École Sacré Coeur School Council
Operating Procedures
Adopted: Sept 27 , 2023
AUTHORITY
The École Sacré Coeur School Council derives it’s authority to participate in the education of our students through Alberta Provincial Legislation, specifically Section 55 of the Education Act and the School Councils Regulation which supports it.
DEFINITIONS
In these Operating Procedures:
- “School” means École Sacré Coeur;
- “Council” means the School Council for the School;
- “Parents” means parent, guardian or primary caregiver of any child attending an educational program at the School;
- “Regulation” means the School Councils Regulation under the Education Act;
- “School Community” means stakeholders who have, in the opinion of the majority of the members of the Council, an interest in the well being of the School.
- “School Board” means Greater St. Albert Catholic School Board.
NAME
The name of this school council shall be the École Sacré Coeur School Council.
LOCALITY OF THE SCHOOL COUNCIL
The locality of the École Sacré Coeur School Council shall be at:
- École Sacré Coeur
- 100 Sir Winston Churchill Ave,
- St. Albert, AB., T8N 5Y2
Unless otherwise noted, this shall be the regular location for all School Council meetings.
MISSION
To provide an advisory role in order to foster growth and excellence in the academic, personal, social, religious, athletic and educational development of students at École Sacré Coeur in a Christian environment based on the Catholic Faith.
GOALS and PURPOSE
The goals of the Council, in keeping with the Education Act and the School Councils Regulation, are to:
- Represent the School Council's perspective by providing input to and consulting with the principal and the board on matters relating to the school such as: the school philosophy, mission and vision, policies, improvement plans, programs and directions, and budget allocations to meet student needs;
- To provide advice and consultation to the principal and staff on issues of educational importance such as school philosophy, mission, vision, policies, programming, communications, community relations, the school three-year Education Plan, and budget allocations to meet student needs.
- Stimulate continuous improvement in meaningful involvement by all members of the school community;
- Facilitate collaboration and communication among participants of the school community;
- Keep the School Board informed—in cooperation with the principal—of the needs of the school;
- Encourage a positive environment where contributions are encouraged and valued
- Adhere to School Council’s Code of Conduct
PRIVACY
École Sacré Coeur School Council shall adhere to the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA).
École Sacré Coeur School Council shall not share personal information for purposes other than those of School Council business.
TOWN HALL MODEL
École Sacré Coeur School Council uses a Town Hall Operating Style.
The School Council is generally composed of the following members:
- The parents of students enrolled in École Sacré Coeur
- The principal of École Sacré Coeur
- Teachers of École Sacré Coeur
- A School Board trustee
- Other Decided on ie: school community members
The voting members of School Council shall consist of:
- Parents attending the council meeting
The non-voting members of the School Council shall consist of:
- Principal, teacher, trustee and community member.
The parent/administration ratio may vary at times, but the number of parents should always exceed the number of administration representatives. We will utilize a "majority vote not consensus" on voting decisions.
EXECUTIVE/OFFICERS and TERMS of OFFICE
An Executive Committee will be formed at the last meeting of the year (or first meeting of the year) for the purpose of carrying out the day-to-day operation of the School Council.
The positions of the Executive Committee shall consist of:
- Chairperson
- Vice chairperson
- Secretary
May also include:
- Co-Chair
- Co Vice Chair
- Past Chairperson
a) All Executive positions must be filled by parents of students enrolled at École Sacré Coeur
b) Every member of the School Council and/or parent of a student enrolled at École Sacré Coeur or of children in the Early Childhood Services Program is eligible to be elected to an executive position on School Council.
c) The terms of office are from the annual election to the next.
d) The Executive Committee of School Council can be elected by parents of students enrolled at École Sacré Coeur attending the Election meeting or at the first School Council meeting by School Council members.
- The Executive Committee will provide the agenda for the general meetings and circulate minutes of the same.
- An Executive member may withdraw at any time during their term of office by notice in writing to the Chair and the Principal, or if the withdrawing member is the Chair, by notice in writing to the Vice Chair and the Principal.
e) Individuals cease to be members of School Council at the end of the school year during which they no longer have a child at the school or teach at the school or as otherwise agreed to by council.
VACANCIES
Any vacancies of the School Council will be advertised to the parent community. Elections for vacant positions will be held at subsequent regular meetings of School Council until the vacancy is filled.
EXECUTIVE OFFICERS/EXECUTIVE DUTIES (elected positions)
Chairperson It is expected that the School Council Chairperson will be a parent of a student attending the school.
The Chairperson of the School Council will:
- Chair all meetings of the School Council
- Coordinate with the principal to establish meeting agendas
- Communicate with the principal on a regular basis
- Call regular School Council meetings
- Decide all matters relating to rules of order at the meetings
- Follow existing School Council operating procedures
- Ensure that minutes are recorded and maintained
- Have general supervision of all activities of the School Council
- Be the official spokesperson of the School Council
- Ensure there is regular communication with the school community, beyond those who attend meetings
- Stay informed about school board policy that impacts School Council
- Prepare an annual report in conformance with the Regulations
Vice Chairperson
The Vice-Chairperson of the School Council will:
- In the event of resignation, incapacity or leave of absence of the Chair, fulfill the Chair’s responsibilities
- In the absence of the Chair, supervise the affairs and preside at any meetings of the School Council
- Work with and support the Chair in agenda preparation
- Promote teamwork and assist the Chair in the smooth running of the meetings
- Keep informed of relevant school and school board policies
- Aid the Chair and undertake tasks assigned by the Chair
Secretary
The Secretary of the School Council will:
- Act as a recorder at each meeting and ensure the minutes accurately reflect the directions agreed to at the School Council meeting
- Keep minutes, correspondence, records and other School Council documents
- Ensure notice of meetings and other School Council events is distributed.
- Give notice of any special meetings.
- In the absence of the secretary, the School Council shall choose a recording secretary for the meeting.
Past Chairperson
The Past Chairperson of the School Council will:
- Serve in an advisory capacity to the new School Council
- Act in the absence of both the chair and vice-chair
MEETINGS
Regular Meetings
A minimum of five (5) regular School Council meetings will be held per school year or as called by the Executive. It will be decided when these meetings will take place at the Annual General Meeting. The meetings will take place at École Sacré Coeur.
Special Meetings
- A special meeting can be called in the case of an urgent matter that has come before the school that cannot wait until the following general meeting.
- A minimum of five (5) members of the School Council may at any time give notice of a Special Meeting of the School Council. The notice will be given in the manner determined by the School Council Executive and must be given at least fourteen (14) days before the meeting. The notice will state the time, date and place of the meeting, the names of the five (5) or more School Council members calling the Special Meeting, and will describe the matters to be dealt with.
- At any Special Meeting all School Council members in attendance at the Special Meeting shall have the right to vote.
Annual General Meeting (AGM)
1. Where a School Council hasn’t been operational the year prior, the Annual General Meeting will be held in accordance to Section 3 of the School Councils Regulation.
2. An Annual General Meeting of the School Council will take place once each school year.
3. The Annual General Meeting of the School Council will be held within thirty (30) school days after the start of the school year or at an appropriate time during the school year as determined by the Council.
4. The meeting will be advertised throughout the School and the School Community at the beginning of the school year or as such date decided by Council by twenty (20) School days prior to the date of the Annual General Meeting or a minimum of twenty (20) School days.
a) The election of Council members will take place at the last council meeting of the year (or the first meeting of the following year).
b) All parents above are eligible to vote at the Annual General Meeting
c) The business of the Annual General Meeting shall include:
1) motion to accept a financial statement of the previous year;
2) plans and budget for the upcoming year;
3) discussion of any major issues on which parents should have input, such as:
- changes to the mission statement of the School or School Council;
- major changes in the school program or focus
MEETING AGENDAS
The Chair and or executive will work in partnership with the principal to establish the agendas for all meetings. Agenda item requests must be made through the Chair, who will, if necessary, consult with the Executive and principal as to the appropriateness of the item requested.
QUORUM
Quorum will be attained when the majority of attendees are School Council members and 50% of the Executive is in attendance.
In the absence of a quorum,
a) No motions may be considered or approved
b) If a majority of School Council Members at the meeting agree to proceed in the absence of a quorum, the School Council will continue the meeting for purposes of discussion of issues, but point a) above will continue to apply.
COMMITTEES
a) The Council may appoint committees that consist of Council members or others from the School Community or both with either delegated or advisory responsibilities.
b) The Executive Committee shall be responsible for providing advice and direction to any committee on Council.
c) Committees meet outside of regular Council meetings to complete their assigned tasks and present a report of their activities at Council meetings.
POLICIES
École Sacré Coeur School Council may make and implement policies in the school that the School Council considers necessary to carry out its functions.
1) The school council may develop policy for the duration of their term.
2) The policies of the 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.
3) Topics on which School Council may wish to develop guiding policies include, but are not limited to:
- Communication: Internal and External
- Record Keeping
- Fundraising
- Privacy
- Location of Meetings
- Official Correspondence Address
- New Member Orientation
- School Council Evaluation
- Social Media
- Spirit of service
SCHOOL COUNCIL FUNDRAISING
Subject to any provincially or board mandated policies and/or regulations, the Council may raise funds that do not require incorporation to obtain (i.e.: not casinos, bingos, raffles, etc):
- The Council will, where possible, encourage the fundraising society to do the fundraising for the School, the Council and the School Community.
- Should the Council choose to fundraise, funds may be given to the society to track and record or may be deposited in a bank account operated by the fundraising society.
- Council funds given to the School will be subject to the School Board‘s policy on Council fundraising and/or School Generated Funds.
FUNDRAISING SOCIETY RELATIONSHIP WITH SCHOOL COUNCIL
a) École Sacré Coeur School Council will communicate regularly with the fundraising society to support their activities and to solicit support for School Council activities.
b) École Sacré Coeur School Council can develop policy to promote a productive, open and transparent relationship with the fundraising society.
The Council recognizes “Friends of École Sacré Coeur” as an organization separate from the Council.
Friends of École Sacré Coeur will be governed by the bylaws established for the society
Friends of École Sacré Coeur shall coordinate all fundraising efforts on behalf of the Council.
Funds raised by the society shall be applied to achieve the objectives of the Council.
The society shall disburse funds upon the resolution of the Council made at any regular, special or Annual General Meeting.
The Council recognizes and appreciates the efforts of other groups of Parents striving to support and enhance the educational opportunities in the School.
The Council will communicate regularly with the fundraising society and/or other groups of Parents to support their activities and to solicit support for Council activities.
The Council may develop policies to promote a productive, open and transparent relationship with the fundraising society and/or other groups of Parents.
CODE OF ETHICS
All École Sacré Coeur School Council members shall:
1) abide by the legislation that governs them
2) be guided by the mission statement of the school and School Council
3) endeavour to be familiar with school policies and operating practices and act in accordance with them
4) practice the highest standards of honesty, accuracy, integrity and truth
5) recognize and respect the personal integrity of each member of the school community
6) declare any conflict of interest
7) encourage a positive atmosphere in which individual contributions are encouraged and valued
8) apply democratic principles
9) consider the best interests of all students
10) respect the confidential nature of some school business and respect limitations this may place on the operation of the School Council
11) not disclose confidential information
12) limit discussions at School Council meetings to matters of concern to the school community as a whole
13) use the appropriate communication channels when questions or concerns arise
14) promote high standards of ethical practice within the school community
15) accept accountability for decisions
16) not accept payment for School Council activities.
CONFLICT RESOLUTION PROCEDURES
The School Council will apply every effort to resolve internal conflicts amicably. If necessary, conflict resolution shall abide by the Conflict Resolution Procedures outlined in the most recent version of the School District’s Administrative Procedure 110 and Section 55 of the Education Act.
If at any time, ten (10) Parents or fifty per cent (50%) of the Executive members of the School Council are of the opinion that the School Council is in a state of conflict, such that its operation is significantly impaired, they may deliver a written request signed by them to all School Council members, and the following will apply;
a) the Chair will call a Special Meeting of the School Council
b) the Secretary will provide a minimum of five (5) days’ written notice to all parents of the date, time, place and purpose of the Special Meeting
c) at the Special Meeting, parents in attendance will have an opportunity to hear and discuss the issues causing conflict
d) on motion, seconded by any School Council member or parent in attendance at the Special Meeting, a vote shall be held respecting a proposed resolution to the conflict
e) if a majority of parents and School Council members present vote in favour of the resolution proposed, the School Council will immediately act upon the resolution, as directed by the assembly
DISSOLUTION
As per Alberta Provincial Legislation, specifically Section 55 of the Education Act, only the Minister of Education has the authority to dissolve a School Council. If École Sacré Coeur School Council is dissolved, the Principal may establish an advisory committee to perform the duties of the School Council until the next AGM and the Principal will perform the duties as outlined in Alberta Provincial Legislation with respect to the re-establishment of the École Sacré Coeur School Council within 30 school days after the start of the next school year.
REVIEW and AMENDMENTS
The Operating Procedures may be reviewed by the School Council on an annual basis.
The School Council, by a majority vote of parents present at any Regular or Special or Annual General Meeting of the School Council, may, subject to Alberta Provincial Legislation, make any changes to these Operating Procedures deemed necessary in order to carry out its functions. Notice that provides the details of the intended changes will be provided to the school community no less than 5 school days prior to the meeting.