NPA Student Council Bylaws
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BYLAWS OF THE NORTHLAND PREPARATORY ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT COUNCIL (HS STUCO)

Article I. Functions and Duties

1. HS STUCO will represent the high school student body before the Administration and the Board.
2. HS STUCO shall organize activities for the high school including but not limited to: dances, fundraising, spirit activities, and the organization and implementation of service products.
3. HS STUCO shall not be responsible for the following: proms, class trips, and competitions between classes other than activities on STUCO-sponsored "fun days." A separate class council for each individual graduating class will be responsible for the above.
   
4. HS STUCO will serve as a communications link between the Administration, Board and high school student body.
5. HS STUCO shall communicate with the MS STUCO on any and all issues pertaining to the entire student body.
6. HS STUCO will communicate information through announcements in the Daily Bulletin and by one-on-one contact with other students. Each STUCO member will be responsible for a small group of students. (For example, in a class often students with two representatives, each representative will communicate directly with four other students in the class.)
7. HS STUCO shall, when possible, have a representative at all board meetings at which the Board is dealing with matters which might require input from the student body in order to ensure communication between the student body and the Board. Members shall attend on a rotating basis.

1. Representation shall be based on class size as of the school day immediately before elections are held.
2. Representation shall be apportioned as follows:
   1. Classes containing fewer than 21 students shall have 2 representatives.
   2. Classes with 21-30 students shall have 3 representatives.
   3. Classes with more than 30 students shall have 4 representatives.

In order to be eligible as a member ofHS STUCO, a student must maintain all eligibility requirements for any extracurricular activity. (See NPA Student Handbook for details.)

1. Any student desiring to become a HS STUCO member shall nominate himself/herself by the deadline for nominations set by the advisor at the start of the year.
2. Each class will elect its representatives from the nominees judged eligible by the advisor.
3. Each member of each class will be allowed to vote for a number of candidates equal to the number of representatives allotted to each class. (See Article II.)
4. Elections will occur on a date set by the advisor at the start of the year .
5. Only students present in school at the time of balloting will be allowed to vote, unless such students are not enrolled in an on-campus NPA course during the period when balloting occurs, in which case such students will be allowed to vote at a different time during that school day.
6. If a vacancy occurs at any time, a special election will be held within two weeks to fill the vacancy.

1. There will be four officers: President, Vice President, Secretary , and Treasurer .
2. HS STUCO members will elect from among themselves officers for the four positions.
3. Elections of the officers shall be as follows:
   1. The first STUCO meeting will be conducted by the advisor. He/she will describe the positions and duties.
   2. Officers shall be elected as follows:
      1. All nominees for an office are nominated.
      2. The membership elects the officer from among the nominees.
         1. Voting will be preferential, with members listing their first, second, third, etc. choices.
         2. If there is not a majority of all the votes for any candidate, the ballots from the last place candidate will be redistributed to the next-highest preferred candidate.
         3. This process will be repeated until there is a majority vote for a winner.
   3. The Officers shall be elected in the following order: President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer.
   4. Candidates not elected to an office may nominate themselves for another office in a subsequent election.
   5. In the event that no candidates are nominated, the advisor shall appoint a member to fill the office.
   6. In the event of a vacancy in any office, a special election will be held among the STUCO membership.
   7. No student shall be eligible for an office which he/she had previously resigned during that school year.

1. The President shall represent HS STUCO before the Board and Administration, ensure a STUCO member attends all necessary board meetings, conduct weekly checks to ensure communication between all HS STUCO members, compile agendas for meetings, and meet with the advisor on a regular basis.
2. The Vice-President shall oversee the organization of activities (dances etc.), link HS STUCO to MS STUCO, and publicize pertinent information by means of the daily bulletin.
3. The Secretary shall record minutes, store records, provide a copy of minutes to the Administration, and post agendas for meetings.
4. The Treasurer shall collect money, report the status of money at each meeting, and head/organize fundraising activities.

The advisor shall be responsible for the first meeting in which Officers are elected, set meeting dates, announce before students are nominated when these meetings take place and call attendance. He/she shall also assist the HS STUCO members and officers in presenting positions to the Administration and Board.

Article VII. Meetings

There shall be a minimum of one meeting every two weeks. The time and place of these meetings shall be decided by the advisor at the beginning of the school year. Any other meetings shall be arranged with the consent ofHS STUCO members and the Advisor.

Article VIII. Attendance

Attendance will be taken at the beginning of each meeting by the Advisor. Absences will be counted, but may be excused. An excused absence is defined as what NP A accepts as an excused absence. Other activities such as work conflicts or athletic competitions can be excused at the discretion of the advisor. A member is limited to eight absences before removal. An officer is limited to four absences before removal. Having two unexcused absences is ground for removal from HS STUCO. Absences from emergency meetings (anything scheduled with less than 72 hours notice) shall be decided upon a case by case basis by the advisor and mayor may not count as an absence.

Article IX. Removal

A member may be removed from HS STUCO for the following reasons and by the corresponding procedures:

1. Reason: Attendance (Member)
   Procedure:
   1. Based on attendance records, the advisor reports to the Director that the member must be removed from HS STUCO and the Director decides whether to approve the removal.
   2. If a student is removed, the advisor notifies the student, the student is no longer a STUCO member, and an election is held to fill the vacancy.
2. Reason: Attendance (Officer)
   Procedure:
   1. Based on attendance records, the advisor reports to the Director that the officer must be removed from that office and the Director decides whether to approve the removal.
   2. If a student is removed, the advisor notifies the student, the student no longer holds that office, and an election is held among the other STUCO members to fill the vacancy. Other officers may run for the vacant office but must resign their old office if elected to the vacant office.
3. Reason: Impeachment
   Procedure:
   1. A minimum of three HS STUCO members shall sign a petition to seek removal of an officer or a member. In the case of an officer, the petition must specify whether the removal is to be from the office or from HS STUCO altogether.
   2. A hearing is scheduled and presided over by the advisor during a regularly scheduled HS STUCO meeting.
      Following a decision by the advisor that all pertinent information regarding the situation has been heard, a vote shall be taken on removal.
   3. A 2/3 vote to remove is required in order for the removal. to take place.
   4. The result of the vote (removed or not removed) is announced.
   5. Any vacancy created by a removal will be filled by a special election.
4. Reason: Disciplinary Infraction
   Procedure:
   1. The Administration may decide to remove a student from an office or from HS STUCO altogether as a consequence of an individual severe disciplinary infraction or as the result of cumulative disciplinary infractions which have moved a student up on the disciplinary ladder.
   2. The Administration shall inform the member of the removal.
   3. Any vacancy shall be filled by special election.
5. Reason: Academic Probation
   Procedure:
   1. When a member of HS STUCO is placed on academic probation, he/she shall be considered on probation from HS STUCO as well.
   2. Should the student fail to be removed from academic probation at the first possible opportunity to have academic probation removed, the Advisor shall inform that student that he/she is removed from HS STUCO for the remainder of the school year.
   3. The vacancy shall be filled by special election.
   4. A member removed for this reason may run for a vacant position later in the same school year if at the time of the vacancy he/ she is no longer on academic probation.

Article X. Ratification

This set of by-laws shall become operative upon the completion of three distinct approvals: approval by the Director, approval by the Board of Northland Preparatory Academy, and a majority vote of the HS student body for adoption of these bylaws. All high school students present on the date of the vote shall be eligible to vote on the ratification of these bylaws. This vote shall take place on a date set by the Advisor.

Article XI. Amendment

Amendments to these bylaws may be proposed by the HS STUCO body through a majority vote taken at a regular HS STUCO meeting.

Amendments shall become operative when and if they achieve the same three approvals outlined in Article X necessary for the original ratification of the bylaws.