Student Council at Merlin College
Student Council 2020/2021
1st Year: Alyssa Flaherty and Paul Wilson
2nd Year: Tinotenda and Maya Walach
3rd Year: Maya Hanly and Danny Calancea
Transition Year: Jamie McGeown and Ciara Byrne
5th Year: Alexandra Soukhikh and Patrick Kelly
6th Year: Tabo Jon Malaba and Savannah Ewohime Okojie
LCA 1: Alex Miley
LCA 2: Cillian Fitzpatrick O’Brien
Chairperson: Patrick Kelly
Vice Chairperson: Tabo Jon Malaba
Secretary: Alexandra Soukhikh
Student Council Link Teacher: Ms. Linda Dolan
The Student Council for 2020/2020 have had their first meeting and are already planning areas for school improvement. Two members of the Student Council attended the Management Team Meeting on Wednesday 14th of October to speak to management about some of the areas their discussed at their first meeting. A very comprehensive discussion was had and many of the areas they brought forward will be implemented in the coming weeks.
Student Council 2019/2020
The Student Council 2019/2020 were a very proactive and enthusiastic student representative body for Merlin College. The council consisted of 2 representatives from each year group. The council met with the liaising teacher every 3/4 weeks and discussed any queries / questions or concerns they had. They were very passionate about student voice and had a ‘can do’ attitude always.
Mr. Cleary (Principal) and Ms. Farragher (Vice Principal) were involved and very interested in the student council. A meeting was held every month with management regarding the student council with the link teacher.
Some of the initiatives that the student council worked on in 2019/2020 are listed below:
- Seating area: Plans had begun with the woodwork department in January 2020 to build seating benches around the school for students to have more seating other then the canteen. The plan was to build ten benches (with cushions attached) for April 2020 and a further ten (if needed) the following school year
- Use of toilets: The student council designed a Drop Everything and Teach in relation to the use of bathrooms. Large posters were placed in all student toilets.
- Drop everything and Teach (DEAT): The student council did a DEAT in February 2020. They made a presentation to their respective classes to explain who they were and what their role was. They explained the sticky note system they would be implementing (see below).
- Sticky note system: The student council began the initiative of the sticky note system in February 2020. It was created to enable all students in Merlin College to have their voice heard by the student council – which then would be addressed at each meeting. Each member went to their respective classes and handed out a sticky note to each student whereby they could voice any concerns / queries they wanted to be addressed at the meetings
- Girls participation in PE: Teachers and students alike recognised that girls participation in PE needed to improve. This issue was addressed at the DEAT and at meetings. The student council had begun to liaise with management regarding the issue in March 2020
- Goalposts: More goalposts were constructed by the woodwork department for the outside areas of the school to provide more opportunities for students to play sport at lunch time
- Studyclix account: The student council had requested a schools studyclix account that all students could access. This had been organised for the beginning of the school year 2020.
- Student council noticeboard: The student council have a noticeboard in the canteen area with all their pictures. There was also another noticeboard that had been set up for use of student notices and minutes of the student council minutes