School Community Councils Tuesday, March 23, 2010

THE VISION FOR SCHOOL COMMUNITY COUNCILS With the establishment of SCCs in every school across the province, the vision is for them to become an integral, purposeful and valued component of school division governance, integrated into Board of Education decision- making. (Source: Final Report, Local Accountability and Partnerships Panel, 2005)

Dynamics of the group Roles and responsibilities Context within the school community Planning and actions

Who s not on the bus? Who s driving the bus? Where we are going? Are we going to the same place? Whats our behaviour like on the bus? Off the bus?

Complete personal inventory Add up your responses (# of As, Bs, Cs, Ds) Determine your primary style (highest score) A = Analyzer B = Builder C = Collaborator D = Driver Style Descriptors - handout

What do you like about working with others who have the same primary style as your own? What frustrates you about working with others who have a different profile or primary style? How might your SCC function proficiently with a varied collection of profiles? How might your SCC function proficiently with the majority of its members in one profile category?

Scenario Think – Pair – Share Table response Share with large group

Understand Develop and recommend Provide advice and represent Take action Communicate and report

UNDERSTAND Parent, student, public economic, social, health conditions, needs and their aspirations for child, youth learning, well-being and to become knowledgeable about resources and supports for the school, families and community

DEVELOP and RECOMMEND For approval by the Board of Education: Learning Improvement Plan – jointly and in co-operation with the principal, school staff, parents and community members Constitution that includes subcommittees and officers, schedule of meetings, means of public communication and consultation, code of conduct, decision-making processes, complaint and dispute resolution processes

PROVIDE ADVICE and REPRESENT The parents and community to: Board of Education – policies, programs and educational service delivery School staff respecting school programs Other community organizations, agencies, governments on the learning and well-being needs of children and youth

TAKE ACTION To engage parents and community, to develop shared responsibility for child and youth learning, well-being in the school and within the broader community and to carryout initiatives committed to within the Learning Improvement Plan

COMMUNICATE/ REPORT Formally, on an annual basis to parents, community, the school board on its plans, initiatives, progress and on the expenditure of funds related to its operations; and informally on a regular basis to families and the community on progress and issues including the work of the various committees.

PARTICIPATE In education, development, orientation and networking opportunities to develop the capacity of the SCC, the school and the community, as well as in those provided by the Board of Education calling for advice

Council development The Learning Improvement Plan Community Development and Partnerships Communications Monitoring Results and Planning to Improve

Successes Areas for improvement Alignment of their work to the school (LIP), school division (Strategic plan) and province (CIF)

Identify specific actions and strategies in the five key functions: Understand Develop and recommend Provide advice and represent Take action Communicate/report Participate Identify intended results and outcomes of their planned actions

Stage One: Beginning developmental – primarily functioning to inform Stage Two: Progressing – primarily functioning to involve and be involved Stage Three: Proficient and effective –engaging others meaningfully and engaged successfully in the critical work of enhancing student well- being and learning success

Are we being successful in accomplishing our roles and responsibilities? To what extent are we achieving our goals? What is our impact on the school/community? What is working and what is not? What should we do differently?

How well are we working together as a team? To what extent are we carrying out our responsibilities regarding the intended operations of the Council? What is working well and what is not? What should we do differently?