September 16th, 2022
Role of the School Council:
A school council is an advisory body that functions within the parameters of Ministry of Education and Board policy. School councils provide an opportunity and the means to advise the principal and the Board on any matter pertaining to improvement of pupil achievement and enhancing the accountability of the education system to parents/guardians. The ultimate responsibility for the administration and management of the day-to-day operation of the school rests with the principal.
A School Council Handbook has been prepared by the Waterloo Region District School Board and the Waterloo Region Assembly of Public School Councils working in partnership to support school councils in their valuable role in elementary and secondary schools across the Region. A reference copy of the handbook is available in all of our schools.
A school council is an important venue for the various stakeholders in education to work in partnership. Its role, in collaboration with the principal, staff and the community, is to help set the priorities of the school, and to enhance learning opportunities, through various activities, for the benefit of our children/students.
What a School Council is not:
A school council is not a place to pursue your own agenda or advocate for your own child. Individual issues should be pursued through the classroom teacher and/or principal or through your superintendent. Guidelines for parents/guardians to communicate with the school system related to individual issues are included in the School Council Handbook.
Representation:
According to Waterloo Region District School Board Policy, school councils should range in size from nine to fifteen members in elementary schools, and from eleven to fifteen members in secondary schools. Schools may change the size of their school council through their own bylaw, as long as it complies with Ontario Regulation 612/00. Under the same regulation, school councils shall include:
- Parents/guardians of students enrolled in the school, elected by parents/guardians at the school. Parents/guardians must form a majority on the school council. In the case of an adult day school, students will form the majority on the school council.
- The school principal (a non-voting member)
- One teacher from the school, elected by the teaching staff
- One support staff member from the school, elected by the support staff
- One student, if a secondary school, chosen by the students. A school council at the elementary level may decide to invite student representation in consultation with and appointed by the principal
- One person appointed by an association that is a member of the Ontario Federation of Home & School Associations, if the association is established in the school
- A community representative, appointed by the school council. The school council may make a bylaw to increase the number of community representatives to two or more, but must still make sure that parents/guardians form the majority.
The above information can also be found online at:
https://www.wrdsb.ca/our-schools/get-involved/school-councils/
School Council Membership:
The membership of a school council changes from year to year. Each year, potential new council members will be recruited for election, elections will take place, and the newly elected members will be oriented to their tasks (3.1). O. Reg. 612/00
Linked below is a Google Form for any parents/guardians who wish to self-nominate or nominate another parent/guardian. Anyone who wishes to be elected or become a voting member must attend scheduled meetings.
Our School Council Election will take place on Wednesday, September 28th at 6:00pm at the school. The deadline to complete the Nomination Form is Wednesday, September 28th at 9:00am. Following the election, we will also set our dates for this year’s remaining School Council meetings.
We will conduct our first School Council meeting on Wednesday, October 12 at 6:00pm.
Here is the link to the Oak Creek School Council Nomination Form.
Sincerely,
Jeff Johnson
Principal
Additional Resources:
School Councils: A Guide for Members (Ministry of Education)
Involving parents in the school: tips for school council
Reg. 612/00: SCHOOL COUNCILS AND PARENT INVOLVEMENT COMMITTEES
