School Council Candidacy Requirements:
- Offer advice to the school Principal and BoardParents/guardians of a student enrolled in a Rainbow school are eligible to run for School Council elections and/or cast their vote in School Council elections at their child’s school. Parents must make up the majority of School Council members. Only parents/guardians of a student enrolled in a Rainbow school are eligible to run as a chair or co-chair of a School Council. School Council parent members elect School Council chairs.
- All Rainbow District School Board employees including educators and/or support staff are eligible to run as a Board representative and/or cast their vote in School Council elections.Any Rainbow school student (optional for elementary schools) is an eligible candidate for School Council. Student Councils appoint student members.
- Any community member who is not employed by the school board is an eligible candidate for a local School Council.
- School Council members appoint community representatives.
School Council Election Process:
School Council elections for parent representatives take place at the same time each year – within 30 days of the start of the school year. Elections for School Council chairs take place within 30 days of the parent elections.
In Rainbow Schools, School Council elections are planned and organized by existing School Council members or School Council election sub-committees. They are responsible for choosing a date, time and location for the election, advertising election information to the school community, developing election campaign procedures and choosing the term of office.
School Council Term of Office:
The membership of a School Council may change from year to year. Each year, School Councils recruit, elect and assign new members to their School Councils. Although members are elected and/or appointed for a one-year term, they are welcome to seek additional terms.
Roles and Responsibilities of School Council Members:
Becoming a School Council member carries with it certain responsibilities.
Here are some of the primary functions performed by School Council members.
School Council chairs are voting members who act as important leaders to the School Council and the school community when they:
- Attend and actively participate in School Council meetings, events and activities
- Communicate information from the School Council to the school community
- Provide input and make recommendations to the school Principal and Board
- Prepare agendas and chair School Council meetings
- Prepare School Council annual reports
- Communicate with the school Principal on behalf of the School Council
- Assess and review School Council goals and priorities
Parent representatives are voting members who act as valuable support mechanisms to parents and the School Council when they:
- Attend and actively participate in School Council meetings, events and activities
- Communicate information from the School Council to other parents and community members
- Provide input and make recommendations to the school Principal and Board
- Participate in School Council sub-committees
- Operate as a liaison group on school-related issues
- Encourage the participation of parents within the school community
The school Principal or Vice-principal are School Council representatives who act as important links to the School Council and the school when they:
- Attend and actively participate in School Council meetings, events and activities
- Communicate information from the School Council to the school community
- Consider the input and recommendations made by School Councils
- Provide ministry resource materials and Board information to School Council members
- Seek the opinions and views of School Councils members
Student representatives are voting members who act as a liaison group to their peers and school communities when they:
- Attend and actively participate in School Council meetings, events and activities
- Communicate information from the School Council to the student body
- Provide input and make recommendations to the school Principal and Board
- Encourage the participation of students within the school community
Board employee representatives are voting members who act as key contacts to the School Council and school staff when
they:
- Attend and actively participate in School Council meetings, events and activities
- Communicate information from the School Council to the community
- Provide input and make recommendations to the school Principal and Board
- Solicit views from the school staff
- Encourage the participation of staff members within the school community
Community representatives are voting members who act as important sources to the School Council and community when they:
- Attend and actively participate in School Council meetings, events and activities
- Communicate information from the School Council to the community
- Provide input and make recommendations to the school Principal and Board
- Represent the community’s perspective
- Build strong partnerships and links between the school and community
School Council Meetings and Minutes:
All School Councils are required to hold a minimum of four general meetings each school year. School Council meetings are open to all parents and other members of the school community. The School Council will appoint a parent member to attend a minimum of one Parent Involvement Committee (PIC) meeting during the school year. During School Council meetings, members must keep minutes, set and review yearly goals and priorities, discuss school-related challenges and opportunities and organize school events and activities.
Please contact your area Rainbow school for their School Council meetings and minutes.