Students Council
Students Council
Our Student Council, led by our Head Boy and Head Girl, provides an experience for students in representative leadership – a preparation for taking one’s place in society. The Council puts forward the views of students on a range of school issues, and works with school management to promote a healthy and safe environment for all the members of the school community.
True to the spirit of partnership, our students are involved in peer support, when 5th year students mentor incoming first years to ease the transition into second level or involve themselves in helping other students in the Paired Reading Initiative and Maths for Fun programme.In Transition Year, students get the opportunity to peer educate on a broad range of issues.The Student Council in Mounthawk is comprised of class representatives, elected within each class group, who sit in meetings every month.
At these meetings school matters are discussed, and the class representatives are given work to do. This could be collecting funds for a new project, relaying ideas to their class, and making students’ voices heard. We have organised many events throughout the year, including a used books drive, organising school clubs, collecting much-needed funds for Gorta and teacher uniform day.The Executive Council connects with the staff, pastoral care team, Deputy Principals, Principal, teachers, and Parents’ Council.
They are made up of representatives from each year group, and meet on a weekly basis. Health promotion weeks have been organised, as well as amending the school code of conduct and the antibullying policy. It is undeniable that the student council does valuable work without looking for recognition, and it is greatly appreciated.
Environment
Ecology and Recycling Committee
The ecology and recycling committee’s objective is to promote recycling in the school and to maintain a clean and healthy environment in the school. So far this year, the committee took part in The National Dialogue on Climate action hosted by the Departmant of Communications, Climate Action and the environment. We were asked, by Eco-Unesco, to contribute to the event and to represent the student voice on Climate Action. You can view as short Video Here. We are in the process of finishing our greenhouse made from plastic bottles and recycled light covers. We held an art competition for first Years to Celebrate Earth Day in May. We also had a pledge wall which students signed. We also did a check of all rooms in the school to see if each had a recycling bin and a separate rubbish bin. We replaced any missing bins.One of the main upcoming projects is to bring in a new school steel water bottle which would be available to all students in an attempt to reduce the school’s plastic waste.
Wellbeing
The Wellbeing Committee is designed to promote the wellbeing of all students in our school. In September we organized an ABBA themed Centenary Sessions where students sang an array of ABBA songs during lunch. This was a huge success and a wellbeing booster. In October the Student Council Committees got a talk from Astrid Longhurst about positivity and wellbeing. In December she returned to speak to 6th year students and held meditation sessions with them in the run up to the Mock exams.We also launched the Amber Flag for positive mental health which we earned with the Senior Social Innovators at the end of last year. It is our hope to maintain the Amber Flag this year by continuing to organize events such as a Stand-Up to bullying day. We also held a Christmas Centenary Sessions to spread some festive cheer. We organised more centenary sessions for after Easter and especially for 6th years. We ordered in pizzas and had a singsong for the whole year group in May.We also helped organise and promote the Cycle Against Suicide event in school.
Social Integration
The Social Integration Committee is designed to promote cultural diversity and integration of students in our school. In October and November we worked with teachers and other students to organize an intercultural night in our school. This was held in our Centenary hall where there was food, song, dance and stories from all the different cultures in our school.
Ethos
The Ethos Committee is
