Article 1: Name and Address
The organization will be known as King City Public School Council. The members of the school council shall be responsible for maintaining the constitution.
King City Public School
25 King Blvd.
King City, Ontario, L7B 1K9
Article 2: Mission Statement
Our school council is a collaborative and co-operative body whose mission is to facilitate a partnership between members of the school community to achieve a positive learning environment and the highest possible standards of education in an inviting, welcoming and responsible environment.
Article 3: Purpose and Objectives
- Encourage effective parental involvement in the education of their children.
- Provide a means for regular communication and dialogue between all partners in education.
- Participate in the school improvement planning process.
- Provide input into decisions made by the school administration, the Board and the Ministry.
- Facilitate the building of a viable school community, which works together in the best interests of our school community, which works together in the best interest of our students and their education.
Article 4: Procedures and Operating Guidelines
The operational procedures of this council are outlined in YRDSB Procedure #262, see APpendix 1. All recommendations and activities of the council shall comply with all Ministry of Education Acts, York Region District School Board Policies and Procedures and Staff Collective Agreements.
Article 5: Membership
5.1 Number of Parent Members
The number of parents on the school council will be a maximum of 21.
5.2 Other Members
Other members such as teacher representative and support staff representatives shall be elected/appointed in accordance with YRDSB Policy #262
Article 6: Elections
6.1 Acclamations
Parent elections shall be by acclamation when the number of candidates is equal to or less than the number of parent member positions on the council.
6.2 Election procedures for Council Members
- Each parent/guardian seeking election must be nominated or self-nominated in writing, must
have a child registered at the school, and must declare if he or she is employed by the Board. - Each parent/guardian of a student enrolled in the school shall be entitled to one vote for each
vacant parent/guardian membership position on the council. - The school council shall form an election committee to help to plan the election process, the
gathering of nominations, and the running of the election. No one standing for election, Or the
spouse of anyone standing for election, shall be a member of the election committee. - The election committee shall:
- provide nomination forms
- ensure that the school community is notified of election procedures and election date, location, and time at least 14 days in advance of the election.
- request a profile from all candidates and make these available to the electorate
- conduct the elections by secret ballot
- count the ballots
- help the principal notify all candidates of the results
- keep the results and related information confidential
- only release the names of successful candidates. A list of candidates and the vote results will be kept on file for use in the event of vacancy on the council.
- shall notify all individuals standing for election of the results before the reults are released to the school community.
6.3 Terms of Office
Elected and appointed members may seek additional terms of office.
6.4 Vacancies in Membership
A vacancy in the membership of a school council does not prevent the council from exercising its’
authority.
If a parent member position remains vacant on council after the election, the council may appoint
parent members.
Positions that become vacant due to resignation or removal shall be filled as soon as possible by:
- Offering the person with the next largest number of votes who was not elected, the opportunity to accept the position
- Where there are not enough candidates to fill the vacancies, notice will be sent to all parents informing them of the vacancies, and application by interested volunteers sought
- If there are more applications than positions, an election will be called
- When no more candidates are available, council may appoint parent members
6.5 Resignations
Anyone who is a council member, except the principal, may resign their position by writing a letter of
resignation to the chair.
If someone resigns the position vacated will be filled according to Article 6.4 Vacancies.
6.6 Removal
The council may choose to remove from council any member who misses three meetings and shall
undertake to replace that person according to Article 6.4: Vacancies. Individual consideration will be
made for exceptional circumstances at the council’s discretion.
Article 7: Executive
7.1 Members of the Executive
The following positions are executive positions and shall be elected according to Article 6.2: Election Procedures:
- Chair/Co-Chair
- VIce-Chair
- Treasurer
- Secretary
- An employee of the Board cannot be the chair
Vacancies of the executive shall be filled as soon as possible according to Article 6.4: Vacancies in
Membership
Article 8: Sub-Committees
8.1 Establishment
At the first meeting of the school year, sub-committees may be formed to:
- Conduct more detailed or in-depth work than is possible during council meeting
- Make recommendations to the council
- Keep the council members informed of issues and developments in its particular area
- Committees may include budget, capital improvements, communications, constitution, education, election, fundraising, health and safety, policy and procedure, social, volunteer
- Additional sub-committees may be formed by council as the need arises
8.2 Sub-Committee Membership
Each sub-committee must contain at least one parent member of council
Persons who are not members of council may be members of sub-committees.
8.3 Chairs of Sub-Committees
Each sub-committee chair must be a council member, and each sub-committee will appoint its own chair.
Article 9: Meetings
9.1 Timetable of Meetings
At the first meeting of the new school year, a timetable will be created which states the meeting dates agreed to for that school year.
A copy of these dates and times will be included in communications to the families of the school.
It is recognized that the timetable may change at any time, and council will make reasonable effort to inform the school community of the change.
There will be a ‘special orders’ meeting to be held at the October meeting. At this meeting certain issues such as delegation of funds for playground maintenance will be discussed.
9.2 Quorum
A meeting will have quorum if the majority of council members are present AND the majority of those present are parent members.
A meeting of council can be held if there is no quorum but all voting will be deferred.
9.3 Decision-Making
The preferred method to resolve issues on council is by consensus. Consensus is a collective opinion or general agreement by ALL the council members.
In the case where a decision cannot be reached through consensus, the chair may decide on one of the following
- To have a vote by way of a show of hands or a silent vote by those present in which a 51% majority shall carry the vote
- To defer the issue to the next meeting
- To defer the issue to a special meeting
- To defer the issue to a sub-committee
9.4 Conflict of Interest
If individual council members perceive themselves to be in conflict of interest, they are honour bound to declare their conflict at the earliest possible opportunity and at the time of the meeting, so the minutes may reflect this declaration.
Council members cannot receive any remuneration for their work as a member of council.
Article 10: Financial Records
The treasurer and the Chair will be signing authorities, as will the principal. Two of three signatures will be required on the account. The principal must be one of those two signatures.
When the Centralized banking system is adopted, the principal and the SOA shall both be signing authorities, and both signatures will be required on the account.
School Council financial records may be subject to audit by the YRDSB internal or external auditors.
Article 11: Agenda and Minutes
11.1 Agendas
Agenda items should be submitted to the chair one week prior to the council’s next meeting.
The Chair will set the agenda prior to the meetings.
11.2 Minutes
Minutes shall be posted prior to the next meeting of the council.
The minutes shall include motions, decisions, and action to be taken
Members of the council should inform the Chair is they are going to be absent from a council meeting.
Article 12: Constitutional Amendments
The school council will review the constitution every two years or as the need arises. A sub-committee can perform the review and bring the proposed amendments to the school council for voting.
Amendments to the constitution must be presented to the council at a regularly scheduled meeting.
Constitutional amendments need a 2/3 majority to be passed.