Article I

The government of the 4/5 GEM consists of three branches. The branches are made up of the following: Legislative: the students of 4/5 GEM; Executive: the teachers of 4/5 GEM; Judicial: the principal of Glenburn Elementary, the superintendent of schools and the Glenburn School Committee.

Legislative Branch

Part 1:

Officers:

The legislative branch of the 4i5 government will hold elections each school year on the last Friday of September for the offices of President, Vice-President, Secretary and Assistant. In order to appear on the ballot for any of the above offices, each candidate must obtain five signatures of students in 4/5 GEM on an official nomination form. Voting will be done by secret ballot. Ballots will be counted by the Executive branch. If for any reason, an officer is unable to fulfill his/her duties the runner-up for that position will assume the position. The responsibilities of each office are as follows:

President:

1. Conducts the class meetings, leading discussions, recognizing those to speak, calling for votes and adjoining meetings on time.

2. Checks bills before posting and signs bills indicating all information needed has been included.

3. Answers questions about current laws in force, helps people understand the laws.

Vice-President:

1. Substitutes for the President when the President is absent.

2. Assists the President with the running of the class meetings.

3. Keeps blank forms for the writing of bills.

4. Posts bills after the President has signed them.

Secretary:

1. Takes notes during class meeting.

2. Counts votes when bills are being voted upon.

3. Copies new laws and post them.

4. Makes sure the President is following proper procedure.

Assistant:

1. Substitutes for the Vice-President and Secretary as needed.

2. Helps Secretary as needed.

3. Counts votes when bills are being voted upon.

4. Does errands as needed during class meeting.

Part 2:

Legislation:

Introduction of Bills:

1. Bills can be introduced by any one or more members of the legislative body.

2. Bills must be written on an official bill form obtained from the Vice-President. Said bill must be signed by the President and posted by the Vice-President by the Friday prior to the next class meeting.

3. Each bill will be read at the class meeting by its sponsor(s) prior to discussion of the bill.

Discussion:

1. The President will call upon those who raise their hands to be recognized. Those so recognized call stand to speak.

2. There will be no time limit on discussion or bills. All those who wish to speak will be given to do so even If the discussion needs to be continued to the next meeting.

Voting:

1. Voting on bills will be done by secret ballot.

2. Bills must obtain a majority (more than half the current class enrollment) of votes in order to become a law.

3. Votes will be counted by the Secretary and Assistant. The President will announce the outcome.

4. Students who are absent at the time of the vote will be allowed to vote when they return if the vote can effect the outcome of the vote.

5. Absent students may call in their votes ahead o time to a friend or the Executive branch.

6. Each bill will be signed by a member of the Executive branch before becoming a law.

Article III

Executive Branch:

The Executive branch will veto any bills that are contrary to the 4/5 GEM Constitution, the 4/5 GEM Behavior Code or Glenburn Elementary School Policy.

Article IV

Judicial Branch:

The Judicial branch be consulted concerning any law the Executive branch is unsure of its compliance with Glenburn Elementary School Policy and will strike down said law if necessary.

Article V

Amendments:

Amendments will be written on an official amendment form and follow the same signature and posting procedures as a bill. Discussion and voting for amendments will follow the same procedure as that of a bill.

Article VI

Rights and Freedoms:

This Constitution guarantees the following rights and freedoms for the people of 4/5 GEM:

1. The people have the right to worship, to speak freely, to gather together, and to questions their government while not infringing on the rights of others.

2. People and property cannot be searched without permission.

3. People have the right in the case of serious offenses to the 4/5 GEM Behavior Code to a jury trial. They cannot be tried twice for the same offense. They have the right to be told what they are accused of, to hear witnesses against them, to get witnesses in the favor and to have a lawyer.

4. In disputes involving objects worth more than fifty cents, people have the right to a jury trial.

5. People have a right to fair bail, fines and punishment.

Article VII

Impeachment Proceedings:

Members of 4/5 GEM have the right to impeach any officer that Is doing her/his job poorly or not doing her/his job at all. In order to impeach an officer the following procedure will be followed:

1. A statement of the officer’s alleged poor work performance is written by a member of 4/5 GEM. The statement is signed by ten members of 4/5 GEM and presented to the Executive branch.

2. The officer in question is told by the Executive branch that a complaint has been filed and that he/she has two weeks to improve his/her performance.

3. At the end of the two week period, the members who signed the impeachment complaint meet and decide if they feel the officer's performance has improved. They then inform the Executive branch of their decision of whether or not to proceed to a trial.

4. The impeachment trial shall be presided over by the class judge. Those accusing the officer will be represented by the GEM Attorney General. The officer in question may choose any member of 4/5 GEM to act as his/her lawyer. The trial will take place before the entire class. Witnesses may rye called by both sides. Opening and closing statements will be made by both attorneys.

5. After closing statements, the class shall vote by secret ballot whether or not to impeach the officer.

6. If an officer is impeached the runner-up for that office shall take his/her place.

7. Those wishing to fill the positions of judge and attorney general will apply to the executive branch who will review applications and make a nomination to the legislature. The legislature must approve or reject the appointment by a majority vote.

GL90-1  If the teachers lose the apple wills from the year before, each multiager gets 15 additional apples.
GL90-2  If the clerks give you a check and 3 people near you say you didn't do anything wrong, you don't get the check.
GL90-3  When the entire class brings something to write with to class meeting, the class gets a scoop.
GL90-4  The clerks need to warn a student before they give the student a second check.
GL90-5  If a student hands in all their work in on time for a week, he/she gets a piece of candy.
GL90-6  Silent reading is now a study hall
GL90-7  If a student does not check in at the beginning of the day, he/she gets a check.


GL89-1  Students may save cushions for their friends.
GL89-2  Students may go to the bathroom during silent reading after they sign out.
GL89-3  If a student is absent, they will not get an apple for that day.
GL89-4  Students may give 5 or more apples to a friend if they students sign a contract in front of a teacher and give it to the teacher
GL89-5  If a teacher says "What?!" when a student says their name, the teacher gets a check.
GL89-6  When someone gets their 5th check for the week, they are placed in an assigned seat for one week.
GL89-7  Mrs. Ohmart and Mrs. Ecker must clean off their desks every week, if they don't they will get a check.
GL89-8  4/5 Multiage will have a study hall instead of silent reading.
GL89-9  Students may spend 20 apples to read a book and do a free conference instead of another project.
GL89-10 If a student has been good and earned a piece of candy, they may trade it in for 15 apples.
GL89-11 If the class wants to, they may vote on a king and queen every week.
GL89-12 If a student owes time at recess, they may trade in apples, one for each minute they owe.

GL78-1  There will be no more than 5 bills posted at a time.
GL78-2  Candidates for office can run in groups no larger than 2.
GL78-3  A person may have more than one bill posted at a time.
GL78-4  The price of a homework pass is 15 apples.
GL78-5  There may be a double table in each room but if there is too much noise at these tables they may be split up.
GL78-6  We will use the acronym MUD for our class.  It stands for Multiage United Democracy.
GL78-7  We should have a bathroom break at 9:15 and 1:45.
GL78-8  Officers will wait for everyone to finish discussing a bill before passing out ballots.  The officers will receive up to two checks if violating this law.  The class will decide how many checks to give.
GL78-9  There will be no more than 6 people at a table.
GL78-10 The class receives 5 scoops if no one owes homework.  If no one has to call home the class receives 3 scoops.
GL78-11 We may use homework passes to delay homework that has to be done.
GL78-12  Teachers will dismiss the class by 2:50.
GL78-13  The teachers will get a check if they talk to each other during a times test.
GL78-14  Teachers can veto part of a bill but the class will then vote whether they want to keep the rest of the bill or not
GL78-15  If a student gets 2 checks during class meting, they must go to the other room and do the nonparticipant assignment.
GL78-16  Students will receive a homework pass on their birthday.  If you have a birthday in the summer you will get your pass in May or June.
GL78-17  Students at double tables may move anywhere within that table during the week.
GL78-18  Everyday we will have 20 minutes of reading time.
GL78-19  If someone owes 2 or more homework assignments they may not correct.
GL78-20  Students may get homework passes anytime during the day.


GL67-1  The teacher's names will be put on the star chart.  They may be given checks.  We will be given 5 minutes extra recess for each check the teacher has.  Anyone trying to give a teacher a check for doing their job will get the check instead.
GL67-2  In order to have "Fun Friday" you must have less checks than the number of days we were in school.
GL67-3  There will be an article in every class newsletter telling about the new laws and amendments.
GL67-4  The class will receive two scoops of beans for doing the flag salute.
GL67-5  After we fill the bean jar, the teachers will put three scoops of beans in the newly emptied jar to start us off again.
GL67-6  If no more than one person does not clip in in the morning, the class will get a scoop of beans.
GL67-7  If a student does not wish to participate in class meeting they may sit in the other room during class meeting and work on a review assignment.
GL67-8  If a student receives two checks during a class meeting they will spend the rest of class meeting in the other room and assigned a review sheet.


GL56-1  The students of the 4/5 Multiage will choose a partner at the beginning of the year with whom to do their job.
GL56-2  If a student from the 4/5 Multiage is calling a second student a name the second student does not like then the second student may take the first student to court.  The second student must ask the first student to stop and if the name calling continues then a court case may be called.
GL56-3  The 4/5 Multiage will have a dance every other Fun Friday.
GL56-4  If a student gets four checks in a 24 hour period, the student will have the entire next recess inside and lose Fun Friday.  On the consequences chart five checks will become what four checks was and six checks will become what five checks was.
GL56-5  Students in 4/5 Multiage will choose a table to sit at every two weeks.  They may sit anywhere at that table.  There may be no more than eight at any one table.  At the end of two weeks students may choose new tables if they wish.
GL56-6  The 4/5 Multiage class will take about five minutes each Friday afternoon before Fun Friday to clean out the coat closet.
GL56-7  The 4/5 Multiage will have Fun Friday outside unless it is raining or it is too cold out.  Students will vote weather or not to have a dance on inside days.
GL56-8  The teachers' names will be added to the behavior chart.  The clerk may give the teachers checks if they do something against the GEM constitution.  At the end of the week, the students will get 5 minutes extra recess for every check the teachers have.  (This law was overridden by the teachers after about a month as it was not workable.)