To become a member:
- You must complete a form
- Meeting is called
- Elections are held
The school community votes for their members and they are elected.
Purpose of Council
The purpose of a Council is to
“…play a vital role in the education system in Ontario. They provide a forum through which parents and other members of school communities can contribute to improving student achievement and school performance. School councils are now able to make recommendations to their principals and school boards on any matter. Principals and school boards, in turn, must consult with school councils on a variety of matters that affect student learning. They must also consider recommendations made by school councils and report back to the councils on how they plan to act on their advice.” (School Council, A Guide for Members, Ministry of Education, 2001, p.1.1).
Regulations, Policies & Charter
A school Council must follow regulations created by the provincial government and any York Catholic District School Board (YCDSB) policies.
- Ontario Regulation 612/00 (School Councils and Parent Involvement Committees)
- The regulation that establishes school councils and outlines their roles/responsibilities.
- YCDSB policy 606 (Catholic School Councils)
- Policy 606 is the board policy that supports Regulation 612.
- There are other board policies on the YCDSB website which Council must also follow (for example, financial/expenditure policies).
Along with the above regulation/policies, Immaculate Conception school has both a Council Charter and an Elections By-Law.
- The Charter outlines the IC Council duties and highlights member roles and responsibilities.
- The By-Law outlines the IC Council election process.
Finally, the Ministry of Education created a very useful document titled “School Councils, A Guide for Members”.
Participation
To participate as a parent member on Council, you must be a parent/guardian of a student at Immaculate Conception. Time commitment for members:
Attending council meetings once a month during the school year.
Participating on Council committees (hot lunch, fundraising, etc.)
Volunteering to support Council and school events (Christmas dinner, End of the Year BBQ, etc.)
Expectations of Member
Members of the Immaculate Conception Catholic School Council accept that all members of our learning community have the right to a safe learning and teaching environment and that each person is responsible for creating and sustaining that environment. Respect for self and others, contributing to the common good, accepting accountability and responsibility for one’s own actions, seeking and granting forgiveness, acting morally and legally as a person formed in the Catholic traditions, and the promotion of self-discipline. Please take a moment to review the member’s Code of Conduct as outlined in Article XV of the IC school Charter.