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[SamanthaE]

The Student Government Organization: Executive Council

Thursday, November 4, 2010 3:30 pm – 5:50 pm

Minutes

I. Attendance

Key: [L] = Late [A] = Absent

DANIA SANDFIA, SGO SPEAKER (CLASS OF 2011)



EXECUTIVE POSITITION

CLASS OF 2011

CLASS OF 2012

CLASS OF 2013

CLASS OF 2014

PRESIDENT

IKRA AHMAD

JACOB AZRILYANT

CAROLYNE RICARDO

LIN WEI KANG

VICE PRESIDENT

YEVGENIY BERDZENISHVILI

MAROUF HOSSAIN

SIMONA ZHUKOVSI

IBNAT INQIAD

PARLIAMENTARIAN

DAVID SHADBURN

ALISSA BORSHCHENKO

LINDA WANG

INFITHER CHOWDHURY

SECRETARY

SAMIHA TASHNEEM

SHARMY DHALIWAL

REBECCA DALL’ORSO

RIVER BUNKLEY

TREASURER

ALEXANDR BUKHTA

JIM CHAN

ZAIB JAVAID

PATRICK KULA



II. Business

A. ACT Club Presentation

1. ACT Club is a volunteer club that was founded in the beginning of the year. The founders of this club have decided not to ask its members to pay any fees. Since, members are doing something good for the community; they shouldn’t have to pay for it. Members will be assigned a specific location (animal shelter, hospital, tutoring at middle schools) to volunteer for half of the year. Through their volunteer work, members will gain career experiences to put on their resumes. The founders asked SGO to bump their club from a 4 credit club to a 6 credit club.

2. Mr. Williams asked, why should we increase the club credit?

i. The President of the club replied that because they are helping members gain career experiences and because the goal of their club is similar to that of Key Club and any other volunteer club in this school, their club should also gain the extra club credits.

3. Discussion

i. Mr. Williams told us that few years ago, it was decided that no club can be bumped up, if it has not been in progress for a full year. Also, any club that wants to be bumped up must provide a document on its leadership development plan.

ii. We decided to keep ACT as a 4 credit club.

B. Model UN

1. Why didn’t SGO give Model UN any money this year?

i. Last meeting, Sharmy was asked to look over her minutes and tell SGO why SGO hasn’t given Model UN any money this year.

ii. Sharmy reported that because Model UN did not hand in their budget request form last year, SGO did not allocate any money to them this year.

iii. Alex suggested that we table this discussion until we find out why a budget request form was not submitted. Alex also gave an example about the handball team, last year. Everyone in the team assumed someone else handed in the form when no one actually did so. The handball team thought SGO didn’t have any money to give them and SGO was wondering that maybe the team did not need money because no form was submitted. There might be a miscommunication between Model UN members this year. So, before we decide anything, we must figure out why a form wasn’t given.

iv. David disagreed and said that Model UN shouldn’t have been so careless and should have to work for their money.

2. Mr. Williams asked, if we find out that Model UN did not submit a budget request form, will the Executive Council, not give them any money?

i. Jacob said that it’s unfair for us to not give Model UN any money. This is a club of tenure and we should not discriminate.

ii. David replied that because Model UN is a club of tenure, they should know all the rules. This club has existed for more than 15 years, how could they forget to hand in their budget request form?

iii. Sharmy agreed with Jacob and said that we can’t penalize the whole team from going to conferences because of one person forgetting to hand in the form.

iv. Alex suggested that we compromise. We should give them money but keep in mind the amount of money we give them.

v. David disagreed and added that we have to make the clubs understand that there is a consequence for not following the rules.

3. Majority of the Exec Council voted to table this discussion.

i. Mr. Williams asked Alex to speak to the club about this.

C. Website Poll

1. The library Poll question was put on the bths website and taken down after 5 minutes. Mr. Asher told Mr. Edwards to take it down because Mr. Asher and Mr. Fanning already have a plan for the library.

2. Good news

i. The Poll question received a lot of response from the students even if it was up on the site for only five minutes!

3. We need to think of a different question for the Poll.

i. If anyone has an idea, please email Dania.

D. Lunch forms

1. Mr. Williams said that the office is still processing the Lunch forms but so far about 77% of the students have handed them in.

i. As of now, the Freshmen Class is ahead of the game.

2. Suggestions to help motivate the other 23% of students

i. Ice Cream or Pizza Party or a special event for the winning class.(11)

ii. Threats (14)

iii. Reminders via announcements during 3^rd period (14)

iv. Denial of: School/ Class activities/ Library/ Study Halls (10)

v. Prizes for one grade only (14)

vi. Reminders in the Library (10)

3. Patrick said that kids don’t hand in the lunch forms because they don’t like the school food.

4. Linda asked Mr. Williams to create a Pros and Cons chart for handing in the lunch form

5. Mr. Kaelin suggested that we publicize the number of lunch forms online and fire up some class pride.

E. Club Team Council Meeting feedback

1. Dania’s Feedback

i. Other Execs should not try to take control of the meeting.

2. Alissa suggested that some SGO members should be there to help Linda out because students were being really rude.

3. Sharmy added that the blame should go to both the students and the Exec Council.

4. David suggested that the Execs should sit down and keep quiet or leave everything to Linda and Dania.

5. Alex added that Linda should start the Agenda and when it is time for question, each Exec should take care of a group of Students.

6. Carolyne asked if we could approve the CTC Agenda before it goes out to the Public, so we could predict the questions we might be asked and be prepared to answer them.

7. Alex added that Linda should pick four or five representatives to help her out and assign each of them a specific task. For example, if anyone has a budget question, they should go to Eugene.

i. David agreed with Alex and thought that it was a good idea to break clubs into little groups.

ii. Carolyne added that we should separate groups based on similar needs. For example, the clubs that need to attend conferences can be in one group.

8. Mr. Kaelin said that the problem with the meeting is that the space was crowded and because people were hidden in a big crowd, they had the urge to make side comments and behave rudely.

9. Suggestions

i. From now on, we have to watch our tone when we answer any questions. Because of our tone, students might have misunderstood some of our ideas.

ii. Location of the meeting needs to be changed

iii. The Exec Council must approve the minutes before they become Public.

iv. Linda will select specific Execs to attend the meetings with her.

v. Someone should take minutes for CTC and put it on the website, so the people, who couldn’t hear anything, do not miss what went on in the meeting.

- Mr. Asher suggested that we tape the minutes instead.

F. Mr. Asher’s Concerns

1. Mr. Asher wants to move the announcements from the beginning of 3^rd period toward the ending of 3^rd period. He asked us for our feedback.

i. Alissa said that most teachers need the time in the beginning to start the class and that’s why we should leave the announcement the way it is now.

ii. Sharmy agreed and added that when students are taking an exam, they need the last few minutes. Having announcements during that time will disrupt their thought process.

iii. Alex also agreed and added that teachers will rush and speak over the announcement.

iv. We need to email Mr. Asher about our feedback on the 3^rd period announcement.

2. In DOE’s Progressive Report, our school received a low B.

I. Mr. Asher wants to pull together a small team of both staff and students and have them look into it. Even though we went up in some of the categories, we still have to look over the areas where we can improve on.

G. Budget Policy

1. Two versions of the Bill (Jacob and Eugene’s) have been drafted and we need to choose which one we like the best.

i. Eugene said that the only difference between the two drafts is the Principal Clause. He said that this clause was put in the bill because of the need of a Bureaucratic authority.

2. SGO’s feedback on the bills.

i. David thinks that it sounds too intimidating and that the committee should be careful with diction.

ii. Alissa thought it was too long and will not keep the reader’s attention for too long.

iii. Sharmy agreed with David and said that the diction sounds like we are trying to punish the students.

iv. To Sharmy’s comment, Jacob responded that the committee was trying to make the document look official and legit, so readers will take it seriously.

v. Eugene concluded by saying that whoever has edited the policy, should email him or any member of the committee, the edited version.

H. Student Bathrooms

1. How should we make kids keep the bathrooms clean?

i. Alex suggested that the bathrooms that are messy and broken should be closed down.

- Samiha agreed with Alex and added that there should be a notification on the closed bathrooms stating the specific reasons why they were closed.

ii. Jacob suggested that smoke detectors be added in the bathrooms

- Carolyne didn’t think it was a good idea because the detectors might go off during class time and disturb nearby classes.

- Alex agreed and said that on windy days, the detectors will stop working.

I. Approving Clubs

1. All Clubs have been approved.

III. Mr. Williams’ Notes

A. We should keep kids’ interested in the Myspace Contest even though will not happen as early as November.

B. Dibo’s Proposal

1. Dibo wants to host a concert to help raise money for student activities. The concert is to have a Hip Hop artist, a Comedian, and a DJ.

i. When Mr. Williams read us the names of the performers for the concert, none of us were familiar with the names and we weren’t sure if students will pay to see a concert performed by unfamiliar artists.

C. Career Day is next Saturday.

IV. Open Agenda

A. Ms. Zipper and her way of making the announcements.

1. David thinks that Ms. Zipper should be made aware of her mistakes. She mispronounces a lot of words, reads announcements in a monotone voice and the kids get bored.

B. SLT Facilities Meeting Report

1. Request to fix the huge sliding broken door between the gym and the auditorium.

i. When the wheels get messed up, it takes about 16 strong males to fix them.

ii. Not a priority for the DOE until someone makes it a safety issue.

2. Library

i. We need $50,000 and the Alumni Association will not pay for them.

ii. 1 librarian is needed for every 1,000 kids. We need 4 more librarians but the DOE won’t do anything until Parents speak up.

3. Teachers in Express elevators

i. Teachers have been using Express elevators during passing time and stopping at different floors.

ii. Teachers are not allowed to do this and students should report them!

4. Should we open an East Side Entrance for Students in the morning?

5. November 11-15, this building will be upgraded to wifi

6. Print Shop

i. Possible Location: Room 1N8

V. Reminders

A. Alex needs to speak to Model UN about not handing in a budget request form.

B. Please email Dania Poll questions

C. Email Mr. Asher your feedback about shifting the 3^rd period announcement toward the end of the period.

D. Email Eugene your feedback on the Budget Policy.

E. Mr. Williams should create a Pros and Cons list for handing in the Lunch forms.

F. Lunch forms should be publicized to fire up some class pride.

VI. Adjournment

A. Next Meeting on: 11/11/10

[NickC]

Tech is wifi now!?


And Library Renovations will cost $50,000?

[ClEMeNt]

For the announcements. Just put Mr Williams back on.