École Intermédiaire

Lawrence Grassi

Middle School

School Council 3 Year Plan

2006-2008

“Reach for the peaks - Atteindre le sommet”

Approved - Feb. 16, 2006

Introduction

The École Intermédiaire Lawrence Grassi Middle School Council is a parent-run body, who along with representatives from the school Administration, provides parental representation and input to the school in the areas of:

  • Policy and Programs
  • Budget
  • School Staff
  • Transportation
  • School Facilities
  • Public Relations

Council’s Vision is:

“Together, we will be the representative voice dedicated to enhancing every student’s life.”

Council’s Mission Statement is:

“The Council is an association of parents, staff, students, and community members who work together to promote the well-being of the entire school community and to enhance student learning and school life.”

This Plan represents the Council’s attempt to define how it can achieve this Vision and our Mission; a means of embodying and achieving our purpose. The goals outlined in this Plan are intended to enhance student life and learning, and to promote the well being of the school community.

The Plan has been developed by the parent Council, with the assistance of School Council Development, an organization funded by Alberta Education and Alberta Home and School Councils Association, whose purpose is to assist school councils in defining and achieving their goals.

It is intended that the Plan should be evaluated and reviewed annually by Council, and substantially revised and rewritten every three years, in order that it remain current and relevant.

Executive Summary

School Council has identified the following goals as its priorities over the next three years.

1.SUPPORTING AND ENHANCING SCHOOL CULTURE

2. INCREASING PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT TO SUPPORT SCHOOL ACTIVITIES

3.IMPROVING SCHOOL COMMUNICATION

The goals can be summarized succinctly as Council seeking to become better “ambassadors” for ÉcoleIntermédiaireLawrenceGrassiMiddle School. How these goals are to be achieved are outlined below in the plan.

Consistency with the ÉcoleIntermédiaireLawrenceGrassiMiddle School Three Year Education Plan

The École Intermédiaire Lawrence Grassi Middle School Three Year Education Plan adopted by the school and by the Canadian Rockies Public Schools Division, has three main goals:

1.High Quality Learning Opportunities For All.

2.Excellence in Learner Outcomes.

3.Highly Responsive and Responsible Jurisdiction.

As part of the school, Council intends that this Plan should support the school’s Three Year Plan. Council believes that this Plan fully supports a number of the outcomes identified in the École Intermédiaire Lawrence Grassi Middle School Three Year Education Plan, including:

1.2Schools Are Safe And Caring.

2.5Learners Are Well Prepared For Citizenship.

3.1Improved Results Through Effective Working relationships On Cross-Ministry (Agency) Initiatives And With Stakeholders.

Council believes that the goals contained in this Plan will assist in the achievement of these outcomes identified in the École Intermédiaire Lawrence Grassi Middle School Three Year Education Plan.

Ongoing School Council Objectives

In addition to the goals identified in this Plan, Council also has the following objectives that are of an ongoing nature at this time, and which Council will be involved in, in addition to its stated goals in this Plan.

Fundraising & Spending

Council has determined that its primary purpose shall not be oriented towards fundraising efforts, but rather towards the consultative and representative purposes outlined in its purposes, Mission and Vision Statements.

Council will continue to engage in fundraising activities, principally in the form of the Panago sponsored “Pizza Day” program. Fundraising outside of this program will be limited to smaller efforts and programs.

Spending by Council shall be guided by the goals contained in this Plan. Funds should and will be directed and allocated by Council with the intent of achieving one or more of the goals contained in this Plan. Requests for funding for programs or items that are not consistent with the stated goals of this Plan will therefore receive lesser priority and importance in making spending decisions.

Council will continue to annually provide funding for the “Speaker Series” as a means of promoting the well being of the school community and the community at large.

School Redevelopment

With the announcement and funding of the redevelopment of the ÉcoleIntermédiaireLawrenceGrassiMiddle School site and building, Council will continue to be involved with the Board and Administration in providing input and recommendations regarding the project. It is anticipated that Council can provide input on issues that include building design, site design and landscaping, programming and space use in the new building and assistance with the move from the old building to the new.

School Council Goals

Council has selected three goals for the 2006 - 2008 period. The goals are listed in order of priority.

1.SUPPORTING AND ENHANCING SCHOOL CULTURE

Actions To Achieve This Goal

  • The “Spotlight On” session shall be a regular agenda item to provide regular opportunities for Council learning about new and ongoing school programs.
  • Promoting student confidence by encouraging speakers to come in to school to discuss and present on issues related to behaviour support.
  • Providing ongoing financial support for the EBS (Effective Behaviour Support System).
  • Ongoing financial supportfor identified cultural initiatives.
  • Council will support bi-lingual and “dual track” initiatives.
  • Using the improved communication methods to ensure parents are aware of cultural initiatives.
  • Support for Staff / Teacher Recognition on a regular basis.
  • Council will assist Administration with the process of easing the student transition between Grades 4 & 5, and between Elizabeth Rummel and ÉcoleIntermédiaireLawrenceGrassiMiddle School, through contact with the Elizabeth Rummel Council.

2. INCREASINGPARENTAL INVOLVEMENT TO SUPPORT SCHOOL ACTIVITIES

Actions To Achieve This Goal

  • Establishing a Volunteer Co-ordinator as a Council position.
  • Recruiting a Volunteer Co-ordinator to Council by the start of the 2006-2007 school year.
  • Identification ofsupported school activities (and an annual schedule)for which volunteers will be needed, including:
  • special events (new and existing that support Council’s goals)
  • learning and literacy events and programs.
  • Develop and distribute a Parent Volunteer Form for the start of the 2006-2007 school year.
  • Develop a protocol or process for staff to access volunteers.
  • Develop and maintain a parent volunteer database.
  • Getting parents (volunteering at the school)to assist in giving out the green cards as part of the EBS system.
  • Ensuring that volunteers are provided information on school programs and procedures.

3.IMPROVING SCHOOL COMMUNICATION

Actions To Achieve This Goal

  • Contributions are made to the School Newsletter on a regular basis by the Chair or Secretary, outlining Council’s recent activities.
  • The Bulletin Board shall be regularly updated with the newsletter material and Council minutes by the Chair or Secretary.
  • Recommend an e-mail information distribution system be established, modeled on the format used at the Canmore Collegiate.
  • Administration will be encouraged to request that teachers weekly update parents on classroom matters and activities.
  • Parents will be encouraged to communicate via e-mail to teachers.
  • Examine the use of “Blog” (internet log or diary) homework sites for parents, and forward comments to Administration.
  • Administration will be encouraged to considerReport Card revisions to make them more meaningful to parents.
  • Council will extend an open invitation for Divisional Trustees to attend Council meetings.
  • The “Spotlight On” sessions shall be a regular agenda item.
  • Council will communicate and liaise with the Councils of the Elizabeth Rummel and CanmoreCollegiate .
  • Council will communicate and liaise with Canadian Parents For French (CPF) and similar “dual track” organizations.

LGMS Council

Parent Volunteer Protocol

Council/Staff Information

An annual data base will be generated from the Parent Volunteer Register to provide volunteers for school events and activities

LGMS Council will decide on which events they will assist in regards to helping find volunteers

Events should be school wide. Council will not find volunteers for classrooms, field trips or individual groups

All events should be listed on the Parent Volunteer Register for the beginning of the year (September)

If the event is not listed on the Parent Volunteer Register, council will decide on an individual basis if they will assist in finding volunteers

If a parent volunteer has access to personal information on a child, or has 1 on 1 contact with a child, they will be required to have an RCMP check done

The names of any volunteer who indicate an interest in helping with school sports or extracurricular activities will be passed on to the appropriate teacher. It will be up to the teacher to utilize these volunteers (or not)

Teachers will contact the council well in advance of an event to notify them of the dates and number of volunteers needed

The volunteer coordinator will contact parent volunteers from the data base generated from the Parent Volunteer Register

If enough volunteers cannot be found, it will be up to the teacher or administration to find their own volunteers. It is ultimately up to the organizer of the event to find volunteers if the volunteer coordinator cannot fill the positions.

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