Lexington (MA) High School Senate

Elections Procedures

According to the constitution, the student members shall be elected by or on the third Friday in May. Freshman class representatives shall be elected by or on the second Friday in October. Faculty representatives shall be elected by the third Friday in May.

Students must complete nomination papers to become a candidate for any of the following offices:

Lexington High School Senate: This body determines policies and rules for the school, as determined by the Lexington High School Constitution. This body will be made up of teachers and students who will meet together during X block at all sessions of the Senate. Each class elects either eight or nine senators. (The number of Senators varies with the total school enrollment each year. See Lexington High School Senate Constitution: http://lhs.lexingtonma.org/senate/constitution.html)

Class Officers: Each class will elect a President (who helps lead and organize the class), Vice President (who assists the President), Secretary (who helps get all the information you need to members of the class), and a Treasurer (who helps supervise the class funds).

Class Council: This group made up of 16 members of your class helps raise money, plan activities for your class, and improve school spirit.

Board of Appeals: The Board of Appeals shall consist of four students (one from each grade) and three faculty members, all elected for a one-year term. The purpose of the BoA is to to address student and teacher grievances that arise from Lexington High School policies, rules, regulations, and procedures. This body's existence is not well-known and therefore hasn't met in several years. See the Senate website for more information: http://lhs.lexingtonma.org/senate/constitution.html#boa

School Committee Representative: One upper-class student (sophomore, junior or senior) attends School Committee meetings and advises the School Committee on decisions which influence the entire school system.

Principal's Advisory Council: One junior is elected to a two year term to attend meetings with principal and teacher representatives every other Thursday from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. The PAC serves to provide solutions to management challenges, react and make recommendations on new program, and develop short- and long-range goals in support of the School Improvement Plan.

School Council: Students attend evening meetings with the principal, teachers, parents and members from the community at large. The School Council's role is to act in an advisory capacity in matters that relate to the operation of our school.There will be 3 student representatives on school council: 1 will be elected freshman year to serve a 1 year term in sophomore year, and have the opportunity to run again at the end of sophomore year to serve the next two years. Two students will serve during their junior and senior years, having been elected at the end of sophomore year.

NOMINATIONS PROCEDURE

Pick up nomination papers in Room 520.

Obtain requisite number of signatures.

Paragraph: For all offices (except Class Council) candidates must write a brief paragraph that tells students why s/he should receive their vote.

A student may run for more than one office, but must hand in a separate nomination form for each office. A student may hold more than one office, but you may not be a member of both the Senate and the Board of Appeals. Furthermore, we ask, if one wins more than one office, to consider allowing another candidate to assume one of the positions. This will allow participation by more students.