Constitution and Bylaws

Tomball Star Academy Student Council

Article I Name

The name of this organization shall be the Tomball Star Academy Student Council.

Article II Purpose

It shall be the purpose and function of this organization to receive and act upon suggestions from the
student body, the school administration and members of the faculty; to recommend measures; to be a
medium of service to the student body; to offer a means of fuller cooperation between the students of
other organizations of the school; to promote school spirit; and to serve as a role model for the student
body and community.

Article III Composition

Section I Membership
Any student who meets the criteria in Article IV may join Student Council.

Section II Committee Members

Committee members will serve on Spirit, DASH, Energy & Environment or Community Service
Committees.

Section II- Officers

The officers of the Student Council shall be an Executive Board consisting of one elected officer to lead
each of the four committees listed above in Section II.

Section III- Advisors

The Principal shall appoint advisors. Because the Council is sponsored by the National Association of
Secondary School Principals, the Principal is also considered to be an Advisor since final decisions
requiring administrative approval is automatically referred to his or her for a decision.

Article IV Qualifications of Officers, Committee Members and Members

Section I- General Qualifications

In order to be considered an active member, members shall have the following qualifications and shall
maintain them during the school year:

1. Must have a good standing in behavior

2. Must maintain point requirements for each reporting period

Section II- Officers Qualifications

Officers shall have the following qualifications and shall maintain them during the tenure of office:

1. Must remain UIL eligible throughout the school year. Though TSA does not participate in UIL
activities, the eligibility requirement stands for any elected officer.
2. May not serve as a top two officer in any major organization at Tomball Star Academy
3. Must sign and abide by Declaration of Commitment

Section III- Committee Member Qualifications

Committee Members shall have the following qualifications and shall maintain them during the tenure
of office:

1. Must remain UIL eligible throughout the school year

2. Must sign and abide by Declaration of Commitment

Section IV- Point Requirements

1. All members must meet a point requirement set by the officers and advisors each reporting period.
2. If the point requirement is not met, the member will be placed on a probation period. During the
probation period they must attain the remaining points to fulfill the requirement.
3. Point requirements will be set in order to run for office, letter in Student Council, attend exclusive
socials, and TISD/TASC district and state functions.
4. A deduction of 10 points will be taken from late points sheets.
5. Student will earn points by volunteering, contributing supplies to projects, attending school and
Student Council events, attending meetings, and participation in or contribution to any other advisor-
approved event or activity. Points will be declared before the event or activity occurs so students know
in advance how many points they will receive for participation.

Section V- Inauguration of Officers, Committee Members and Members

1. Each officer shall take the following pledge:

I (State name) solemnly pledge that I will faithfully execute the office of (office) and will, to the best of
my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the constitution of the Student Council.

a. The term of office for the elected officers is one school year. The term shall begin at the end
of the spring semester of each school year and shall expire at the close of the spring semester of
the following year.

2. Each Committee Member shall take the following pledge:

I (State name) solemnly pledge that I will faithfully execute the position of (State Committee)
Committee Member and will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the constitution of
the Student Council.

3. Before seated in the council all members shall take the following pledge:

I (State Name) solemnly pledge that I will faithfully execute the role of member to the Student Council
and will to the best of my ability preserve, protect, and defend the constitution of the Student Council.

Article V Removal from Office, Committee Membership and Membership

Section I- Office and Committee Membership Removal

Officers and Committee Members of the Student Council shall maintain a clear record in regard to
conduct at all times previous to and during their term of office or membership. Any infraction of the
regulations of citizenship shall revoke the privileges of a student running for office or holding office. The
Supervising Principal and advisors shall have the power to remove the officers and committee members
for not maintaining qualifications.

1. Removal Procedures:

a.Provide evidence to advisors as to why student should be removed.

b. In the event the evidence provided is adequate the student will receive a written warning
from the advisors and will be placed on a permanent probation for the remainder of the term.
The officer or committee member and his or her parent must sign the written warning.
c. If an additional infraction occurs at any time after being placed on probation, the officer or
committee member will be removed from the position and will no longer be able to run the
following year(s) for an office position.
d. The student or advisor may submit a request to meet with the Supervising Principal and
parent to discuss removal.

Section II Membership Removal

1. Throughout the current school year, members of the Student Council shall maintain the qualifications
in Article IV, Section I or will be considered inactive members.

Article VI Meetings

Section I Attendance and Quorum

Regular meeting of the Student Council shall be held monthly at a designated time and place in the high
school building for officers and committee members, unless changed otherwise to meet the needs of
the council. The student council members will meet every Tuesday and Thursday during Power Hour,
except when a special officer meeting is called. A quorum shall consist of a majority of members listed
on the secretarys membership roll for all meetings held during the school year.

Section II Behavior

Members are expected to be attentive and courteous during all meetings. Any member being disruptive
will be given one warning during the meeting; a second offense will result in the member being
dismissed from the meeting. In this instance the member will receive an absence.

Section III - Special Meetings

Special meetings may be called by any Executive Board Officer and the advisor or upon request of ten
members with the approval of the advisor.

Article VII Amendments

An amendment can only be proposed by student council members and advisor or by advisor alone.
Proposals should be submitted in writing to the student council advisor. Advisors will meet to review
and/or revise the constitution as needed.
 By-Laws
Article I Duties of Officers, Committee Members and Members

Section I- Duties of Officers

1. The officers shall serve as an executive committee that shall make decisions as an entire officer group.
Certain duties are not limited to a certain office position. Duties should be evenly distributed to every
officer. It is the duty of each officer and committee member to abide by the Declaration of Commitment
Letter and uphold the constitution. The Advisors and Supervising Principal shall serve as the final
executive committee on decision-making and will oversee the officers in their decisions and enforce
duties.

2. Job Descriptions

At the beginning of the year or election time, the DASH, Energy and Environment, Spirit and Community
Service committees will be called to the attention of the council as standing committees that function all
year.

1. The Spirit Committee of the Tomball Star Academy Student Council shall serve as a committee of
students who will promote pride towards Tomball Star Academy, the City of Tomball, the State of Texas
and the United States of America, as well as promote patriotism through activities which put emphasis
on community-involvement and citizenship. This committee shall also promote unity and respect
amongst the community no matter what gender or race a person may be and no matter what social or
economic status they come from.

2. The Drug, Alcohol, Safety, and Health Committee of the Tomball Star Academy Student Council shall
serve as an informative committee of students who shall reach out to the community and school about
the issues involving drugs, alcohol, safety and health. We shall offer solutions to minimize these issues
and show the community how to live a better lifestyle.

3. The Energy and Environment Committee of the Tomball Star Academy Student Council shall serve as
an informative committee of students who shall promote ways of conserving energy and protecting our
environment among our school and community in order to preserve our community for now and the
future.

4. The Community Service Committee of the Tomball Star Academy Student Council shall serve as a
committee of students who will purposely meet the needs of the community through activities, which
reach out to all age, social and ethnic groups throughout Tomball Star Academy, the City of Tomball and
the City of Houston.

Section II- Special Committees

Special committees may be appointed by the advisor when necessary. These committees shall
automatically dissolve when their work is concluded.

Section III Duties of Members

Member duties are as follows:

 Participate in meetings in an orderly fashion.
Discuss, finalize, and vote on issues presented in meetings.
Communicate ideas from the student body to the Council.
Report to the student body the results of Council action.
Serve on committees.
Volunteer as needed.

Section IV Executive Committee

The Advisors and Supervising Principal shall serve as the final executive committee on decision-making
and will oversee the officers and committee members in their decisions and enforce duties.

Article II Behavior

Section I- Officers and Committee Members

Officers and Committee Members will sign and abide by a declaration of commitment to be on the
leadership team. Failure to abide by the declaration of commitment will result in removal of position
according to Article V of the Constitution.

Section II- Members

Members will show respect to one another in all situations. If there is an issue that cannot be peacefully
resolved between the members, the Advisors and, if necessary, the Supervising Principal will intervene.

Article III Outstanding Members

Section I- Qualifications

The most outstanding representative may be any person on the council except an elected officer. That
person represents the one who has done the best job representing their class during the school year.
Additional awards may be selected by the executive council.

Section II- Election

Nominations for the above awards shall be made at one leadership meeting and elected at the next
scheduled leadership meeting by secret ballot.

Section III- Awards

The members shall receive an award at the banquet.

Section IV Lettering Requirements

Students with two years of active membership will qualify to letter in Student Council. Active
membership requires UIL eligibility, good behavior, and fulfillment of the point requirements each
reporting period.

Section V Graduation Honors

Students serving as officer or committee member for one year that have remained in good standing
within the student council, fulfill UIL eligibility, good behavior, and fulfill the point requirements each
reporting period will be awarded honor cords for graduation.

Article IV Supremacy Clause

The Principal retains final decision-making power.

Revision History

8/21/2017