Alberta School Councils’ Association School Council Best Practices Webinar

A collaborative project by ASCA/ERLC/ARPDC as a result of a grant from Alberta Education to support implementation

Alberta School Councils’ Association

School Council Best PracticesWebinar

ASCA Instructors for this Webinar

SC Best Practices Webinar2

Presenter Image and Bio










All ASCA workshop Instructors are highly experienced individuals with an intense desire to assist parents and school councils in their roles of supporting and enhancing student achievement. In-house education and training complements the real-life learning each Instructor embarks upon in their day-to-day lives within their families and educational circles.





Cheryl Low

Larissa Bissett

Lisa Dickner Marilyn Welsch

Lynda Akers

Michele Mulder

Trina Boymook

To facilitate a discussion forum for school council members across Albertato exchange ideas, identify challengesand share successes related to their school council roles and responsibilities.

Objective: School Council Best Practices


Four Areas of Focus (for today)

• Advise/Lobby/Decide: Who does what, when and with whom?

• Engaging Your School Community: Is there anybody out there?

• Fundraising: Who? What? Why? Where? When? and even How!

• School Council Governance: Rules? What rules?!?SC Best Practices Webinar4

A. Northern AlbertaB. Greater Edmonton AreaC. Central AlbertaD. Calgary and Southern AlbertaE. Other

Where are you?


School Council MembershipWhat best describes your role on your School Council?

A. Parent

B. Student

C. Teacher

C. Principal or Admin

D. Community Member


What is the purpose of School Council?

What is the role of School Council?

Setting the Stage


Breakout rooms


Advise/Lobby/

Decide ???

Engaging

Your School

Community

Fundraising

$$$

School

Council

Governance

To move yourself to your breakout room:

• _________ Group stays in the main room.

Click and drag your name to your break out room.


• Reminder of Objective:Advise/Lobby/Decide


SC Best Practices Webinar: A/L/D 1/810

• Definition and/or interpretation of “advise”Advise/Lobby/Decide


• Provide some examples of when/how your School Council has advised their school or board

Advise/Lobby/Decide


• Definition and/or interpretation of “lobby”Advise/Lobby/Decide


• Provide some examples of when/how your School Council has lobbied their school, board, Alberta Education or another group in the community

Advise/Lobby/Decide


• As per the School Act and the School Councils Regulation, on which items is a school council authorized to “decide”?

Advise/Lobby/Decide


• Provide some examples of when/how your School Council has made decisions from a school council perspective.

Advise/Lobby/Decide


Advise/Lobby/DecideParking Lot


• Reminder of Objective:Fundraising


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• What does Legislation say about School Councils and Fundraising?

Fundraising


• What concerns might there be of a School Council that chooses to fundraise?

• What are the benefits?

Fundraising


• What does Legislation say about groups other than School Councils becoming incorporated (as a Society) with a purpose of raising funds for (students in) a school?

Fundraising


• What are the similarities between the 2 groups?

• What are the differences?

Fundraising


• What challenges has your school council had in the area of fundraising?

Fundraising


• What successes has your school council had in the area of fundraising?

Fundraising


FundraisingParking Lot


• Reminder of Objective:Engaging Your School Community


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• What does it mean to “be engaged”? Is it different than “being involved”?

Engaging Your School Community


• Provide some examples of who makes up your school community



• What is the value to having an “engaged” school community? Who benefits? Any examples?



• What barriers has your school council run into while trying to engage your school community?



• What has your school council done that has successfully engaged more members of your school community?



• What are some of the ways that your school council, or school, recognizes the efforts and contributions of engaged school community members?



Engaging Your School CommunityParking Lot


• Reminder of Objective:School Council Governance


SC Best Practices Webinar: Gov 1/834

• What does Legislation say about School Council Governance?

School Council Governance


• What are the benefits to a school council having a written document guiding the way in which their important work is conducted?



• Provide some examples of the types of documents used to guide the work of school councils.



• Mini-poll: What does your School Council use?



A. BylawsB. Operating ProceduresC. ConstitutionD. Terms of ReferenceE. Other/Don’t Know

• What makes each of these documents different?

• What are some of the challenges associated with the more ‘formal’ governance documents?



• What topics can, or should, be included within the governance document for a school council?





• Authority• Purpose (Vision)• Changes/Amendments• Mission• Objectives/Functions• Membership • Governance Models• Quorum• Decision Making• Policies

• Meetings• Agenda• Communication• Chairperson• Positions and Descriptions • Vacancies• Committees• Fundraising• Code of Ethics• Personal Information and

Privacy Act (PIPA)

School Council GovernanceParking Lot


Sharing Collective Wisdom


Top Two Tidbits


Advise/Lobby/ Decide

Fundraising Engaging Your School Community


• Devote time, thought and study, to the role and responsibilities of a school council member so I can provide effective service to my council.

• Be familiar with school council policies and operating principles.• Work with my fellow school council members in a spirit of harmony cooperation,

and respect for differences of opinion. • Promote positive and collaborative relationships on school council, between

school council and the greater school community. • Encourage parent participation in school council. • Work with my fellow school council members to support the goals of the school’s

education and improvement plans. • Assist the school council to excel in all of its efforts and undertakings. • Act as an advocate for excellence in education at the school and community levels.• Declare any conflict of interest.• Never disclose any confidential information I may have access to through other

involvements at the school.• Use the appropriate communication channels to address concerns

CODE OF Conduct for SCHOOL COUNCIL MEMBERS


Refer to Handout #1 – Code of Conduct & Code of Ethics

Additional Resources


• ASCA Website (templates, tip sheets and more!) www.albertaschoolcouncils.ca

• ASC Resource Manual http://bit.ly/zEDXIR

• Alberta Education http://education.alberta.ca/parents/role/schoolcouncils.aspx

• Board Development http://culture.alberta.ca/bdp/default.aspx

• Corporate Registries http://www.servicealberta.ca/Corporate_Registries.cfm

• Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission http://aglc.ca/

Refer to Handout #2 – Additional Resources

http://www.albertaschoolcouncils.ca/

http://bit.ly/zEDXIR

http://education.alberta.ca/parents/role/schoolcouncils.aspx

http://culture.alberta.ca/bdp/default.aspx

http://www.servicealberta.ca/Corporate_Registries.cfm

http://aglc.ca/

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Documents

Alberta School Councils’ Association School Council Best Practices Webinar