Student Council

Student Council 2021/22
The Student Council members have an important role here at Scoil An Linbh Íosa. Elections for the 2021/2022 school year were held on Friday 19th of November. Due to COVID restrictions, the process was a little different this year. Despite this, it was a very exciting election with exceptionally enthusiastic candidates.

This year’s elections involved candidates from the Fifth and Sixth classes. To begin with all children from these classes were invited to nominate candidates. On Friday 12th of November prospective candidates were invited to address their classes in order to convince their peers that they had the characteristics and traits to make a good student counsellor. The standard of these speeches was remarkable. The election campaigns began in earnest with colourful posters displayed throughout the school.

On voting day there was huge excitement in the school. Class teachers took their classes down to the Polling Station (PE hall) so that the children could vote in privacy. Then the candidates waited to hear the results which were announced over the intercom on Monday 22nd of November.

This year there are 10 pupils on the Student Council. Over 40 brave children ran for these 10 seats! The process saw the election of two members from each Sixth class and one member from each Fifth class. Furthermore there will be a representative from the Assisted learning Classes on the new Student Council.

Congratulations to the new Student Council on being elected. Well done to all children who put their names forward for election. You all did an amazing job and should be very proud of yourselves!

2018/2019
When word spread around the corridors of Scoil an Linbh Íosa that, for the very first time, a new Student Council would be created, excitement and anticipation filled the air. Through careful organisation, the ball got rolling and the children were briefed on what would be expected of them if they became a member of our new Student Council. 

One of the first tasks by the teachers was to gauge the level of interest among the children and to determine how many children would be running for election. Unsurprisingly, the number of candidates was enormous much to the delight of all the teachers. Following the proper protocols each class grouping held a meeting in which the hopeful candidates had to be nominated and their nominations had to be seconded by another person. 
Once this step was complete, the hard work began with the candidates creating their election posters to try and persuade their peers to vote for them on the election day. 

Work then began on the candidates' election speeches. For many classes, this tied in with our persuasive writing genre in which the children learned the ways in which they could appeal to and encourage their fellow classmates to vote. 
Prior to the election speeches, the hopeful candidates received a visit from our local TD, James Lawless. 
James chatted with the candidates about his career in politics so far. He discussed how it all began from the time when he wasn’t happy with the train service from Sallins travelling to his job in Dublin. This in turn was his first priority when he was elected. He also discussed the importance of canvassing for votes and used the analogy of a wall - the first voter wanted him to paint it black, the next pink, the next blue and so on. So he asked the children what they would do to keep the potential voters all happy. The children asked lots of very thought provoking questions.
 
The day then arrived in which the candidates were to give their speeches to their classmates. The children spent much of their free time planning and perfecting their speeches and presented their thoughts and hopes for the coming year with their classmates. The standard of speeches and thought-provoking ideas were amazing to listen to and all the candidates should be applauded on their hard work. 
  
At last, the much anticipated election day arrived at Scoil an Linbh Íosa. Polling stations were set up in two classrooms and each class visited the station to cast their votes. Children manned the polling stations, crossed the names of the children who voted off the register of voters and tallied the number of voters on the day.
The voters were able to choose their favoured candidate from their ballot papers and put their anonymous vote in the box. All they had to do now, was WAIT!
 
Thursday, 15th of November 2018 was a historic day for Scoil an Linbh Íosa as after much patience and anticipation, the first ever members of our student council were elected.