MORAINE HILLS PUBLIC SCHOOL
SCHOOL COUNCIL CONSTITUTION
Article 1: Name and Address
The organization will be known as Moraine Hills School Council. The members of the School Council shall be responsible for maintaining the constitution.
Moraine Hills Public School
85 Rollinghill Road,
Richmond Hill, Ontario
L4E 4C7
Article 2: Vision & Mission Statements
Currently in development
Article 3: Purpose and Objectives
a) Encourage effective parental involvement in the education of their children;
b) Provide a means for regular communication and dialogue between all
partners in education;
c) Participate in the school improvement planning process;
d) Raise money through the fund-raising committee of the school council
to supplement the school’s budget to support the School Plan for Continuous Improvement (SPCI
e) Connect the school with the community at large to promote community and school activities;
f) Encourage meaningful involvement of all members of the school community
in support of student learning;
g) Provide input into decisions made by the school administration, the Board
and the Ministry;
h) Promote the spirit of volunteerism among parents and the community in school activities;
i) Support student development in social, emotional, intellectual and physical areas; and
j) Facilitate the building of a viable school community that works together in
the best interests of our students and their education.
Article 4: Procedures and Operating Guidelines
The operational procedures of the Moraine Hills School Council comply with all recommendations and activities as outlined in YRDSB Procedure #262 and with all Ministry of Education Acts, York Region District School Board Policies and Procedures and Staff Collective Agreements and are outlined within this document.
Article 5: Composition of School Council
The Moraine Hills School Council shall be comprised of the following members:
Parents
Community Representative
Teaching Staff Representative
Support Staff Representative
Principal
5.1 Parent Members
A majority of the members of the Moraine Hills School Council shall be parents of students who are enrolled in the school. The number of parents will be up to 20-25.
A person is not qualified to be a parent member of the Moraine Hills School Council if:
a) He or she is employed at the school and is a member of a bargaining unit, an administrator or a manager.
b) He or she is not employed at the school, but is employed elsewhere by the Board, unless he or she takes reasonable steps to inform parents that he or she is an employee of the Board.
5.2 Community Representative
The number of community representatives shall be 1.
A community representative who is appointed by the members of the Moraine Hills School Council cannot be employed at the school as a member of a bargaining unit, an administrator or a manager and if employed in such a capacity elsewhere in the Board must inform the other members of the Moraine Hills School Council of his or her employment before the appointment.
5.3 Teaching Staff Representative
The teacher representative shall be one teacher, or their designate, who is employed at the school, other than the principal or vice-principal, who is determined by the teaching staff employed at the school.
5.4 Support Staff Representative
The support staff representative shall be one person, or their designate, who is employed at the school, other than the principal or vice-principal or any other teacher, who is determined by the support staff employed at the school.
5.5 Principal
The principal of the school is a member of the Moraine Hills School Council.
5.6 Student Representative
A student representative from the Student Council will be called upon on an as needed basis.
5.7 Trustees
A member of the Board of Trustees cannot be a member of a School Council.
Article 6: Election of School Council Members
6.1 Time Period
a) An election committee shall be formed composed of parent volunteers. Parents involved in the Election Committee shall not run for School Council.
b) Nomination forms shall be distributed to students to be taken home during the first week of the school year. A copy of the nomination form will be posted on the school community board outside the office.
c) The nomination deadline shall be one week following the distribution of the nomination forms.
d) If the number of candidates does not exceed 20-25, then all candidates shall be acclaimed.
e) If the number of candidates exceeds 20-25, the elections will be held over a 3-day period commencing the last Monday in September at 8:30 a.m. and ending the following Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. (28th – 30th day of the month).
f) Ballots will be counted publicly by the principal on the following Thursday, at 9:00 a.m. in the main office.
g) A “Meet the Candidates” night may be held one week prior to election day.
h) The new council shall meet within 5 days after the ballots are counted.
6.2 Election of Parent Members
a) Each parent of one or more students enrolled at the school shall have one vote.
b) Election of parent members shall be by secret ballot.
6.3 Vacancies
a) When the number of parent members drops below 10-15, the vacancies will be posted OR the Moraine Hills School Council will leave the position open until the next September.
b) If an election is held to fill a vacancy in the membership of the Moraine Hills School Council, the above stated conditions for eligibility apply.
6.4 Resignations
a) Anyone who is a council member, except the principal, may resign his or her position by writing a letter or resignation to the chair.
b) If someone resigns, the position vacated will be filled according to the process as outlined in Article 6.3
6.5 Removal
The council may choose to remove from council any member, or their designate, who misses 2 consecutive meetings without prior notice of extenuating circumstances given in advance to the chair or designate, and shall undertake to replace that person according to the process as decided by the School Council.
6.6 Term of Office
a) A person elected or appointed as a member of the Moraine Hills School Council holds office for up to one school year, from the date he or she is elected or appointed until the first meeting of the next year’s Moraine Hills School council.
b) A member of the Moraine Hills School Council may be re-elected or re-appointed in subsequent years unless otherwise specified by the by-laws of the Moraine Hills School Council.
6.7 Remuneration
a) A person shall not receive any remuneration for serving as a member or office of the Moraine Hills School Council.
b) Reimbursement for expenses incurred as members or officers of the Moraine Hills School Council shall be in accordance with relevant procedures established by the Board. The Moraine Hills School Council receives $ .50 per student up to a maximum of $500.00.
6.8 Incorporation:
A school council shall not be incorporated.
Article 7: Executive and Council member roles
7.1 Election of Executive
a) The Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected by the Moraine Hills School Council at the first meeting of the new School Council.
b) The Chair or Vice-Chair, of the Moraine Hills School Council shall be a
parent member of the council.
c) A person who is employed by the Board and is a member of a bargaining
unit, an administrator or a manager cannot be the chair or vice-chair of a
School Council.
d) Office vacancies will be filled as soon as possible from within the existing membership of the council. If the role of chair becomes vacant, the vice-chair will assume the chairmanship. If the vice-chair becomes vacant, the vacancy must be filled by a parent member. The roles of treasurer and secretary can be filled by any member of the School Council (i.e., parent member, community member or staff member).
7.2 Responsibility of the Chair
The Chair of the School Council shall carry out the following tasks in accordance with Board policies and procedures:
a) Call School Council meetings (minimum 4 per year) in consultation with the principal.
b) Ensure that parents are consulted about matters under consideration by the council.
c) Ensure that fundraising activities, management of the proceeds of fundraising and all expenditures are in accordance with applicable Board policies and procedures.
d) Prepare the agendas for School Council meetings in consultation with the principal.
e) Chair School Council meetings according to the agendas.
f) Ensure that minutes of School Council meetings are recorded.
g) Communicate with the principal.
h) Communicate with senior Board staff and trustees, as required.
i) Ensure that the School Council constitution and by-laws are reviewed annually.
7.3 Responsibility of the Vice-Chair
The Vice-Chair of the School Council shall:
a) Assist the Chair in carrying out his/her responsibilities.
b) Act on behalf of the Chair in the event of his/her absence.
7.4 Responsibility of the Treasurer
The Treasurer of the School Council shall:
a) Keep accurate and current accounts of financial transactions;
c) Work in close co-operation with the Fund Raising Committee and carries out duties as outlined in Article 10 of this document.
7.5 Responsibility of the Secretary
The Secretary shall:
a) Record all Executive decisions and carry out other secretarial functions of the School Council.
c) Record minutes of meetings and have the minutes available to School Council Members two weeks prior to next meeting.
7.6 Responsibilities of all Council Members
Members of the School Council are accountable to the members of the school community whom they represent and shall:
a) Maintain a school-wide perspective on issues.
b) Regularly attend School Council meetings.
c) Participate in information sharing and training programs.
d) Act as a communication link between the School Council and the community.
e) Encourage the participation of all parents and of other people within the school community.
f) Participate on sub-committees and assist with tasks of the School Council as appropriate.
Article 8: Sub-Committees/Standing Committees/Task Groups
8.1 Establishment
At the first meeting of the school year, sub-committees/standing committees/Task Groups (herein “committee”) may be formed to:
a) conduct more detailed or in-depth work than is possible during council meetings;
b) make recommendations to the council; and
c) keep the council informed of issues and developments in its’ particular area.
8.2 Membership
a) Each committee must include at least one parent member of council.
b) People who are not members of council, may be members of committees.
8.3 Chairs of Committees
a) Any committee with more than 3 members must appoint a chairperson from amongst its members (chairpersons need not be council members) and must keep and make available to the School Council, minutes of all committee meetings.
b) Committee chairpersons will be responsible for reporting back to the School Council as requested by the School Council Chair or designate.
Article 9: Meetings
9.1 Timetable of Meeting
a) At the first meeting of the new School Council, a timetable will be created that states the meeting dates agreed to for that school year. A copy of these dates and times will be included in a communication to the families of the school.
b) It is recognized that the timetable may change at any time.
c) A copy of the list of dates and times of meetings will be sent to the local trustee.
d) The School Council shall meet a minimum of 4 times per year.
9.2 Quorum
a) A meeting will have a quorum if a majority of parent members are present.
b) A meeting of School Council can be held if there is no quorum but all decision making will be deferred.
9.3 Decision Making
a) Decisions of the Moraine Hills School Council are best reached by
consensus, i.e., a collective opinion or general agreement by ALL the members.
b) In the case where a decision cannot be reached through consensus and a vote is necessary, the following will occur at the chair’s discretion:
i) a vote will be taken by way of a show of hands or a silent vote by those present in which 2/3 majority shall carry the motion; OR
ii) the issue will be deferred to either the next meeting or a special meeting or a committee.
c) When voting is necessary:
i) Each member of the Moraine Hills School Council is entitled to one vote in votes taken by the Moraine Hills School Council (except the principal).
ii) Each member of a committee of the Moraine Hills School Council is
entitled to one vote in votes taken by the committee.
iii) The principal of the school is not entitled to vote in votes taken by the
Moraine Hills School Council or by a committee of the Moraine Hills School Council.
9.4 Conflict of Interest (see also YRDSB Policy 512)
If individual School Council members perceive themselves to be in a conflict of interest, they are honour bound to declare their conflict at the earliest possible opportunity and at the time of the meeting, so that the minutes may reflect this declaration.
9.5 Conflict Resolution
The School Council will undertake to resolve all internal conflicts within its’ mandate in a timely manner. The School Council will abide by any conflict resolution policy issued by the Board.
Article 10: Financial Records
10.1 Signing Authorities
Any 1 of the Treasurer or fund-raising committee chair plus any one of the School Office Administrative Assistant (SOAA) or the principal.
10.2 Disbursement and Allocation of Money
All money must be collected by the end of the year. Funds should be dispersed or allocated to a specific purpose by the end of the year unless otherwise specified by the Moraine Hills School Council.
b) All expenditures over a $1000.00 (minimum amount) will require approval of the school council.
10.3 Annual Audit
At the end of each school year, there will be an independent audit of the School Council financial records performed by a professional with an accounting designation.
Article 11: Agendas and Minutes
11.1 Agendas
a) Agenda items should be submitted to the chair one week prior to the upcoming School Council meeting.
b) The chair will set the agenda with the principal, prior to the meeting.
11.2 Minutes
a) Minutes from the previous meeting shall be sent to School Council
members 2 weeks prior to the next month’s meeting.
a) Minutes shall be posted on the schools’ web-site and on the community board outside the main office.
b) The minutes shall include motions, decisions and actions to be taken.
c) Members of the School Council must inform the Chair or the principal if they are going to be absent from a meeting.
Article 12: Constitutional Amendments
a) The School Council must review the constitution every two years or as the need arises. A sub-committee can perform the review and bring proposed amendments to the School Council for voting.
b) Amendments to the constitution must be presented to the council in writing at a regularly scheduled meeting.
c) Constitutional amendments need a 2/3 majority to be passed and will not be implemented until the following school year.
Article 13: Responsibilities of School Board, School Council and Principal
See Sections 7, 8 & 9 of YRDSB procedure #262.