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MontmartreSchoolCommunity Council

(MSCC)

Constitution and Bylaws

Nov. 19, 2007

CONSTITUTION

Mission

To support the education of youth through academics, values and a caring school

Vision

To support high levels of education that empowers individuals to become caring, competent, responsible citizens who value education and life long learning.

Guiding Principles

  1. Representative:

School Community Councils are an integral component of School Division governance. They strive though their membership and their actions to be representative of all students attending the school.

  1. Inclusive:

School Community Councils recognize all members of the school community can make a difference in the learning success and well-being of children and youth. In their activities, School Community Councils engage in processes to ensure all voices in the school community are heard and all perspectives are taken into account.

  1. Respectful:

School Community Councils understand school communities are complex environments. Councils recognize the importance of both lay and professional perspectives within the community and strive to appreciate all viewpoints.

  1. Trustworthy:

School Community Councils conduct their affairs in an open and transparent manner. Councils honour the right to privacy of individuals and treat all information they are privy to with appropriate discretion and sensitivity.

  1. Responsive:

School Community Councils make every effort to respond to the needs and aspirations of the school community they represent. They regularly consult with students, parents, community members, the Board of Education, the school principal, school staff and others. In addition to this, Councils respond to requests for guidance and direction, by the Board of Education, school principal and other community agencies and organizations that support children and youth.

  1. Effective:

School Community Councils focus their attention and efforts on key matters that make a difference in student learning and well-being. Keeping in mind their understandings related to their own unique school communities, Councils realign their work with provincial and School Division goals and initiatives related to student learning and well-being outcomes.

  1. Committed:

School Community Councils are committed to fulfilling their role as a vital link in school level governance. Councils evaluate their performance regularly, take advantage of opportunities to build their capacity and account to the public they represent and the Board of Education on their progress.

Name

  1. The name of the school community council shall be The Montmartre School Community Council (MSCC).

Policy

  1. In the event that any changes are subsequently made to The Education Act 1995 or its Regulations, the structure and operation of the Council will be changed to comply.
  1. The Council may be affiliated with the Saskatchewan Association of School Councils.
  1. The Council will operate as a non-profit organization with no personal financial benefits.
  1. The business of the Council shall be unbiased toward race, religion, gender or politics.

Purpose

  1. To contribute to the effectiveness of the school by promoting the partnership of parents, community members and community groups.
  1. To provide parents and community members with a forum through which information and school practices can be discussed.
  1. To represent parents’ and community members’ views and concerns in a constructive way to the school principal.
  1. To communicate with parents, and to promote co-operation between the home and school in providing for the education of children.
  1. To organize Council activities and events.

Dissolution

  1. In the event of dissolution of the Council, its property and assets shall, after payment of all liabilities, be transferred to the Prairie Valley School Division.

BYLAWS

Article I:Membership

Permanent Members:

  1. The principal of the school shall be part of the Council. There is no provision for a designate.
  1. A member of the teaching staff shall be part of the Council. There is no provision for two or more teachers to share this position. It will be held by one teacher.

Elected Representative Members:

  1. The majority of the elected representative members must be parents of students enrolled in the school. Since it is practical, it is encouraged that the elected members be reflective of the demographics of the student population of the school.
  1. No fewer than five and no more than nine elected members shall represent parents of students and community members and appointed members.

Parents:

  1. All parents and guardians with students enrolled in the school are eligible, regardless of whether they live inside, or outside the school’s attendance area.

Community Members:

  1. Anyone who meets the requirements for being able to vote in civic, provincial or federal elections and lives in the school’s attendance area is eligible to stand for election to the Council as a community member.

Other Representative Members:

  1. Each year following the annual general meeting, representative and permanent members of the Council will review the school, its students and the community to ascertain if some student groups, or communities that have students attending the school are not represented on the Council.
  1. Other Representative Members may include, but will not be restricted to:
  • An advocate for a specific group of students (e.g. those with special needs)
  • A member of the Chamber of Commerce
  • Aboriginal representation in addition to First Nations representation
  • A member of visible minority
  • Representation from an organization, or organizations, in a community.
  • A representative from the Town or RM Council
  • A member of the clergy.
  • A Senior Citizen’s representative.
  • Representatives from service providers (e.g. Health, Mental Health, Community Resources, Justice/police).

Article II:Meetings

  1. There shall be an Annual General Meeting for the purpose of election of executive officers and annual reporting held prior toNovember 30thof each year.
  1. Regular meetings of the executive officers and permanent members may be held at any time, but not less than five (5) times per school year. The purpose of these meetings is to conduct current business.
  1. Additional general meetings shall be held at the discretion of the executive.
  1. Meetings will be conducted efficiently and with fairness to members present.
  1. Minutes of each meeting will be recorded and kept by the secretary (or designate in his/her absence) of the school community council. A copy of the minutes will be forwarded to the division office and be made available to the Board of Education.
  1. If procedural problems should arise, the most current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order will be used to resolve the situation, unless they are in conflict with the guidelines in the Constitution and Bylaws.
  2. The Council will conduct business meetings using a Representative Governance Model. In this model the Council represents the wider school community. Meetings are open to the public, but only members of the Council may decide upon matters brought before it. In addition to having all its meetings open to the public the Council reports to the community using a communications strategy it will develop and describe in the constitution and through the Annual Report it presents at the Annual General Meeting.

Article III:Decision-Making Processes

  1. The Council will use both Consensus and Majority Vote decision-making models. The executive will determine the type of model to be used prior to discussion of an item. When the consensus model is unsuccessful in reaching a decision, the majority vote model will be employed. (See Appendix A)

Article IV: Public Consultation

  1. The council will consult with the school community using One or more of the following strategies:
  2. Newsletters
  3. Memos
  4. E-mail
  5. School Website
  6. Surveys/Questionnaires
  7. Public Meetings
  8. Local Media
  1. The Council will consult with the Board of Education using one or more of the following strategies:
  2. Written Correspondence
  3. Meetings
  4. Newsletters
  5. Memos
  6. E-mail

Article V: Addressing Complaints and Concerns

  1. Any matter concerning an individual student of staff member must be directed to the staff member or principal.
  1. Informal Complaints and Concerns

2.1Concerns or questions about Council initiatives or activities expressed informally to a member of the Council may be addressed immediately by the member provided that he/she is comfortable in responding to the issue.

2.2If the individual is not satisfied with the response, the member should explain how the concern or complaint could be brought to the attention of the Council in a formal fashion.

  1. Formal Complaints and Concerns

3.1Concerns or complaints can be brought to the attention of the Council by addressing the concern in writing to the Chairperson or by requesting that the Chairperson provide the individual with an opportunity to meet with the Council at an upcoming meeting.

3.2The Council will provide a written response regarding how they have or will address the concern or complaint.

Article Vl: Conflict Resolution Process

  1. The Conflict Resolution Process (Appendix B) will be used by the Council to address both internal and external conflict.

Article Vll: Conflict of Interest

  1. In the event that a Council member finds him/herself in a conflict of interest position in terms of an issue being considered by the Council, the member should declare that he/she is in a conflict of interest situation and leave the meeting for that portion of the meeting, thus removing him/herself from the discussion and not voting on the issue.

Article Vlll:Evaluation of Council Operations

  1. The Council will evaluate their initiatives and operations by focusing on outcomes and procedures.
  1. The Council will include in their evaluation its role in:
  2. Understanding the school and its community;
  3. Developing and recommending a Learning Improvement Plan;
  4. Providing advice and approval;
  5. Taking action;
  6. Communicating and reporting;
  7. Developing capacity.
  1. The council will present an evaluation of council operations each year at the Annual General Meeting.

Article lX: Voting

  1. On matters requiring a formal vote, only Representative Members of the Council may vote.
  1. The Representative members present at any duly-called regular or annual general meeting shall constitute a quorum.
  1. Unless otherwise provided, questions arising at any meeting shall be decided upon by a simple majority vote.
  1. In the case of a tie vote, the motion will be lost.
  1. Voting of members by proxy shall not be permitted.
  1. Voting shall be done by the show of hands, with the exception of the election of executive officers which shall be done by ballot. A vote shall be taken to destroy the ballots after the election.

Article X:Elections

  1. Elections of the Council will be held each year at the Annual General Meeting.
  1. The Council shall follow the elections procedures as outlined in the Prairie Valley School Division School Community Council Election Manual.

Article Xl:Election of Executive Officers

  1. The executive officersshall be elected from the voting members at the Annual General Meeting.
  1. The Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected from among the executive officers at the first regular meeting following the Annual General Meeting.
  1. In the event of an unfilled position or vacancy on the executive during the year, the executive may appoint a new officer who shall hold office until the next election.
  1. Elections shall be conducted by the Returning Officer, a division employee, appointed by the Superintendent of School Services in consultation with the principal according to Prairie Valley School Division School Community Council Elections Manual.

Article Xll:Term of Office

  1. The term of office shall commence in Novemberimmediately following the annual general meeting of each year.
  1. Each elected member of the Council shall hold office for two (2) consecutive years except following the first election of the school community council where approximately half of the members are elected to one-year terms and the other members are to be elected to two-year terms.
  1. Any elected member of the Council may serve on the executive for as many years as he/she is elected to a position, but no person may hold any one position for more than two consecutive years.

Article Xlll:Disqualification/Removal of Members

  1. A Council member shall vacate his or her office as a member of the Council if the member:

a)is convicted of an indictable offence;

b)is absent from three of more consecutive meetings of the school community council without authorization of the school community council;

c)ceases to be eligible for election as a member pursuant to the regulations or the policies of the Prairie Valley School Division Board of Education.

  1. A member of the Council may be removed for nonperformance of his/her duties by a majority vote of the executive officers.

Article XlV:Executive Officers

  1. The affairs of the Council shall be managed by a board of five to nine elected officers.
  1. The Executive Officers will be as follows:
  1. Chairperson
  2. Vice- Chairperson
  3. Treasurer
  4. Secretary
  5. Up to five (5) other directors
  1. An executive officer must meet the qualifications of Representative Member to qualify to hold office. Permanent Membersmay not hold office as an executive officer.

Article XV:Duties of the Officers

  1. The Chairperson will:

a)Oversee operations of the Council.

b)Convene and preside at all meetings of the Council and of the executive officers.

c)Ensure that an agenda is prepared and presented in consultation with the Principal and other Council members.

d)Appoint committees where authorized to do so by the executive or membership.

e)Be an ex-officio member to all committees except the nominating committee.

f)Take such actions or ensure that such actions are taken by others to achieve the objectives and purpose of the organization.

g)Act as the official spokesperson for the organization.

h)Establish networks that support the Council.

i)Be a signing officer.

j)Submit an annual report.

  1. The Vice-Chairperson will:

a)Support the Chairperson in his/her duties, taking over in the Chairperson’s absence.

b)Accept extra duties as required.

c)Be a signing officer.

d)Assume the responsibilities of the Past-Chairpersonwhen no one is either eligible or able to serve as the Past-Chairperson.

  1. The Secretary will:

a)Record the minutes of all meetings of the Council.

b)Distribute or recite minutes to the Council members.

c)Keep an accurate copy of the Constitution and Bylaws, and when amended shall be dated and initialed.

d)Issue and receive correspondence on behalf of the organization.

e)Be a signing officer.

f)Take charge of all records of the Council.

  1. The Treasurer will:

a)Be responsible for and report on the accounts of the organization using the procedures outlined in the School Community Council Funds: Administrative Guide.

b)Be one of the three signing officers of the executive as per Article XVll (12).

c)With the assistance of the executive, draft a budget and tentative plan of expenditures as per Article IX.

d)Ensure that another financial signing officer has access to the financial records in the event of his/her absence.

e)Arrange to have an annual independent review of the financial books and records conducted.

f)Submit an annual financial report.

Article XVl:Committees

  1. The Council will act as the single decision making structure at the school level and will coordinate committees operating in support of the Council and school program.
  1. Standing and ad-hoc committees shall be formed when necessary.

(Note: Standing committees operate on an annual basis. Ad-hoc committees are formed to address a specific issue.)

  1. Committees are responsible to the executive of the Council.
  1. Members may be appointed annually to committees by the Chairperson (after consultation with the executive).
  1. The committee chairpersons shall be appointed from among the executive or members of the Council.
  1. A committee may include persons who are not members of the Council. These persons will act in an advisory capacity and will not have voting privileges.
  1. The members of each committee shall be appointed by the chairperson of the committee.
  1. The number of members on a committee shall be determined by the chairperson of the committee.
  1. Committee members may meet, adjourn and otherwise regulate their meetings as they determine.

Article XVll:Finances

  1. The Council is responsible to the Prairie Valley School Division Board of Education for ensuring that school-based funds are accounted for in accordance with Board Administrative Procedures and accounting practices.
  1. A set of complete and accurate accounting records must be maintained and made available for use on a timely basis.
  1. Such records shall be based upon fundamental accounting principles that include:

3.1Receipting and recording of all revenue received

3.2Safeguarding/control of cash

3.3Authorization and recording of all expenditures

3.4Documentation to substantiate expenditures

3.5Monthly bank reconciliations

3.6Preparation of a year-end report

3.7Audit by Prairie Valley School Division staff

  1. The Council fiscal year runs from September 1st to August 31st.
  1. Year-end Reports

5.1A year-end report will be submitted to the Prairie Valley School Division office by September 30th of each year.

5.2The report will be prepared using the Annual Financial Report form.

  1. A budget and tentative plan of expenditures should be drawn up by the executive and presented for approval at a regular meeting prior to the Annual General Meeting.
  1. All funds of the organization will be on deposit in a bank or financial establishment registered under the Bank Act.
  1. The current account should have the following features:

8.1Provide bank statements dated at month-end along with cancelled cheques.

8.2Provide interest earned each month on remaining account balances with minimal monthly service charges.

8.3Provide for all cheques to be signed by two people.

  1. Cheques

9.1The Council must use pre-numbered cheques with the Council name printed on them.

9.2Voided cheques must be retained and inter-filed in numerical order with the returned cancelled cheques.

9.3Dual signatures are required on each cheque.

  1. Deposits

10.1Funds collected should be deposited intact (in the entirety).

10.2Cash payments should not come out of cash collected.