Eighth Grade Government

Eligibility: All 8th grade students
Date/Time: Tuesday (officers only; Wednesday - Friday - 7:30 - 8:00a.m.

Leadership Program Advisors: Mrs. Broas and Ms. Scrivani

Provides authentic life experiences for students how to apply the traits of leadership, responsibility, perseverance work, self-discipline, teamwork and friendship. By setting personality differences aside, they learn how to achieve a goal together that they would never reach as individuals.

· Organizes and implements a traditional community-wide Pancake Breakfast and Spaghetti Dinner. These events are routinely attended by close to 800 members of the Easton Community, the Helen Keller Middle School staff, the Police and Fire Departments, and many, many former students.

· Organized a Charity Run last fall that raised $10,000.

· Community collected and distributed holiday toys for Bridgeport students.

· Yearly, 8^th Grade Government hosts 2-4 school-wide activity nights.

Aside from the salary for the two staff members to act as 8^th Grade Government mentors, the program is entirely self-funded.

· Student Responsibility: Willingness to attend morning work sessions, willingness to participate in committee work and willingness to undertake leadership responsibilities. Students also participate in a Peer Tutoring Program under the guidance of a teacher to assist one another if academic tutoring is recommended.

The eighth grade officers are very important to the success of the Eighth Grade Government. Those wishing to run must realize that there is a great deal of work involved and must be willing to take on the responsibility of his or her office.

It is important that all five officers have a positive attitude when dealing with the other Eighth Grade students.

Officers should encourage and help other members of the class get involved with Eighth Grade Government Projects. A great leader is not the person who orders others to do the work. A great leader is the person who gets down on the ground first and starts to work so that others will follow because they know what is to be done.

Officers also let other members of the class know when something is not going in the right direction. HOWEVER, this should be undertaken with feeling and understanding.

The following are the job descriptions of each of the eighth grade officers:

President

Call eighth grade government meetings regularly for the entire class.
Must have an agenda
Must organize chair people to report to class.
Must organize comments of other officers.
Must follow the proper procedures for running a formal meeting.
Make sure all committees are functioning
Report problems to eighth grade advisors
Take charge of one activity if more that one is being worked on at the same time
Help to choose chair people for various committees
Help other officers with their responsibilities if they are having a problem
Organize areas for numerous committees to meet on a given morning.

Vice President

Keep an attendance chart up-to-date
Find a job for every eighth grade student who wishes to work.

*This is the most important job! This has to be done each morning!

Make announcements at lunch

Announcements that relate to what is happening in government the next morning.

Announcements that relate to upcoming events

Announce workers of the month

*It is important to have a detailed accounting explaining why this person was chosen.

Assume duties of the eighth grade president when the president is absent.
Take charge of a certain number of committees
This number will be decided after all functioning committees have been divided between all four officers.
Making sure that the Eighth Grade junk drawer is neat.

Secretary

Take an inventory of all materials on hand at the beginning of the year.
Keep track of all the materials used and reorder when necessary.
Keep the cabinets in order.

Make sure all materials used each morning are returned to their proper place.

Hall organization each day
- Worker of the Month Wall
- Publicity Walls
- Hall Cleaning each morning and during the day
- Take charge of a certain number of committees.
- The number will be decided when all functioning committees have been divided between all 4 officers.

Treasurer

Keep an account book of all money related to the Eighth Grade Class.

Make sure each morning that all the money is collected and turned into Mr. Miller in Room 104 before going to first period.

Design and used deposit and withdrawal receipts.
Keep track of all tickets sold for Eighth Grade Events!
The money received must balance with the number of tickets sold.
Help committee chair people purchase what is needed for their functions.
Work with each committee that spends or receives money.

Help class secretary with the hall each day. The two of you are responsible for what goes on there.

Take charge of a certain number of committees.
The number will be decided when all functioning committees have been divided between the 4 officers.

Eighth Grade Administrative Liaison

Help to choose chair people for various committees.
Work with Vice President to find a job for every 8th grade student who wishes to work.
- This the most important job! This has to be done each morning!
Report problems to 8th grade advisors.
Must have an agenda.
Talk to Mrs. Parker to discuss ideas that students have.
Must serve as a line of communication from the students to the government.
Make sure each morning that all the money is collected and turned into Mrs. Mahoney in Room 104 before going to first period.
Take charge of a certain number of committees. The number will be decided when all functioning committees have been divided among the 5 officers.