 Welcome to TASC!
Thank you for serving your local student council. We have created this page to help introduce you to TASC and help you integrate your student council program with your association.
Structure of TASC
INTRODUCTION: The purposes of TASC are to develop leadership abilities in students, promote democracy as a way of life and establish and uphold high standards for local councils. Organized in 1937, TASC has grown to serve more than 1300 member schools in Texas. Any public, parochial, or private Texas school may become a member of this organization by paying the annual membership fee.
IDENTITY: TASC is affiliated with and sponsored by the Principals’ Association (TASSP) but is operationally independent, with its own board of directors, independent budget, and governance. This arrangement results in a strong sense of ownership among adult leaders within TASC.
DISTRICT STRUCTURE: 19 Geographical districts (3 of those districts have separate middle-level districts) build strong bonds among students and adults and provide leadership opportunities through district offices, conferences and workshops. New advisors get informal mentoring in these districts; Districts provide support for local chapters and more opportunities for students to experience outside their local campus.
ADULT INVOLVEMENT: We stress (and require) that the role of adult advisors is significant. Our philosophy is that a student council is a group of students working WITH an adult advisor.
MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR A STUDENT COUNCIL »
Membership
PAYMENT: Annual dues for an individual school to become a member of TASC are $95. The school 'holds' the membership status regardless of changes made within individual school staff between advisors. TASC accepts dues via a check with an accompanying membership form. Blank membership forms may be accessed by anyone (not current members only) via our home page: www.tasconline.org, and clicking the 'Join TASC' button on the right-hand toolbar. Please note that the dues include your TASC district dues, which will be rebated to the district noted by our office. Membership must be current to access certain features of www.tasconline.org. Once dues are processed, member schools will receive a membership packet to their school address, including the current Advisor Resource Guide. Please also note that becoming a member of TASC (state-level organization) is not the same as becoming a member of NASC (national-level organization).
MEMBERSHIP YEAR: We accept membership payment year-round, although the membership year technically is September 1- August 31. From September 1 until September 30, your school will be in a "grace" period if dues are not paid for that year. Beginning October 1, membership will move to lapsed.
BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP: Member schools are allowed to attend TASC conferences, workshops, special training sessions, and other TASC events. Additionally, our members are given access to certain materials on the website that is unique to our association. Your school must be a TASC member in order to attend conferences/workshops.
LOGGING ON THE WEBSITE: To log in for the first time, click "sign in" at the upper right on the website. Use your email address as your username. You can select "forgot my password" if you have forgotten your password or need to set one. Co-advisors can add themselves. Also, we ask that you delete any co-advisors who no longer work with you.
FAQ's:
What District am I in? We have 19 Districts, most of which include middle-level and high schools. We have three separate middle-level districts.
District information »
What conferences and workshops are available for me as an advisor? The first thing you should try to attend is the Advisor Workshop » in Austin each September to learn the nuts and bolts of student council operation, where you will network with other beginning and experienced advisors.
What conferences and workshops are available for my students? We suggest you contact your District Coordinator or President School to find out about local/regional activities. If you are an advisor of a Middle-Level Council, you can take your delegation to our Middle-Level Annual Conference in November. The High School Annual Conference is in April. We also host Advanced Leadership Workshops for high school students only, as well as multiple Summer Leadership Workshops for both high/middle levels. Check out the Events Tab for information.
Is there a newsletter? All newsletter communication is electronic. We email directly to the email addresses we have on file for your school. Help us ensure you receive the newsletter as well as surveys and other important emails by checking your spam/junk folder regularly. We are happy to work with your technology specialists if you encounter challenges receiving the newsletter or anything else (electronic) from our office.
May we list more than one advisor? Absolutely. New advisors can be adding by going to Join/Renew/Update on the website.
Tips for Student Councils
- Have a working constitution (*) See the Advisor Resource Guide for information (via password) and Contact Patty Wangler for sample constitutions.
- Have an agenda for every contact with kids
- Always have someone take notes or minutes
- Use forms-project planning/evaluations/reports (*)
- Outline roles of members/officers (*)
- Use committees (*)
- establish a "work-on" membership practice
- Maintain a member directory
- Develop a calendar. See the TASC Event Planner for TASC's list of dates for the year.
- Develop a member handbook
- Set up a system for communication.
- Set up a system for record keeping.
Personal Management
- Train students in procedures/process/leadership skills (*)
- Manage stress level
- Lead by example
- Develop your network of support through your district and conferences.(*)
- Have fun
- Office space
Public Relations
- Administration: school board, superintendent, principal, staff leadership
- Community: media, civic involvement
- Student Body: paper, announcements, etc
- Parents: election letter, Thank you notes, newsletters
- Staff: bulletin, teacher appreciation
- See sample press releases (*)
(*) Areas where TASC can provide direct assistance. Please contact us at any time. You may also contact your District President or District Coordinator for additional support.
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