Background

The Division encourages School Councils to participate as active partners in education with the Division. The Division encourages the School Council to build a supportive school community and to advocate on behalf of the school and school system “working together to help every student learn and excel”.

Procedures

1. Each School Council shall be duly formed and constituted in a manner consistent with the Education Act and Ministerial Order #033/2007.
2. The School Council shall provide parents and the school community with a means to consult and may provide advice to the Principal on matters pertaining to the school and its operations, subject to the provisions of the School Act.
   Some of the more common topics for discussion include the school:
   1. Budget;
   2. Achievement results;
   3. Programs offered in the school;
   4. Three-Year plan;
   5. Policies (e.g. school fees, school council policies;
   6. Volunteers;
   7. Guidelines and principles for the school;
   8. Methods of communicating with the public;
   9. Promotion of the school in the community;
   10. Other school-related functions as identified by the Principal, or the Board periodically, if agreed to by the School Council.
3. Roles that are not to be taken on by a school council include:
   1. School governance;
   2. Employment issues;
   3. School management;
   4. Listening to complaints;
   5. Discussing matters clearly designated to another person or group through legislation.
4. In addition, the School Council may advise the Board on any matter relating to the school including the:
   1. Division’s three-year plan;
   2. Budget;
   3. Policies and administrative procedures;
   4. Division-wide programming priorities;
   5. Infrastructure priorities;
   6. Transportation issues;
   7. Suggested criteria for hiring a school principal.
5. School Councils may also advocate on behalf of schools provincially through their Alberta School Councils’ Association (ASCA).
6. The Board will provide opportunities to meet annually with School Councils.
7. The chair of a School Council must prepare and provide to the Board by September 30 of each year a report
   1. Summarizing the activities of the school council in the previous school year, and
   2. Detailing the receipt, handling and use of any money by the school council in the previous school year.
8. School Councils shall develop bylaws in accordance with the Alberta School Council Regulations and must include a code of conduct for members.
9. Schools must retain an electronic copy of school council minutes for seven (7) years.
10. In the event a dispute occurs between School Council Members, including the Principal, the School Council may refer to Northern Lights Public Schools’ Administrative Procedure on dispute resolution.
11. Appeal of Policies and Administrative Procedures:
    1. If a School Council finds itself in disagreement with Board policy, the School Council may write a letter to the Board Chair outlining the concerns with a copy being sent to the Principal.
    2. If a School Council finds itself in disagreement with an administrative procedure, the School Council may write a letter to the Superintendent outlining the concerns with a copy being sent to the Principal.