School Council Constitution

Northern Lights P.S. School Council Constitution

Revised May 2012 

Article 1: 

The organisation will be known as Northern Lights School Council. The members of the school council shall be responsible for maintaining the constitution. 
Northern Lights Public School
40 Bridgenorth Drive, 
Aurora, Ontario, L4G 7S6
905-727-4224

Article 2: Procedures and Operating Guidelines 

The operational procedures of this council are outlined in the YRDSB Policy and Procedure #262, available on the Board’s website. 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 3: Membership and Voting

3.1: Number of Council Votes

The number of parents on the school council will be a minimum of seven and a maximum of ten.

• a spouse team can hold one member position and either partner can sub for each other
• spouse team gets one vote
• spouses will have to declare if they are individuals or a team

3.2: Number of Community Representatives

• The number of community representatives will be one.
• The community representative may vote.

3.3: Number of Teacher Representatives

• The number of teacher representatives will be one
• The teacher representative may vote.
• Quorum for voting is one half of the total number of council members plus one. For example, a council with seven parent members, a Community Representative and a Teacher Representative requires 5 votes. A council with eight parent members, a Community Representative and a Teacher representative will require six votes for quorum.
• Voting may be conducted by E-mail between meetings, if the need arises. All e-mail votes will be sent to voting members only. All votes by members will be sent to Chair/Chairs who will then tally and inform administration of the voting result. Secretary to include vote and results in minutes.

Article 4: Elections

4.1: 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.
 

*4.2: Election Procedures for Parent 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.
• Administration will notify successful candidates within 25 days of the start of school. Two weeks prior to the October meeting (1st Monday of October), Administration will email all members and ask for position nominations (executive). A list of prospective executive members will be sent to all council members.
• School administration is to advise the new council in October who will be the teacher representative for the coming school year.

4.3: Terms of Office

• Elected and appointed members may seek additional terms of office. 
• Members of school council have the responsibility of meeting in September of the following school year and until such time as a new council is elected. This time will enable council to begin programs immediately and will also be used for planning the “Meet the Teacher” evening. This time will also be used to promote council to parents and caregivers who may be interested in participating with council.
• At the first meeting of the new council (1st Monday in October), the members can at that time, decide which day of the week would work best for the monthly meeting from that point onwards. 
• Members of school council shall make every effort to attend all planned meetings. If any member is not able to participate in a meeting due to extenuating circumstances, the member shall communicate to the chair or co-chair in advance of the meeting.
• Absent member/s shall be noted in the minutes.
• Council members shall not miss more than three (3) meetings within the school council term of office. Members of the executive shall not miss more than two (2) meetings within the council term. Should a member miss more meetings, they will be invited to re-evaluate their commitment to council. Should the event arise that a member continually misses meetings, that member will have the opportunity to withdraw and will not be eligible to run for council 
  the following year.

*4.4: Vacancies in Membership

• A vacancy in the membership of a school council does not prevent the council from exercising its’ authority.
• If positions remain vacant, 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 highest number of votes, the opportunity to accept the position. When there are no more candidates available, council may appoint parent members.

Article 5: The Executive

• All Executive positions will have been made and completed one week prior to the October meeting via ballot through the school secretary.

5.1: The Chair /Co-Chairs/Vice-Chair

Responsibilities to include the following:

• To run meeting in a timely manner
• To ensure that all action items have been addressed before next meeting.
• Co-Chairs/Vice-Chairs should meet with each other prior to each meeting.
• Responsible for submitting Council page of newsletter to the administration by noon of the first Wednesday of the month unless changed by prior agreement.
• To meet with Administration prior to first or second council meeting of the year and throughout the school year as necessary.
• October meeting – to provide copy of School Council Code of Ethics, Job Descriptions and the Constitution to new members.
• Responsible for checking both physical mailbox and email at least monthly (school council email information to be provided by school administration).
• To attend School Council Forum’s as appropriate.
• At October meeting, to review ‘Meeting Norm’s’ and ‘Declaration of Conflict of Interest’

5.2: Other Officers

Secretary

Responsibilities to include the following:

• Make Agenda – send out to all council members and administration approximately a week in advance to invite inclusions to agenda.
• Agenda to be sent to school secretary the morning of the meeting.
• Take minutes (minutes will include Action Items and Attendance).
• Two (2) weeks before next meeting, send out draft minutes for comments/review to council members.
• Two (2) days prior to meeting, send out ‘final’ minutes for approval at the meeting.
• School secretary to photocopy copies of Agenda and minutes for council members. Council secretary to bring the copies to the meeting.
• Maintain a ‘Council’ binder with hard copies of minutes – will pass to the new secretary annually.
• Once minutes are approved, secretary is responsible for submitting them to the Web Administrator within 24 hours.

Treasurer

Responsibilities to include the following:

• Must be provide at each meeting with a balanced and reconciled accounting to all council members and administration.
• All debits/credits must be applied in the month in which they were allocated.

5.3: Vacancies in Office

Officer vacancies will be filled as soon as possible according to Article 5.1 and 5.2.

Article 6: Sub-Committees

At the first meeting of the school year, the following sub-committees may be formed to conduct more in-depth work or to make recommendations to the council:

• Communication & Safety
• Fundraising & Events

Additional sub-committees will be formed as the need arises. Sub-committees must include at least one parent member of council and may include persons who are not members of the school council. 

Article 7: Conflict 

*7.1: 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.

*7.2: Conflict Resolution

The council will undertake to resolve all internal conflicts within its mandate in a timely manner.

Article 8: Constitutional Amendments

Constitutional amendments need a 2/3 majority to be passed.

Article 9: Discretionary Budget

In order to keep committees and activities functioning in a timely manner, Committee Chairs and Event Coordinators will be given a discretionary budget of $100.00 to be used, if needed. Expenses should be recorded and receipts provided to the Treasurer. Expense approval of items purchased using discretionary funds, will be voted on at the next monthly meeting.

Article 10: Expenses

10.1 Cheques

All requests for expense reimbursement will be provided to the Treasurer within one month of incurring the expense. Expense reimbursement must be accompanied by a signed Cheque Request form and a receipt, or a copy of the receipt, must accompany the request. See Appendix 1.

10.2 Deposits

All deposits must be submitted to the Treasurer within two weeks of collection and be accompanied by a signed Deposit Sheet. See Appendix 2.

10.3 Pre-approval of Expenses

Events that run on a regular basis, such as Movie Nights or Lunch Programs, should request an operating budget at the beginning of each order period and report back to Council regarding expenditures and revenues at the end of each term. (See Appendix 3, Program and Event Costing Report).

Large events, which require money for set up, such as the Year End BBQ, should request a budget when the event planning begins. Revenues and expenditures for these events should be reported back at Council meetings at the next monthly meeting following the events conclusion.

Article 11: Fundraising 

11.1 It is the mandate of each year’s School council to spend the funds raised on purchases and initiatives that: 

1. Assist the NLPS administration and staff to achieve the goals of the School’s Plan for Continuous Improvement.
2. Encourage parental involvement in the education of the students and the betterment of the school community.
3. Create and maintain a safe and environmentally friendly school building and yard.

11.2 Funds may be carried forward from one year to the next in the following circumstances:

1. When a request for tender has been put out by the York Region District School Board on behalf of the NLPS School Council.
2. When a purchase of large value is being saved towards. The school community must be informed in writing of what is being purchased and that the funds are being carried forward
3. When there is a balance remaining in the Literacy Initiatives and Events Fund.
4. A balance of approximately $1,500 should be carried forward each year to cover the opening expenses of the following school year.