1. New School Council Chairs Orientation Session
September 16, 2009
St. Francis High School
Introductions:
Take a minute to get to know each other.
Provide your name, school, and any other information you would like to share.
Sept. 16, 2009
New School Council Chairs Orientation Session

2. Gathering Prayer We give you praise and thanksgiving
Creator God,
We give you praise and thanksgiving
For the gift of life,
For family and friends,
For all of creation.
Friend Jesus,
You said that where two or three or more are gathered in your name, you would be there with them.
We ask you to be here with us as we gather to listen and to share ideas about the needs of our students and children.
Our work and our lives would be empty without your loving presence.
Holy Spirit,
Inspire and guide us with Wisdom and Vision during this meeting so that all that we say and do will contribute to the reign of God in this world.
We ask all of this through our Lord, Jesus Christ,
Who lives with God the Father,
In the unity of the Holy Spirit
Now and forever.
Amen
Let us pray together as Jesus taught us:
Our Father who art in heaven……….

3. Congratulations!!! and Thank You!!!
Thank you for contributing your time.
It is very much appreciated by your school administration and staff, by all parents in your school, and the district.
Parent involvement is very important.
You will receive a lot of support along the way.
Many willing hands are ready to step in and help!
Support – just ask
Sept. 16, 2009
New School Council Chairs Orientation Session

4. Position of School Council Chair
Works within the parameters of Alberta Education (AE) and District mandates
AE – School Act and Regulation 113/2007
District Shepherd Leadership and District pillars
Is guided by “What is best for students”
Involves all parents in enhancing the school community
Plays a critical role in contributing to a positive and vibrant climate and culture in the school
Sept. 16, 2009
New School Council Chairs Orientation Session

5. New School Council Chairs Orientation Session
School Act, Section 22
The School Act recognizes and reaffirms the right of parents and the school community to have meaningful involvement in the education of their children through school councils.
School councils are responsible to the parents and the community they serve. In the primary advisory role, school councils respect the roles of the school staff in their school.
Sept. 16, 2009
New School Council Chairs Orientation Session

6. New School Council Chairs Orientation Session
Alberta Regulation 113/2007
Alberta Regulation 113/2007
(Appendix A: Legal Documents, page K.4-11)
(Available from Queen’s Printer Item / ISBN# )
Sept. 16, 2009
New School Council Chairs Orientation Session

7. Purpose of School Councils
Play an active role in the education of students, influence the positive culture and climate of the school and the Shepherd Leadership direction of the District.
Advise the Principal and Board of Trustees.
Work in partnership with their principal and staff to help create a school environment that reflects a positive community spirit.
Facilitate a relationship of cooperation.
Promote the well-being and effectiveness of the school community.
Work for the benefit of “all” students.
Achieve the common goal of enhancing learning.
We all know that no one individual can be as effective as a group.
The adage “It takes a village’ is very applicable here.
Although the principal is the accountable and responsible to the District and Alberta Education and makes decisions in the best interest of students, parents also have a very important and critical role to play.
Sept. 16, 2009
New School Council Chairs Orientation Session

8. Role of the Board of Trustees
Establish Policies and Procedures that govern the District. (
Monitor the work of the Chief Superintendent to ensure that polices are carried out through Monitoring Reports. (
Rely on parents for meaningful input into how trustees govern the district.
Facilitate meaningful input from school councils regarding decisions about education through meetings with parents throughout the year.
Boards of Trustee govern the District …….
Sept. 16, 2009
New School Council Chairs Orientation Session

9. Calgary Catholic School District Board of Trustees
Front row: Lois Burke-Gaffney (Wards 6 & 8); Margaret Belcourt, Chair (Wards 4 & 7); Linda Wellman (Wards 3 & 5 & Airdrie)
Back row: Serafino Scarpino, Vice-Chair (Wards 1, 2 & Cochrane); Rosemarie Goerlitz (Wards 9, 10 & Chestermere); Mary Martin (Wards 13 & 14); Michael Annuik (Wards 11 & 12)
Sept. 16, 2009
New School Council Chairs Orientation Session

10. New School Council Chairs Orientation Session
School Council and Trustee District Meeting Structure for (Section H)
Fall School Council Chair and Trustee General Meeting (SC chairs, principals, superintendents, and trustees)
Parent and Trustee Forums – three meetings a year
Begin with a plenary session followed by discussion, input, and feedback through World Café format (Section L: Glossary, p.3)
Action taken on recommendations
Your current Board of Trustee want to have maximum connection and input with School Councils and School Council Chairs. They are very open to….therefore in the spring of 2007, the Planning Committee met to look at the structure that was in place and sought input from parents for a format where all parent voices would be heard
World Café provides possibility for each and every voice to be heard.
Sept. 16, 2009
New School Council Chairs Orientation Session

11. School Council Chair and Trustee Meeting Dates for 2009-2010
TIME
EVENT
LOCATION
September 16, 2009
7:00-9:00 pm
New School Council Chair Orientation
St. Francis
877 Northmount Dr. NW
September 30, 2009
School Council Chairs & Trustee General Meeting
Bishop Carroll
4624 Richard Road SW
November 16, 2009
Parent & Trustee Forum 3
St. Timothy
Carlson Tr., Cochrane
November 17, 2009
Parent & Trustee Forum 1
Bishop O’Byrne
500, 333 Shawville Blvd. SE
November 18, 2009
Parent & Trustee Forum 2
St. Gabriel,
197 Invermere Rd. Chestermere
January 26, 2010
Bishop McNally
5700 Falconridge Blvd. NE
January 27, 2010
January 28, 2010
Bishop Grandin
111 Haddon Road SW
March 16, 2010
March 17, 2010
Father Lacombe
3615 Radcliffe Dr. SE
March 23, 2010
Notre Dame
11900 Country Village Link NE
Sept. 16, 2009
New School Council Chairs Orientation Session

12. Communication Process within New Structure
Communication comes through the principal and posted on District website.
Call for Agenda items – specific to each area – three weeks prior to each meeting.
All school councils are requested to contribute to the Parent and Trustee Forum agendas, items that are relevant to their school community, and were discussed at school council meetings.
Agenda items for P and T Forums should be on the SC agenda
Sept. 16, 2009
New School Council Chairs Orientation Session

13. Communication Process within New Structure - continued
Agendas and supporting information will be ed to all principals, to be shared with school council chairs, in advance of each meeting and forum.
After each meeting, principals will share all input and feedback with school council chairs.
This information is also posted on the District Internet under Parent Centre / School Councils.
Sept. 16, 2009
New School Council Chairs Orientation Session

14. Communication with Trustees
Open and direct communication with trustees is welcomed and encouraged.
Trustee makes an effort to establish open communication for improved relationship at the grassroots level.
Council encouraged to invite trustees to school council meetings.
Principal, on behalf of chair or school council, in consultation with principal may invite trustee to special events.
Sept. 16, 2009
New School Council Chairs Orientation Session

15. School Council Chairs Send Year-End Reports to Board of Trustees
Send by Sept. 30th of the following year, via
Year-End Report includes:
A summary of school council activities and minutes (1-2 pages)
Financial statements
Ensure school council minutes for seven (7) years are kept at the school
Refer to Appendix D for samples of Year-End Reports (page K.27)
Sept. 16, 2009
New School Council Chairs Orientation Session

16. School Council Opportunities for Input and Feedback
School Level:
Developing School Education Plans
Development of Code of Conduct
Implementation of Catholic Community of Caring (CCC)
District Level:
Input into District Three-Year Education Plan & Annual Education Results Report (AERR)
Input into Regulations
School Calendar
More in Section E: Communication
Sept. 16, 2009
New School Council Chairs Orientation Session

17. Communication Protocol
Based on the premise that those closest to the source of the concern should have the first chance to provide the remedy.
Review Section E, Communication, School Council Handbook, Chart – E.1.
Check Section E, Communication, for additional information.
Invitations to trustees to attend school events (E.4)
Further to the Communication protocol
Communication Protocol
SC Executive are spokespersons for entire school community and should not use that position to seek answers to personal questions or to promote personal agendas.
Should avoid taking on the role of the teacher, principal or school board, each of which has professional and legal responsibilities
Leadership within the community based on a Catholic Community of Caring and Shepherd Leadership demands behaviour of the highest integrity. As SC Chairs, you are the role models for how parents can in a positive and collaborative way work with school administration on many areas of life in the school, particularly when it comes to differing opinions or parents who have personal agendas or individual, not whole school, concerns. Ensuring that appropriate channels of communication are adhered to is important.
As SC Chair and as the Executive, you have many opportunities to influence your school community in a positive direction.
Example: meeting parents on the tarmac, at the pool, on the soccer field, in the hallways.
Talking through sensitive and high profile topics before the meeting, being united in voice with the final decision is critical.
Sept. 16, 2009
New School Council Chairs Orientation Session

18. Communication Protocol
INDIVIDUAL TRUSTEE
SCHOOL STAFF MEMBER
PARENT
SCHOOL COUNCIL
AREA SUPERINTENDENT
PRINCIPAL
TEACHER
CHIEF SUPERINTENDENT
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
INDIVIDUAL TRUSTEE
SCHOOL STAFF MEMBER
PARENT
SCHOOL COUNCIL
AREA SUPERINTENDENT
PRINCIPAL
TEACHER
CHIEF SUPERINTENDENT
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
INDIVIDUAL TRUSTEE
SCHOOL STAFF MEMBER
PARENT
SCHOOL COUNCIL
AREA SUPERINTENDENT
PRINCIPAL
TEACHER
CHIEF SUPERINTENDENT
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
All parents have access to Trustees, but the premise is that those closest to the concern have the first opportunity to respond
Sept. 16, 2009
New School Council Chairs Orientation Session

19. New School Council Chairs Orientation Session
Must Do’s
Executive become very familiar with:
School Act (Appendix A, pp. K.2-3)
Alberta Regulation 113/ School Council Regulations (Appendix A, pp. K.4-11)
School Council Bylaws (Appendix C, pp. K.17-26)
Year-End Reports (Appendix D, pp. K.27-30)
Code of Ethics (p. B.6)
Communication Protocol (Section E, p. E.2)
All communications sent by SC to parents in the school community must be approved and co-signed by the principal. When in doubt – consult with the principal.
Sept. 16, 2009
New School Council Chairs Orientation Session

20. New School Council Chairs Orientation Session
Must Do’s - continued
Meet with principal to set agenda – talk through agenda items.
If at all possible, have the whole Executive meet with the principal.
Consult with the principal on all matters, as he/she has ultimate accountability and responsibility for all aspects of school operations.
Be the model for appropriate communication and problem resolution.
All communications sent by SC to parents in the school community must be approved and co-signed by the principal. When in doubt – consult with the principal.
Sept. 16, 2009
New School Council Chairs Orientation Session

21. References and Sources of Information Calgary Catholic School District
Revised School Council Handbook is on the District Internet site at
> Parent Centre > School Councils
District Internet site – School Council folders
Policies & Administrative Regulations (K.12)
Principal
Experienced School Council Chairs
Luba Diduch – (403) or
Tonight is going to touch on key elements of the operations of School Councils and to respond to your most burning questions.
Although tonight will be a wonderful first step in getting to know everything that you always wanted to know about Schools Councils, there are many sources of information as you continue your work as the Chair.
It is very imperative that you, as School Council Chair, as well as your Executive become very familiar with the content of the District School Council Handbook even though it is under revision. There have been changes to the structure of how SC Chairs advise the Board of Trustees.
Many sections are still very relevant and need to be looked at in detail with the Executive and the support of your Principal. The sections that are no longer relevant are as follows:
Sept. 16, 2009
New School Council Chairs Orientation Session

22. References and Sources of Information Alberta Education
Alberta Education – School
School Act – Section 22
(Appendix A: Legal Documents, page K.2-3)
Alberta Regulation 113/2007
(Appendix A: Legal Documents, page K.4-11)
Alberta School Council Resource Manual –
Tonight is going to touch on key elements of the operations of School Councils and to respond to your most burning questions.
Although tonight will be a wonderful first step in getting to know everything that you always wanted to know about Schools Councils, there are many sources of information as you continue your work as the Chair.
It is very imperative that you, as School Council Chair, as well as your Executive become very familiar with the content of the District School Council Handbook even though it is under revision. There have been changes to the structure of how SC Chairs advise the Board of Trustees.
Many sections are still very relevant and need to be looked at in detail with the Executive and the support of your Principal. The sections that are no longer relevant are as follows:
Sept. 16, 2009
New School Council Chairs Orientation Session

23. New School Council Chairs Orientation Session
Questions and Answers
Sept. 16, 2009
New School Council Chairs Orientation Session

24. New School Council Chairs Orientation Session
Questions
All questions are relevant and important.
If your question was not answered in the course of this meeting, using the Feedback Sheet, please provide your name, school, and address with your question(s) and leave on the table when leaving or fax to Luba Diduch at Thank you.
Sept. 16, 2009
New School Council Chairs Orientation Session

25. Prayer After Meeting
Loving God of all creation, we thank you for the countless blessings of this day: gifts of sight, sound, touch and smell, for wonders without end. We thank you as well for your endless patience with us, and your pardon of all our failings. Awaken our hearts to journey with you, the Source of life and love. May your Spirit lead us into prayer.
We surrender ourselves to your safekeeping as night draws close. Be with us in a sleep that will refresh us for a new day and for the work that tomorrow brings. Grant comfort to all who face the darkness of this night with fear. Give shelter to those without a home and give peace to all.
With gratitude and faith, we conclude this day in your Holy Name, and in the name of your Son, and in the presence of your Spirit. Amen.

26. New School Council Chairs Orientation Session
Sept. 16, 2009
New School Council Chairs Orientation Session