Spring Garden Middle School
Student Council Constitution
August 2013
Mission Statement
The Mission Statement of the Spring Garden Middle School Student Council is to inspire
and empower others to make positive changes personally and socially. We will do this by
encouraging others to take risks through participating in leadership, realizing each
individual possesses gifts to share, welcoming differences and diversity, showing we all
play a small part in the big picture, learning to LIVE, LOVE, LEARN and LEAVE A
LEGACY!
Article I: Name
This entity will be known as Spring Garden Middle School Student Council, Stuco.
Article II: Purpose and Powers
The purpose of Stuco is to make SGMS better for students and staff by representing the
student body in suggesting improvements, developing leaders, and building pride and
spirit. Stuco will strive to plan fun, quality projects to create more responsible students
and encourage staff involvement while also reaching out to the community.
Article III: Membership
Stuco will consist of one Student Body President, one Student Body Vice-President, five
seventh-grade representatives, three eighth-grade representatives, and at least one staff
sponsor.
The president and vice-president for the following year will be elected in the spring by
the current seventh graders.
The representatives will be elected in the fall by that year’s seventh and eighth graders.
The Stuco staff sponsor will be appointed by the SGMS administration.
Section A: Point System
One point will be awarded for completion of each of the following:
1. Attending each Stuco meeting
2. Each hour of a special meeting or work day including decorating for a dance
3. Serving as secretary for one meeting and fulfilling those responsibilities
4. Working a lunch shift
5. Designing and/or decorating the front bulletin boards
6. Each hour of attendance at an after-school Stuco event
7. Working a Stuco event during school
8. Participating in two dress-up days (sponsored by Stuco or another entity)
9. Earning all As and Bs each quarter
10. Earning all 3s and 4s each quarter
Two points will be awarded for completion of each of the following:
1. Serving as a chairperson of a committee and fulfilling those duties
2. Earning all As for each quarter
3. Earning all 1s for each quarter
4. Sending out thank you’s to committee chairpersons for a job well done
Points for meeting attendance will be tracked through roll call. You must be present
during roll call to earn your point.
Points for other events will be tracked through Stuco sign-in sheets. You are responsible
for signing in at each event to earn your point.
Points will be posted by the president weekly in the media center lab.
Section B: Benefits
Members with the highest points for each grade level will be invited to the Missouri
Association of Student Councils Convention in the spring.
Article V: Spring Elections
Student body president and vice-president elections will be held in the spring for the
following year. (Representative elections will be held in the fall of the year of service.)
President and vice-president candidates must have a minimum of 30 points and all As and
Bs at the end of 3rd quarter to run for office.
Process for running for election:
1. Fill out an application that will be posted in the front hall
2. Give a 2-3 minute campaign speech to seventh graders
3. Organize and run a campaign following Stuco guidelines
Candidates will receive four points for running for office.
Each member of the student body will be allowed to vote for one candidate.
The candidate with the highest number of votes will receive the office of Student Body
President, and the candidate with the second highest number of votes will receive the
office of Student Body Vice-President.
Winners of the election will be announced at the end of Election Day.
Article VI: Fall Elections
In the fall, current Stuco members (Student Body President and Vice-President) will
conduct an election for class representatives.
Five seventh-grade representatives and three eighth-grade representatives will be elected
to office.
Stuco will produce an Introduction to Stuco video to inform, entertain and recruit Stuco
members. Stuco packets will be available for interested candidates. Packets will
include:
1. Candidate Application
2. "Steps to Being Elected into Stuco" handout
3. Campaign Information
Steps to Being Elected into Stuco:
1. Fill out a Stuco Representative application. These are available in the media center, on
the SGMS website, and from any current Stuco member. It must be turned into the media
center by the deadline on the application to be considered for the election.
2. Print your name and grade clearly on the application. Stuco uses the information from
the applications to make ballots. Poor handwriting could result in misspellings on the
ballots.
3. Once applications are hung in the main hallway, check to see that yours is there. If it is
not, see the Stuco staff sponsor immediately. If you do not, your name will not appear on
the official ballot.
4. Prepare your campaign following the guidelines on the back of the application.
5. Campaign only during the dates given on the application.
6. Plan to attend the Stuco meeting on the date given on the application.
7. Vote for your top ten choices for representative, including yourself.
8. Stop campaigning following the dates on the application.
9. Listen for the announcement of winners on the date given on the application.
10. Have fun and enjoy the experience, win or not, of running for a student body position.
Article VII: Campaign Information
Candidate applications will be posted in the main hallway. Applications will include the
candidate's name, photo, an interesting fact about him/her, and a statement as to why
SGMS should elect him/her as student body representative.
Candidates are allowed to post up to three campaign posters in the hallways in
appropriate areas and are allowed to hand out campaign materials. These posters and
materials must adhere to the guidelines given.
A list of voting tips will be given to the student body as well as a list of candidates.
Voting Tips:
1. Know the candidates- Look through the list of candidates and be sure you can put a
face to each name. If not, look at the candidate applications in the main hallway.
2. Look at the applications- Along with photos, you will find interesting facts about the
candidates and why they think you should vote for them.
3. Read the campaign posters- You can learn a lot about candidates by the amount of
effort they put into their campaigns. Campaigning is how they ask for your vote.
4. Ask yourself this question, "Will these people I select consider my views when making
decisions?" If you answer yes, you have selected the right people to represent you.
Campaign Poster Guideline:
Candidates who do not adhere to the following guidelines
will not be allowed into Stuco if elected.
1. Candidates may hang up to three posters in the hallways in appropriate areas.
2. Posters must be no larger than 11 1/2" x 14".
3. Candidates may not use class or advisement time to hang posters or distribute
campaign materials. Campaigning is limited to before school, between classes, during
lunch, and after school.
4. No food or candy of any kind may be given to students as part of campaigning.
5. No stickers or buttons are allowed to be given to students as a part of campaigning.
6. Campaign materials may not be mass produced or commercially purchased. They must
be handmade or digitally created.
7. Campaign materials should be informative and meaningful.
Article VIII: Meetings
Section A: Meeting Times
Stuco meetings will be held the first and third Thursdays after school from 3:10 until
4:00.
Section B: Order
1. Agenda: List the important points to be presented to the council. The president and the
adviser should do this the day before the meeting.
2. Call to Order: This is the official opening of the meeting done by the presiding officer
(President or Vice-President)
3. Roll Call: Vice-president will take attendance. More than half the members must be
present in order to vote.
4. Reading of Minutes: This is the secretary's brief summary of what was done at the last
meeting.
5. Positives from three members
6. Committee Reports: Any committee chair should report on what the committee has
done since the last meeting.
7. Unfinished Business: This is the business that was on the last agenda but was not
discussed or voted on.
8. New Business: These are issues, concerns and questions that have not been discussed
before. They are new ideas the council wants to discuss.
9. Announcements: These are reminders about coming events, messages to take back to
advisement, when the next meeting will be, etc.
10. Adjournment: This vote formally ends the meeting.
Section C: Meeting Rules
The following rules will be followed at each Stuco meeting:
1. Arrive on time.
2. Remain in meeting until the president adjourns. If you need to leave early, make
arrangements will the president prior to the meeting and leave quietly so as not to disrupt
the business at hand.
3. Cell phones must be turned off. Texting is not allowed during the meeting.
4. Devices must be closed except for the secretary who is taking notes.
5. Raise your hand and wait to be recognized by the president before speaking.
6. Food and drink are allowed in the meeting unless they become a problem, but trash and
any remains must be cleaned up prior to leaving.
7. Tables and chairs must be returned to their proper places before leaving.
Sections D: Meeting Points
One point will be awarded to each member in attendance for each Stuco meeting. The
secretary will track points when roll is called, and the President will update the point
board.
Article IX: High Expectations
Section A: Student Council Expectations
Being a member of Spring Garden Middle School Student Council is a privilege and big
responsibility. Student Council members are student leaders and are expected to act as
such at all times. Members of the student council are held to an even higher standard than
other students at SGMS, academically and behaviorally.
Student Council Members agree to:
1. Maintain As and Bs
and 3s and 4s
2. Commit to becoming a positive leader at the Garden
by holding self to a higher
standard and leading by example
3. Attend all Stuco meetings
(If you know that you are unable to attend a meeting, speak
with the staff sponsor prior to the meeting day.)
4. Be an active and courteous participant in Stuco meetings
5. Be respectful of classmates and SGMS staff in school and after-school. When one
person is talking, end conversation and listen to what others have to say
6. Serve on at least one committee
7. Attend and participate in all Stuco events and encourage others to do so as well
8. Voice own opinion as well as that of the student body
9. Be there for Student Council members when they need support
10. Take responsibility for own actions
11. Work together to come up with ideas and help each other solve problems
Consequences of poor choices:
1. Missing a meeting for anything other than health or funeral is considered unexcused.
Three unexcused absences may result in removal from council.
2. President or Vice-President will check individual(s).
3. If behavior continues, President or Vice-President will check council.
4. If individual continues to be disruptive, individual will be asked to leave and will lose
a point. (Second time being asked to leave will result in removal from council.)
5. If behavior continues, President or Vice-President may call for adjournment of
meeting.
6. If behavior is not improved at next meeting, next scheduled event may be cancelled.
Section B: Student Body President Expectations
1. Organize and run fall elections
2. Appoint at least one chairperson for each Stuco event
3. Preside over all Stuco meetings by
a. Appointing a meeting secretary
b. Calling the meeting to order on time
c. Staying on topic by following the agenda
d. Calling on members with their hands raised
e. Calling for votes, counting votes, and announcing the results of the votes
f. Adjourning meetings on time
4. Update points on the point board
Section C: Student Body Vice-President Expectations
1. Assist in organizing and running fall elections
2. Take roll at each meeting
3. Assist with counting votes
4. Preside over Stuco meetings in the absence of the President
5. Keep an updated and accurate sign-in book
Section D: Committee Chairperson Expectations
Committee chairpersons will be appointed by the President. There will be at least one
chairperson for each Stuco event. Chairpersons who complete their duties, leave detailed
documentation for the next chairperson, and send out thank-yous will receive two
additional points for the job well done.
Section E: Secretary Expectations
*A different secretary will be appointed by the president at each meeting. A point is
given at the end of each meeting to the member who served the office successfully.
1. Keep accurate records of school business in each meeting.
2. Keep an accurate accounting of motions brought to the floor, the seconding of motions,
discussions, and final disposition of items.
Article X: Stuco Events
Sept/Oct
Affirmation envelopes
Stuco intro video
Fall elections
Homecoming spirit week
FabLabs
Nov/Dec
Community service project
Mix it up day
FabLabs
Teacher appreciation breakfast/lunch
Jan/Feb
Valentine sales
Mix it up day
FabLabs
Mar/Apr/May
FabLab workshops
Missouri Association of Student Councils State Convention
Teacher appreciation week
State testing prep
Spring elections
Retirement and leaving recognition
Article XI: Missouri Association of Student Councils
Stuco will retain membership in the Missouri Association of Student Councils, MASC, as
funds are available to do so.
Revised May 2015