THE CONSTITUTION OF LAKE CITY HIGH SCHOOL OATH We, the student representatives of Lake City High School, will follow the examples of yesterday s leaders in order to become leaders of tomorrow. We represent the student body to the best of our abilities in academics, athletics, sportsmanship, and citizenship. Our goal is to strive for excellence as we build a foundation for a better tomorrow. Our legacy to Lake City High School will be experience, knowledge, and integrity. PREAMBLE We, the students of Lake City High School, in order to unite in an effective organization to promote a channel for cooperation of students, faculty and administration, to promote worthy activities and to encourage democracy, do ordain and establish this constitution. ARTICLE I This organization shall be known as the Lake City High School Student Government. ARTICLE II PURPOSE A) To provide a forum for student expression; B) To advance the spirit of cooperation between the faculty and the student body; C) To cooperate with the administration in all issues concerning students and the student body; D) To promote in each individual at Lake City High School a desire for good citizenship E) To create and promote school interest, school spirit, and loyalty; F) To promote good relations between this school and others. ARTICLE III MEMBERSHIP Members of this organization shall consist of all students nominated and voted on by their follow classmates.
ARTICLE IV ORGANIZATION Section 1: Executive Council a. The officers of the lake City High School Student Government shall be called the Executive Council and will consist of the President, the Senior Vice President, the Junior Vice President, the Secretary and the Treasurer. b. The members of the Executive Council shall have meetings of their own desire if they feel it necessary. c. A scheduled student government class will be established to meet throughout the year. Section 2: Representative Council a. The members of the Representative Council shall be composed of the following: the President, the First Vice President, the Second Vice President, the Secretary, and the Treasurer. b. A quorum of two-thirds shall be necessary to conduct a meeting. No regular meeting of the Student Government shall take place without an Executive Council member being present. c. Student Government meetings are open to all members, but the Executive Council can restrict attendance at meetings in the even of special business discussions. d. Joint meetings between the Student Government and the faculty may be held at the request of the advisor, faculty or principal. e. Members are required to have an excuse no later than the next scheduled meeting of the Student Council if a student misses a meeting. ARTICLE V QUALIFICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP OF THE EXECUTIVE OFFICES Section 1: President a. The students must be a member of the rising Senior class; b. The student must have at least an 3.0 average in all courses of their high school career including college classes taken during their high school career; c. The students must have a satisfactory conduct record; 1. This includes no level 3 offenses in their high school career. 2. This includes no more than 1 out-of-school suspension days during the school year of the election. d. The student shall be a Student in Good Standing as per district policy. Section 2: Senior Vice President The student must be a member of the rising Senior class and meet all other requirements of the President Section 3: Junior Vice President
The students meet all requirements of the President except that the student must be a member of the rising Junior class. Section 4: Secretary The student must be a member of the rising Senior class and meet all other requirements of the President. Section 5: Treasurer The student must be a member of the rising Junior class and meet all other requirements of the President. ARTICLE VI QUALIFICATIONS FOR MEMBERSHIP OF THE REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL (Qualifications for the president, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Secretary, And Treasurer of each class) Section 1: President a. The student must be a member of the rising class for which he or she is running; b. The student must have an 3.0 average in all courses of their high school career, including college classes taken during their high school career; c. The student must have a satisfactory conduct record; 1. This includes no Level 3 offenses in their high school career; 2. This includes no more than 1 out-of-school suspension days during the school year of the election. d. The student must be a Student in Good Standing as per district policy. Section 2: Senior Vice President The student must meet all requirements of the President Section 3: Junior Vice President The student must meet all requirements of the President Section 4: Secretary The student must meet all requirements of the President. Section 5: Treasurer The student must meet all requirements of the President. ARTICLE VII
TIME OF ELECTION AND TENURE OF OFFICE Section 1: Time of Election a. The elections for the Executive Council shall be no later than the end of the April of the year preceding the term of office they are seeking; b. The elections of the Representative Council (except the Freshman offices) shall be no later than the end of May of the year preceding the term of office they are seeking; c. The elections of the Freshman Representative Council shall be no later than the end of September of the year of the term of office they are seeking. d. An announcement will be made no later than the end of March that petitions can be obtained from the Student Government classroom. These petitions must be returned within one week to the Student Government advisor. Section 2: Tenure of Office Each Executive and Representative officer shall hold office for one school term. ARTICLE VIII ELECTION OF EXECUTIVE OFFICERS Section 1: Nominations a. Any student wishing to run for an office should pick up a petition from the Student Government classroom; b. The petition must be signed by 35 people from any grade who will vote in the candidates favor; c. No student can run for more than one Executive office; d. In the event that four students are not nominated for each office, a nominating committee (composed of the President, the Principal, an Assistant Principal, and the Student Government advisor) will nominate the number of qualified students necessary to allow each office to have four candidates. The nominating committee will make these nominations within two days of the deadline set for petitions to be due. The election will be one week later. Section 2: Election
a. Candidates will be presented to the student body via a speech telling of his/her candidacy and qualifications. This speech will be presented either in a gathering of the entire student body, over the PA system or over the television; b. Rising Seniors, Juniors and Sophomores will vote by individual ballots; c. Voting will occur at a designated area. Students will vote only if they desire; a mass vote will not be done via the classroom; d. The candidate receiving the highest number of votes for each office will be elected; e. The counting of the votes will be done by the Student Government advisor or the Student Government advisor and one or more of the members of the Executive Council; f. Signed documentation will be given to the principal for verification. ARTICLE IX ELECTION OF THE REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL Section 1: Nominations a. Any student wishing to run for an office should pick up a petition from the Student Government classroom; b. The petition must be signed by 35 people from the candidates grade who will vote in the candidates favor; c. No student may run for more than one Representative office; d. A student, who has run for an Executive office and lost, may run for a Representative office. Section 2: Election a. The candidates running for President in each grade will be presented to the student body via a speech telling of his/her candidacy and qualifications. This speech will be presented either in a gathering of the entire student body, over the PA system or over the television; b. The student body will vote for the candidates for office of their grade only; c. Voting will occur at a designated area. Students will vote only if they desire; a mass cote will not be done via the classroom; d. The candidate receiving the highest number of votes for each office will be elected; e. The counting of the votes will be done by the Student Government advisor or by the Student Government advisor and one or more members of the Executive Council; f. Signed documentation will be given to the principal for verification
ARTICLE X DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS Section 1: President This President shall: a. Preside over all meetings; b. Assume the responsibility for the representation of the Student Council at all conventions and meetings; c. Lead and direct the Student Government in its activities and objectives; d. Oversee planning for preparations of the meetings; e. Display good school spirit; f. Vote in case of a tie. Section 2: Senior Vice President The Senior Vice President shall: a. Preside at meetings in the absence of the President; b. Assume the duties of the installed President in case of temporary absence; Section 3: Junior Vice President The Junior Vice President shall: a. Preside at meetings in the absence of the President and Senior Vice President. b. Assume the Senior Vice President office in the event of permanent absence, resignation, or the impeachment of the Senior Vice President. Section 4: Secretary The Secretary shall: a. Take roll at all meetings b. Keep an accurate account of the minutes at all meetings; c. Keep an accurate account of all official correspondence; d. Keep all written records on file; e. Preside at meetings in the absence of the President, Senior Vice President, and the Junior Vice President. f. Assume the duties of the installed Junior Vice President in the event of temporary absence, permanent absence, resignation, or the impeachment of the Junior Vice President.
Section 5: Treasurer The Treasurer shall: a. Keep accurate and complete record of all money collected and disbursed; b. Present financial reports to the council at regular meetings; c. Preside at meetings in the absence of the President, Senior Vice President, Junior Vice President, and the Secretary; d. Assume the duties of the installed Secretary in the event of temporary absence, permanent absence, resignation, or the impeachment of the Secretary. ARTICLE XI REMOVAL FROM OFFICE Section 1: Non-Hearing Offenses a. Repeated violation of the dress code or any Level I or greater offense, constitutes a basis for removal; b. Any suspension (except overnight) constitutes a basis for removal; c. Grade averages for Executive Council members must be maintained at 3.0 for all courses they are taking. This will be computed at the end of each nine weeks. Failure to maintain this average constitutes a basis for removal; d. Grade averages for Representative Council members must be maintained at 3.0 for all courses they are taking. This will be computed at the end of each nine weeks. Failure to maintain this average constitutes a basis for removal; e. All officers must remain Student s in Good Standing as per district policy. This standing will be checked at the end of each quarter; f. Any officer whose removal from office is desired shall be given notification by the Student Government advisor. The principal and the Student Government advisor will meet and decide whether or not to remove the officer; g. After removal, the next person in line from previous voting will replace the removed member. Section 2: Hearing Offenses a. If any officer or representatives fail in the performance of his/her duties or proves unworthy of the trust placed in him/her by the Student Government, he/she may be removed from office; b. Misbehavior in the Student Government meetings, or any curriculum class, constitutes a basis for removal; c. Three unexcused absences from Student Government meetings, or any curriculum class, constitutes a basis for removal;
d. Five unexcused tardies from Student Government meetings, or any curriculum class, constitutes a basis for removal; e. Any officer whose removal from office is desired shall be given a hearing by the Executive Council and Student Government advisor. The officer will be allowed to speak on his or her behalf. A representative will speak about the removal of said officer. A vote will be taken and the majority opinion will be given to the principal. The principal and the Student Government advisor will meet and decide whether or not to remove the officer; f. After removal, the next person in line from previous voting will replace the removed member. Section 3: Probation a. Students may be placed on probation by the Student Government Advisor and the Principal; b. If any officer or representatives fails to maintain a 3.0 grade average in one of the courses they are taking, but maintained at least a 2.5 in that class, that officer or representative may request to be placed on probation until the interim; c. Request for probation must be accompanied by a letter of recommendation from the teacher of the class in which the 3.0 grade average was not met; d. Grade averages for Representative Council members on probation must be maintained at 3.0 for all courses they are taking by the interim. Failure to do so may result in removal from office; e. Any officer or representative placed on probation for a reason other than grades will have one marking period, or the equivalent there of, to prove that the reason for which they were placed on probation has been corrected. ARTICLE XII POWERS a. To develop and adopt such bylaws as may be necessary provided they do not conflict with the elements of the Constitution; b. To organize, promote, and supervise general and special elections; c. To establish and help enforce regulations for assembly, corridors, cafeteria, school grounds, etc.; d. To consider changes recommended by students, teachers, and administrators; e. To promote respect for school and private property; f. To recommend to the attention of the faculty and administration matters which are outside its own area; g. To investigate and report on matters specially referred to it by the faculty and administration; h. To give school and community publicity about the Student Council s policies and activities.
ARTICLE XIII ACTIVITIES The Student Government is responsible for all pep rallies, the Grand Opening, Homecoming Week, Sweetheart Week, May Day, Field Day, Class of the Year competition, and Student Government elections. ARTICLE XIV ELECTION OF QUEENS, PRINCESSES, AND KINGS Section 1: Homecoming Queen a. Each student in the student body will nominate two girls from their grade; b. Each girl nominated should be a Student in Good Standing as per district policy; c. Top vote getters in each grade will be on the court. The court should be made up of 3 Freshmen, 4 Sophomores, 5 Juniors, and 6 Seniors (These numbers should be reviewed each year). In case of a tie, all girls tied fro the last position should be on the court; d. The entire school votes for the Homecoming Queen who must be one of the Senior members of the court. Section 2: Miss Panther a. Each senior football player selects a girl from any grade to sponsor him; b. Each nominee should be a Student in Good Standing as per district policy; c. The entire football team votes for Miss Panther. Section 3: Homecoming Hunk a. Each Senior football player is eligible to be the Homecoming Hunk; b. Each senior football player should be a Student in Good Standing as per district policy; c. The entire student body votes for the Homecoming Hunk Section 4: Homecoming Princess a. There will be a Freshman, Sophomore, and Junior Homecoming Princess; b. The Freshman class will vote for the Freshman Princess from the Homecoming court; c. The Sophomore class will vote for the Sophomore Princess from the Homecoming Court; d. The Junior class will vote for the Junior Princess from the Homecoming Court;
Section 5: Sweetheart Queen a. Each student in the student body will nominate 1 girls from any grade; b. Each nominee should be a Student in Good Standing as per district policy; c. The top 7 vote getters will be on the court regardless of grade (this number should be reviewed each year). In case of a tie, GPA will break the tie; d. Each member of the student body will vote for one girl for Sweetheart Queen; e. Once a girl has been crowned Sweetheart Queen, she can never be on the court again. She will be asked to participate in this program as a former queen. Section 6: Sweetheart King a. Each student in the student body will nominate 1 boys from any grade; b. Each nominee should be a Student in Good Standing as per district policy; c. The top 7 vote getters will be on the court regardless of grade (this number should be reviewed each year). In case of a tie, GPA will break the tie; d. Each member of the student body will vote for one boy for Sweetheart King; e. Once a boy has been crowned Sweetheart King, he can never be on the court again. He will be asked to participate in the program as a former king. Section 7: Restrictions on Elected Representatives of Events a. If a participant of Homecoming, Sweetheart, or May Court is suspended for at least one day between the time of official nomination and the event, that participant will be removed from the ballot and the activity; b. A person may not hold the title of Homecoming Queen and Miss Panther; c. The Homecoming Queen and/or Miss panther may not be on the ballot for Miss Sweetheart. They will be asked to be a part of the ceremony, but may not be on the court; d. Any person holding the title of Homecoming Queen, Miss Panther or Miss Sweetheart may not be on the ballot for May Queen. They will be asked to be a part of the ceremony, but may not be on the court; e. Any participant who is elected or selected to participate in any of the events and does not will be suspended from all events for the remainder of the school year. ARTICLE XV CLASS OF THE YEAR COMPETITION a. The Student Government will be responsible for the Class of the Year Competition; b. Each summer, the Student Government will devise a point system to determine the Class of the Year; c. The point system should be based on attendance at school, discipline, grades, participation in school activities, attendance at school events, Homecoming Week, Sweetheart Week and anything else the Student Government deems to be of value to the school; d. The winner of the Class of the Year competition will participate in the Class of the Year Day.
ARTICLE XVI VETO The principal delegates the powers of the Student Government. The principal, advisors, and or other individuals appointed by the principal over the Student Government, shall have the right of veto over any measure the Student Government proposes. ARTICLE XVII AMENDMENTS, REVISIONS AND RATIFICATIONS Section 1: Amendments The Constitution shall be amended upon the recommendation of the Student Government; a. Amendments of the Constitution require a vote of two-thirds majority of the Student Government; b. Amendment shall be recommended when a change or addition in a policy of the Student Government becomes necessary. Section 2: Revision Revision of the Constitution shall take place upon a vote of two-thirds majority of the Student Government Section 3: Ratification a. The Constitution shall be presented to the Student Government b. The Constitution shall be effective when ratified by two-thirds of the Student Government. ARTICLE XVIII ADVISORS a. The Principal shall appoint the advisors of the Student Government; b. The duties of the advisors are to consult with the Student Government concerning their activities, evaluate Student Government activities, supervise Student Government activities, and act as mediators within the Student Government and between the Student Government and the faculty. c. The advisors have veto power over decisions made by the Student Government.
d. The Student Government can make recommendations for advisors to the Principal; ARTICLE XIX LIMITATIONS OF OFFICERS a. The President of the Student Government shall hold no more than one office; b. No student shall be President of more than one organization at the same time; c. No student shall hold office in more than two organizations at the same time. d. The student must be a Student in Good Standing as per district policy. ARTICLE XX BY-LAWS The Student Government, with the consent of its advisors, shall have the power to adopt and enforce such by-laws and shall not contravene this Constitution