We, the students

of the Central Kitsap Junior High School, in order to encourage student involvement in the community of learners, to manage student moneys responsibly, to work with the faculty in preparing us for our future and making us aware members of society, and to increase student enthusiasm and school spirit, do hereby form the Associated Student Body of the Central Kitsap Junior High School (the ASB), with the approval and subject to the control of the Board of Directors of the Central Kitsap School District #401. Furthermore, we do hereby ordain this Charter as the governing document of the Associated Student Body.

Chapter 1: The ASB and the Student Government

Article 1 [Membership in the ASB]

There shall be two types of membership within the ASB: regular and active.

Section 1 [Regular Membership]

All students, upon registration at the CKJHS, shall become regular members of the ~~ASB~~ Associated Student Body. Regular membership shall be fully valid until the student withdraws or is withdrawn from attendance at the CKJHS. All regular members shall enjoy the right to vote in ASB elections ~~and the right to seek election to an office of trust under the ASB~~ . Furthermore, a regular member shall be a member of the class of that member’s current grade.

Section 2 [Active Membership]

Upon the purchase of an ASB card, a regular member shall become an active member as well. Active members shall enjoy the privileges of holding an office of trust under the ASB (if elected), participating in and being a member of any student group or team that is affiliated with the ASB, receiving a discount on tickets to events of the ASB Program, and other privileges as established by the Student Government and reserved specifically for active members.

Article 2 [The Student Government]

It shall be the mission of the Student Government to provide a voice for the students’ ideas and opinions; to link students with staff, parents, students of other schools, and the community; to develop leadership skills; to plan and coordinate events of the ASB Program; and to perpetuate a spirit of cooperation between the students and staff of the Central Kitsap Junior High School. This mission shall be reflected in all actions by the Student Government, including the allocation of funds. The Student Government shall have power to make all rules necessary and proper for the application of this Charter and the operations of affiliated student groups.

Section 1 [The ASB Program]

The ASB Program shall consist of all student clubs and athletic teams; other organizations of a cultural, social, recreational, or athletic nature; and activities sponsored by the Student Government. All members or participants of groups within the ASB Program must own ASB cards. Each affiliated student group shall present an annual report to the Student Government that shall summarize the goals, achievements, and participants of the group. The purpose of the annual report shall be to allow greater understanding of the diversity in the activities of the ASB Program.

Section 2 [Affiliation of Student Groups]

Student groups may be granted affiliation as part of the ASB Program by the approval of the Student Government. Students interested in gaining approval shall first present a proposal to the Student Cabinet which includes bylaws for the proposed group that define the purposes, objectives, organization, and membership of the group . If the Cabinet gives its initial approval, the interested students shall be given a specified amount of time in which to prepare ~~bylaws for the proposed group that define the purposes, objectives, organization, and membership of the group~~. When these bylaws shall have been completed, they shall be presented to the Student Council, which shall then vote either to grant or to deny affiliation. If affiliation is denied, the Council must provide reasons and criteria for future approval. An affiliated student group shall exist from school year to school year, unless two-thirds of its members vote to dissolve it.

Section 3 [Symbols of the ASB]

The symbols of the ASB are the school colors and the school mascot. The school colors are maroon and gray. The school mascot is the Cub, in relation to the Cougar of the Associated Student Body of the Central Kitsap High School.

Section 4 [The Structure of the Student Government]

The Student Government shall be organized into two levels: the schoolwide level shall serve the entire ASB, and each of the three classes shall be served by its own government. The schoolwide level shall consist of a Student Cabinet, a Student Council, and a President of the ASB. Each class shall elect two class commissioners and a class chamber. The legislative and executive powers herein granted shall be vested jointly in the Council, Cabinet, and President.

Chapter 2: The Student Cabinet and the President of the ASB

~~Article 1 [The Student Cabinet]~~

The Student Cabinet shall be the core leadership team of the ASB and shall direct the ASB Program. The functions of the Cabinet shall include setting the overall plans for student activities; maintaining those plans when possible and modifying them when necessary; working continuously to increase student interest and involvement in the ASB Program; considering proposals from students; and providing positive leadership by example for all students. A quorum of 50% of the members plus one additional member and one advisor shall be necessary for any meeting of the Cabinet.

~~Section 1 [Operating Procedures of the Student Cabinet]~~

The Student Cabinet shall be first and always a team whose interdependent members shall be servants of the students. All the members of the Cabinet shall share equally in the successes and responsibilities of service to the students; when one member of the Cabinet has difficulties in a task, the whole Cabinet shall help to solve those difficulties. The Cabinet shall meet at least once between meetings of the Council and at other times as determined by the President and ASB Primary Adviser. A quorum of 8 members shall be necessary for any meeting of the Cabinet. The President shall preside during all meetings of the Cabinet.

~~Section 2 [Interaction among the Cabinet]~~

When the Cabinet meets, its members shall regard each other as equals but shall retain their specialized roles. Every member of the Cabinet shall be expected to show full respect for the other members and their opinions. Discussion shall be on an informal basis, while general order and decorum shall be maintained. Before any vote is taken, every Cabinet member shall be entitled to share pertinent opinions and comments. Any proposal for action by the Student Government shall first be presented to the Cabinet. The Cabinet may reject a proposal or recommend that the Student Council approve it. All decisions of the Cabinet shall be made by consensus; if consensus cannot be reached, then a majority vote shall decide the issue.

Article 2 [The President of the ASB]

The President shall be directly responsible for the business of the Student Government. It shall be the unique responsibility of the President to enable the Cabinet to make a decision. The President may write and speak for the students as their chief advocate. Within this leadership role, the President shall provide the essential connection between the school administration and the Student Government. Regardless of personal sentiment, the President must always act under the direction and in the best interests of the students.

Section 1 [The Duties of the President]

The President shall open and conclude each year’s session of the Cabinet and the Council; furthermore, the President shall preside during meetings of the Cabinet. The President shall create, empower, appoint, and dissolve student committees and task forces. The President shall designate students to represent the CKJHS on community panels and committees of the CKSD. In extraordinary situations, when a decision must be made but when consultation with and decision by the Cabinet and Council is not possible or feasible, the President shall act as and for the Student Government in deliberation with the ASB Primary Adviser.

~~Section 2 [The Relationship between the President and the Vice President of the ASB]~~

It shall be essential that the President and the Vice President of the ASB have a dynamic relationship, in both personal and official dimensions, built on mutual respect and trust. Although they may disagree on an issue, they must both support each other after a decision has been made. They shall be partners in directing the affairs of the Student Government, and each shall always support the other. The President and Vice President shall together develop agendas for meetings of the Cabinet and the Council, review proposed business, and design ASB policy.

Article 3 [The Members of the Student Cabinet]

The fourteen members of the Student Cabinet shall be the executive officers of the ASB. The Cabinet shall consist of the following: the President, the Vice President, the Senator from the 9th Grade, the Senator from the 8th and 7th Grades, the Treasurer, the Social Organizer, the Secretary, the Alternate Officer, the Commissioners of the 9th-grade Class, the Commissioners of the 8th-grade Class, and the Commissioners of the 7th-grade Class. The officers of the ASB shall assist in the set-up immediately before and the clean-up immediately after any social event sponsored by the Student Government; they shall be admitted to any social event sponsored by the Student Government without charge, provided they assist at the event.

Section 1 [The Office and Duties of the Vice President]

The duties of the Vice President shall include presiding during meetings of the Student Council, supervising the work of student committees and task forces, gathering student opinion, and managing special projects given by the President. Regardless of personal sentiment, the Vice President must always act under the direction and in the best interests of the students. At all times, the Vice President must and shall be ready to assume the office of President, whether temporarily or permanently. The Vice President shall be Acting President if the President is suspended or temporarily disabled. When the President is again fully able to execute the office, the Vice President shall relinquish the office. If the President is impeached or loses membership in the ASB, the Vice President shall resign the office of Vice President and assume permanently the office of President, with full authority to execute that office.

Section 2 [The Office and Duties of the Senators]

The ASB shall have two seats on the Student Senate of Secondary Schools of the CKSD. The ASB shall elect two officers, known as Senators, who shall occupy these seats. The Senator from the 9th Grade shall represent the opinions of the 9th-grade Class. Likewise, the Senator from the 8th and 7th Grades shall represent the opinions of the 8th- and 7th-grade Classes. The Senators shall fully cooperate in advocating the needs and opinions of all students. As required by the Constitution of the Senate, the Senators shall serve on various CKSD committees. ~~In addition to full membership in the Senate, the Senators shall be the student representatives on the Shared Decision-making Team, participating at the desire of that group.~~ It shall be essential for the Senators to participate actively in the work of the Senate, any committees on which they shall serve, and the Student Cabinet.

Section 3 [The Office and Duties of the Treasurer]

The Treasurer shall be responsible for the receipt, disbursement, and accounting of all ASB moneys. The Treasurer shall work with the ASB Bookkeeper-Secretary in maintaining records of all financial transactions of the ASB. It shall be the unique duty of the Treasurer to develop annually, with the assistance of the ASB Primary Adviser and the ASB Bookkeeper-Secretary, the budget of the ASB for the next school year. The Treasurer shall make a recommendation to the Cabinet, who may modify the proposal. After the Cabinet shall have approved the proposed budget, it shall be presented to the Council. Unless there is significant objection to the proposed budget, the Council shall approve the proposal for the next year. The Treasurer shall make a report on the financial situation of the ASB at every meeting of the Council and Cabinet.

Section 4 [The Office and Duties of the Social Organizer]

The Social Organizer shall be the primary planner of the Student Government. After the Cabinet and Council has approved an event, the Social Organizer shall direct the organization of and preparation for the event. The Social Organizer shall not be required to sit on every event committee, but all plans for an event must be reviewed and approved by the Social Organizer before they are implemented.

Section 5 [The Office and Duties of the Secretary]

The Minutes of the Cabinet and of the Council shall be taken by the Secretary. After they are approved, the Minutes shall be placed in the custody of the ASB Bookkeeper-Secretary. The Secretary shall coordinate the use of various resources to establish effective, two-way communication between the students and their government. ~~The Secretary shall assist the Social Organizer in planning student events.~~

Section 6 [The Office and Duties of the Historian]

The first duty of the Alternate Officer shall be to assume any vacant schoolwide office. Cabinet vacancies are addressed in sections 1 and 2 of article 10 of chapter 5 of this Charter. The Alternate Officer shall be charged with producing the student slide-show, which shall portray the student experience during the school year. It shall be the responsibility of the Cabinet and ASB Primary Adviser to prepare the Alternate Officer to assume any vacant office.

Article 4 [Training of Officers]

After the spring election, when the officers (except for the class officers) have been chosen, each current officer shall provide rigorous and comprehensive training and preparation for that officer’s successor. Training should commence no later than two weeks after the fifteenth campaign day. Each officer-elect must read and understand this Charter. The President shall lead training sessions for the next year’s Cabinet; the focus of these sessions shall be developing objectives and general plans for the next year.

Chapter 3: The Student Council

Article 1 [The Functions of the Student Council]

The Student Council shall be the deliberative body of the Student Government and shall consider all recommendations of the Cabinet. ~~All proposals for action by the Student Government must be approved by the Council before action shall be taken;~~ However, the Council may not consider a proposal unless it has been first presented to the Cabinet and the Cabinet has made a recommendation on it. ~~The primary function of~~ the Council shall ~~be to~~ communicate with the students regarding events and actions of the Student Government. The Council shall be a forum for discussing and establishing student opinion and an assembly for generating ideas for the development of the ASB Program. ~~Student committees and task forces shall draw their membership from the Council.~~

Article 2 [Meetings of the Student Council]

During meetings of the Student Council, basic parliamentary procedure shall be followed~~; the parliamentary authority shall be the latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order and any special rules established by the Council.~~ The Vice President shall preside during all meetings of the Council, but the alternate officer may substitute in the event of the Vice President’s absence. Any member who continually disrupts the work of the Council shall be ejected. The first meeting of every school year’s session shall be devoted to the education and training of the Council in parliamentary procedure. The Council shall meet every four weeks and at other times as determined by the President and ASB Primary Adviser. A quorum of two-thirds of the total membership shall be necessary for any meeting of the Council to be valid. A majority vote shall decide issues before the Council. Should a tie occur in a vote of the Council, the Vice President, or designer, must cast a vote in accordance with the recommendation of the Cabinet.

Article 3 [Sponsored Events]

The Student Council shall sponsor events for the students, including spirit weeks, dances, fund raisers, and service projects. All proposals for events must be summarized in writing before the Council may approve them. This summary shall describe the objectives, dates, schedules, budget deadlines, locations, and coordinators for the event, as well as other pertinent information. The Cabinet must approve the proposal before the Council may discuss it.

Article 4 [The Members of the Student Council]

The members of the Student Council shall be known as the ASB representatives. There shall be one representative for each homeroom as defined by this Charter. The officers of the ASB shall not be members of the Council and shall not cast votes in the Council. ~~Every member of the ASB is a member of a homeroom within the class of that member’s grade.~~ For the 7th and 8th grades, homerooms shall be the social studies classes. For the 9th grade, homerooms shall be the language arts classes.

Article 5 [The Office and Duties of the Representatives and Alternates]

The chief duty of each representative shall be to act as the liaison between the representative’s homeroom and the Student Government. When so directed by the Council, the representatives shall poll their respective homerooms. All votes of the ASB shall be conducted through the homerooms and monitored by the representatives. When students express their sentiments to their representatives, the representatives shall be obligated to share those sentiments fully with the Council. Adequate time should be given to the representatives for the conducting of business of the Student Government. The homeroom’s alternate shall act as the representative in the representative’s absence and shall succeed the representative in the case of dismissal.

Chapter 4: The Class Governments

~~Article 1 [The Role of the Class Governments]~~

The class governments shall exist to provide leadership in organizing grade-specific events and activities, to manage the moneys allocated to the respective classes, to cultivate class spirit and enthusiasm, and to improve communications between the students and their government. At the beginning of each year, after the class commissioners shall have been elected, the Cabinet shall receive them as full members. The Cabinet shall then work with the commissioners of each class to develop goals for the class during the year.

~~Article 2 [The Class Chamber]~~

The Class Chamber shall be the legislative body of the class government. The Council representatives of a class shall also form the chamber of that class. At the beginning of the school year, each chamber shall discuss and determine the objectives of the class for the year. At the conclusion of the school year, each chamber shall evaluate the success of the class in meeting its objectives. A class may sponsor a grade-specific event only after it has been approved by the Cabinet and the Council; the chamber shall plan all such events. Disbursements may be made from the funds of a class only after the chamber has approved those disbursements. Disbursements from the funds of a class shall not require the approval of the Cabinet or the Council but must be reported to the Cabinet.

~~Article 3 [The Office and Duties of the Class Commissioners]~~

Each class shall have two commissioners, who shall be the class officers. The two commissioners shall jointly share the duties of the office. These duties shall include presiding during meetings of the class chamber, planning and coordinating grade-specific events, and reporting regularly to the Cabinet on the business of the class. Furthermore, the commissioners shall take the minutes for meetings of the class chamber and shall receive, disburse, and account for the funds allocated to the class.

Chapter 5: Elections

Article 1 [The Spring and Fall Elections]

Elections shall be held during the spring and fall of the school year. Student council and representatives shall be elected in the fall of the school year, their terms running from the day of their election until the last day of the school year. School wide officers shall be elected in the spring of the school year for the next school year, their terms running from the last day of the school year in which they shall have been elected until the last day of the school year in which they shall have served, except for the Senators. The Senator from the 8th and 7th Grades shall be elected in the spring and shall serve a two-year term, becoming the Senator from the 9th Grade during the second year. Candidates for President and Vice President shall seek election as running mates. No student, having been elected, shall hold more than one office of trust under the ASB.

Article 2 [Definitions]

The “campaign” shall be a specific, three-week period of time during which all election activities shall take place. For the spring election, dates shall be determined by the current ASB executive cabinet in consultation with the ASB advisor. The fall election campaign shall commence no later than the 16th school day of the first quarter and shall conclude 14 school days thereafter. In both elections, if the opening day shall not fall on a Monday, the next Monday shall be designated as the opening day and the campaign timeline shall be adjusted accordingly. A student interested in seeking an office shall meet the qualifications for candidacy and shall be declared a candidate upon registration with the ASB Primary Adviser.

Article 3 [Qualifications for Candidacy]

Only 8th graders may seek election to the offices of President and Vice President; however, 7th graders may seek election to any other office. In order to be a candidate, an interested student must have a 3.0 grade point average, must not be failing in any course, and must not have had any suspensions (in any form and for any amount of time) during the current school year. Each candidate shall submit a petition, an essay, two letters of recommendation, a parental acknowledgment, and a declaration of campaign manager to the ASB Primary Adviser no later than the fifth campaign day. Failure to meet any and all of the aforesaid requirements shall result in disqualification from the election. In order to hold an office of trust under the ASB, students shall be required to own or purchase an ASB card and to maintain the qualifications for that office during their terms.

Article 4 [General Rules]

To hold of an office of trust under the ASB shall be a great honor and a statement of the students’ belief that the officer represents the best qualities of a CKJHS student. Therefore, a student must be elected and must serve in the purest, fullest spirit of fairness.

Section 1 [GPA]

A student’s GPA for nomination shall be reckoned from the grade point averages for the first, second, and third quarters of the current school year. For the officers of the 7th-Grade Class, GPA shall be the final grade point average of a candidate’s sixth-grade year.

Section 2 [Petitions]

Petitions shall have the following heading: “We, active members of the ASB of the CKJHS, hereby declare our belief that (Candidate’s Name) is fully competent to hold the office of (Office Sought).” Only active members of the ASB (that is, regular members who own ASB cards) shall be granted the privilege of signing one and only one petition for each office. At least 100 active members must sign a petition for it to be certified. The signature of a regular member on a petition shall be invalid. The signing of petitions may not interfere with classroom instruction in any way; the petitions shall all be located at one station and may be signed only during lunches.

Section 3 [Essays]

Essays shall contain at least 350 words and shall answer the following questions: What is the most serious problem that the CKJHS faces? How has this problem developed? How can it be solved? Essays shall be reviewed by the ASB Primary Adviser and shall be evaluated for content. Essays must exhibit both researched fact and supported personal opinion. The ASB Primary Adviser shall ask any candidate whose essay does not demonstrate both sincere intentions and serious thought to modify and resubmit the essay, withdraw from nomination, or submit another essay. A candidate shall be given two school days in which to modify and resubmit, withdraw, or newly submit. A candidate who fails to take action thereafter shall be disqualified from the election. Late submissions shall not be considered or read. The electorate shall have access to the essays from the eighth campaign day through the thirteenth campaign day.

Section 4 [Letters of Recommendation]

A candidate must be recommended in writing by at least two teachers at the CKJHS. A letter of recommendation must contain this statement: “I hereby recommend (Candidate’s name) for the office of (Office sought). The candidate has completed a course or is studying under my instruction.” Candidates must submit two letters from two different teachers. The signature of the recommending teacher is required on every letter of recommendation. School office personnel, administrators, the ASB Primary Adviser, the faculty teller of votes, or non-instructional staff members may not recommend candidates. A teacher may recommend more than one candidate but less than every candidate for a single office.

Section 5 [Parental Acknowledgments]

The support of an officer’s parent(s) or guardian(s) shall be necessary for that officer to successfully execute the office. Therefore, it shall be necessary for a candidate to submit an acknowledgment of the candidate’s parent(s) or guardian(s) that expresses their support. Such a document shall be known as a candidate’s parental acknowledgment and shall contain the following statement: “We, the parent(s)/guardian(s) of (Candidate’s name), hereby affirm that, to our knowledge, the candidate shall remain in attendance at the CKJHS until the end of the next school year.”

Section 6 [Campaign Managers]

Each candidate shall declare a campaign manager in writing. The campaign manager may be in any grade and must sign this declaration. The campaign manager’s role shall be to advise the candidate in election matters, to coordinate the candidate’s campaign affairs, and to promote the election of the candidate. A campaign manager shall be authorized to represent and to act on behalf of the candidate for whom the campaign manager shall work. Campaign managers must not be seeking election to an office under the ASB and may not currently hold an office under the ASB.

Section 7 [Campaign Posters]

Campaign posters are effective means for promoting a candidate; however, standards of public decency and common morality must be preserved in all campaign media. After school on the eighth campaign day, when the list of candidates shall have been announced and published, campaign posters may be hung on the campus of the CKJHS. Without exception, posters may not be hung in classrooms. All posters must be approved and initialed by the Principal before being hung. The Principal shall have full censorship prerogative and obligation. Any poster deemed inappropriate shall not be hung. If a candidate hangs an unapproved poster, the candidate shall be immediately disqualified from the election. A candidate may use up to 14 square meters in paper area for posters. Damage caused to a candidate’s poster(s) by another candidate shall result in the offender’s immediate disqualification from the election. All posters must be removed by the end of the thirteenth campaign day.

Section 8 [The Campaign Assembly and Speeches]

A full assembly of the electorate shall take place on the thirteenth campaign day. A candidate may speak for up to 4 minutes and candidates must write their own speeches; but running mates may speak for up to 6 minutes and must jointly write their speech. All speeches must be delivered in their final form to the ASB Primary Adviser prior to being delivered to the electorate. Speeches must preserve standards of public decency and common morality. The ASB Primary Adviser shall have full censorship prerogative and obligation to be exercised only to prevent inappropriate speaking. Any candidate whose speech violates the standards of public decency and common morality shall be immediately disqualified from the election.

Section 9 [The Registration Meeting]

After school on the first campaign day, there shall be a meeting for the registration of candidates. Any student interested in seeking an office must attend this meeting or make prior arrangements with the ASB Primary Adviser to register at a different time. Election rules shall be distributed at this meeting to every candidate.

Section 10 [Timeline for Elections]

The following timeline shall govern all elections of the ASB. The first campaign day shall be the first day of the fourth quarter for spring elections and no later than the sixteenth day of the first quarter for fall elections.

Campaign day 1	· Formal beginning of the campaign. · Registration meeting after school. · Candidates may begin to prepare qualification documents.
Campaign days 2-4	· Petitions may be signed by active members. · Continued preparation of qualification documents.
Campaign day 5	· All qualification documents (petitions, essays, letters of recommendation, parental acknowledgments, and declarations of campaign managers) must be submitted to the ASB Primary Adviser by the end of the day.
Campaign day 6	· Notification of candidates who must modify, withdraw, or newly submit.
Campaign day 8	· Modified or newly submitted essays are due to the ASB Primary Adviser by 7:35 AM. · List of candidates announced and published at all lunches. · Approved posters may be hung after school. · Speech writing may start.
Campaign days 9-12	· Posters displayed and speech writing continued.
Campaign day 13	· Full elections assembly. · Posters removed by the end of the day. · Ballots printed and distributed to homeroom teachers.
Campaign day 14	· Vote through homerooms.
Campaign day 15	· Results announced first to candidates, then to the ASB. · Campaign is ended by the President of the ASB.

Article 5 [Rules for the Election of the President and the Vice President]

The candidates for the offices of President and Vice President shall seek election as running mates. This means that a candidate for President and a candidate for Vice President shall seek election in partnership and shall be considered one candidate. Certain election rules shall be modified to reflect this concept. Running mates shall jointly register for nomination. Running mates shall submit one essay of no less than 500 words in length, answering the same questions as other candidates’ essays. Parental acknowledgments and two letters of recommendation each must be submitted individually. Petitions for running mates shall be submitted jointly. Running mates may declare one or two campaign managers. All other election rules shall remain the same for running mates. On the ballot, the names of running mates shall appear in the same space.

Article 6 [Rules on the Fall Elections]

Only class offices shall be filled during the fall elections. Therefore, students of a given grade may vote only for the offices which represent that grade. Candidates for an office of a given grade must be in that grade. Petitions for an office of a given grade may be signed only by active members in that grade. The two candidates who receive the highest number of votes for commissioner shall be elected to the office of commissioner.

Article 7 [The Election of Representatives and Alternates]

Section 1 [Qualifications for Representatives and Alternates]

In order to seek and be elected to the office of representative, a student must have a 2.5 GPA from the second semester of the last year, may not have been suspended from school in any form during the current school year, and must not be failing in any course.

Section 2 [Homeroom Elections]

The process of electing the representatives and alternates shall be uniform for all homerooms. The representatives may be elected on any day between the first and thirteenth campaign days. Each homeroom must deliver the names of its representative and alternate to the ASB Primary Adviser no later than the fifteenth campaign day. The date of the election shall be determined by the homeroom teacher and announced at least one day prior. Absent students may nominate themselves prior to their absence in writing. After nominations shall have been closed, the nominees for representative shall be declared and each nominee shall have up to one minute to speak to the homeroom. After all candidates shall have spoken, the homeroom teacher shall distribute blank ballots of the same size and quality to every member of the homeroom. Every member shall then place the name of one nominee on this ballot. The nominee who receives the second-highest number of votes shall be the alternate. In the case of a tie, the homeroom shall hold a run-off election. A homeroom shall hold nominations and vote on the same day.

Article 8 [Officer Election Votes]

In all elections, voting shall be by Australian ballot; a student’s polling place shall be that student’s homeroom classroom.

Section 1 [Voting Procedures]

Only 8th and 7th graders shall vote in the spring elections. On the thirteenth campaign day, the ballots of the election shall be distributed to all homeroom teachers. Ballots shall be of identical size, design, and quality and shall bear the signature of the President of the ASB. On the fourteenth campaign day, each voter shall receive a ballot no earlier than the beginning of the homeroom period and no later than ten minutes before the end of the homeroom period. Voters shall indicate one candidate for each office; a vote for more than one candidate for an office shall not be counted. Ballots shall contain space for a write-in vote for every office. A period of silence shall be observed from the moment voters shall have received their ballots until every voter shall have completed voting. Used ballots shall be folded in half once vertically. After each voter in a homeroom shall have completed voting and all ballots shall have been collected, the homeroom teacher shall place the ballots in an envelope and seal it. The sealed envelope shall then be transmitted immediately to the ASB Primary Adviser. The ASB Primary Adviser must receive all envelopes by the end of the fourteenth campaign day. The ballots shall not be unsealed and tabulated until an envelope shall have been received from every homeroom.

Section 2 [Tabulation and Announcement]

After school, in a secure room, the envelopes containing the ballots shall be unsealed and the ballots shall be officially tabulated. Only three tellers shall tabulate the ballots: the Principal or designee, the ASB Primary Adviser, and one member of the faculty requested by the Cabinet. The candidate who receives the highest number of votes for each office shall be the holder of that office. The tellers shall tabulate the ballots alone and shall certify the vote at the conclusion of the tabulation. In no instance shall a student participate in or be present during the tabulation. After being signed and sealed, the vote certification shall be placed in the school safe. After the end of all lunches on the fifteenth campaign day, the President of the ASB shall assemble the candidates and show the sealed vote certification. The President shall unseal the certification and read it to the candidates, which shall constitute the first announcement of the vote results. The actual totals of each office shall not be disclosed at any time. Immediately after the candidates shall have been released, the President shall announce to the whole ASB the results of the election. The officers-elect shall be installed in a ceremony before the whole ASB on the last day of the school year.

Section 3 [Procedures for Ties]

Should a tie occur for any office, the results of the vote for all offices shall not be announced until the tie shall have been resolved. Immediately after being informed of a tie, the President shall convene the Cabinet. During this meeting of the Cabinet, there shall be no discussion. The President shall unseal and read to the Cabinet the certification, which shall then be considered invalid. The names of the tied candidates shall be placed in full view of all the Cabinet. A ballot shall be given to each member, who shall indicate one of the tied candidates for the office. After each member shall have completed voting, the President shall tabulate aloud the ballots. A new vote certification shall be signed by the Cabinet and ASB Primary Adviser and sealed. The results of the vote shall be announced in the regular manner.

Article 9 [Impeachment and Dismissal]

Impeachment shall be the expulsion of an officer from the Student Government. Dismissal shall be the expulsion of a representative from the Student Government. An impeached or dismissed student is barred from participation as a member of the Student Government for the remainder of the year in which the student was impeached or dismissed.

Section 1 [Grounds for Impeachment]

The grounds for impeachment shall be improper conduct, academic deficiency, or suspension/legal violation. Improper conduct shall be defined as any action or inaction that violates the principles of this Charter, common morality, or public decency; brings shame and dishonor upon the ASB; or challenges the competence of the accused officer to exercise the office held by that officer. Academic deficiency shall be defined as the continued maintenance of a GPA lower than 3.0 or a failing grade in any course. Suspension/legal violation shall be defined as a disciplinary suspension from school in any form and for any amount of time or the violation of federal, state, or local laws.

Section 2 [Procedures for Improper Conduct]

When either the President or ASB Primary Adviser believes that an officer shall have committed an act of misconduct, one shall consult with the other. If the President and ASB Primary Adviser concur that grounds for impeachment are present, they shall privately meet with the officer. At this meeting, the officer shall enjoy the right to respond to the allegations of the President and ASB Primary Adviser. The President and ASB Primary Adviser shall inform the officer that the Cabinet shall review the case and the officer shall enjoy the right to present a defense against the allegations. The Cabinet shall meet to review the case. After sufficient examination of the case, the officer shall leave the room; the Cabinet shall then vote either to recommend impeachment to the Council or to reject the grounds for impeachment. The officer shall reenter and shall be informed of the decision of the Cabinet. If the Cabinet recommends impeachment, the officer shall appear before the Council.

Section 3 [Procedures for Academic Deficiency]

Every three weeks, the ASB Primary Adviser shall place the names of the officers and representatives on the eligibility list circulated among teachers. GPA shall be reckoned from the grades indicated on the list. Should an officer receive a failing grade in any one class or have a GPA of less than 3.0, the officer shall be relieved temporarily from the execution of the office held by the officer. The President and ASB Primary Adviser shall meet with the officer and with the parent(s)/guardian(s) and teachers of the officer. The purpose of this meeting shall be to assess the causes of the academic deficiency, to identify possible solutions to the problem, and to design a plan for the elimination of the academic deficiency. A contract shall be written and signed by all concerned parties. The officer shall then be placed on probation for a period of two weeks, at the end of which the academic deficiency must have been eliminated. If the deficiency shall not have been eliminated by the end of the probation, the Cabinet shall review the case, in consultation with the appropriate teachers. After sufficient examination of the case, the officer shall leave the room; the Cabinet shall then vote either to recommend impeachment to the Council or to reject the grounds for impeachment. The officer shall reenter and shall be informed of the decision of the Cabinet. If the Cabinet recommends impeachment, the officer shall appear before the Council.

Section 4 [Procedures for Suspension/Legal Violation]

If an officer shall have violated the law or committed an offense that is disciplined by a suspension from school, that officer shall have compromised the integrity of the Student Government. Furthermore, the officer shall have broken the fundamental trust with which the students elected the officer. Therefore, an officer who shall have violated the law or committed an offense that is disciplined by a suspension in any form and for any amount of time shall automatically appear before the Council.

Section 5 [Impeachment Review by the Council]

When the Council meets to act on a recommendation for impeachment, the President shall first present the grounds for impeachment. For suspension/legal violation, the President shall explain the offense of the officer that effected the suspension or violated the law. The officer shall then enjoy the right to present a defense to the Council. After this presentation, the officer shall leave the room while the Council shall vote on the recommendation of impeachment. Two-thirds of the Council’s members must vote for impeachment for the officer to be impeached. The officer shall reenter the room and shall be informed of the decision.

Section 6 [Grounds for Dismissal]

A representative may be dismissed for continually disrupting the work of the Council or for neglecting to actively communicate with the homeroom. The President may request that the Cabinet dismiss a representative, and a majority vote by the Cabinet is necessary for dismissal. The homeroom may remove a representative by a two-thirds majority vote. A representative who violates the federal, state, or local law or receives a suspension in any form and for any amount of time shall be automatically dismissed. If a representative maintains a GPA under 2.5 or is failing in any course, the representative shall have three weeks in which to eliminate the academic deficiency. If the representative does not eliminate the deficiency after three weeks, the representative shall be automatically dismissed.

Article 10 [Cabinet Vacancies]

A vacancy shall occur when an officer is permanently unable to execute the office held by that officer, withdraws from attendance at the CKJHS, dies or resigns, is placed on probation, is impeached, or is temporarily disabled from the execution of the office.

Section 1 [Single Cabinet Vacancies]

Should a single vacancy within the Cabinet occur, the Alternate Officer shall assume the duties of the vacant office. If the vacancy shall be permanent, the Alternate Officer’s assumption of duty shall be permanent; if the vacancy shall be temporary, the Alternate Officer’s assumption of duty shall be temporary.

Section 2 [Multiple Cabinet Vacancies]

If multiple vacancies within the Cabinet occur, the Alternate Officer shall assume the vacant office which shall have the highest priority, and other offices shall be appointed from the Council. The order of priority shall be (1) Vice President, (2) Senator from the 9th Grade, (3) Senator from the 8th and 7th Grades, (4) Treasurer, (5) Social Organizer, and (6) Secretary. Should a vacancy occur in the office of Alternate Officer, the Cabinet shall appoint a representative to assume the office. The offices of President and Vice President must and shall be held only by students in the 9th grade; if either of those offices becomes vacant and the Alternate Officer should be 8th grade, the next 9th-grade officer in the order of priority shall assume the vacant office. If the Alternate Officer is in the 8th grade when the office of Senator from the 9th Grade becomes vacant, the Commissioner of the 9th-grade Class shall assume the office. Should the office of a commissioner become vacant, the Cabinet shall appoint a representative from the appropriate grade to assume the office.

Chapter 6: Communication with the Students, Staff, and Parents

Article 1 [Communication with the Students]

The most predominant need of the Student Government shall be to communicate effectively with every student. Without an informed ASB, the Student Government can neither pursue its overall goals nor succeed in the application of this Charter. While the Secretary shall be specifically charged with the coordination of various resources to communicate effectively with the ASB, every member of the Student Government shall be required to actively spread information about the current business of the Student Government.

Section 1 [The School Newspaper]

The official newspaper of the ASB shall be the Cub Chronicle, produced by the journalism classes. The President shall assign one student journalist who is a representative as well to report on the business of the Student Government for the Cub Chronicle. The Secretary shall act as the official liaison between the journalism staff and the Student Government, working to produce a section of the newspaper devoted to the communication of business of the Student Government. Members of the Cabinet and the Council shall be encouraged to contribute regularly to the Cub Chronicle.

Section 2 [Student Forums]

Student forums shall be meetings designed to connect students and their leaders through open and respectful public discussion. When the Cabinet calls a student forum, the forum shall be announced at least two days prior. Student forums shall be held outside of the regular school day. If a majority of the whole ASB is present at a student forum, the forum shall be authorized to assume the powers of the Student Government. The President shall be chair of all student forums. At the discretion of the Cabinet, any current issue which shall directly affect the lives of students shall be an appropriate topic for a student forum.

Article 2 [Communication with the Staff and Parents]

Insofar as communication with students shall be necessary for the success of the Student Government, communication with the staff and parents of CKJHS shall also be of great importance. Therefore, the Student Government, through the Secretary, shall regularly issue a staff newsletter to inform and request the opinions of staff members. In order to facilitate communication with the parents, the Cabinet shall designate one representative to act as the student representative to the Parent-Teacher-Student Association. This representative shall attend meetings of the PTSA and its Board and shall act as the liaison between the PTSA Board and the Cabinet.

Chapter 7: Amendment and Ratification

Article 1 [Amendments to the Charter]

This Charter, except for the Preamble, may be amended only through an amendatory convention of the ASB. An amendatory convention shall be held at least every five years to review the effectiveness of the Charter, but one and only one amendatory convention per school year may be called by the Cabinet and Council between required amendatory conventions. The operating guidelines for an amendatory convention shall be developed by the Cabinet. After an amendment shall have been proposed by a convention, it shall be presented to the administration and Cabinet. If neither have objections to the amendment, it shall be proposed to the whole ASB. If two-thirds of the ASB vote to ratify the amendment, it shall become permanently a change to and part of this Charter. This Charter may not be completely replaced, nor may the Preamble be amended.

Article 2 [Original Ratification of the Charter]

Before being proposed to the whole ASB, this Charter shall have been edited and proofread by the English Evaluator of the Charter. It shall also have been presented to and reviewed by the Principal, Director of Secondary Education, and Superintendent. Subject to their approval, this Charter in its full form shall be proposed originally to the ASB on a date specified by the President. One week after the Charter shall have been proposed to the ASB, they shall vote on its ratification through the designated homerooms. A simple majority in the affirmative is necessary for a homeroom to ratify this Charter. This Charter shall be declared ratified by the President of the ASB after two-thirds of the homerooms vote for ratification. The provisions of this Charter shall be implemented to the fullest extent as soon as conveniently possible at the discretion of the President and ASB Primary Adviser.

hat the Charter of the Associated Student Body, created by the Great Convention, ratified on May 31, 1996, is hereby declared to be permanently in full effect by the President of the ASB. In testimony whereof, we subscribe hereunto in the name of the whole community of learners. Done at Silverdale, in the State of Washington, on this Thursday, the twentieth day of May, in the year of the Lord one thousand, nine hundred ninety-six, and of the United States of America, the two hundred twentieth.

Topic Number(s)	Section	Topic Number(s)	Section
544-574	2.1.0	790	3.2.0
486-488	2.1.0	514-543	5.4.8
371-397, 483-485	2.3.5	294-310	6.1.1