Operating Procedures

Beiseker Community School Council

Operating Procedures

NAME: The name of the school council shall be Beiseker Community School Council (B.C.S.C.)

MISSION: To foster the well-being and effectiveness of our school community and to enhance student learning.

GOALS

The goals of the school council, in keeping with the School Act and the School Councils Regulation, are to:

• Provide advice to the staff and principal on issues of importance, such as the school philosophy, mission and vision, school discipline policies, school growth plans, programs and directions and budget allocations to meet student needs.
• Stimulate continuous improvement in meaningful involvement by all members of the school community.
• Facilitate collaboration among concerned participants of the school community.
• Support an approach to schooling in which decisions, are made collaboratively and, wherever possible, at the school and classroom level.
• Facilitate the development of a common vision for our school.
• Keep the school board informed, in cooperation with the principal, of the needs of the school
• Support the school in its efforts to focus teachers’ time and school resources on the essential tasks of teaching and learning.
• Facilitate communication with all educational stakeholders and the community.
• Provide guidance and assistance for school sponsored activities beyond the mandated curriculum.

GOVERNANCE AND MEMBERSHIP

The membership for the school council shall consist of:

• The parents/guardians of students enrolled in Beiseker Community School
• The principal of Beiseker Community School , and
• Teachers and support staff of Beiseker Community School
• A high school student
  

The positions of the Executive Committee shall consist of:

• A chairperson, vice chairperson, secretary, and treasurer.

• All executive positions must be filled by parents/guardians of students enrolled at Beiseker Community   School.

• Every member of the school council and/or parent/guardian of a student enrolled at Beiseker Community School are eligible to be elected to an executive position on school council.

• The terms of office are the Annual General Meeting to the following Annual General Meeting.

• The executive of school council can be elected by parents/guardians of students enrolled at Beiseker Community School attending the AGM or at the first school council meeting by school council members.

• The executive committee will prepare the agenda for the general meeting and circulate minutes of the same.

• The executive committee will carry out the day to day operation of the school council.

The school council may call for parent/guardian volunteers to act as class representatives. Class representatives are not considered part of the executive committee but are essential to act as a communication link between the executive, school council and the classroom/individual teachers. Each class identifies as many representatives as needed to fulfill the roles outlined below.

The role of class representative is to:

• Create a class specific list of parents and contact information (telephone and/or email addresses) to facilitate information exchange.

• Attend school council meetings and relay relevant information to parents.

• Forward information from the executive committee about school council

Programs and information bulletins.

•Coordinate the efforts of parents to provide assistance for the teacher as requested.

DECISION MAKING

• Decisions at school council meetings will be made by consensus as much as possible. The decisions made by consensus must be stated clearly and recorded as such in the minutes of the meeting.

• If a decisions made by a vote, the motion must be moved and seconded and passed by the majority of school council members

QUORUM

Quorum will be attained when the majority of voting members present at a meeting are parents/guardians of students enrolled at Beiseker Community School

DUTIES OF THE EXECUTIVE

Chairperson

The chairperson plans meetings and prepares agendas, facilitates school council meetings, acts as spokesperson for the school council (unless otherwise delegated) and supports the school council. The chairperson ensures the school board receives an annual report from the school council.

Vice Chairperson

The vice chairperson assists the chairperson with duties, as assigned, and in the absence of the chairperson, assumes the duties of the chairperson. The vice chairperson is the designated Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA)/Privacy Officer of school council and manages personal

Information, in compliance with PIPA.

Secretary

The secretary keeps accurate minutes and records of school council meetings, documents and files all correspondence and communications and keeps an accurate list of names and addresses of school members in compliance with the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA). The secretary ensures all materials relating to Beiseker Community School Council including resources (i.e.  School Council Resource Manual), all meeting minutes and any relevant documents are available to the public in an accessible location in Beiseker Community School.

Treasurer

The treasurer keeps financial transactions of the school council, reports to the school council and complies with school council and school board policies.

VACANCIES

With the exception of the school council positions filled by the principal, the school council may appoint school council members and/or school community members to fill vacancies until the election at the next available meeting date.

COMMITTEES

School Council may appoint committees that consist of school council members and/or school community members. Committees report on their activities at school council meetings and meet outside of school council meetings to complete their assigned tasks.

MEETINGS

• The first meeting of the school council is held within 20 school days after the start of the school year.
• The school council will meet a minimum of six times during the school year.
• The executive of the school council will determine regular meetings dates.

• Meetings will take place at the school unless indicated with a minimum of 14 days notice to change location.
• Special meetings of the school council may be called by the executive or at the written request of ten (10) parents/guardians of students enrolled at Beiseker Community School

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM)

• The annual general meeting of the school council will be held at an appropriate time during the school year determined by the school council.
• The meeting will be advertised throughout the school at least 21 days in advance of the AGM date.
• Election of executive positions will take place at the AGM.
• All parents/guardians of students attending Beiseker Community School are eligible for election.
• All parents/guardians of students attending Beiseker Community School are eligible to vote at the AGM.

The business of the AGM shall include:

• Election of executive members
• Proposed operating procedures amendments
• Motion to accept a financial statement of the previous year (only if finances are transacted by school council)
• Plans and budget for the upcoming year
• Discussion of any major issues in which parents should have input, such as:
• Changes to the vision or mission statement of the school
• Major changes in the school program or focus

ANNUAL REPORT

In accordance with School Council Regulations, the school council, through the chairperson prepares and provides the school board with an annual report submitted by September 30th that includes:

• A summary of school council’s activities of the previous year
• A financial statement
• A copy of the minutes of each meeting
• The school council will make the annual report available to all members of the school community.

AMENDMENTS TO THE OPERATING PROCEDURES

• The operating procedures remain in force from year to year, unless amended at the AGM.

• The operating procedures of the school council may be amended by a majority vote of the school council at an AGM.

• Notice of proposed operating procedure amendments must be circulated with the notice of AGM.

CODE OF ETHICS

All school council members shall:

• Abide by the legislation that governs them

• Be guided by the mission statement of the school and the school council

• Endeavour to be familiar with school policies and operating practices and act in accordance with them

• Practice the highest standards of honest, accuracy, integrity and truth

• Recognize and respect the personal integrity of each member of the school community

• Declare any conflict of interest

• Encourage a positive atmosphere in which individual contributions are encouraged and valued

• Apply democratic principles

• Consider the best interests of all students

• Respect the confidential nature of some school business and respect limitations this may place on the operation of the school council

• Not disclose confidential information

• Limit discussions at school council meetings to matters of concern to the school community as a whole.

• Use the appropriate communication channels when questions or concerns arise

• Promote high standards of ethical practice within the school community

• Accept accountability for decisions

• Not accept payment for school council activities

PRIVACY

• School council shall adhere to the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA).

• School council shall not share personal information for purposes other than those of school council business.

POLICIES

• School council may develop policy for the duration of their term.

• The policies of school council will be reviewed at the beginning of every new school council term to decide if each policy will be implemented for the new school council and its term.

SCHOOL COUNCIL FUNDRAISING

• School council will, where possible, encourage Finance committee to do the fundraising for the school and the school community.

• School council can fundraise and funds can be kept in a school council bank account or given to the school.

• School council’s funds given to the school will be subject to the school board’s policy on school council fundraising.

CONFLICT RESOLUTION PROCEDURES

In accordance with s17 (7.1) School Act, 1995, the school council will abide by the conflict resolution procedures outlined by the Rocky View School Division