Charles County Association of Student Councils
Mission Statement
The mission of the Charles County Association of Student Councils (CCASC) is to represent and amplify the student voice in Charles County through improving inter-school relations and cooperation, increasing the effectiveness of individual student councils, initiating and promoting improvements and activities for the general good of the students, and voicing a collective opinion to students on county affairs.
Constitution
CCASC is governed by a Constitution that outlines the purpose, duties and rules governing the meetings and membership of the organization.
Platform
CCASC collectively develops a platform to guide the activities and issues the group supports.
Student Member of the Board Selection Process
The Board of Education of Charles County establishes educational and fiscal policy, provides overall direction and governs Charles County Public Schools. A non-voting student member, chosen from the Student Liaisons selected from each high school that wish to pursue the position, serves a one-year term.
Student Liaison Email
Constitution
Preamble
We, the students of the Charles County Association of Student Councils, in order to improve inter-school relations and cooperation, to increase the effectiveness of the individual student councils, to initiate and promote improvements and activities for the general good of the students of the schools, and to voice a collective opinion to students on county affairs, do ordain and establish this constitution for the Charles County Association of Student Councils.
Article I
Article II
Purpose
Section 1 – The mission of CCASC is to strive to bring together the schools of the County by providing quality leadership, service, education and friendship within the schools and community.
Section 2 Beliefs – CCASC members believe:
- Students should be involved because they have the power to succeed.
- Student Government should represent the best interests of all students and be beneficial to all schools.
- CCASC should work to improve the Charles County Public Schools system in general.
- CCASC should work with the Board of Education as well as the community.
- With communication, anything can be accomplished.
- All students can and will succeed.
- CCASC members are role models for younger students.
- All students should have the power to express an informed opinion.
- Education should be first and foremost.
- School and county pride is essential.
Article III
Membership
Section 1 Eligibility – All Charles County public middle and high schools are eligible for membership.
Section 2 Non-Voting Members – Members of other organizations may be admitted to CCASC as non-voting members with the approval of the CCASC Executive Board.
Section 3 Voting Delegates/General Assembly – Each public high school is entitled to 15 voting delegates. Each public middle school is entitled to10 voting delegates. Each school may determine how their delegates are selected. The voting delegates shall comprise the General Assembly.
Section 4 Eligibility for MASC Convention – Members schools of CCASC must have attended at least one MASC business conference in the school year to be eligible to send delegates to the MASC Convention at the close of the same school year.
Article IV
Officers and Duties
Section 1 Elected Officers – The five elected officers of CCASC shall be President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Secretary and Middle School Representative. Only the Middle School Representative shall be a student currently enrolled in one of the county’s middle schools.
Section 2 Duties – The duties of the officers shall be as follows:
- The President shall preside over all meetings of the General Assembly and of the Executive Board; represent CCASC at all Maryland Association of Student Councils (MASC) Executive Board meetings; appoint staff and committee chairpersons; perform all other duties and functions that shall evolve upon the office of President.
- The First Vice President shall serve as acting President in the absence of the President; assist the President; serve as the President’s advisor to assist the President in any way; succeed to the Presidency in the event the office shall become vacant;
- The Second Vice President shall serve as the liaison with all middle schools encouraging involvement by middle school student governments with CCASC; maintain regular and consistent communication between CCASC and middle school student governments and their advisors; attend state related middle school activities; provide additional support to middle schools as directed by the CCASC President; work with the Middle School Representative to provide leadership training to middle school students.
- The Secretary shall maintain the roll of all General Assembly meetings; collect and maintain records of school and special reports; record, maintain and publish complete and accurate records of all CCASC business.
- The Middle School Representative shall work with the Second Vice President to provide leadership training for middle school students; attend state wide middle school meetings; attend al MASC Executive Board meetings; attend CCASC Executive Board meetings; assist the President in conducting middle school meetings.
Section 3 Executive Board – The CCASC Executive Board shall consist of all Elected CCASC officers, the Charles County Student Member of the Board, a Student Liaison from each high school, MASC Executive Board members and any staff appointed by the CCASC President.
Article V
Qualifications and Terms of Office
Section 1 Terms of Office – Terms of office of the elected officers shall run from the close of the last meeting of the General Assembly of the school year in which the election occurs through the close of the final meeting of the school year of their term.
Section 2 Qualifications – All candidates for President, First Vice President, Second Vice President and Secretary must meet the following qualifications:
- shall be enrolled in a Charles County public high school during the school year of their term
- must meet county eligibility requirements for extra curricular activities
- must be a member of their school based SGA
- must have attended at least 4 meetings of the General Assembly
All candidates for Middle School Representative must meet the following qualifications:
- must be enrolled in a county middle school during the term of office
- must meet county eligibility requirements for extra curricular activities
- must be a member of their school based student council
- must have attended at least one CCASC meeting
Section 3 Removal from Office – CCASC may remove any officer for non-performance of the duties set forth in this constitution. Removal from office shall require a two-thirds vote of the executive board. In addition, violations of school policies and eligibility requirements may result in removal from office.
Article VI
Election of Officers
Section 1 Nominations – All nominations must be submitted to CCASC at least one week prior to the April meeting. If no nominees are submitted for a position the executive board shall fill the position.
Section 2 Elections – Elections will take place during the last regularly scheduled General Assembly meeting to be held by the end of April.
Article VII
Meetings
Section 1 General Assembly – The General Assembly will meet during the months of October, December, January and April.
Section 2 Location and Time – General Assembly meetings shall be held at a time and place designated by the Executive Board prior to the start of the school year.
Section 3 Executive Board – The Executive Board shall meet prior to each General Assembly meeting at a time and place designated by the CCASC Advisor. The President may call additional meetings when necessary.
Article VIII
Student Member of the Board and Student Liaisons
Section 1 Student Member of the Board – The Student Member of the Board shall be selected in accordance with procedures endorsed by the Board of Education. Changes to the procedure must be approved by the Superintendent or his designee and the Board of Education.
Section 2 Student Member of the Board Selection Process (Dates may change based on the school year)
- Step One – School Selection of Student Liaison
- Step Two – County Selection of Student Member of the Board
Step One – School Selection of Student Liaison
- Each high school must choose their Student Liaison by May 20th if the school wishes to have a candidate for the position of Student Member of the Board. Ideally, that candidate will automatically become your school liaison if they go for the SMOB position and are unsuccessful. If your school will not have a candidate for the SMOB position, you are asked to select your liaison in time for the June 11th Board of Education meeting when the new liaisons will be introduced. It would be appreciated if all liaisons are named by Friday June 7th.
- Any current sophomore or junior who meets county eligibility requirements is eligible for the position of Student Liaison and Student Member of the Board.
- Schools may choose their Student Liaison through an election process or by a selection process. You have the say on whether your student is capable to go for the County SMOB, via your school’s selection process.
Step Two – County Selection of Student Member of the Board
- The Student Member of the Board will be selected from among the Student Liaisons from each school that wish to pursue the position. The Selection Committee will consist of the following: (14 members total)
- CCASC President
- Current Student Member of the Board
- Current Student Liaison from each school
- SGA Advisor from each school
- Members of the Selection Committee will meet at 3:15 on May 21st for the selection process. The process will include the evaluation of student essays and student interviews. The process will take approximately 15 minutes for each candidate. Alternate day for the selection process is May 23rd.
- If the current Student Liaison is a candidate for Student Member of the Board or cannot participate in the selection process, the SGA Advisor will select a member of Student Government to serve in his or her place. If the SGA Advisor can not participate in the selection process it is his or her responsibility to select a qualified faculty member to serve in his or her place.
- If the total number of members of the selection committee on selection day is less than 10 out a possible 14 members, then the selection of Student Member to the Board of Education will be moved to the alternate day.
- If the total number of members of the selection committee on the alternate selection day is less than 10 out a possible 14 members, then the selection of Student Member to the Board of Education will take place with the selection committee members present.
- Each Student Liaison who wishes to pursue the position of Student Member of the Board will be required to complete and submit an essay of 500 words or less on the following topic
- Identify and discuss an issue of student concern. Propose a possible solution to the problem.
- Essays are due to MR. WINSETT by May 20th. Essays may be emailed to Mr. Winsett at gwinsett@ccboe.com.
- Each Student Liaison who wishes to pursue the position of Student Member of the Board will participate in an interview to be held at Thomas Stone High School on May 21st. Alternate day for the selection process is May 23rd. Interviews will be conducted and evaluated by the Selection Committee. Interviews will begin at 3:30. Advisors will be informed of the interview time by May 20th.
- The Student Member of the Board will be the candidate with the highest combined score from the essay and the interview. The candidate with the second highest score will be the alternate. The CCASC Advisor will take the results to the CCASC supervisor at the Board of Education to verify the results.
- Once the Student Member of the Board has been named on May 24th, the school that the Student Member of the Board attends will appoint a Student Liaison to serve on the Liaison Committee. That name should be forwarded to Mr. Winsett by Friday June 7th.
Section 3 Student Liaisons – Each public high school shall have a Student Liaison. Student Liaisons must be a junior or senior during their term. Each school may determine the method for selecting their Student Liaison.
Section 4 Duties – The duties of the Student Board member are as outlined by Board of Education and State policies. The duties of the Student Liaisons are as follows:
- Attend all regular Board of Education meetings
- Attend all CCASC Executive Board meetings
- Attend all CCASC General Assembly meetings
- Advise the Student Member of the Board
- Participate in the selection process for the Student Member of the Board for the following year.
Section 5 Removal from Office – The Board of Education may dismiss a Student Member of the Board for invalid absences from two Board meetings. Student Liaisons may be removed from their positions by the School Principal or SGA Advisor for non-performance of duties.
Revised and Approved – October 4, 2012
Platform
- I. Youth Representation
- II. Peer Leadership
- III. Education
- IV. Student Safety and Discipline
- V. Health and Social Issues
- VI. Environmental Issues
I. Youth Representation
We support:
- Efforts to gain full voting rights for the Student Board Member.
- Development of a superintendent’s student advisory council at the county level and a principal’s student advisory council at each school.
- Policies in which students are not penalized when absent from school for school-approved activities.
- Appointment and fair compensation of student council/student government advisors teach high school and middle school.
- Providing students opportunities to speak out about issues that directly affect them.
II. Peer Leadership
III. Education
We support:
- High standards of learning across the curriculum for all students.
- Providing educational opportunities specialized to meet each student’s needs and abilities.
- Diverse school curricula that allow for specified areas of study.
- Computer and technology education offered to students in all grade levels.
- Visual and performing art education offered to students in all grade levels.
- Early intervention programs to enable all children to start school ready to learn.
- Infusing service learning into course curricula.
- Maximizing the variety of co-curricular and extra-curricular activities offered at all schools.
- School based programs that encourage civic participation.
- Offering honors and advanced placement courses to all students.
- Notation of honors and advanced placement courses on report cards, high school transcripts, and school course syllabi.
- Implementation of a weighted grading system.
- The establishment of an eligibility requirement for participation in student activities.
- Option of early graduation for students meeting graduation requirements.
- Initiatives that encourage individuals to become teachers in Maryland.
- Improved teacher training and other measures that improve quality of instruction for students.
- Teachers providing instruction only in subjects for which they are qualified.
- State and federal funds provided for programs mandated by the state and federal governments.
- Reduction of class sizes. T. Student and faculty dress codes that improve the learning environment.
- Programs that promote parental and community involvement in students and schools.
- Initiatives to encourage students to stay in school.
We oppose:
- Public funding for private education.
- Providing vouchers for use in private schools except in the case of special education.
- Mandating public school uniforms.
IV. Student Safety and Discipline
We support:
- Proactive measures to prevent school violence, bullying, and vandalism.
- Early intervention and prevention programs to help students with behavioral problems.
- Efforts to reduce classroom behavioral disruptions in school.
- The establishment of standards of behavior for all students.
- Publicized progressive discipline programs within all schools.
- Parental involvement in a student’s disciplinary procedures.
- Alternative education programs for students facing expulsion or other severe disciplinary actions.
- Promotion of Safe Teen Driving endeavors in the community.
We oppose:
- Punishing students in school for out of school behavior.
V. Health and Social Issues
We support:
- Availability of wellness centers and school health service professionals in all schools.
- Efforts to eliminate student use and abuse of tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs.
- Providing education on the biological and social effects of controlled and illegal substances.
- Providing all students access to drug counseling.
- Initiatives to prevent drinking and driving.
- Maximizing the number of substance free activities offered for students.
- Efforts to increase student awareness and prevention of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.
- Efforts to prevent teen suicide.
- Full time guidance counselors at all schools.
- Promoting interaction between a wide range of students of different cultural backgrounds in order to improve tolerance and student relationships.
VI. Environmental Issues
We support:
- Practices and instruction which support environmental protection at all schools.
- Promoting a comprehensive recycling program in all schools.
- Offering student activities that focus on the environment.
- Limiting the use of and exposure to harmful chemicals on school property.
- State and community initiatives that encourage a cleaner environment.
Student Member of the Board Selection Process
- Step One – School Selection of Student Liaison
- Step Two – County Selection of Student Member of the Board
Step One – School Selection of Student Liaison
- Each high school must choose their Student Liaison by May 20th if the school wishes to have a candidate for the position of Student Member of the Board. Ideally, that candidate will automatically become your school liaison if they go for the SMOB position and are unsuccessful. If your school will not have a candidate for the SMOB position, you are asked to select your liaison in time for the June 11th Board of Education meeting when the new liaisons will be introduced. It would be appreciated if all liaisons are named by Friday June 7th.
- Any current sophomore or junior who meets county eligibility requirements is eligible for the position of Student Liaison and Student Member of the Board.
- Schools may choose their Student Liaison through an election process or by a selection process. You have the say on whether your student is capable to go for the County SMOB, via your school’s selection process.
Step Two – County Selection of Student Member of the Board
- The Student Member of the Board will be selected from among the Student Liaisons from each school that wish to pursue the position. The Selection Committee will consist of the following: (14 members total)
- CCASC President
- Current Student Member of the Board
- Current Student Liaison from each school.
- SGA Advisor from each school
- Members of the Selection Committee will meet at 3:15 p.m. on May 21st for the selection process. The process will include the evaluation of student essays and student interviews. The process will take approximately 15 minutes for each candidate. Alternate day for the selection process is May 23rd.
- If the current Student Liaison is a candidate for Student Member of the Board or cannot participate in the selection process, the SGA Advisor will select a member of Student Government to serve in his or her place. If the SGA Advisor can not participate in the selection process it is his or her responsibility to select a qualified faculty member to serve in his or her place.
- If the total number of members of the selection committee on selection day is less than 10 out a possible 14 members, then the selection of Student Member to the Board of Education will be moved to the alternate day.
- If the total number of members of the selection committee on the alternate selection day is less than 10 out a possible 14 members, then the selection of Student Member to the Board of Education will take place with the selection committee members present.
- Each Student Liaison who wishes to pursue the position of Student Member of the Board will be required to complete and submit an essay of 500 words or less on the following topic
- Identify and discuss an issue of student concern. Propose a possible solution to the problem.
- Essays are due to MR. WINSETT by May 20th. Essays may be emailed to Mr. Winsett at gwinsett@ccboe.com.
- Each Student Liaison who wishes to pursue the position of Student Member of the Board will participate in an interview to be held at Thomas Stone High School on May 21st. Alternate day for the selection process is May 23rd. Interviews will be conducted and evaluated by the Selection Committee. Interviews will begin at 3:30. Advisors will be informed of the interview time by May 20th.
- The Student Member of the Board will be the candidate with the highest combined score from the essay and the interview. The candidate with the second highest score will be the alternate. The CCASC Advisor will take the results to the CCASC supervisor at the Board of Education to verify the results.
- Once the Student Member of the Board has been named on May 24th, the school that the Student Member of the Board attends will appoint a Student Liaison to serve on the Liaison Committee. That name should be forwarded to Mr. Winsett by Friday, June 7th.