The purpose of the School Community Council:
School Improvement is the responsibility of everyone, from students and parents to professionals and public officials. School Community Councils are one way we can work together to make schools more successful. A council is an advisory body. All of its actions and plans are overseen by the local school board.
Reason for SCC establishment
- a) involve parents of student in decision making at the school level;
- b) improve the education of students;
- c) prudently expending School LAND Trust Program money for the improvement of students’ education through collaboration among parents, school employees and the local school board; and
- d) increasing public awareness of:
- school trust lands and related land policies;
- management of the State School Fund established in Utah Constitution Article X, Section V; and iii. educational excellence
Review school-wide assessment data annually to identify critical academic needs and use School LAND Trust Program funds in data-driven and evidence-based ways to improve educational outcomes, consistent with the academic goals of the school’s teacher and student success plan framework and the priorities of the LEA governing board.
Assist in the development and implementation of school plans in accordance with state law, state board rule and district policy:
- TSSP (School Improvement) (53G-7-1305)
- Trust LAND Plan (expend these dollars to support a goal in TSSP) (53G-7-1206)
- School Safety Plan (53G-7-1202(v)(A)(B))
- Safe Technology and Digital Citizenship Plan (53G-7-1202(ii)(D); (iii); (iv))
-
- Provide for education and awareness on safe technology utilization and digital citizenship that empowers:
o a student to make smart media and online choices; and
o a parent to know how to discuss safe technology use with the parent’s child
- Positive Behavior Plan (53G-7-1202) (53G-10-407) to address student use of tobacco, alcohol, electronic cigarettes, etc…
Advise & Recommend to school and school district administrators and the local school board regarding:
- the school & its programs;
- example: school attendance policy
- school district programs;
- High school councils may (if the SCC chooses) discuss and advise local boards about the possible benefits and consequences of a later start to the school day for high schools.
- school breakfast- may (if the SCC chooses) to advise the local board to opt out of the program
- a child access routing plan (53G-4-402 (17)(a-d))Elementary and Middle Schools);
- other issues relating to the community environment for students;
Partner with the school’s principal and other administrators to ensure that adequate on and off campus Internet filtering is installed and consistently configured to prevent viewing of harmful content by students and school personnel, in accordance with local school board policy & Subsection 53G-7-216(3).
Ensure parents can access information regarding the council and its roles by providing required information on school website.
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.
