School Council
Parent involvement is encouraged in Savanna’s School Council. Parents are invited and encouraged to meet to discuss issues that arise relating to the operation of the school. Meetings will be announced in the school newsletter and weekly bulletin.
School council is a collective association of parents, teachers, secondary students, principal, staff and community representative (s) whose purpose is to advise the principal and the board respecting matters relating to the school. It is a means for parents and community members to work together with the school to support and enhance student learning.
Membership in the school council is defined in regulation and in the School Act. The majority of the members are parents of children enrolled at the school. Other members are the principal, one or more teacher representatives and a high school student, if the school has a high school. A school council may also have an Early Childhood Services (ECS) parent, if the school has an ECS program, and a community member.
A school council is a vehicle to support meaningful parental involvement in decisions that affect the school and its operations. School council provides the venue for parents to reflect the wishes of the broader community for the education of its students and to actively participate in giving advice and support to the principal in the operations of the school. The actual decision-making authority of the school council is limited to a) setting policies to govern school council activities at the school level, as described in the School Act, b) planning support activities that align with school council’s purpose and c) choosing which advice to provide the principal and board on areas that specifically fall to them.
The Role of the School Council
A school council should review its mission, vision and goals annually to ensure it reflects the views of the current membership.
Other school council functions may include:
• Consulting with the principal so he or she can ensure students have opportunities to meet Ministry standards, fiscal management is sound and the community’s expectations are taken into consideration during school-based planning
• Advising the principal and the school board/charter board
• Being involved in school-based planning
• Sharing ideas and information with other school councils and provincial organizations
• Communicating information to the school community and other school councils
• Setting policies that relate to school council functions, such as:
-location of school council meetings
-mailing address for school council correspondence
-school council orientation and development policy
-financial policy
-fundraising policy
-communications policy
-privacy policy
-minutes of school council meetings
-pertinent information unique to the school council
What School Councils are Not
It is important to be mindful that, as with all partners in education, there are limits to what can be done by a school council. Roles that are not to be taken on by a school council include:
• School governance
• Employment issues
• School management
• Listening to complaints
It is not the primary role of school councils to:
• fundraise
• lobby
When everyone has a clear understanding of his or her role on school council, it fosters mutual respect and collaboration.
School Councils Must Avoid….
• Working on policies that deviate from school board policy
• Taking on the role of the teacher, principal or school board, each of which has professional and legal responsibilities within the school system
• Discussing performance or conduct of individual students, teachers, other employees, parents or community members during activities related to school council
• Commenting on terms and conditions of individual employment contracts for school staff
• Discussing matters clearly designated to another person or group through legislation.
School council is a collective association of parents, teachers, secondary students, principal, staff and community representative (s) whose purpose is to advise the principal and the board respecting matters relating to the school. It is a means for parents and community members to work together with the school to support and enhance student learning.
Membership in the school council is defined in regulation and in the School Act. The majority of the members are parents of children enrolled at the school. Other members are the principal, one or more teacher representatives and a high school student, if the school has a high school. A school council may also have an Early Childhood Services (ECS) parent, if the school has an ECS program, and a community member.
A school council is a vehicle to support meaningful parental involvement in decisions that affect the school and its operations. School council provides the venue for parents to reflect the wishes of the broader community for the education of its students and to actively participate in giving advice and support to the principal in the operations of the school. The actual decision-making authority of the school council is limited to a) setting policies to govern school council activities at the school level, as described in the School Act, b) planning support activities that align with school council’s purpose and c) choosing which advice to provide the principal and board on areas that specifically fall to them.
The Role of the School Council
A school council should review its mission, vision and goals annually to ensure it reflects the views of the current membership.
Other school council functions may include:
• Consulting with the principal so he or she can ensure students have opportunities to meet Ministry standards, fiscal management is sound and the community’s expectations are taken into consideration during school-based planning
• Advising the principal and the school board/charter board
• Being involved in school-based planning
• Sharing ideas and information with other school councils and provincial organizations
• Communicating information to the school community and other school councils
• Setting policies that relate to school council functions, such as:
-location of school council meetings
-mailing address for school council correspondence
-school council orientation and development policy
-financial policy
-fundraising policy
-communications policy
-privacy policy
-minutes of school council meetings
-pertinent information unique to the school council
What School Councils are Not
It is important to be mindful that, as with all partners in education, there are limits to what can be done by a school council. Roles that are not to be taken on by a school council include:
• School governance
• Employment issues
• School management
• Listening to complaints
It is not the primary role of school councils to:
• fundraise
• lobby
When everyone has a clear understanding of his or her role on school council, it fosters mutual respect and collaboration.
School Councils Must Avoid….
• Working on policies that deviate from school board policy
• Taking on the role of the teacher, principal or school board, each of which has professional and legal responsibilities within the school system
• Discussing performance or conduct of individual students, teachers, other employees, parents or community members during activities related to school council
• Commenting on terms and conditions of individual employment contracts for school staff
• Discussing matters clearly designated to another person or group through legislation.