Council Talks Winter Carnival and Electronic Voting – Council Update (November 15, 2017)
This past week’s Council meeting covered a wide variety of topics, including committee updates, a proposal regarding winter carnival, and discussions regarding, electronic voting in Council, teachers dismissing their students late from class, and the cafeteria. The initial updates were headlined by Assistant Moderator Jasper Meyer, who stated that Mr. Campbell is expected to sign the new Cell Phone Policy and the Course Evaluation Standardization Motion, and by Moderator Aisling Kelly, who confirmed that two new Social Studies courses have been approved: one regarding entrepreneurship and one regarding the history of wars and militaries.
After the updates, some representatives presented a proposal to Council regarding the schedule for the day of Winter Carnival. The representatives who presented the new schedule included Rep. Tessa Stewart, Rep. Lois Schwartz, Rep. Dory Psomas, and others. The proposed schedule would make Winter Carnival a full day event. The day would start with a brief March Intensive meeting, followed by students doing community service with their common ground. Halfway through the day, students would have a 25 minute lunch period, before going to what was described as a block activity, with the day then finishing with the classic Winter Carnival. The new schedule proposal was, according to the representatives who presented it, made to address concerns regarding Winter Carnival, including attendance, and to get more people involved in Winter Carnival.
The next discussion Council had was one regarding electronic voting in Council.
Many representatives opposed the idea, including Co-Treasurer Colm Seigne, who said that he believes people using their voice in Council is important, and that electronic voting might dissuade people from discussing their opinions. On the other hand, Representative Clay Kynor said that it might be beneficial because it removes the peer pressure aspect of roll-call voting. In the end though, most Council members seemed to agree that it could be beneficial as a substitute for anonymous voting in Council, such as Council leadership elections, but that it shouldn’t be used as a substitute for roll-call votes.
Council then went on to discuss teachers dismissing their students late from class. The discussion was brought by senior Representative Perrin Milliken, who said her Common Ground members had complained that teachers were letting them out of class late. Other members agreed that this has been a greater problem this year than in previous years. Junior Representative Oliver Minshall suggested that students remind their teachers when the period is over, that it is over. Mrs. Ceplikas ended the discussion by reminding Council that it was them who first instituted the 3 minute, and the now 5 minute passing period between classes.
Council ended by having a short discussion regarding the cafeteria. Staff Representative Mr. Prince started the discussion by saying that he had heard many people complain that the cafeteria didn’t meet their needs. He then went on to say how he couldn’t remember the last time the cafeteria asked for feedback. Assistant Moderator Jasper Meyer replied that he felt the cafeteria didn’t have enough healthy options, while sophomore Representative Joey Perras said that it was clear to him there is a problem with the cafeteria because the Co-op makes more money off Hanover High Students than the cafeteria does. Mr. Prince then ended the discussion, and the Council meeting, by saying that there has to be a way to give feedback to the cafeteria.
