Alberta School Councils’ Association School Council Best Practices Webinar

1. Alberta School Councils’ AssociationSchool Council Best PracticesWebinar A collaborative project by ASCA/ERLC/ARPDC as a result of a grant from Alberta Education to support implementation

2. ASCA Instructors for this Webinar Cheryl Low Lynda Akers All ASCA workshop Instructors are highly experienced individuals with an intense desire to assist parents and school councils in their roles of supporting and enhancing student achievement. In-house education and training complements the real-life learning each Instructor embarks upon in their day-to-day lives within their families and educational circles. Presenter Image and Bio Presenter Image and Bio Larissa Bissett Michele Mulder Presenter Image and Bio Presenter Image and Bio Lisa Dickner Marilyn Welsch Trina Boymook Presenter Image and Bio Presenter Image and Bio Presenter Image and Bio

3. Objective: School Council Best Practices To facilitate a discussion forum for school council members across Alberta to exchange ideas, identify challenges and share successes related to their school council roles and responsibilities.

4. Four Areas of Focus (for today) • Advise/Lobby/Decide: Who does what, when and with whom? • Engaging Your School Community: Is there anybody out there? • Fundraising: Who? What? Why? Where? When? and even How! • School Council Governance: Rules? What rules?!?

5. Where are you? • Northern Alberta • Greater Edmonton Area • Central Alberta • Calgary and Southern • Alberta • E. Other

6. School Council MembershipWhat best describes your role on your School Council? • Parent • Student • Teacher • Principal or Admin • Community Member

7. Setting the Stage What is the purpose of School Council? What is the role of School Council?

8. Breakout rooms School Council Governance Engaging Your School Community Fundraising $$$ Advise/Lobby/Decide ???

9. To move yourself to your breakout room: • _________ Group stays in the main room. Click and drag your name to your break out room.

10. Advise/Lobby/Decide • Reminder of Objective: To facilitate a discussion forum for school council members across Alberta to exchange ideas, identify challenges and share successes related to their school council roles and responsibilities.

11. Advise/Lobby/Decide • Definition and/or interpretation of “advise”

12. Advise/Lobby/Decide • Provide some examples of when/how your School Council has advised their school or board

13. Advise/Lobby/Decide • Definition and/or interpretation of “lobby”

14. Advise/Lobby/Decide • Provide some examples of when/how your School Council has lobbied their school, board, Alberta Education or another group in the community

15. Advise/Lobby/Decide • As per the School Act and the School Councils Regulation, on which items is a school council authorized to “decide”?

16. Advise/Lobby/Decide • Provide some examples of when/how your School Council has made decisions from a school council perspective.

17. Advise/Lobby/DecideParking Lot

18. Fundraising • Reminder of Objective: To facilitate a discussion forum for school council members across Alberta to exchange ideas, identify challenges and share successes related to their school council roles and responsibilities.

19. Fundraising • What does Legislation say about School Councils and Fundraising?

20. Fundraising • What concerns might there be of a School Council that chooses to fundraise? • What are the benefits?

21. Fundraising • What does Legislation say about groups other than School Councils becoming incorporated (as a Society) with a purpose of raising funds for (students in) a school?

22. Fundraising • What are the similarities between the 2 groups? • What are the differences?

23. Fundraising • What challenges has your school council had in the area of fundraising?

24. Fundraising • What successes has your school council had in the area of fundraising?

25. FundraisingParking Lot

26. Engaging Your School Community • Reminder of Objective: To facilitate a discussion forum for school council members across Alberta to exchange ideas, identify challenges and share successes related to their school council roles and responsibilities.

27. Engaging Your School Community • What does it mean to “be engaged”? Is it different than “being involved”?

28. Engaging Your School Community • Provide some examples of who makes up your school community

29. Engaging Your School Community • What is the value to having an “engaged” school community? Who benefits? Any examples?

30. Engaging Your School Community • What barriershas your school council run into while trying to engage your school community?

31. Engaging Your School Community • What has your school council done that has successfully engaged more members of your school community?

32. Engaging Your School Community • What are some of the ways that your school council, or school, recognizes the efforts and contributions of engaged school community members?

33. Engaging Your School CommunityParking Lot

34. School Council Governance • Reminder of Objective: To facilitate a discussion forum for school council members across Alberta to exchange ideas, identify challenges and share successes related to their school council roles and responsibilities.

35. School Council Governance • What does Legislation say about School Council Governance?

36. School Council Governance • What are the benefits to a school council having a written document guiding the way in which their important work is conducted?

37. School Council Governance • Provide some examples of the types of documents used to guide the work of school councils.

38. School Council Governance • Mini-poll: What does your School Council use? • Bylaws • Operating Procedures • Constitution • Terms of Reference • Other/Don’t Know

39. School Council Governance • What makes each of these documents different? • What are some of the challenges associated with the more ‘formal’ governance documents?

40. School Council Governance • What topics can, or should, be included within the governance document for a school council?

41. School Council Governance • Authority • Purpose (Vision) • Changes/Amendments • Mission • Objectives/Functions • Membership • Governance Models • Quorum • Decision Making • Policies • Meetings • Agenda • Communication • Chairperson • Positions and Descriptions • Vacancies • Committees • Fundraising • Code of Ethics • Personal Information and Privacy Act (PIPA)

42. School Council GovernanceParking Lot

43. Sharing Collective Wisdom

44. Top Two Tidbits

45. CODE OF Conduct for SCHOOL COUNCIL MEMBERS • Devote time, thought and study, to the role and responsibilities of a school council member so I can provide effective service to my council. • Be familiar with school council policies and operating principles. • Work with my fellow school council members in a spirit of harmony cooperation, and respect for differences of opinion. • Promote positive and collaborative relationships on school council, between school council and the greater school community. • Encourage parent participation in school council. • Work with my fellow school council members to support the goals of the school’s education and improvement plans. • Assist the school council to excel in all of its efforts and undertakings. • Act as an advocate for excellence in education at the school and community levels. • Declare any conflict of interest. • Never disclose any confidential information I may have access to through other involvements at the school. • Use the appropriate communication channels to address concerns Refer to Handout #1 – Code of Conduct & Code of Ethics

46. Additional Resources • ASCA Website (templates, tip sheets and more!) • www.albertaschoolcouncils.ca • ASC Resource Manual • http://bit.ly/zEDXIR • Alberta Education • http://education.alberta.ca/parents/role/schoolcouncils.aspx • Board Development • http://culture.alberta.ca/bdp/default.aspx • Corporate Registries • http://www.servicealberta.ca/Corporate_Registries.cfm • Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission • http://aglc.ca/ Refer to Handout #2 – Additional Resources

47. How Did We Do? • You will be redirected to our online evaluation. • Please take a minute to complete it.