2023-2024
CLUBS & HONOR SOCIETIES
Handbook
INTRODUCTION Clubs are a fun and enriching way to get involved in the Sagemont Preparatory School Community. Sagemont Prep's diverse club community provides students the opportunity to meet with other like-minded individuals and further explore this shared interest. Clubs provide students the opportunity to enhance their leadership skills, present innovative ideas, and collaborate with club members to further improve their respective club/honor society. This handbook is intended to provide clarity on the expectations and responsibilities of club sponsors, officers, and members at the Sagemont Preparatory School. We hope that this handbook helps guide all members of Sagemont Prep's clubs and honor societies to create the most productive and innovative club setting and improve the community and our school throughout the 2023-2024 school year.
Leah Cohn & Alexa Frances
CO-CHANCELLORS
CLUB & HONOR SOCIETY SUPPORT TEAM ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS
Mr. David Roe
Serena Mair
CO-CHANCELLOR
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY SERVICE & FUNDRAISING
leah.cohn@sagemont.com
wahaab.malik@sagemont.com
CO-CHANCELLOR
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
alexa.frances@sagemont.com
rami.shihadeh@sagemont.com
droe@sagemont.com
Leah Cohn
Alexa Frances
serena.mair@sagemont.com
Wahaab Malik
Rami Shihadeh
TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction...2
Meeting Minutes...13
Club and Honor Society Support Team...3
Step for Events...14
Mission Statement...5
General Handling of Funds...15
Important Dates...6
Field Trips...16-17
Roles within Clubs...7
Parent/School Communication...18
Officer Positions...8-10
Event and Coverage Reminder...19
Election & Applications...11-12
Clubs Google Classroom...20
Clubs and honor societies on the Upper Campus serve to extend beyond the academic realm and connect students with the principles needed for success whilst instilling the values and fundamentals of scholarship, leadership, service, citizenship, and character. Students who strive to become involved in the student body and make a difference in their academic environment will greatly benefit from the intellectually sparking network available at Sagemont Prep.
Intellectual Curiosity & Creativity
Mindfully regarding our keen academic focus, the extracurricular body of Sagemont Prep acknowledges the limitations of the classroom setting and strives to serve as a home for deeper connection-making. Through intellectual exploration exceeding the bounds of the classroom, students gain the ability to challenge their leadership and collaborative skills by engaging with leaders in the community and broadening their skills of expertise through various academic and interest initiatives.
Analytical Thinking & Problem Solving
As active agents of change, students who hold membership in clubs and honors societies on campus have a great responsibility to efficiently and effectively address the complexity of rising issues and problems in our community and environment. Students are encouraged to provide service through creativity in order to find innovative solutions.
Collaboration
Individuals build relationships to support each other and collectively share ideas and strategies to meet their goals better and discover new opportunities.
Responsible Risk-Taking
Students experience reliability on independent exploration and student-powered confidence to better pursue new skills in partnership and leadership.
Reflection
Campus leaders continuously challenge and access themselves by examining their progress, and strengths, reflecting on self-awareness, and striving for continuous improvement in intellectual and personal growth.
IMPORTANT DATES Sponsored by Clubs
Club fair: August 31st & September 1st during lunch All Clubs/Honor Societies Class Rings: September 7th Back to School Night: September 12th In-School Open House: September 29th Trunk or treat: Oct 31st All Clubs/Honor Societies Harvest Drive: Nov 7-18 Interact Club NHS NJHS Club Photos & Honor Society Photos: November 30 All Clubs/Honor Societies In-School Open House: December 1st Curriculum Fair: January 11th 5th Grade Prep up Day: January 12th Robotics Parent Summit: January 19th Weston Celebrates the Arts: Jan 22nd
Class Rings Ceremony: February 2nd Cappies: February 2nd Astronaut Challenge at Kennedy Space Center: February 5th - 10th In-School Open House: February 23rd International Festival: March 7 & March 8 Thespians State Competition: March 14th - 18th Honor Society Induction Ceremony: March 20th In-School Open House: April 12th Teacher Appreciation Week: April 29th - March 3rd Senior Recognition Ceremony: May 20th Educational Pillar Awards: May 22nd Senior Dinner Dance: May 23rd Graduation: May 24th
ROLES WITHIN THE CLUBS Club Sponsors
Almost every teacher will be approached at some point and asked to sponsor a club. You might be asked by an administrator, by your fellow teachers, or by the students themselves. Being a club sponsor is full of many rewards. There is a time commitment involved in sponsoring a student club. However, not all clubs are not equal. Each club will require work, but some require more work than others. Any extracurricular club activities will require adult coordination and supervision. Club Sponsors are responsible for guiding their officers and members. For clubs that can partake in competitions, it is the expectation that students prepare for these regularly and participate. Club sponsors must work to ensure that each club has opportunities to actively involve all members throughout the year.
Club Officers
The club officers are critical to the success of a club. Their time and dedication can help ensure that a club will be fun and productive. All club officers should be present during their club’s events. It is important to keep in mind that the success of each club falls more on the officers than the sponsors. Clubs are what the students make it. Officers must keep communication with the Board of Club Directors.
Club Members
Each club is only as good as its members. It is extremely important that each member of a club brings something new and innovative to the table, and makes purposeful and positive contributions, to allow the club to thrive. It is the responsibility of the club as a whole to contribute to the Sagemont Community through volunteering and creating a better environment.
OFFICER POSITIONS Club President
The president is the leader the club; responsible for planning and organizing meetings and ensuring the club is successful. Some of their tasks include creating the agenda, scheduling fundraisers/events, and conducting the meeting. They should also maintain communication with the club sponsor and the Board of Club Directors. The club president must also be present at all scheduled sponsor/president club meetings and report the information to the club members. Before the meetings: During the meetings: After the meetings: Prepare an agenda in collaboration with Conduct the meeting. Review the meeting with other club other club officers. Follow the agenda. officers and sponsors and address Meet with the club sponsor to review the Encourage participation by all club members ways for possible improvement. agenda. and officers Plan the next meeting’s agenda. Post Agenda 24-48 hours prior to the Help clarify activities and recommend a plan Submit any upcoming events for upcoming meeting of action. approval to the club’s Google Ensure all club members are notified about Submit a proposal of any club events/activities Classroom. the time and location of the meeting. to the Club Chancellor and Club coordinator Ensure all club members are stay informed through the Google Forms platform. with any changes of events, meetings, and Summarize action items and ask for any other important information volunteers to chair necessary subEnsure that all officers are doing their committees, as needed. respective tasks Conclude the meeting with a review of the Maintain a calendar of upcoming club events upcoming plan
OFFICER POSITIONS Club Vice President
The Vice President is responsible for assisting the club President in the management of the club. In the absence of the president, the vice-president should be ready to carry out the president's responsibilities as well as their own. Part of their duties includes keeping the meeting minutes and attendance. Duties Before the meetings: Meet with any outstanding committees prior to the club meeting and review progress. Prepares a report on committee works and progress. Record all meeting minutes and provide them in the club's Google Classroom. This must be done within 24 hours of each meeting. Communicate with the general assembly through Google Classroom. Take attendance and is responsible for keeping an accurate record of excused and unexcused absences. During the meetings: Assist the committee chairperson in making committee reports. Collect and maintain all committee work assignments. After the meetings: Work with the Club President to create the following week’s agenda
OFFICER POSITIONS
Club Treasurer
Keep accurate, up-to-date records of all financial affairs. Create an annual budget for the club/honor society. Communicate with the club coordinator and club chancellors on ANY purchases made. Present and interpret financial reports to members. Perform other duties as outlined in the by-laws. Have a general plan of financial goals for the year, and plan fundraising events with the other officers Responsible for keeping track of money their respective club has.
Club Relations Manager
Record and document all club events through pictures, videos, etc. Responsible for promotional material (flyers, social media posts, etc.) related to club affairs Note: All social media platforms must be approved by Mr. David Roe at droe@sagemont.com Responsible for submitting pictures and 2-3 sentences of all events to the Google Classroom assignment "Activity Submissions" under the Relations Manager tab within 7 days of the event's production. Record the club’s accomplishments in Google Classroom on a monthly basis Submit morning announcements for club events to Club Chancellors. Perform other duties evolving from the office. Provide community service opportunities for your club members
ELECTION & APPLICATIONS Guidelines
Candidate Application - Candidates will be expected to complete an application and present their speech in order to run for office. All submitted applications will be reviewed by sponsors and officers. Officers - The following positions will be contested: President Vice-President Treasurer Relations Manager A student may only hold 2 officer positions in each academic year. The two positions cannot be the same. Incumbent Self-Evaluation Session – All incumbents (Students who currently hold an office) are required to meet with their current sponsor to complete a self-evaluation and discuss contributions to the program over the course of their tenure. This is meant as a counseling session and in no way will restrict the office in which the student chooses to run for the 2023-2024 academic year.
Advertising & Campaigning (SGA only) Each candidate can use 5- 8.5”X11” flyers and 5 posters, which can be placed throughout the school. Advertising and school campaigning is reserved for the SGA. No negative campaigning. This includes any verbal or written communication. Keep slogans positive and clean. Do not remove signs of opposition or you will be removed from candidacy. All signs must receive a stamp of approval from the designated club sponsor. Students must put up signs either before or after school. All signs must be taken down by 3:00 p.m. on the day of the election results. Even if you are running unopposed, you must put up signs. Students may not have professional material for campaigning. All flyers and posters must be designed by the student campaigning for an office. You may not give out gifts of any kind during your campaign.
ELECTION & APPLICATIONS Guidelines Continued...
Speeches: All candidates must have a formal speech that is preQualifications approved by the club sponsor, a minimum of three days prior to the All officers must be in good academic standing with a clean election. Club sponsors will set their own deadline, as long as it is no behavioral record. more than 7 days before the election or a minimum of three days before Candidates must be available for all meeting times. the election. Candidates for officer positions must have been a member of the The speech should focus on your goals for the position for which designated club for 1 academic year unless the club does not meet you are running. Speeches may be a maximum of 2 minutes. that requirement. Speeches must be school appropriate and reference only your All candidates must be approved by the current club sponsor and goals for the position and personal attributes that make you a the Sagemont Prep Administration. valuable candidate. Application packets must be completed and submitted with a copy of the speech. All applications must be reviewed and approved by a teacher who is Termination of Membership Termination of membership must follow the club constitution. not the club's sponsor. Students must be afforded due process. Termination of membership must be preceded by a probation period. If a student does not correct the reasons for which he/she was placed on probation, a termination of membership letter is to be issued. Keep a copy of the letter. Before a termination and probation letter is issued by the sponsor, the sponsor must speak with an administrator.
MEETING MINUTES What are Meeting Minutes?
Because there is a formal process of student governance for organized student groups, each club must prepare and maintain a record of each meeting, called minutes. The meeting minutes serve as the record of each meeting and demonstrate that the club has followed all policies and procedures of Sagemont Preparatory School. All meeting minutes must be recorded using Google Docs and shared on the Clubs and Honor Societies Google Classroom. At a minimum, the following information should be documented in the meeting minutes: Name of the club holding the meeting and the date. Names of those who attended. What was discussed during the meeting? What action was taken during the meeting? The results of any votes taken. Who prepared the minutes? It is crucial that the minutes document any action taken regarding student funds. All meeting minutes must be completed within 24 hours of the meeting. Keep all meeting notes in ONE document.
STEPS FOR EVENTS Step 1: Approval of the Event
Keep in mind the need for appropriate notice and planning so that events you might want to schedule can be properly placed on the school calendar and will not conflict with other school‐wide events. The school‐wide calendar reflects all approved activities. New activities will be added only if they do not conflict with previously scheduled events. If you would like to add an event this must first be approved by the sponsor, then submitted to Coach Roe and the Club Chancellors.
Step 2: Marketing Your Event
In order to put your event in to action, you need to: Acquire the necessary funds for your event Send the Head of Communications a Canva for social media advertisement Draft an email to be sent out to the school and must be sent to Coach Roe at minimum two weeks in advance. Morning Announcements: All morning announcements must be submitted by the Relations Manager to the Club Chancellor(s) at minimum one day in advance. All announcements must include the time period to be read. Please ensure your event went through the proper steps of approval and was approved prior to submitting. All events must be announced in the morning announcements.
Step 3: Plan and Execution of Your Event
Meet with Club Treasurer to ensure the finances of your event Make sure you alert other clubs you may want to get involved a month in advance Make sure you alert all members of their roles and responsibilities
GENERAL HANDLING OF FUNDS Timeliness
Keep in mind the need for appropriate notice and planning so that events you might want to schedule can be properly placed on the school calendar and will not conflict with other school‐wide events. The school‐wide calendar reflects all approved activities. New activities will be added only if they do not conflict with previously scheduled events. If you would like to add an event this must first be approved by the sponsor, then submitted to Coach Roe and the Club Chancellors. Cash or checks cannot be kept overnight; therefore, if you have a deposit, it must be brought to the business office by the end of each day.
Deposits
All deposits must be counted and logged by BOTH the club president and club sponsor. Club sponsors should bring completed deposit slips and funds to Ms. Vicky no later than 24 hours after the event. It is not the business office staff’s responsibility to count your deposits. Club sponsors must stay while the deposit is re‐counted to verify the amount is correct. Club sponsors should always give all deposits face-toface. Please ensure after a purchase or deposit that you accurately update your club accounts spreadsheet as you will need this information for future inquiries.
Clubs Splitting Money
Each club must account for what must be deposited or subtracted from their individual club account. Please have this completed before making your deposits to Ms. Vicky.
FIELD TRIPS Procedures
All club field trips must be pre-approved by Coach Roe and submitted for approval by the club Sponsor. Field trips should not be discussed with students until administrative approval has been given. An In-house Activity or Field Trip Request Form must be completed with all details completed and returned to Coach Roe 60 days prior to the date of the activity. Parents have already given their children permission to attend all field trips. The Field Trip Notification form must be completed and sent to the parents 15 days before the trip. Field Trip Notification forms must be returned to the sponsor. The forms must accompany the field trip in case of an emergency. Sponsors are to ensure that all emergency information is correct. Make certain there are enough chaperones to ensure the safety of the students. Invite parents to assist you as chaperones. Make sure that each parent who wants to chaperone a field trip has the opportunity. Each chaperone must have a list of the students he/she is chaperoning. An email should be sent to all staff members a minimum of two days in advance notifying them of the upcoming field trip and the students who will be attending. A list of field trip participants, as well as those children staying on campus, should be turned in to the office on the day of the field trip. A copy of the list should be given to each adult going on the trip. Any last-minute changes due to illness are to be made prior to leaving school. Prior to departure students must be assigned to a bus and this bus roster must be turned in to the front office. Please review field trip rules with your students prior to departure. It is important for them to understand that they are representing The Sagemont School while on the field trip. Count the students frequently, especially during any transition time such as bus loading, unloading, restroom breaks, etc. At no time should a middle school child be permitted to go anywhere without adult supervision. High school students must be in groups of two or more and check in with a chaperone periodically at an assigned time and/or location
FIELD TRIPS Chaperone Guidelines
Your role as a chaperone is an important one, and while enjoyable, requires that you accept certain responsibilities. The purpose of the Chaperone Guidelines is to provide you with an overview of a chaperone's responsibilities, and to make recommendations for appropriate responses to various situations that may arise during the course of a field trip/event. These guidelines are designed to better help you understand what is expected of the students and yourselves at events. After reading the guidelines, if you have any further questions, please ask the head chaperone or an administrator. The first aid kit and medical forms are to be carried by the head chaperones at all times. All chaperones should be aware of who has these items in case of an emergency. If an injury occurs please use your best judgment on how to handle the injury, do not be afraid to ask for assistance, and notify the Head Chaperone immediately.
Overnight Trip Guidelines
Provide students with your cell phone number Obtain the cell number for all students in attendance prior to the trip Buddy system and check in system must be clearly stated and followed Room assignment must be done by the faculty member prior to departure
PARENT/SCHOOL COMMUNICATION In order for effective learning to take place, parents are urged and encouraged to be involved in their child’s education. Sagemont Prep uses a variety of methods to promote this interaction; the primary method is email. Please be sure you inform us when you change providers or addresses.
Computer and Phone Interaction
Each teacher and administrator has an email account. The address is the initial of the first name, last name, and @sagemont.com (i.e. David Roe would be droe@sagemont.com). Each teacher and administrator has a voice mail. Teachers will return phone calls before school, after school, and during their planning periods.
Meetings
Parent/teacher meetings can take place throughout the school year. Either parents or teachers may initiate the request for a meeting. It is the responsibility of the teacher and parent to schedule the meeting. Should a parent wish to speak to more than one teacher at a time, that request must be initiated with the school counselor. Parents are encouraged to use email, voice mail, or written notes to contact teachers.
EVENT AND COVERAGE REMINDER Role of the Club Sponsor
When a club sponsors an event, it is up to that club sponsor to secure a sufficient number of chaperones and it is the responsibility of the sponsor to notify administration of who the chaperones will be. Club sponsors must review the supervision guidelines with all chaperones in attendance. Whenever you leave campus with students for an approved club sponsored event you must inform all teachers, administrators, and front office staff and provide a list of all students in attendance. You must take a completed Field Trip Notification form for each student in attendance as well as all medical information.
CLUBS GOOGLE CLASSROOM Streamlining Communication
Base of communication between the Club/Honor Society Support team and the sponsors and officers. Therefore, it is imperative that you check it often. All necessary documents regarding clubs and honor societies Upload your meeting minutes Upcoming scheduled events Link to join Google Classroom: https://classroom.google.com/c/NDA3ODU4NzAzNTEz?cjc=celueng
COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS How It Works
Service Hours are submitted by the students. Students must have a signed note from the sponsor confirming the student's attendance. Hour submission form can be found on the website under Upper Campus Resources. Sponsors and presidents, please make sure that the students submit the hours and do not forget. All community service form submissions will be checked by Coach Roe.