School Council Annual Report 2023 - 2024

Note: 1. Use Ctrl + P or Cmd + P (Mac) to print . 2. File a hard copy in your school file.

School and Council Information

School Name

Survey Completed By

CEC

Your Role on Council

Principal's Email Address

Number of times School Council met this year
 

A. Parent, Family and Community Engagement

1. In this past year, did your school council engage in the following activities that supported parent, family and community involvement and/or engagement? (Please select all that apply)

a. Workshops - hosted, supported, presented - for information / learning (e.g., mental health campaign presentation, Math strategy presentation, virtual workshops, virtual social events)

b. Social events (e.g., cultural celebrations; spring fairs; etc.)

c. Out going communications to parents (e.g., flyers, newsletters, e-bulletin, e-mails)

d. In coming communications/requesting input from parents (e.g., survey, focus groups)

e. Support from parents to the school (e.g., fundraising activities)

f. Support for parents from the school (e.g., interpreters in meetings, virtual meetings)

g. Actions to support equity and inclusion in the Indigenous Education and Equity Strategy (IEES)

h. Specific strategies to improve parent, family and community involvement and engagement, please explain:

 

i. Other Activities:

2. PRO Grants for School Councils support projects that focus on engaging parents within their school community who may experience barriers in becoming involved in their children’s learning. The Parents Reaching Out Grants for School Councils application was available to school this year (maximum $800.00).
Did your School Council receive approval for funds through the Parents Reaching Out Grant ($800.00)

Yes

No

Please describe any issues, challenges or promising practices when organizing and implementing the above activities.

B. Positive School Environment

A positive school environment is an essential component of parent/family engagement and well-being. In this past year, did your School Council engage in the following activities that supported the building of a positive school environment? (Please select all that apply)

a. Physical environment improvement efforts (e.g., school grounds improvement, signage, carpeting playground)

b. Environmental initiatives (e.g., eco-league, tree planting, beautification, outdoor classroom)

c. School safety (e.g., traffic issues, yard safety and supervision, restorative practices, anti-bullying initiatives)

d. Community-building and student social events (e.g., lunches, inclusion activities/events, assemblies, collaborative community events, field trips, extracurricular activities)

e. Healthy Living and Wellness activities (e.g., athletic programs, healthy school initiative, mental health, healthy snacks, hot lunch programs, lice screening)

f. Appreciation events (e.g., student recognition, staff recognition, community recognition events)

g. Enhancements to programs (e.g., technology, equipment, arts program, workshops)

h. Strategies to better include students (e.g., equity and inclusive learning environment)

i. Collaboration with local business and organizations

j. Other Activities:

Please describe any issues, challenges or promising practices when organizing and implementing the above activities

C. Diverse School Community

1. Demographic Representation -to what degree is your School Council representative of the school population:
Highly representative
Somewhat representative
Is beginning to be representative
2. Leadership Representation - to what degree is your School Council’s leadership (e.g., president, secretary, treasurer, formal voting positions) representative of the school population:
Highly representative
Somewhat representative
Is beginning to be representative
3. In this past year, did your school council engage in the following activities that follow the guiding principles (Policy #261.0, Equity and Inclusivity) in the building of a diverse school community? (Please select all that apply)
a. Addressing social inclusion and racism specifically anti-Asian, anti-Black, and anti-Indigenous racism and other prejudices toward racialized and marginalized groups
b. Reducing barriers (e.g., culturally responsive pedagogy; language, special needs, socio-economic, funding support)
c. Respecting faith-based practices in planning events (e.g., observances and practices)
d. Increasing diverse representation on school council
e. Providing multi-lingual resources (e.g., newsletters; interpreters; translators)
f. Holding school council meetings at different times of the day (e.g., alternating mornings after drop-off, afternoon before dismissal of students, and in the evenings- alternating for different families)
g. Engaging in learning to increase understanding of the Board's Equity and Inclusivity goals (and/or IEES)
h. Establishing Parent Ambassadors to welcome new families (reflective of the school's demographics)
i. Inviting Community Partners/Organizations to share the ways in which they can partner with the school and support families with resources, etc.

j.. Other:

4.In the past year, how often did your school council engage with local Indigenous communities and families to integrate authentic experiences and content?
Not at all
1-2 times
3-5 times
6 times or more
5. In the past year, to what degree was your school council involved in providing opportunities for open dialogues with students, families and communities that were culturally responsive and relevant?
Greatly involved
Moderately involved
Slightly involved
Not Involved
6. In the past year, to what degree was your school council involved in fostering a school-community collaborative approach to identify and address discriminatory biases and systemic barriers to promote student achievement and well-being?
Highly involved
Somewhat involved
Not involved

Please describe any issues, challenges or promising practices when organizing and implementing the above activities

D. Fundraising

Was your School Council involved in fundraising activities in the past year?
Yes
No
Which of the following activities did your fundraising efforts support this past year?
(Please check all the options that apply to your council)
*
a. Literacy resources or programs (e.g., books, library resources, Home Reading Program, Forest of Reading)
b. Science/mathematics resources or programs (e.g., equipment, Scientists in the School, robotics club, math manipulative)
c. Arts resources or programs (e.g., costumes, musical instruments, art supplies)
d. Healthy/active living resources or programs (e.g., hot meals, sports equipment, lice check, outdoor learning environment/classroom, Eco-Challenge, Healthy Eating Program, mental health workshop, water bottle filling station)
e. Technology resources or programs (e.g., cost-sharing, computers, laptops, iPads, DocCam, SmartBoards)
f. Classroom/teacher resources (e.g., fund for teacher use, early years resources, teacher/class websites, indoor board games)
g. Support field trips (e.g., transportation, cost)
h. School site improvements (e.g., beautification, painting, furniture purchase/repair, playground equipment)
i. Support for school events (e.g., transitions events, information evenings, guest speakers, fundraising, school magazines, community BBQ, Family Nights, Welcome to Kindergarten, Graduation, fun fair)
j. Supply teachers (e.g., for athletic events and competitions, release time)
k. Equity and inclusivity (e.g., subsidizing field trips for disadvantaged students, special needs supports, multicultural events, food bank, community resource fund, Angel Fund – money for families who cannot afford school related costs)
l. School safety and spirit (e.g., anti-bullying events/programs, yearbook, student recognition awards)
m. Other Activities:
 
As part of the Equity and Inclusivity Advisory Committee’s community consultations, recommended that School Councils allocate a small percentage of their school generated funds to a centralized “YRDSB Trust Fund” that will enable low income students to participate in various activities that require additional funding.
 
A centralized “YRDSB Trust Fund” would assist in reducing barriers for inclusionary activities that some schools cannot support as much as they would like. 
 
Please indicate if your school is interested in supporting a centralized “YRDSB Trust Fund” by sharing some of your school generated funds.          
 Yes 
 No
 

E. Additional Support and Training

The YRDSB Director’s Action Plan sets out six goals that align with the strategic plan and our Board’s Mission, Vision and Values. Please indicate if there is a need for the Board to provide additional support and training to your school in the next school year: (Please check all areas that apply for your school)
a. Goal 1: Foster W​ell-Being and Mental Health (i.e., to build safe, healthy and inclusive learning and working environments where students and staff feel they matter and belong)
b. Goal 2: Champion Equ​ity and Inclusivity (i.e., to build a collective understanding of: the ongoing impact of colonialism on Indigenous Communities, Anti-oppression, and Culturally Responsive and Relevant Pedagogy [CRRP])
c. Goal 3: Champion Equ​ity and Inclusivity (i.e., to provide comprehensive math programs that reflect students’ identities, lived experiences, needs and interests)
d. Goal 4: Build Collabo​rative Relationships (i.e., to build trust and collaborative relationships with students, families and staff through respectful and responsive communication focused on shared solutions)
e. Goal 5: Empower Ethical Leadership (i.e., to elevate student voice in learning, assessment and decision-making)
f. Goal 6: Empower Ethical Leadership (i.e., to build a collective understanding of ethical leadership)

Please also think about if there any additional support or training that you would like to receive for your school council next school year:

F. Any other comments

Please share your school council’s achievements and/or suggestions/feedback in the text box below: