JAMES E. MOSS ELEMENTARY
School Community Council (SCC)
“The Utah State Legislature passed a law in 2000 requiring every public school in the state to establish a School Community Council* at the school-site level (Utah Code. Section 53A-1a-108). Two years later the legislature passed a second bill mandating several changes in the duties, powers and membership of the School Community Councils in Utah. This law took effect July 1, 2002.”
For more information on School Community Councils, please see the documents below. Please visit http://www.schoollandtrust.org/ and use this website as an invaluable resource for your School Community Council.
If you’re a new parent member of a School Community Council, please take the time to read the Parent Member Checklist to become familiar with your role and responsibilites on the council. If you’ve been elected to serve as the Council Chair, please take the time to read the Council Chair Checklist so that you can run the counil effectively. These checklists as well as other checklists can be found on the School LAND Trust website.
The purpose of the School Community Council:
The SCC helps determine critical academic needs in our school and helps develop a plan to meet those needs, including developing the State Land Trust plan and the School Student Achievement Plan. The SCC also reviews our school reading plan and safe walking routes. Elections begin at the start of each school year and information is available at our school’s office. Please contact a council member with any questions or concerns.
Rules of Order and Procedure:
To promote ethical behavior and civil discourse each council member shall:
- Attend council meetings on time and be prepared
- Make decisions with the needs of the students as the main objective
- Listen to and value diverse opinions
- Be sure the opinions of those you represent are included in discussions
- Expect accountability and be prepared to be accountable
Rules of Procedure
All meetings are open to the public. Time limits may be set for the public at the discretion of the community council.
The agenda of each upcoming meeting will be made available to the community at least one week in advance.
Minutes will be kept of all meeting by the designated secretary of the meeting.
The council will prepare a timeline for the school year that includes due dates for all required reporting and other activities/tasks that the council agrees to assume of participate in. The timeline will assist in the preparation of agendas to be sure the council accomplished their work in a timely manner.
The chair or vice-chair conducts the meetings, makes assignments and requests reports on assignments.
A consensus on agenda items is a 2/3rd vote.
Election Procedure
Elections will be held in the fall of each year within 10 days’ notice given prior to the election. All interested parents can submit their application to join the council during this window.
Terms for community council are for two years with the beginning date determined by the school consistent with local school board policies.
Approximately half of the schools community council seats are up for election each year.
If positions are vacant or no one applies to be on the council, current council members will appoint parents to fill positions.
The school community council will elect a chair and a vice chair annually. The chair must be a parent member and the vice chair may be a parent or a school employee member. The principal may not serve as an office of the council.