Priorities (in rank order)

Table of Contents:

1. [Develop documents highlighting best practices in honor courts and student government associations in high schools]

2. [Manage the Consortium’s monthly e-mail alerts]

3. Research options for developing a database of civic resources

1. Develop documents highlighting best practices in honor courts and student government associations in high schools

· Honor Courts: Research models of honor courts at the University level, paying attention to structure, selection, authority, and outcomes. Research the impact of honor courts on school culture at Universities, if available, at high schools. Research the legality of implementing honor courts at the high school-level, that is, what authority could honor courts have at the high school level—i.e. could they make recommendations to the principal and what would the scope of these recommendations be? Research possible infractions that would be subject to a high school honor court. Compile the results of the best practices from Universities, research on legality, and research on infractions into one document that summarizes why and how high schools should and could implement honor courts.

· Student Government Associations: Research best practices for student government associations at the high school level and develop 1-2 page documents that highlight each best practice. Topics may include, but are not limited to: meaningful activities for SGAs; how to be a good SGA advisor; connecting the SGA with school administration; or how to ensure that your SGA isn’t filled with “the usual suspects.” Complete the existing checklist for SGAs by reorganizing, editing, and/or enhancing. For each of the above documents, ideas may be solicited from the Consortium’s existing contacts. Consider developing a set of questions related to each best practice and seeking information through a series of questions.

Contacts:

Kevin Hight, SGA Advisor, Terry Sanford High School

e-mail: ftsapgov@hotmail.com

Henry Foust, SGA Advisor, Northwood High School

e-mail: hofoust@chatham.k12.nc.us

Mary Clare Freeman, SGA President, Broughton High School

e-mail: Marclare234@aim.com and marclare234@aol.com

Emeka

Katie Baker, student, UNC-Chapel Hill

e-mail: bakermk@gmail.com

2. Manage the Consortium’s monthly e-mail alerts

Compile “news” and “current opportunities” stories, as sent to you by Kelley or Katherine. Draft relevant news articles based on facts provided by Kelley. Post news and current opportunities to the web site, using the existing template.

Create the e-mail alert, using existing template. Distribute alert using partners database from Access and SOG1 and SOG2 lists on Outlook.

3. Research options for developing a database of civic resources

· What we need: an online database that can house Word or PDF files of individual lessons, activities, and best practices. These items will need to be pulled up through choices in a series of drop down bars. The database needs to be housed on our web site and we need to be able to add to the contents of the database as needed. Additional question to be answered: do we contract with one person to develop the database and the web interface or are these separate jobs?

· Meet with Philip Young, SOG faculty, about the capacity of the Consortium’s web site to house such a database. Meet with Carrie Holbert, ITS staff, about the capacity of the UNC server to house the database. Query potential vendors about cost.

· Compile findings on next steps, including proposed contractors, into a recommendation document.