Role and Purpose of the Student Council

Scoil Mhuire holds that the pupils should play an active, positive role in the life of the school and we believe that our Student Council will help to achieve this. 

Our School’s Student Council is comprised of two representatives (one boy, one girl) from each class from third to fifth and two boys and two girls from sixth.  The Council is run along the lines of other committees such as the Green Schools committee and Code of Behaviour committee and meets at 2.30pm with two teachers, one being the Principal who acts as Assistant Chair.  The sixth class pupils chair the meetings after some initial training. Meetings will have an agenda with recorded minutes.

The role of the Student Council is to:

• Provide an opportunity for pupils to voice their opinions and offer suggestions in relation to many aspects of school life
• Discuss issues relevant to the school and encourage and promote initiatives from the pupils
• Offer an opportunity for all pupils to voice their opinions on proposed changes and thereby play a very important role in improving our school
• Act as a channel for communication within the school, between pupils and between home and school
• Encourage pupils and thereby their parents to organise events central to the life of the school
• Provide an opportunity to raise funds for charities or our school resources fund.

Through our Student Council we hope to give the pupils a positive role in the organisation of the school and thus ensure they feel they are listened to and respected for their ideas and concerns and these are both valued and valuable. It involves the pupils in many of the decisions, which are made regarding the day-to-day running and management of the school. Discussions in classes and at the Council meetings helps to develop social and learning skills in many areas such as speaking and listening, problem solving and decision-making and the decision-making process.

From time to time the Student Council will discuss, make suggestions and decisions on topics such as:

School News

In addition to their role in communication and problem solving, the Student Council acts as an agent for the school news, as journalists and reporters, editors, production assistants and distributors.  It is hoped that this makes the school news more child-centered and orientated.  They also provide suggestions and material for the school website page dedicated to the Student Council.

Election

In September, each class elects new members to represent them on the Student Council. Each class elects two members, one boy and one girl.  Each pupil seeking to represent their class puts his or her name forward . They need to be pupils who have a genuine interest in wanting to sit on the council. Names are then drawn in an open and transparent draw.

The pupils elected are required to be actively involved in the Council, to attend meetings regularly and participate in activities and be a role model for other pupils.  As well as bringing matters to the council for discussion, the representatives are required to report the outcome of meetings to their own class and occasionally to other younger classes.  Children who are deemed not to be pulling their weight are asked to step down in favour of another class member.  Each year the council decides on its own hands-on activities which might include Tidy Classroom Competition, organising charity events, organising school non-uniform day or welcoming visitors to the school.