Constitution

Article I: Name

The name of this organization shall be the Colorado Gifted and Talented Student Board.

Article II: Mission and Vision Statements

Our mission is to empower, support, and advocate for Gifted and Talented students in Colorado throughout their educational journey, focusing on academic success and educational enrichment. Our vision is a cohesive educational system where GT students actively shape the policies on GT education, ensuring unique needs and gifts are recognized, understood, and enriched by educators.

Article III: Statement of Fluidity

This constitution is an ongoing project, and as such, it is subject to change at the discretion of the executive chairs.

Article IV: Meetings and Procedures

The general board shall convene biweekly from 16:00-17:00 Mountain Standard Time via Google Meets. Should the General Board wish to change the meeting schedule and/or times, a general vote shall be taken. If a majority, here defined as greater than 2/3rds, votes to affirm the change, the time or medium for the meeting shall be changed. 

Article V: Responsibilities of General Board Members

In order to uphold the mission and vision of the Colorado Gifted and Talented Student Board, General Board Members members should: take responsibility for one’s own actions and mistakes; hold others accountable when they fail to meet the same responsibility; be willing to communicate, collaborate, and learn from the different perspectives of others; complete tasks in a timely manner; regularly attend meetings and communicate at least two days before meetings about absences (excluding emergencies); and actively engage in opportunities for leadership such as conferences. In addition to regular engagement with the General Board, General Board Members will be expected to submit written homework between meetings to ensure that the board is having the largest impact possible. During a biweekly meeting, the executive chairs may choose to assign homework to General Board Members, due before the next meeting. For every assignment, members are expected to work on them for at least 30 minutes and apply themselves to their work. If a member anticipates that they will be unable to finish a given assignment by the due date, they should reach out to the executive chairs regarding an extension.

Failure to meet the responsibilities assigned to a General Board member will result in a multi-stage process to determine the General Board member’s status going forward. First, a meeting shall be conducted with the executive chairs to discuss the behavior of the General Board member and a pathway to realign the member with the code of conduct. Should a member continue to neglect the code of conduct, they will be placed on probation for one month and must check in with chairs after meetings to discuss progress and correction of behavior. If this behavior persists, the member is not allowed to attend two successive meetings and must spend 1 month on probation once they return. If the previous actions failed to change the member’s behavior, they shall be expelled from the board and can no longer participate. They are not allowed to reapply in the following years. 

Article VI: Responsibilities of Executive Chairs

The duties of the Executive Chairs shall be, but not limited to, organizing meetings, actively seeking and planning out major speaking and leadership opportunities for the Board, revising and updating any official documentation related to the organization and function of the Board, attending both Executive and General Board meetings, and ensuring the general welfare of the Board. Executive chairs are expected to maintain a welcoming and collaborative attitude. 

At the end of each Colorado Gifted and Talented Student Board session, new Executive Chairs shall be selected such that there are always Executive Chairs on the board. When Executive Chair seats are open, interested General Board members will signify their interest to the current Executive Chairs, and interviews held by the General Board shall be held. Each applicant will be given a five-minute time slot to convince the General Board to vote for them. Afterward, the General Board shall vote on which applicants will become Executive Chairs for the next years and the current Executive Chairs shall interpret the results and vote on which applicants. Using a weighted scale such that the General Boards’ votes account for half of all votes and the current Executive Chairs’ votes account for half of all votes, the applicants with the most votes shall be elected executive chairs for the remainder of their high school career.

Failure to meet the expectations set forth will result in a multi-stage process to determine the Executive Chair’s status going forward. First, a meeting shall be conducted between the Executive Chair and the Executive Board to discuss the behavior of the Executive Chair and set efforts to realign the Executive Chair with their responsibilities and discuss potential corrective measures. If this behavior persists after this initial meeting, the Executive Chair shall be placed on a one-month probationary period where they will serve as a General Board member or be put on a leave of absence. If this behavior persists beyond their probationary period, the Chair shall be expelled from the board and shall be unable to reapply in the following years.

Article VII: Cohort Organization and Procedures

There shall be a cohort system in place - each led by an executive member. The purpose of this system is to help organize the work of the student board by dividing members into cohorts. The provision of a cohort shall be decided on by executive chairs and the placement of a member shall be a decision made by the individual. Currently, there are two cohorts: technology and media and legislative.

The technology and media cohort shall maintain the digital infrastructure of the board, be in active contact and collaboration with other cohorts, assist with any technology-related problems, and will be expected to maintain a level of professionalism while doing so. Additionally, the tech and media cohort shall oversee the social media accounts, develop and distribute context for digital content, and build and maintain relationships online with media outlets.

The legislative cohort shall focus on supporting and introducing bipartisan legislation pertaining to Gifted and Talented Education in the Colorado State Legislature. When a bill of interest is introduced to the Colorado State Legislature, one or more members will evaluate the bill in the format provided. Based upon the evidence provided, the cohort will vote on whether the Colorado Gifted and Talented Student Board should take official measures to support it, requiring a majority, here defined as greater than 2/3rds, votes to affirm the board’s support of a bill (subject to executive chair vetos). Further, cohort members will designate the priority a bill shall have within CGTSB during the voting procedures. Upon a bill gaining official support, the legislative cohort shall: testify before the Colorado State Legislature in support of the bill; encourage Senators and Representatives to support the bill; and organize public outreach in support of the bill. 

Article VIII: General Board Admission Procedures

The general board members shall be selected through a fair admission process that involves completing an application and an interview. Whether a student is accepted or declined depends not only on the previous accomplishments of individuals but also on passion and enthusiasm.