Student Council

The Marian College Student Council has been formed under the terms of Section 27 of the Education Act.

• Represent views of students on current and future issues
• Consultation on specific issues
• Improve School spirit and atmosphere (e.g. Buddy system for younger students, Sport)
• Involvement with other Councils – national issues

• Vice Captain and Captain who are elected by sixth year by 11th September each year. (Satisfaction with outcomes of current system of selection of Captain and Vice-Captain but suggestions for students to have some option for nominations in addition to staff’s options (e.g. outgoing Council to recommend 5th Years at end of its term) to make process even more credible to students).
• Councils in previous years formed from amongst interested sixth years, who invited representatives from fifth and seventh year.
• Seven to fourteen people – regular meetings. Chairperson: This should be Captain (and in his absence the Vice-Captain) Secretary: Selected from amongst group. Minutes of meetings to be recorded.
• If more than fourteen people interested, suggested make up of Council:

• Captain,
• Vice-Captain,
• One Representative from each of the College Sports,
• One Representative of Musical Society (plus any other further societies formed in future),
• Two Seventh years (one male, one female – elected by 7th years),
• Two Fifth Years

• No fourth years or juniors but suggestion that specific members of the Council become the representatives for each year group in the school. (Assemblies to be addressed by Captain & Vice-Captain ?)
• Affiliation with other Councils/Groups.

•  Council to meet on its own but also meetings with either full Council (or representatives of the Council) in joint sessions with Staff Representative, Dean of 6th Year, Principal and Deputy Principal.
• Meetings between the Student Council and the Staff Representatives would be chaired by the Deputy Principal. Generally the Principal will also attend the meetings of what will be called the Staff-Student Committee.
• Issues: Some meetings may be discussions of joint ventures (e.g. buddy project)
• Some meetings may be discussions about why things are the way they are (e.g. uniforms)
• Some meetings may be requests for action on specific items
• Criticism of individuals (either staff or students) cannot be brought up by anyone during the meetings of the Staff-Student Committee.
• If pupils bring matters of criticism of any individual within the school community to the attention of the Council (or if criticism of any individual arises at a meeting of the Council) and if the Council decides that action is needed to address the matter raised, then such matters will be brought directly to the attention of the Principal (or in his absence the Deputy Principal) by the Captain and/or the Vice-Captain. The Principal/Deputy Principal will deal with the matter as he sees fit, and will report back to the Captain/ Vice-Captain on the outcome of his deliberations.

• Late coming system
• Available sports
• Study – Fridays, Rooms
• Condition of the toilets
• Access to Library
• Access to Computers
• Access to the Swimming Pool
• Debating in the school
• Common Room for 6th/7th years – backstage as experiment
• Canteen & Vending machines – security/ control
• Location of lockers for 6th/ 7th years
• Subject choices in 5th
• Suggestions for Transition Year