Student Council Brief

What is the Student Council?

A Student Council is a representative structure through which students can voice issues, concerns and opinions and work in partnership with staff, teachers, school management and parents for the benefit of the school and its students.

What is the role of the Student Council?

1. To listen to and to voice students’ ideas,opinions and concerns.
2. To report on issues and council events at meetings.
3. To participate in the drafting and development of school policies.
4. To liaise with the student council facilitator, the principal, deputy principals and other members of staff with regard to student matters.
5. To create a pleasant environment for students that enhances the wellbeing of the student body.
6. To work with the local and national community (e.g. raising awareness of human rights and animal rights).
7. To represent the school and students at youth events such as Limerick Youth Parliament, Comhairle na nÓg and ISSU.
8. To undertake charity and fundraising work (e.g. organising non uniform days).

Achievements of the Student Council.

• Fundraising for charities and school facilities.
• Participation in the designing of school policies such as the code of behaviour, school trips, guidance counselling, and healthy eating.
• Active and successful participation in campaigns for the community park and in the establishment of a school canteen and facilities in the courtyards.
• Creation of surveys such as school canteen food and surveys on the PE uniform.Feedback given on the surveys to effect change and progress.
• Participation in the Healthy Eating Committee and the banning of vending machines in school.
• Raising awareness of health and safety concerns such as the creation of a traffic management system around the school and energy drinks health campaigns.

• Participation in Comhairle na nÓg ( Youth Dail ) events with local schools and Limerick Youth Service.
• Involvement in Mental Health Week.
• Collection of petitions on animal rights and visits to embassies to raise concerns about animal rights.
• Participation in Stand-Up Week and raising awareness of the rights of LGBTQIA+ students.
• Meetings on a regular basis with school management with regard to school and student issues such as exam timetables and school rules.
• Input on the online curricula and timetables during the Pandemic.
• Membership of and participation in the Irish Second-Level Students’ Union which represents student councils throughout the country. The Irish Second-level Students’ Union (ISSU) works with the Minister of Education on behalf of students.
• Participation in student voice through blogs on the Student Digital Learning Hub.
• Raising awareness of health and safety concerns such as the creation of a traffic management system around the school and energy drinks health campaigns.

Why should you join the student council?

The following points have been collected from members of our Student Council.

Being part of the student council gives you the opportunity to develop leadership, communication, teamwork, organisation, and public speaking skills for later in life.

You may discover a hidden strength for communicating with others, realise the value of working in a community and appreciate the concept of giving back to a community.

Meetings are conducted in a friendly, inclusive and respectful manner.They are a refreshing break from your studies and allow you an insight into processes of democracy.

As the Council is part of many member groups and communities, you will be able to work with a diverse group of people and learn more things about each other.

Through the work done in the Council you get to see that many of the decisions you make have an impact on our school community in a very unique way and you participate in the process of decision making in the life of our school.

What are your responsibilities as a Student Council Representative?

Attend Student Council meetings regularly and punctually.

Listen to and include the voices of all the students you represent.

Volunteer to do important tasks for the Student Council and the school.

Respect the decisions and conclusions of the processes of democracy.

Respect the school ethos and its rules.

https://www.scoilnet.ie/uploads/resources/19657/19380.pdf

Student council members 2023 - 2024

Left to right: (Back) Paulina Kwiaikowska, Eadaoin Gannon, Charlie O’Leary (Sr Chairperson), Orlaith Danaher, Arwen Platt, James Carey

(Front) Clara Gleeson, Grace Gavin, Harry Hayden, Leon McCabe

Missing from photo: Johanes Leahy (Jr Chairperson), James Naughton, Nnedi Akweajah, Rebekah Sayson, Mya-Rose O’Shea