like a paper copy

•Guidance would no longer be in charge of printing

•We can use the Alert now system

•This school is all about student responsibility

Debate closes.

Amendment passes.

Amendment : “I as a representative of the environmental club move that paper copies of report cards no longer be distributed to students at the end of each academic quarter. Parents along with students at the end of each quarter will be emailed a PDF version of their child’s report card automatically from power school. Parents will be notified that grades have been finalized on the portal via principals weekly newsletter and if the student or parents wishes a printed report card they will take it upon themselves to print it.”

•This makes sure that everyone gets emailed

•It is easy to print out

Amendment: “I as a representative of the environmental club move that paper copies of report cards no longer be distributed to students at the end of each academic quarter. Parents along with students at the end of each quarter will be emailed a PDF version of their child’s report card. Parents will be notified that grades have been finalized on the portal via principals weekly newsletter and if the student or parents wishes a printed report card they will take it upon themselves to print it.”

•(drops the words power-school and automatically)

•This still gets to the point/spirit of the motion

•This allows us to use motion if we change to a different model than power school

Debate closes.

Amendment passes.

Motion: “I as a representative of the environmental club move that paper copies of report cards no longer be distributed to students at the end of each academic quarter. Parents along with students at the end of each quarter will be emailed a PDF version of their child’s report card. Parents will be notified that grades have been finalized on the portal via principals weekly newsletter and if the student or parents wishes a printed report card they will take it upon themselves to print it.”

Debate closes.

Motion passes.

44)   Acoustic café money allocation

“Student activities moves that $171 be moved to the acoustic café club”

•The money would be used to rent guitar for the year

•They didn’t anticipate the amount of people who would participate in this club

•It would be nice to keep a guitar in the school

•Electronic and acoustic guitars are about the same price to rent

Debate closes.

Motion passes.

55)   Long-weekend report

•Overall the homework load was less than past years

•Freshmen seemed to have the biggest problems concerning this

•Too much homework interferes with time spent with family and friends

•On regular weekends we have an excessive amount of homework

•There are problems with things being assigned on Wednesday before break and then being due the 2^nd day after returning (Tuesday).

•Students are sometimes being emailed last minute to do more homework over the weekend.

Meeting Adjourns.

Council Minutes 11/22/13

Agenda 12/6/131) Approval of Minutes2) Reports3) Paper report card motion4) Acoustic café money allocation5) Long weekend report6) Headphone discussion Council Minutes 11/2211)   Approval of Minutes22)   Reports:(PR)- Don’t work on homework during council please! Also we need to make sure the seating arrangement it accurate when we leave if we want to continue meeting in the band room.(DSB)- Met last Tuesday where a title 9, informal complaint was brought about the softball and baseball fields in Norwich. Also please remember to take Survey sent to you over email!(Treas)- Money allocation for the acoustic café will be coming soon from SA.(OEC)- Checking in with the Jcomm Committee. We will be moving our meeting time to Friday activity period in the library.(Curric)- Working on getting restorative justice into the AIP.33)   Three Test Motion (Revote)“I move to have a revote on the three test motion”•A lot of people were missing when we voted on this motion•Was confusing with the amendment•Voted on it with haste•Had a quorum- went through proper process. No need for a revote.Debate closes.Vote to reopen discussion passes.“I move to amend original motion back to the amendment”Amendment- “I move to amend the motion to read: students who have more than two tests on one school day are able to move all tests that are scheduled/assigned after the first two were scheduled/assigned to another time within 3 school days of the original test date as long as the request is made 24 hours in advance. A test is defined as an assessment designed to take 1 period to complete.”•Amendment on the motion takes it outside of jurisdiction•We need to look at the faculty angle more•There are issues with the definition of a test (with or without the amendment)•The wording of the amendment make it so the teacher and student don’t have to have a discussion. The original motion keeps the need for a discussion in place.• The word ”Must” might not get us what we want, but shouldn’t stop us.Debate closes.Amendment fails.Amendment proposed: “If a student is finding that a teacher(s) does not allow a test schedule to change, they should bring their concern to the curriculum committee for consideration by the principal.”“I move the motion and the amendment to be referred to an adhoc committee”• We need to work on defining a test• There is fear that it will be pushed away if it is referred to an adhoc committee•The adhoc’s only business is to work on this motion and amendment- it would be more focused. They would also need to report back at the next meeting.•This includes the entire motion, not just the amendment.•Curric is tied up already, thus the need for an adhoc committee.•We are running around in circles.•”Don’t get the perfect In the way of the good”Debate closes.Referral passes.Meeting Adjourns.

Council Minutes 11/15

Agenda for 11/22

1. Approval of Minutes

2. Reports

3. 3 Test Motion

4.Headphone Motion

5. Long Weekend Homework Discussion

6. Notes & New Business

Council Minutes of 11/15/2013

1. Approval of Minutes

2. Reports

(DSB)-Please remember to take survey for the strategic planning committee sent out over email

            (Admin)-Met with Ms.Patten about making entire handbook into a website that is easily accessible

            (Curric)-Bringing something back about Bourne Ultimatum, also met about

possibility of curric handling academic complaints

            (Historical Records Committee)- Met about potential public Council history display to inform students

            (Max)-What about Ad hoc committees this year?

            (Ms. Cep)- We only need to form them if we need them.

3.Bourne Ultimatum (Essentially a re-vote)

Motion: “Motion: I move that in the Handbook, pg. 47, at the bottom of the academic integrity policy, the motion strikes base consequence of the notification of student’s guidance counselor for first offense and moves it to additional, multiple, or more serious offenses.”

Changes:

-Base Consequences

            -Strike “notifications of student’s guidance counselor”

            -Addition multiple, more serious consequences

                        -Add “student’s guidance counselor will be notified of all offenses”

From Curric: no definitive recommendation nor consensus. Following opinions/options expressed:

            1.Can move to fail with motion about new course of action in a few weeks                        

2.Bourne Ultimatum is holding back possible work on Restorative Justice, possibly bring something back about that as well

            3.Want Council’s help in figuring out what to do

(Kelsey): Difficult to integrate Restorative Justice and the Bourne Ultimatum, potential slippery slope. e could take good parts of

(Madame Doyle): Do we have the option of not bringing it back? We should

fail it. Nobody on staff doesn’t want the non-reporting bit. People are looking

positively, but handbook says we report any violation (need to clear up handbook)

(Mod): We need a definite motion passed/failed, not just a discussion on various aspects of the Bourne Ultimatum

Debate:

            • Curric is hesitant, so we should fail, let them come back with something

and make procedure clearer for Mr. Smith.

• Trust curric to keep going

4. Motion to move Bourne Ultimatum back to Curric:

Authorship Speech (Sarah): Clearing the slate is not an issue. We can still go off of things we’ve done.

Questions:

            •Why bring back to Council only to refer it back to Curric?

            •Officially no vote, but Committee agreed to bring it back (Bylaws

require a report in 2 weeks but not necessarily a “bring back”)

Debate:

•Clearing the slate would be the best at this point.

•We should honor committee work

•Should keep this and work this with Restorative Justice

•Understand that Restorative Justice and Bourne Ultimatum are separate, but do relate and can go hand-in-hand.

•Would be better to fail and rework the wording instead of continuously amending the motion.

•We need to figure out the process of the punishment of a disciplinary action

Debate Closes.

Referral fails.

           
Debate Closes

Motion Fails.

5.Notes and New Business

(Max Greenwald)- Revote on 3 Test Motion.

•We were worrying too much about process, it would be helpful to discuss it more and lots of people weren’t here [when we voted].

•Believe it was too quick. Need to look into the wording more.

Meeting Adjourns.

Council Minutes 11/8

Agenda 11/15

11)   Approval of Minutes

22)   Reports

33)   Bourne Ultimatum

44)   HHS Technology Motion

55)   Notes & New Business

Council Minutes 11/8

1) REPORTS

(Mod) – band room set-up is different now that the band/orchestra concert is coming up – we need to put them in stacks of 18

(PR) – I’ll be writing a report for the Broadside by next Wednesday. If you ever have something you want to be in the report let me know.

(Treas.)– Co-curricular Funds = $2,282.25; Council funds = $1,798.04.

 (Curric) – Will come back maybe next week with Bourne Ultimatum with recommendation to fail. Going to be meeting with Mr. Smith and looking at the academic integrity policy and to see how to incorporate restorative justice.

2) 3 TESTS MOTION

• Debate on amendment of the motion:

            Amendment- “I move to amend the motion to read: students who have more than two tests on one school day are able to move all tests that are scheduled/assigned after the first two were scheduled/assigned to another time within 3 school days of the original test date as long as the request is made 24 hours in advance. A test is defined as an assessment designed to take 1 period to complete.”

Debate:

• Even now you can talk to teacher about moving tests, so this makes the motion create more concrete change

• This amendment is more clear

• With this motion we lose the opportunity for conversation between teachers and students

• This incentives teachers to be more organized

• Isn’t in our jurisdiction

• How do we define a test?

DEBATE CLOSES.
AMENDMENT FAILS.

• Debate on the original motion:

            Motion- “I move that students who have 3 tests on 1 school day are able to request to defer taking one of the tests to a different day within 3 school days of the original test date, as long as the request is made 24 hours in advance. The student is responsible to arranging the make-up time. A test is defined as an assessment designed to take 1 period to complete.”

              •This motion won’t be changing anything

•In need of clear details

•Having three tests on one day doesn’t happen often.

•Teachers who are flexible will continue to be flexible, teacher’s who aren’t will continue to be unyielding

• Present too many problems for kids who feel they aren’t being heard

• People learn in different ways – some people are able to cram about 3 different subjects, others aren’t – this creates an easier way for kids who can’t to deal with over scheduling of tests

•Students should still take the initiative to talk to their teachers if they are in need of help.

• Comforting for students to see language like this in the handbook to know they can do something and have the talk with their teachers.

DEBATE CLOSES.

MOTION PASSES.

MEETING ADJOURNS. 

Council Minutes 11/1

Agenda for 11/8

1) Approval of Minutes

2) Reports

3) 3 test motion

4) Bourne Ultimatum

5) Notes & New business

Council Minutes 11/1

1)   Approval of minutes

2)   Reports

•(Secretary)- If there are multiple alternates in your grade made sure you decide amongst yourselves who will be voting if there is an absence of one of the representatives in your grade. You should not vote together as one.

•(Admin)- Working on student handbook. Not worrying about the text at the moment but are focused on making a clear table on contents.

•(SL)- Met with a group of people including the nurse and Ms. G about the condom situation. Working on putting a presentation together on the input that was given by the teachers and student body. There is still a lot to do.

•(OEC)- In the process of working on bylaw revisions.

3)   “I move to arrange the agenda to having the bylaw revisions before the 3 test motion”

Debate closes.

Motion passes.

4)   Bylaw notifications:

•“I move to strike the stared section in article 3, section C, point 1, regarding Dartmouth classes reading: ‘Any Council member who takes a Dartmouth Class (for one semester or less) will be removed from Council and will have the opportunity to return as a sub-alternate. The current alternate will be promoted to representative and the recorded next highest vote getter of that delegation will become an alternate.’ And create this as a new sub-point e with also the addition of only if the class interferes with council.”

-Change is that only this will happen if the class interferes with council.

Debate closes.

Motion Pases.

•”I move to change article 6, section f, sub point a of the purpose to read: (a) To review administrative decisions in discipline cases when students or a group of students believe they have been treated unfairly. In its review process, the Judiciary Committee will:

i.   Determine whether each student or a group of students is innocent or guilty.

ii.  Decide whether the administration’s decision is appropriate or inappropriate.” 

-Change is a group can make an appeal.

Debate closes.

Motion passes.

And also to change article 6, section f, sub point a under the appeal to read: (a) The appeal of a disciplinary action will be made in writing by the appellant by 3:00 of the school day, two school days following such disciplinary action. Exceptions to this provision are at the discretion of the chair. It must be given directly to the Chair of the Judiciary Committee and should outline the nature of the offense, the administration’s response, the reason why the appeal is being made, and what the appellant would like the committee to do.”

-Change is 2 school days instead of 1.

Debate:

•A lot of the responsibility is going to be put onto the chair.

•Could have problems reporting as a group.

•Would the group be present at the same time?

• A lot more work to be done.

•24 is a short amount of time.

       •Reminder of the purpose of Jcomm: “Purpose

(a) To review administrative decisions in discipline cases when students believe they have been treated unfairly. In its review process, the Judiciary Committee will:

i.   Determine whether each student is innocent or guilty.

ii.  Decide whether the administration’s decision is appropriate or inappropriate.

(b) To serve as an advisory body to the administration on policy issues of student discipline.

(c) To deal with the present needs of students who seek support in dealing with the administration.

(d) To generate data regarding the effectiveness of student participation in matters of discipline. “

“I move to refer this to OEC”

Debate closes.

Referral passes.

5)   3 Test Motion

Motion: ”I move that students who have three tests on one school day he/she are able to request 24 before for one of the tests to be taken on a different day. He/she is responsible for arranging a time to make up this test.”

•Student and teachers would sign a form

•Still under teacher’s discretion

•Would create problems with teachers saying no

•Students would continue to go to the same teachers

•Need to be clear which test they can ask to reschedule

•What do we define as a test?

•Would only pertain to tests, not presentations

•Need to talk to guidance- miscommunication if students may go to guidance if the problem cannot be resolved between teacher and student.

•Leaving the student to choose the test they want to reschedule is not a good idea.

Amendment “ I amend to move the motion to read: students who have more than two tests on one school day he/she are able to request the third one scheduled 24 before to be taken on a different day.”

Meeting Adjourns.