School Council Orientation The Fundamentals of School Councils

School Council Orientation

The Fundamentals of School Councils

School Council OrientationSchool Council Orientation

Part One:

Why “School Councils”?

The Evidence Is The Evidence Is OverwhelmingOverwhelming

“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 Meaningful Parental InvolvementParental Involvement

The six areas of meaningful parentalinvolvement:

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 The Evidence Is OverwhelmingOverwhelming

“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 CouncilsPurpose 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 “Why “SchoolSchool CouncilsCouncils” ” not “not “ParentParent CouncilsCouncils”?”?

family community

school

School Councils: the ‘coming together’ of all partners

Board Policy & Procedure 262Board Policy & Procedure 262

Follows the “musts” outlined in Ministry Regulation 612 from 2000

Clarifies and tailors the regulation for the schools in York Region

Policy 262 mandates each school must have a “vibrant” school council and outlines the Board’s vision for school councils in York Region

Procedure 262 covers the operational details of school councils

Board Policy & Procedure 262Board 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 FundraisingSchool FundraisingBoard Policy & Procedure 676Board Policy & Procedure 676

Clarifies:

The fiscal year

Ownership of school council funds

Banking procedures

Financial reporting requirements

Independent reviews

Record retention

Board Policies & ProceduresBoard 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


The following sections will cover:

Operational Guidelines for School Councils

Strategies for Making Your Council More Effective

Communication Tools and Protocol

About the York Region District School Board


Part Two:

Operational Guidelines

for School Councils

Operational Guidelines Operational Guidelines School CouncilSchool Council

This section will cover:

Clarification of the Consultation Process Areas of Consultation Routing of Advice Key Requirements Principal Selection Process Constitution

Clarification of the Clarification of the Consultation ProcessConsultation Process

There are clear expectations in Regulation 612, that all partners be consulted: The “Board shall solicit the views of the school

council…”

“A school council shall consult with parents...”

These expectations are reflected in Board Procedure 262.

Areas Of Consultation: BoardAreas Of Consultation: Board

The Board must consult school

councils on the following matters:

All initiatives and policies that :

Relate to the improvement of student achievement

Enhance the accountability of the system to parents

Board improvement plans

The process and criteria for the selection and transfer of principals and vice-principals

Areas of Consultation: Areas of Consultation: Board Board

Including:

Codes of conduct

Appropriate dress of students

Allocation of funds to school councils

Conflict resolution process

Fundraising

Reimbursement of expenses

Areas of Consultation:Areas of Consultation:PrincipalPrincipal

The principal of the school must consult council on:

School policies regarding:

Code of conduct

Appropriate dress for students

School plan for continuous improvement

School profile

ConsultationConsultation

Furthermore:

School councils may make recommendations to their principal or school board on any matter

Boards and principals must report back on how the recommendations have been taken into account

CommunicationsCommunications 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 AdviceRouting 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 RequirementsKey Requirements Qualifications for membership Elections: fall elections, one year term Public meetings Definition of quorum Compliance with Board policies Written annual report Administrator profile submitted annually Compliant constitution Membership requirement

Fundraising RequirementsFundraising Requirements

Fundraising must be in accordance with Board policies and guidelines

Funds raised must be used for a purpose approved by the Board

Principal Selection ProcessPrincipal 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 Role of the Council in the Selection of Principal in the Selection of Principal

In accordance with Ministry Regulation 312, Procedure 262 mandates that councils must submit a principal profile on an annual basis

Ensures superintendents have up-to-date information when making decisions regarding administrator transfers

These profiles will form part of the criteria considered by the Board when making administrative changes

School Council ConstitutionSchool 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.


Part Three:

Strategies for Making Your

School Council More Effective

Strategies for Making Your Strategies for Making Your School Council More EffectiveSchool Council More Effective

This section will cover: 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 ConstitutionSchool Council Constitution

A well thought out constitution:

Lays the ground rules for effective council meetings

Becomes extremely important when conflict arises

It is important to have a solid constitution BEFORE problems begin.

Responsibilities of Responsibilities of the Principalthe Principal

Attend, support and promote council’s operations, meetings and other activities

Act as an important source of information and advise the council when they are not in compliance with Board policies and procedures

Solicit council’s views; consider and respond to their recommendations

Notify the community and post materials for parents

Responsibilities of Responsibilities of Council MembersCouncil Members

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 Responsibilities of Chairs/Co-chairsChairs/Co-chairs

The chair/ co-chairs have additional responsibilities, including:

Preparing the agenda and chairing meetingsCommunicating with the principal and senior Board staffEnsuring 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 Characteristics Of An Effective School CouncilAn Effective School Council

Focused on student learning and promotes meaningful parental involvement Actively involved in setting school priorities to improve student achievement Communicates with and seeks the views of the school community

They have members who:

• Have developed mutual trust & respect for one another

• Represent the diverse views of the school community

• Have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities

• Are kept well informed about school and Board policies

• Maintain high ethical standards

• Support a clear and consistent process for decision making

Team buildingTeam building

The principal and the council chair form an important leadership team:

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 InvolvementParental 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 Meaningful Parental InvolvementParental Involvement

Dr. Joyce Epstein

15 years researching the most MEANINGFUL forms of parental involvement

Developed an easy to follow framework

Outlines the most effective ways for parents to be involved

“Parental Involvement: A resource to support the school planning process”

Provides practical suggestions for each of these areas

Board Plan Board Plan for Continuous Improvement for Continuous Improvement

Developed within the context of mission, vision and values

Establishes a framework for system activity and resource allocation

Provides the basis for measuring improvement

The Board plan has three areas of focus:

Quality schools

Building family and community capacity

Quality workplaces

The Board has defined LITERACY as its overall priority.

School PlanSchool Planfor Continuous Improvementfor Continuous Improvement

School plans are developed within the context of Board-wide priorities.

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:

Curriculum

Parent, family and community engagement

Effective schools

School PlanSchool Planfor Continuous Improvementfor Continuous Improvement

School councils have a significant role:

They work with the principal and staff to:

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 PlanningSchool Council Planning

Board Plan for Continuous Improvement

School Council Plan

School Plan for Continuous Improvement

School Council PlanningSchool Council Planning

It is important that: Council set their own goals at the beginning of the year These goals should support the school plan All members agree upon these goals Every effort is made to stick to them

Good planning: Focuses efforts and resources effectively Provides a framework for decision making Maximizes the use of time Gives the council direction and purpose

School Council Planning School Council Planning Good planning takes time but is essential to running an effective school

council

Priorities should be reviewed regularly and adjusted so that expectations can be met.

Where to start: The school plan should be the basis for council planning All members should have a clear understanding of the school plan

Information on council planning can be found in: The Ministry handbook School Councils: A Guide for Members Board’s School Council Website

School Council BudgetSchool Council Budget

Preparing a school council budget is part of good planning

The budget should align with the school council plan

This will help ease the decision-making process since spending decisions are linked with real goals

Orientation Package Orientation Package For New MembersFor New Members

May want to include:

School council handbooks Policy and Procedure 262 Regulation 612 School council constitution School profile List of council members and contact

information

Orientation Package Orientation Package for New Membersfor New Members

Information from the previous year that

may be helpful to new members:

Budget, year end financial statement

School council plan or goals

Minutes of previous meetings

Operative norms, code of ethics

School plan for continuous improvement

Annual Report

Additional Support AvailableAdditional Support Available

From the Ministry of Education: School Councils: A Guide for Members 2001 EIC Road Ahead III: Role of School Councils EIC School Improvement Planning: A handbook Election Package for School Councils Other documents

Available at: www.edu.gov.on.ca

Additional Support AvailableAdditional 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

Through your principal: Expertise in many areas Help with teambuilding Accessing documents listed above


Part Four:

About the Board

About the Board About the Board

York Region covers the area from Steeles Ave to Lake Simcoe

and the Holland Marsh a total of 1756 square km quadrupled in population in the last 30 years expected to reach 1.28 million by 2026

Nine area municipalities: Aurora East Gwillimbury Georgina King Markham Newmarket Richmond Hill Vaughan Whitchurch/Stouffville

About the BoardAbout the Board

The Board has:

over 113,000 students

194 elementary and secondary schools

And employs over 10,000 staff members

Board MissionBoard Mission Statement Statement

We unite in our purpose to inspire and prepare learners for life in our

changing world community.

Board VisionBoard 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.

We respect and celebrate our differences.

We invite and value the spirit of community, creativity, and personal growth.

We support each other.

We have joy in who we are and who we are becoming.

Board ValuesBoard Values 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”?Who Is “The Board”?

The Board of Trustees and

Staff Senior Administration

Departments and CECs

School administration

Support staff

The Board of TrusteesThe Board of Trustees

Thirteen trustees Publicly elected Serve for a four-year term Accountable to their constituents and the

community as a whole Responsible for approving policies and by-laws

which govern the operation of the Board Act as ombudspersons and ambassadors for the

system

Staff - Senior AdministrationStaff - Senior Administration

Director

Associate Director of Business Services

Coordinating Superintendents of Education

Superintendents of Education

Staff - DepartmentsStaff - Departments

Business Services (e.g. Accounting, Purchasing, Payroll)

Curriculum and Instructional Services

Education and Community Services (e.g. Permits)

Human Resource Services

Information Technology Services

Planning Services

Plant Services

Public Affairs and Communications Services

Community Education Centres Community Education Centres (CEC)(CEC)

Each CEC:

Is represented by superintendents (2-3 in each elementary CEC and 4 in secondary)

Represents one area of the Board (North, East, West, Central, Secondary)

Provides support for administrative functions for schools in their area

School AdministratorsSchool Administrators

Principals and Vice-Principals: Representatives of the Board in their own

school

Subject to the authority of the superintendent

Accountable to the students, parents, staff and senior administration

Support StaffSupport Staff

Serve an important service in schools and departments. Examples include:

Assistants for the Developmentally Handicapped

Caretakers

Child and Youth Workers

Health Assistants

Library Assistants

Secretaries


Thank you once again

for serving on behalf

of the children in

your school community.

Documents

School Council Orientation The Fundamentals of School Councils