Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB)

Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB)Parent Engagement Department J. Wujek (Superintendent) – M. Sequeira (Coordinator)

Catholic School Parent Council (CSPC) Policy S.10&

CSPC By-Laws – Appendix A(Adapted from the Virtual Workshop Presentations)

CSPC - MISSION AND VISION

Catholic School Parent Councils are called to empower and support parent LEARNING thatenables all children, regardless of their beginnings, to be provided with the skills and knowledgethey need to succeed in school and in life.

“Education is the key to unlock the golden door of freedom.” George W. Carver

CSPC: ESTABLISHMENT , GOVERNANCE AND OPERATION

TCDSB, CSPC By-Laws

TCDSB, Policy S.10(Appendix A & B)

Education ActO. Reg. 612/00

Engagement &

Building Relationships

Nurturing Environments

that Encourage

Personal Contribution

HarnessingTalent &

Diversity in Skill & Knowledge

Promoting the Development

of Others

Facilitating Effective Team

Processes

”Every man, every woman who has to take up the service of government, must ask themselves two questions: ‘Do I love my people in order to serve them better? Am I humble and do I listen to everybody, to diverse opinions, in order to choose the best path.’ Pope Francis

In Ontario parent councils are governed by Reg. 612. Each boardthen devises a policy , within the regulatory requirements of 612, toguide the operational procedures and governance of the council’sactivities within the Board’s policies and procedures. The more localthe policy, the greater the detail it provides.

Successful councils represent the COLLECTIVE VOICE of all parentsand its governance should, and must, provide opportunities foreveryone’s positive contributions.

TCDSB, CSPC GOVERNANCE: POLICY S. 10 & APPENDIX A & B

https://www.tcdsb.org/Board/Policies/Documents/S10.pdf https://www.tcdsb.org/Board/Policies/Documents/CSPC-by-laws.pdf https://www.tcdsb.org/Board/Policies/Documents/CSPC-Financial-Operational-Procedures.pdf

https://www.tcdsb.org/Board/Policies/Documents/S10.pdf

https://www.tcdsb.org/Board/Policies/Documents/CSPC-by-laws.pdf

https://www.tcdsb.org/Board/Policies/Documents/CSPC-Financial-Operational-Procedures.pdf

POLICY S.10 - THE ADVISORY SCOPE OF THE LOCAL CSPC

In an advisory capacity, CSPCs can make recommendations, where applicable to:• the principal,• the board, or to• the Catholic Parent Involvement

Committee (CPIC)on matters in accordance with the Education Act, Policy S.10, and TCDSB policies and operating procedures.

In order to

Improve student

achievement

Enhance the accountability

of the education system to parents

POLICY S.10 - THE ADVISORY ROLE OF CSPC

Parents CSPC Board

Parents CSPC Principal

Board Principal CSPC

Board Seeking Consultation From Catholic School Parent Councils – Policy S.10, Reg. 2

CSPC Making Recommendations to the Board, CPIC, or the Principal – Policy S. 10. Reg. 3, 4, 7

Recommendations made to the principal, the Board, or to CPIC, must be framed within Reg.. 8 : “Catholic School Parent Councilsshall consult and take into consideration the advice of parents of students enrolled in the school, or students where appropriate,with regards to matters under consideration by the school council .“

POLICY S.10: COMMUNICATION

CSPC Chair/Co-Chairs

Principal All Parents

• “All communications from CSPC intended for distribution to all parents of children in the school, will be approved by theprincipal prior to the communication being sent to the intended recipients.

i) All communications will be made available if/as required in the predominant language(s) spoken in the community.

ii) The principal shall provide an opportunity for inclusion of parent council communications in the school newsletterand/or email updates from the school.” (Reg. 26)

• This does not impede on-going two-way communication between council members, and members and individual parents,keeping in mind that the discourse should always be focused on developing understanding and on building community.

CSPC COMMUNICATION TOOLS

Some considerations when selecting a tool/channel to effectivelycommunicate the message:

Ø Intent of the message (i.e., promoting school activities/events;providing information about an upcoming school event; planning;seeking understanding/clarification around an issue/document;etc.)

Ø Understanding and awareness of the audience that will bereceiving the message (i.e., when is a phone call preferable to atext message that may be received out of context; when is ameeting preferable over a chain of back-and-forth emails; etc.)

Ø The people that need to be included in the communication (i.e.; ifit is the intent to get clarification/information from an individual, isthere a need to include others in the meeting/email?)

The Message

NewsletterSchool

Messenger

School’s Webpage

Meeting(In-Person or

Virtual)

Phone

Email(CSPC

Chair/Co-Chair

Designated Email)

Social Media

“To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are alldifferent in the way we perceive the world and use thisunderstanding as a guide to our communication with others.”T. Robbins

POLICY S. 10: THE COMPOSITION OF THE COUNCIL (CSPC)Member (Number of Positions) Membership Voting

Member (yes/no)

Possibility of Amendment in Local By-laws (Yes/No)

Principal (1) Designated by default No No

Parent/Guardian Representatives (#)(X; # includes executive members)

Elected yearly by parents/guardians Yes Yes - # of positions

Teacher Representative (1) Elected yearly by teachers Yes No

Non-Teaching Representative (1) Elected yearly by school staff other than teachers/administration

Yes No

Pastor/Designate (1) Designated by pastor Yes No

Local Parent with Special Needs Interest (1) Appointment by The Council, excluding appointed members

Yes No

Community Representative(s) (#) Appointment by The Council, excluding appointed members

Yes Yes - # of positions

OAPCE Toronto Representative (1)(If the parent is a OAPCE Director he/she is the school’s rep by default)

Appointment by The Council, excluding appointed members

Yes No

Student Representative (Secondary) (1) Elected yearly by students Yes No

TCDSB’s minimum number of council members is 7 AND/OR parents must form the majority

ELECTIONS & MANDATED TIMELINES

Annual General Meeting (AGM)-Sitting council brings the past academic year to a close by presenting the CSPC

Annual Year-End Activity & Financial Report, as reported to the principal and the board in May, as well as additions to the reports that took place from June 1st up to the AGM

Election of Parent Representatives-Must be held within 30 days from the first day of school-Notification of elections (date/time/location) must be sent by the principal to all parents 14 days prior to the election -All parents /guardians with registered children at the school are eligible to vote

Inaugural Meeting -Elections of executive positions (chair/co-chairs, treasurer & secretary): Only the elected parent, teacher and non-teacher representatives are eligible to vote

-Appointments of non-elected positions/members: Only elected parent, teacher and non-teacher representatives are eligible to vote on appointments

“It is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity there is beauty and there is strength. ”

Maya Angelou

THE PURPOSE OF CSPC LOCAL BY-LAWS

“Equality is leaving the door open for anyone who has the means to approach it; equity is ensuring there is a pathway to that door for those who need it.” C. Beldon

The purpose of CSPC by-laws it to provide operational guidelines, when and where needed, for group of parent volunteers to enable equitable participation, representation and voice within the school community.

CSPC BY-LAWS AMMENDMENTS: PROCESS & TIMELINES

1. CSPC strikes a local by-laws standing committee that will propose the local amendments to present at a CSPC meeting

2. Amendments are voted on by The Council at a CSPC meeting (May/June)

3. Proposed amendments must be placed on the agenda of the AGM 20 school days before the AGM

4. Proposed amendments/by-laws must be distributed to the school community at least ten (10) days before the AGM (September)

5. Proposed amendments/by-laws are presented at the AGM for a ratification vote by the full parent body

“A lack of transparency results in distrustand a deep send of insecurity.

Dalai Lama

New mandated Appendix A: CSPC By-Laws must be in effect by October 2021

COMPOSITION OF THE CSPC BY-LAWS STANDING COMMITTEE

• The Council shall appoint the chair/co-chair• Members of the standing committee may be recruited and appointed by the standing

committee chair • A person not a member of The Council may be a member of a standing committee• Each committee must have a least one parent member of The Council • The work of the committee shall be governed by The Council’s by-laws • The chair/co-chairs of each committee shall report on the progress of the committee at

regular council meetings • The chair/co-chairs of The Council and the principal shall be ex officio members of each

standing committee TCDSB Catholic School Parent Council By-Laws Template (Appendix A )

POLICY S. 10 – APPENDIX A - CSPC BY-LAWS TEMPLATE

Ø The TCDSB Catholic School Parent Council By-Laws Template (Appendix A ) (…) shall govern the respective activities of Catholic School Parent Councils of the TCDSB.

10.1 Each CSPC shall adopt the standard TCDSB by-laws template (Appendix A), that is written in accordance with Ontario Ministry Regulation 612/00 and TCDSB policies and procedures, which will govern the conduct of its activities.

10.2 Each CSPC shall adopt the following TCDSB by-laws in Appendix A, provided that they are in compliance with Regulation 612/00 andTTCDSB policies and procedures, which will govern the conduct of its activities:

i. the number of times that a newly elected member can consecutively hold office of chair;ii. the number of times that the full Council shall meet; however, in all cases, The Council shall meet no less than 4 times

annually, including the AGM;iii. the number of elected parents;iv. the number of community representatives;v. the number of meetings that a member can miss;vi. amendments and/or additions to standing committees; andvii. responsibilities of chairs of any sub-committees, and if the chairs will be considered part of the executive.

CSPC BY-LAWS: LOCAL AMENDMENTS

• Schools are only to use the protectedpassword template sent from the ParentEngagement Department

• The only changes that a local school canmake to the protected template are:

Ø Adding the school logo; and

Ø Adding the local information to the 7amendments outlined in Policy S. 10

CONSIDERATIONS FOR LOCAL AMENDMENTS TO THE CSPC BY-LAW TEMPLATE

Amendment: 1) the number of times that a newly elected member can consecutively hold office of chair

Considerations:

• A local council selects either 1 chair, or 2 co-chairs, with equal responsibility in the role. The position of vice-chair is not an option for councils to select.

Without succession planning, there is no opportunity. Without opportunity, there is no equity.


Amendment: ii) the number of times that the full Council shall meet; however, in all cases, The Council shall meet no less than 4 times annually, including the AGM;

Considerations: • Scheduled meetings must all be open to all parents, regardless if the meeting is held at the

school or virtually

• Purpose, goals, length and accessibility of full Council meetings

• The valuable work of The Council is not reduced to the advisory decision-making powers of The Council at scheduled meetings


Amendment: iii) the number of elected parents;

Considerations: • Elected parents are the advisory voice/representation of all parents

• The number of parent/guardian representatives must form the majority

• Historically, how many elected parents are present at the first election meeting and continue to consistently attend all scheduled meetings

• What opportunities exist within the school community for parents to participate/volunteer to enhance parent engagement/learning outside of the formal role on The Council


Amendment: iv) the number of community representatives;

Considerations: • Although all parents/guardians are part of the school community, this position is representative

of a person without children registered at the school and/or a staff or non-staff member

• Rational for the position

• School partnerships and surrounding business/community centres/services

• Added community perspective/voice to The Council


Amendment: v) the number of meetings that a member can miss;

Considerations: • The total number of meetings set by The Council

• Information provided prior to election (i.e., volunteer commitment involved)

• Possible deterrent to volunteering

• Reasons for missing the meeting

• Consequences and and consistency in follow-up


Amendments: vi) amendments and/or additions to standing committees; andvii) responsibilities of chairs of any sub-committees, and if the chairs will be considered partof the executive.

Considerations: • Opportunity for parents who do not want to take on a formal role , but still want to contribute

to the community

• Integrity of election process (i.e., only elected members vote on motions)

• Value of the work vs advisory decision-making powers

THANK YOU

”The secret to change is to focus all your energies not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” Socrates

Thank you to all parent/guardian volunteers and staff for on-going your learning, valuable work and contributions to support parent learning in our school communities.