Student Council

Congratulations to our recently elected Head Girl, Marian Nagle and Head Boy, Michael Dennehy.

Marian & Michael take over from 2019/20 Head Girl & Boy Mary & Alex. Best of luck for the year ahead.

Rationale

The Education Act of 1998 obliges school boards to ‘encourage, facilitate and give all reasonable assistance to students wishing to establish Student Councils’. The aim of a Student Council is to act as a representative body and liaise with other students, staff, Board of Management and the Parent’s Association on matters of importance to young people within the school.

Benefits of the Student Council

It gives students a voice on issues that affect them
It gives a sense of responsibility to students
It introduces students to valuable organisational skills
It gives students and staff an opportunity to develop a working relationship with staff and management that benefits all concerned
It can provide a valuable point of information on relevant issues
It actively encourages the concept and practice of youth participation

Aims

A Student Council is primarily a ‘voice’ for students and a forum for them to work with the structures within a school.
Discusses matters relevant to student affairs and make proposals in connection with them.
Make it possible to organise extra-curricular activities within a school
Provide opportunities for fundraising that can help subsidise extra-curricular activities
Encourage an atmosphere of co-operation between staff and students
Encourage students to act in a democratic manner and independently.
Help students forge links with other Student Councils and encourage partnership and friendship
Provide a forum for students to voice their opinions on broader issues of relevance to them.
Enhance skills, knowledge and the abilities of students
Give students the opportunity to make recommendations in connection with the running of the school
Act as a communication link between the school management and students

Composition of our Student Council

The Student Council in Scoil Phobail Sliabh Luachra operates under the direct guidance of the Student Council Co-ordinator. It comprises:

Two Class Prefects elected from every class in the school
Elected Head Boy and Head Girl

Operation of the Student Council

Two class Prefects per class are elected in the first term, one boy and one girl where possible.
An election of Head Boy and Head Girl is held shortly afterwards.
All other positions on the Student Council are filled at the initial Student Council Meeting.
Student Council Meetings are usually held fortnightly, but may be called weekly if the need arises.
Each Class Prefect receives a ‘Prefect’ badge, a copy of the Student Council Policy and a List of the Student Council members.
The Student Council is affiliated to the Union of Secondary Students of Ireland and two USSI representatives are elected.
An Agenda is set for each meeting and all members are encouraged to raise issues of importance to the student body.
The Secretary takes Minutes at each meeting and after these Minutes are proposed and seconded, they are signed by the Head Boy and Head
Girl and the Student Council Coordinator.
A Roll is taken at each Meeting.
The elected PRO gives a brief Report of the main points of the Student Council Meeting over the Intercom to the entire student body.

Election of Class Prefects

Students wishing to put themselves forward for election to the Student Council must:
Have a clean Disciplinary Record in the previous school year.
Complete an Application Form (see Appendix 1) and run for election in class. This involves preparing a speech for their class outlining the reasons why they want to be a Class Prefect.
Undertake to attend all Student Council Meetings and bringing any issues that pertains to their class.
Act as a positive Role Model at all times during the school day and while engaging in school related activities.

Head Student Election

Complete an Application Form and run for election in the school.
All candidates are required to write a Speech which they read out over the School Intercom which usually takes place the day before students are balloted.
Ballot boxes are placed in Registration Rooms and one Ballot Box is placed in the Staffroom.
Classes vote during Morning Registration
Students are given two Ballot Papers:
Blue for the Head Boy election
Pink for the Head Girl Election