Constitution | GSMST Student Council

Constitution for the Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology Student Council

ARTICLE I: Introduction

The Student Council shall consist of an Executive Board, Class Officers, and Members-at-Large. All participants in Student Council are to remain on their best behavior at all times. As representatives of GSMST, all members of Student Council are to achieve high academic standards and exhibit exemplary behavior, both on and off campus, adhering to the Code of Integrity as delineated in Article VII. Any disciplinary action may result in possible probation and/or expulsion from the Council, as described in Article VIII.

ARTICLE II: Mission Statement

The mission of the GSMST Student Council is to promote the values of service, leadership, and spirit through student-led events in the student body and in the greater community.

ARTICLE III: The Executive Board

The Executive Board shall consist of four elected officers (Executive President, Executive Vice President, Executive Secretary, and Executive Parliamentarian), along with the Student Council Advisor(s), a current GSMST faculty member. All members of the Executive Board are to be current GSMST students and will be elected by the GSMST student body. Executive Board members are expected to meet and work with Student Council Advisor(s) on a regular basis.

Section One – Executive President

The Executive President shall serve as the primary spokesperson and representative of the Student Council and the student body.

Roles of the President include, but are not limited to: acting on behalf of the student body; bearing primary responsibility for the execution of all Council activities; chairing and conducting all meetings of the Council; maintaining relationships with faculty and administration; attending PTSA meetings and meetings with Student Council Advisor(s). The President is an ex-officio member of all Student Council committees. At the time of election, the President will be an incoming senior.

Section Two – Executive Vice President

The Vice President will fulfill the duties of the President in his/her absence.

Roles of the Vice President include, but are not limited to: assisting the Executive President in the fulfillment of their duties; being responsible for communication between the student body and the Council; and organizing and maintaining committees as needs arise. The Vice President will be an incoming junior or senior at the time of election.

Section Three – Executive Secretary

The Executive Secretary will be in charge of organizing and documenting key ideas and events agreed upon by the Student Council.

Roles of the Executive Secretary include, but are not limited to: maintaining records of all Council actions; handling official correspondence among members; recording, producing, and distributing minutes for both Executive Board and Student Council meetings; producing and distributing meeting agendas as instructed by the President; maintaining and updating the official calendar; tracking attendance and membership; maintaining electronic mailing lists; keeping records of official communications; serving as an advisor on parliamentary procedure and the constitution; providing inspiration at the beginning of each meeting; and maintaining the Student Council blog. The Executive Secretary will be an incoming junior or senior at the time of election.

Section Four – Executive Parliamentarian

The Executive Parliamentarian will enforce the bylaws of Robert’s Rules of Order and ensure all meetings follow parliamentary order.

Roles of the Executive Parliamentarian include, but are not limited to: providing instructional support to new members regarding Parliamentary Procedure; chairing the initial Parliamentary Procedure meetings; leading meetings regularly; ensuring Executive Board members follow a rotation of meeting leadership; moderating debates in meetings; and enforcing Parliamentary Procedure as outlined by Robert’s Rules of Order. The Executive Parliamentarian will be an incoming junior or senior at the time of election.

ARTICLE IV: Class Officers

The responsibilities of each class officer (President, Vice President, and Secretary) shall match those of the corresponding executive positions for their respective GSMST classes. These members shall be duly elected by their respective classes: ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grades. The Executive Board (Parliamentarian, Secretary, Vice President, and President) manages and oversees the functions of the class officers.

ARTICLE V: Members-at-Large

Members-at-Large act as liaisons between their respective classes and the Student Council. These members shall be duly elected by their respective classes. Each class will elect one Member-at-Large.

Members-at-Large are responsible for delivering key information on Student Council events and informing the Council of their class’s concerns (e.g., social media, signs, promotional planning).

ARTICLE VI: Cabinet

The Cabinet performs activities and tasks that require specialized expertise the Student Council may not have. The Executive Board will appoint a Webmaster, Art Director, Social Media Coordinator, and Video Director via a blind application process no later than the end of the spring semester. Cabinet positions are one-year appointments, though tasks may be seasonal, periodic, or ongoing. Cabinet participants serve at the discretion of the Executive Board. Cabinet members share the same responsibilities as general members but may only vote in procedural matters and in committee.

ARTICLE VII: Ad Hoc Committees

Ad hoc committees are formed by members of the GSMST Student Council to faithfully and effectively execute Student Council plans and activities. Each committee should contain at least one Executive Board member (excluding the Executive President, who is an ex officio member of all committees), one Member-at-Large, and one Secretary. Cabinet participants may also serve on committees.

ARTICLE VIII: Election of Student Council Members

All members of Student Council are expected to remain positive influences on the student body through their actions in school and the community.

Section One – Election Procedures

The Executive Board, Class Officers, and Members-at-Large serve one-year terms. To run, candidates must have at least an 80 GPA. Candidates must complete a Student Council application and obtain three faculty recommendations (five for Executive Board candidates). Faculty recommendations account for 25% of the election score, and a school-wide election accounts for 75%. The Advisor(s) will announce due dates; no late applications are accepted.

Section Two – Timing of Elections

Each spring semester, rising 10th–12th graders will vote for Executive Board, Class Officers, and Members-at-Large. Graduating seniors do not vote. Elections for 9th grade positions occur in the fall semester; freshmen do not vote for the Executive Board.

Section Three – Campaigning

Candidates must attend an election orientation prior to running. Campaigning begins only after the date announced by the Advisor(s). Premature campaigning results in disqualification. All campaign materials must be pre-approved by the Advisor(s). Inappropriate materials will not be displayed.

ARTICLE IX: Expectations and Responsibilities of Members

Section One – Academic Standing

All members must maintain at least an 80 GPA. Failure to do so results in a six-week probation period, during which participation is suspended. Once the GPA is restored, the member may return. Continued failure after probation results in permanent removal.

Section Two – The Code of Integrity

All members agree to:

Act with honor and respect throughout their academic and community life at GSMST.
Respect the property of others.
Care for the environment and surroundings.
Be truthful to students, faculty, and staff.
Take credit only for their own work (no cheating or plagiarism).
Show courtesy and respect as representatives of GSMST.

Section Three – Participation

All members must attend and participate in regular meetings, activities, and events. The Executive Secretary tracks attendance. Regular meetings occur after school on the first Thursday of each month (room 5.053) unless otherwise noted. Missing three monthly meetings results in dismissal. Attendance at scheduled events is mandatory.

ARTICLE X: Recall of Officers and Members

Members may be removed for repeated absences, failure to fulfill duties, or behavior detrimental to the school. Removal may be decided by GSMST Administration or by a ⅔ Student Council vote following an investigation by the Advisors and Executive Board. Removed members may not participate for the rest of the academic year. If the President resigns or is removed, the Vice President assumes the role.

ARTICLE XI: Administration and Student Council Advisor(s)

Section One – Administration

The GSMST Principal may veto any Student Council act deemed not in the school’s best interest.

Section Two – Faculty Advisor(s)

The Student Council Advisor(s) must be current faculty approved by Administration. They may veto Council acts (subject to appeal). The Advisor’s term is determined by Administration.

ARTICLE XII: Georgia Association of Student Councils (GASC) – Executive Board Position

If GSMST is elected or appointed to a GASC Executive Board position, officers shall be nominated and elected from the current Student Council. One officer will serve as the Executive State Liaison, updating the Executive Board and advisors on GASC matters. Only sophomores or juniors are eligible. The GASC officers oversee all related duties and train successors as needed.

ARTICLE XIII: Parliamentary Authority – Robert’s Rules of Order

The current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the GSMST Student Council in all applicable cases not inconsistent with this constitution or its special rules. The Executive Secretary is responsible for ensuring meetings follow parliamentary procedure.

ARTICLE XIV: Amendments

Amendments require a ⅔ vote of Student Council members and approval by the Administration and/or Advisor(s). Any member may propose an amendment.

ARTICLE XV: Constitutional Authority under Extenuating Circumstances

The Student Council Advisor(s), with administrative approval, may bypass any bylaw under extenuating circumstances that would impede the Council’s ability to perform its duties.

AMENDMENT 1: Withdrawal or Resignation of Officers and Members

Section One – Process of Resignation

Officers or members wishing to resign must submit a formal letter at least two weeks in advance, including:

The reason for resignation.
One signature from a Student Council Advisor.
One signature from the Executive President or Vice President.

The Executive Board will review the letter, and the full Council will discuss the resignation.

Section Two – Withdrawal from GSMST

If a member withdraws from GSMST, they are requested (but not required) to provide advance notice and, optionally, a reason to allow the Council to address the issue if possible.

Section Three – Special Resolutions Clause

In unique withdrawal or resignation cases, advisors may implement a special resolution in place of the above clauses, pending sponsor review.

Amended 11/29/2018

AMENDMENT 2: Expansion of Standing Committees

The number of standing committees shall be expanded from four (4) to five (5) with the addition of the “Sunshine Committee.” Its responsibilities include planning Student Council gatherings, organizing celebrations, and serving as a support system for the Council. The committee consists of a volunteer officer from each grade and is chaired by the Executive Parliamentarian.

Amended 10/09/2025 & 01/19/2026 — updated formatting for new Notion infrastructure; apart from title, no content was updated, added, or removed

Amended 11/29/2018 — no description provided

Amended 03/14/2020 — Replaced the Treasurer with Executive Parliamentarian; updated faculty recommendation requirements.

Amended 02/04/2021 — Revised Article XII, removed obsolete Article VII: Culture Committee, added Article II: Mission Statement, and clarified Cabinet responsibilities.

Amended 03/04/2021 — Clarified language regarding the Executive State Liaison.

Adopted 02/2017