Transcript School Council Orientation

School Council
Orientation
The Fundamentals of School Councils
School Council Orientation
Part One:
Why “School Councils”?
The Evidence Is
Overwhelming
“Parental participation in schools positively influences
student achievement.”
Dr. Joyce Epstein
“Parent involvement in almost any form produces
measurable gains in student achievement.”
Henderson
“Parental involvement is one of the most significant
factors contributing to a child’s success in school. When
parents are involved in their education, the level of
student achievement increases.”
Education Improvement Commission
Meaningful
Parental Involvement
The six areas of meaningful parental
involvement:
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Parenting skills
Communication
Volunteering (which can include fundraising)
Decision-making (developing an effective school council)
Learning at home
Coordinating with the community
The Evidence Is
Overwhelming
“Parental involvement in a child’s education has been shown to have a
significant effect on his or her achievement.”
“Education is a partnership involving parents, students, teachers,
principals, school boards, government and the community.”
Ministry of Education
Purpose of School Councils
“To enhance student learning
through the co-operative efforts of
parent, students, staff members and
others in the community.”
Ministry of Education
Why “School Councils”
not “Parent Councils”?
School Councils:
the
‘coming together’
of all partners
family
community
school
Board Policy & Procedure 262
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Follows the “musts” outlined in Ministry Regulation 612 from
2000
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Clarifies and tailors the regulation for the schools in York
Region
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Policy 262 mandates each school must have a “vibrant”
school council and outlines the Board’s vision for school
councils in York Region
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Procedure 262 covers the operational details of school
councils
Board Policy & Procedure 262
Policy 262 states:
“The Board believes that school councils play an important
role in building school, family and community partnerships
by providing input into relevant Board and school level
decisions and by encouraging the involvement of all
members of the school community in support of student
learning.”
School Fundraising
Board Policy & Procedure 676
Clarifies:
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The fiscal year
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Ownership of school council funds
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Banking procedures
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Financial reporting requirements
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Independent reviews
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Record retention
Board Policies & Procedures
School councils should be familiar with:
#262.0 School Councils
#280.0 Volunteers in Our Schools
#668.0 Safe Schools
#676.0 School Fundraising
Board policies and by-laws are available for
viewing and downloading on the Board’s
website:
www.yrdsb.edu.on.ca
School Council Orientation
The following sections will cover:
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Operational Guidelines for School Councils
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Strategies for Making Your Council More Effective
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Communication Tools and Protocol
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About the York Region District School Board
School Council Orientation
Part Two:
Operational Guidelines
for School Councils
Operational Guidelines
School Council
This section will cover:
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Clarification of the Consultation Process
Areas of Consultation
Routing of Advice
Key Requirements
Principal Selection Process
Constitution
Clarification of the
Consultation Process
There are clear expectations in Regulation
612, that all partners be consulted:
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The “Board shall solicit the views of the school
council…”
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“A school council shall consult with parents...”
These expectations are reflected in Board
Procedure 262.
Areas Of Consultation: Board
The Board must consult school
councils on the following matters:
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All initiatives and policies that :
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Relate to the improvement of student achievement
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Enhance the accountability of the system to parents
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Board improvement plans
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The process and criteria for the selection and transfer of
principals and vice-principals
Areas of Consultation:
Board
Including:
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Codes of conduct
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Appropriate dress of students
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Allocation of funds to school councils
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Conflict resolution process
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Fundraising
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Reimbursement of expenses
Areas of Consultation:
Principal
The principal of the school must consult
council on:
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School policies regarding:
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Code of conduct
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Appropriate dress for students
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School plan for continuous improvement
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School profile
Consultation
Furthermore:
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School councils may make recommendations to
their principal or school board on any matter
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Boards and principals must report back on how
the recommendations have been taken into
account
Communications
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Continuation of:
 Bridges
 School Council Forums
 Involvement of school councils in school plans for
continuous improvement
 Website information
 Revised school council discussion board
 Generic accounts for school council chairs
 Communications Protocol
Routing of Advice
Board Procedure 262 clarifies the routing
of formal advice to the Board.
1. Recommendations may be made to the
Board via the superintendent
2. Recommendations will be considered and/or
forwarded
3. Superintendent will respond to council
4. All recommendations must be reflected in the
minutes of the school council
Key Requirements
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Qualifications for membership
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Elections: fall elections, one year term
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Public meetings
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Definition of quorum
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Compliance with Board policies
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Written annual report
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Administrator profile submitted annually
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Compliant constitution
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Membership requirement
Fundraising Requirements
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Fundraising must be in accordance
with Board policies and guidelines
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Funds raised must be used for a
purpose approved by the Board
Principal Selection Process
 “prepare/review and submit annually, no later than
November of each school year or as requested by the
superintendent, an administrator profile outlining the
preferred characteristics of the school’s principal
and/or vice-principal to the superintendent of
education (if an updated profile is not submitted the
most recent version will be considered)”
 Board Procedure 262
Role of the Council
in the Selection of Principal
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In accordance with Ministry Regulation 312,
Procedure 262 mandates that councils must
submit a principal profile on an annual basis
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Ensures superintendents have up-to-date
information when making decisions regarding
administrator transfers
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These profiles will form part of the criteria
considered by the Board when making
administrative changes
School Council Constitution
It is mandated that your school council MUST
have a compliant constitution.
The constitution must be reviewed annually,
preferably at the beginning of each new
term.
Refer to Procedure 262 for details on bylaws
that should be included.
School Council Orientation
Part Three:
Strategies for Making Your
School Council More Effective
Strategies for Making Your
School Council More Effective
This section will cover:
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Constitution
Responsibilities
Characteristics of an Effective Council
Team building
Meaningful Parental Involvement
Plans for Continuous Improvement
School Council Planning
Orientation Package for New Members
Additional Support
School Council Constitution
A well thought out constitution:
Lays the ground rules for effective council
meetings
 Becomes extremely important when
conflict arises
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It is important to have a solid
constitution BEFORE problems begin.
Responsibilities of
the Principal
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Attend, support and promote council’s
operations, meetings and other activities
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Act as an important source of information and
advise the council when they are not in
compliance with Board policies and procedures
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Solicit council’s views; consider and respond to
their recommendations
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Notify the community and post materials for
parents
Responsibilities of
Council Members
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Regularly attend school council meetings
Maintain a school-wide perspective
Act as a link between the council and the
community
Encourage participation of all parents
Participate in information and training
programs, sub-committees
Assist with tasks of council
Responsibilities of
Chairs/Co-chairs
The chair/ co-chairs have additional responsibilities, including:
Preparing
the agenda and chairing meetings
Communicating
Ensuring
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with the principal and senior Board staff
that:
Parents are consulted about matters under consideration by
council
Fundraising is in accordance with Board policies and
procedures
The constitution is reviewed annually
The minutes are recorded
Characteristics Of
An Effective School Council
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Focused on student learning and promotes meaningful parental involvement
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Actively involved in setting school priorities to improve student achievement
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Communicates with and seeks the views of the school community
They have members who:
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Have developed mutual trust & respect for one another
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Represent the diverse views of the school community
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Have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities
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Are kept well informed about school and Board policies
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Maintain high ethical standards
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Support a clear and consistent process for decision making
Team building
The principal and the council chair form an important leadership team:
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Together they set the agenda so as to ensure an effective meeting
They both include the wider community as much as possible
During meetings they help to keep everyone focused and advise the
council as to Board policy and procedure
While a strong principal/council chair team can form a solid back
bone for an effective council, it is essential to realize the importance
of delegating responsibilities not only to members but also to the
wider community.
Parental Involvement
Councils should involve as many
parents as possible, not only for their
long term viability, but also because:
Research has shown that
parental involvement
leads to increased
student achievement.
Meaningful
Parental Involvement
Dr. Joyce Epstein
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15 years researching the most MEANINGFUL forms of parental
involvement
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Developed an easy to follow framework
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Outlines the most effective ways for parents to be involved
“Parental Involvement:
A resource to support the school planning process”
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Provides practical suggestions for each of these areas
Board Plan
for Continuous Improvement
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Developed within the context of mission, vision and values
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Establishes a framework for system activity and resource allocation
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Provides the basis for measuring improvement
The Board plan has three areas of focus:
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Quality schools
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Building family and community capacity
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Quality workplaces
The Board has defined LITERACY as its overall priority.
School Plan
for Continuous Improvement
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School plans are developed within the context of Board-wide
priorities.
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Each school is required to develop a school plan that supports
the Board plan and reflects the individual school’s priorities and
needs.
The school priority areas are:
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Curriculum
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Parent, family and community engagement
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Effective schools
School Plan
for Continuous Improvement
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School councils have a significant role:
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They work with the principal and staff to:
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set the school’s priorities
develop and implement plans to achieve the goals that have
been set.
It is the collective commitment of staff,
parents and the community that breathes life
into a school plan.
School Council Planning
Board Plan for Continuous Improvement
School Plan for Continuous Improvement
School Council Plan
School Council Planning
It is important that:
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Council set their own goals at the beginning of the year
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These goals should support the school plan
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All members agree upon these goals
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Every effort is made to stick to them
Good planning:
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Focuses efforts and resources effectively
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Provides a framework for decision making
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Maximizes the use of time
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Gives the council direction and purpose
School Council Planning
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Good planning takes time but is essential to running an effective school
council
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Priorities should be reviewed regularly and adjusted so that expectations can
be met.
Where to start:
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The school plan should be the basis for council planning
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All members should have a clear understanding of the school plan
Information on council planning can be found in:
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The Ministry handbook School Councils: A Guide for Members
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Board’s School Council Website
School Council Budget
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Preparing a school council budget is part
of good planning
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The budget should align with the school
council plan
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This will help ease the decision-making
process since spending decisions are
linked with real goals
Orientation Package
For New Members
May want to include:
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School council handbooks
Policy and Procedure 262
Regulation 612
School council constitution
School profile
List of council members and contact
information
Orientation Package
for New Members
Information from the previous year that
may be helpful to new members:
Budget, year end financial statement
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School council plan or goals
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Minutes of previous meetings
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Operative norms, code of ethics
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School plan for continuous improvement
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Annual Report
Additional Support Available
From the Ministry of Education:
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School Councils: A Guide for Members 2001
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EIC Road Ahead III: Role of School Councils
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EIC School Improvement Planning: A handbook
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Election Package for School Councils
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Other documents
Available at: www.edu.gov.on.ca
Additional Support Available
From the Board:
Training through staff development department
 School council forums
Resources:
 Parental Involvement resource
 Handbook of Information for Volunteers
 Website: www.yrdsb.edu.on.ca
 Policies and procedures
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Through your principal:
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Expertise in many areas
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Help with teambuilding
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Accessing documents listed above
School Council Orientation
Part Four:
About the Board
About the Board
York Region
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covers the area from Steeles Ave to Lake Simcoe
and the Holland Marsh
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a total of 1756 square km
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quadrupled in population in the last 30 years
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expected to reach 1.28 million by 2026
Nine area municipalities:
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Aurora
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East Gwillimbury
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Georgina
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King
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Markham
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Newmarket
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Richmond Hill
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Vaughan
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Whitchurch/Stouffville
About the Board
The Board has:
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over 113,000 students
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194 elementary and secondary schools
And employs over 10,000 staff members
Board Mission Statement
We unite in our purpose to inspire
and prepare learners for life in our
changing world community.
Board Vision
 We
are the faces of public education.
 We
understand our gifts and challenges.
 We
are motivated by our dreams and act towards their
fulfillment.
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respect and celebrate our differences.
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invite and value the spirit of community, creativity, and
personal growth.
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support each other.
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have joy in who we are and who we are becoming.
Board Values
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We recognize and celebrate excellence, and the heart-felt efforts
and contributions of our community.
We strive for equity, inclusiveness, and diversity in all our
programs, practices, facilities,and people.
We value dedication and commitment.
We value and will respond in an appropriate manner to the
voices, ideas, and understanding of all our community
members.
We believe it is the right and responsibility of everyone to ensure
a safe nurturing community.
We embrace the spirit of innovation that acts to realize
opportunities to transform our vision into reality.
We are all responsible for our words and actions.
Who Is “The Board”?
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The Board of Trustees and
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Staff
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Senior Administration
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Departments and CECs
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School administration
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Support staff
The Board of Trustees
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Thirteen trustees
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Publicly elected
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Serve for a four-year term
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Accountable to their constituents and the
community as a whole
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Responsible for approving policies and by-laws
which govern the operation of the Board
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Act as ombudspersons and ambassadors for the
system
Staff - Senior Administration
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Director
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Associate Director of Business Services
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Coordinating Superintendents of Education
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Superintendents of Education
Staff - Departments
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Business Services (e.g. Accounting, Purchasing, Payroll)
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Curriculum and Instructional Services
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Education and Community Services (e.g. Permits)
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Human Resource Services
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Information Technology Services
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Planning Services
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Plant Services
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Public Affairs and Communications Services
Community Education Centres
(CEC)
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Each CEC:
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Is represented by superintendents (2-3 in
each elementary CEC and 4 in secondary)
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Represents one area of the Board (North,
East, West, Central, Secondary)
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Provides support for administrative functions
for schools in their area
School Administrators
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Principals and Vice-Principals:
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Representatives of the Board in their own
school
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Subject to the authority of the superintendent
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Accountable to the students, parents, staff
and senior administration
Support Staff
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Serve an important service in schools and
departments. Examples include:
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Assistants for the Developmentally Handicapped
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Caretakers
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Child and Youth Workers
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Health Assistants
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Library Assistants
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Secretaries
School Council Orientation
Thank you once again
for serving on behalf
of the children in
your school community.