TCDSB Policy Register 

CATHOLIC SCHOOL ADVISORY COUNCILS S.10  

Policy: 

The Toronto Catholic District School Board believes: 

·                    That schools must foster the spiritual, physical, intellectual, social and emotional development of all students by using the various resources of the community of which they are a part; 

·                    That schools must draw on the vast knowledge and expertise available in the community and involve its many resources, especially the family and the parish, in the education of children; 

·                    That working together collaboratively is a way of living which is deeply rooted in God’s Word; 

·                    That the principal of the school is responsible and is in charge of the instruction and the discipline of students and for the organization and management of the school; 

·                    That the purpose of Catholic School Advisory Councils is, through the active participation of parents, to improve pupil achievement and to enhance the accountability of the education system to parents; 

Therefore, a Catholic School Advisory Council shall function in an advisory role to the principal and shall achieve its purpose by making recommendations to the school principal and, where appropriate, to the Board on any matter in accordance with the Education Act and TCDSB Policies, Guidelines and Operating Procedures. 

REGULATION: 

1.                  Membership 

The Toronto Catholic District School Board recognizes as members of the Catholic school community the following:

·                    The parents/guardians of students enrolled at the school;

·                    The school staff members, including teaching and non-teaching personnel;

·                    The Pastor and the Parish designates;

·                    The school trustee;

·                    The students.

·                    All Separate School ratepayer within the area serviced by the school 

2.                 Composition of the Council  

The Catholic School Advisory Council shall be established during the first 30 days of each school year, shall be as representative as possible of the Catholic school community, shall be chaired by a parent/guardian of the school elected by Council members, and shall be composed of a majority of Roman Catholic members as defined in the Education Act: 

(a)                Parents/guardians of students enrolled in the school (to make up a majority of council membership). 

(b)               The principal of the school. 

(c)                One teacher who is employed at the school, to be elected by teachers who are employed at the school. 

(d)               One person who is employed at the school, other than the principal, vice-principal or any other teacher, to be elected by persons other than the principal, vice principal or any other teacher employed at the school. 

(e)                One pupil appointed by the student council or, in the case of schools without student councils, elected by other students (mandatory in secondary schools; in elementary schools, appointed by the principal after consultation with the other members of the council). 

(f)                 The Pastor or Parish designate. 

(g)                One or more community representatives appointed by the Council. 

(h)                One person appointed by the local Catholic School Advisory Council to act as liaison with the Ontario Association of Parents in Catholic Education, if the school is affiliated with the Association by virtue of school and/or TCDSB membership. 

3.                  Election of Parent Members  

(a)                A person is qualified to be a parent member of a Catholic School Advisory Council if he or she is a parent/guardian of a pupil enrolled in the school. 

(b)               A person is not qualified to be a parent member of a Catholic School Advisory Council if, 

(i)                  he or she is employed at the school; or 

(ii)                he or she is an employee of the TCDSB unless he or she takes reasonable steps to inform people qualified to vote in the election of parent members of that employment. 

(c)                A person is qualified to vote in an election of parent members of a Catholic School Advisory Council if he or she is a parent/guardian of a pupil who is enrolled in the school. 

(d)               An election of parent members shall be held during the first 30 days of each school year, on a date that is fixed by the chair or co-chairs of the Catholic School Advisory Council after consulting with the principal of the school. 

(e)                Despite subsection (4), if a new school is established, the first election of parent members to the Catholic School Advisory Council shall be held during the first 30 days of the school year, on a date that is fixed by the Board. 

(f)                 The principal shall, at least 14 days before the date of the election of parent members, on behalf of the Catholic School Advisory Council, give written notice of the date, time and location of the election to every parent of a pupil who is enrolled in the school. 

(g)                The election of parent members shall be by secret ballot. 

4.                  Term of Office 

(a)                The term of office for an elected or appointed Catholic School Advisory Council member is one year, renewable by election or appointment, unless otherwise provided by the by-laws of the Council. 

(b)               A vacancy in the membership of a Catholic School Advisory Council shall be filled by election or appointment in accordance with the by-laws of the Council. 

5.                  Officers  

(a)                A Catholic School Advisory Council shall have a chair, who is a parent elected by members of the Council or, if the by-laws of the Council provide, two co-chairs, and may have such other officers as are provided for in the by-laws of the Council. 

(b)               An employee of the TCDSB cannot serve as chair or co-chair of the Council. 

(c)                Vacancies in the office of chair, co-chair or any other officer shall be filled in accordance with the by-laws of the Council. 

6.                 The Catholic School Advisory Council

(a)                The Catholic School Advisory Council shall: 

(i)                  Promote Catholic faith and Gospel Values. 

(ii)                Establish its goals, priorities and procedures, consistent with the Mission and Vision of the Board. 

(iii)               Hold a minimum of four meetings per year which shall be accessible and open to members of the Catholic school community, the first meeting to be held within the first 35 days of the school year after elections on a date fixed by the principal. 

(iv)              Ensure that for each meeting: 

·                    a majority of Council members are present

·                    a majority of the members present are parent members; and

·                    a majority of the members present are Roman Catholic; 

and the quorum requirement shall be established accordingly; 

(v)                If necessary, establish committees to make recommendations to the Council; such committees to include at least one parent member of the Council and to be governed by the Council’s by-laws. 

(vi)              Develop by-laws governing the conduct of its affairs including: 

·                    A by-law that governs election procedures and the filling of   vacancies; 

·                    A by-law that establishes rules respecting participation in proceedings in cases of conflict of interest; 

·                    A by-law that establishes a conflict resolution process, consistent with the Board’s policy, for internal Council disputes. 

(vii)             Keep minutes and records of all meetings and financial transactions for a minimum of 4 years, and make these available at the school for examination without charge by any person from the Catholic school community. 

(viii)           Not engage in fundraising activities unless: 

·                    The activities are conducted in accordance with the Board policy S.M. 04, Fundraising in Schools; and 

·                    The activities are to raise funds for a purpose approved by the Board through the school principal; and

·                    The funds are used in accordance with Board policy. 

·                    Consult with parents of pupils enrolled in the school about matters under consideration by the Council and communicate regularly with parents and other members of the community to seek their views and preferences with regard to matters being addressed by the Council. 

·                    Submit on an annual basis, a written report on its activities, including fundraising, to the principal and to the Board. 

·                    Not be incorporated. 

(b)               The Chair of the Catholic School Advisory Council shall: 

(i)                  Call Council meetings. 

(ii)                Prepare the Agenda for Council meetings in consultation with the Principal. 

(iii)               Chair Council meetings. 

(iv)              Ensure that the minutes of Council meetings are recorded and maintained. 

(v)                Participate in information and training sessions. 

(vi)              Communicate regularly with the school principal in an effort to work cooperatively to improve pupil achievement. 

(vii)             Ensure that there is regular communication with the Catholic school community. 

(viii)           Consult with senior board staff and trustees, as required. 

(ix)              Upon request, provide the local trustee with copies of the minutes of the meetings.  

(c)                The Members of the Catholic School Advisory Council shall:                                                                                                                

(i)                  Participate in Council meetings. 

(ii)                Participate in information and training programs. 

(iii)               Act as a link between the Council and the community in support of school programs to improve pupil achievement. 

(iv)              Make recommendations to the principal and, where necessary, to the Board to improve student achievement and enhance the accountability of the education system. 

(v)                Make every effort to be as representative of the school community as possible. 

(vi)              Conduct their meetings in an invitational, harmonious manner in the context of Gospel Values.  

(vii)             Be entitled to one vote, in votes taken by the Council, should the Council make recommendations to the principal and/or Board through a voting process. 

(viii)           Receive reimbursement for expenses incurred in the normal course of their duties as Council members in accordance with Board policy, but shall not receive any remuneration for serving as a Council member. 

7.                 The Principal  

The Principal of the school shall: 

(a)                provide information and seek input on program and academic matters as well as provide information on budget and finances of the school. 

(b)               Solicit the views of the Council with respect to the following: 

·                    The establishment or amendment of school policies and guidelines and the development of implementation plans that relate to pupil achievement or to the accountability of the education system to parents including, 

(i)                  A local code of conduct or of the Act governing the behaviour of all persons in the school, and 

(ii)                School policies or guidelines related to appropriate dress for pupils. 

·                    School action plans for improvement, based on EQAO reports on the results of tests of pupils, and the communication of those plans to the Catholic community. 

(c)                Facilitate the establishment of the Catholic School Advisory Council and assist in its operation. 

(d)               Support and promote the Council’s activities. 

(e)                Provide for the prompt distribution to each member of the Council of any materials received from the Ministry that are identified by the Ministry as being for distribution to Council members. 

(f)                 Post any materials distributed to members of the Council in a location that is accessible to all parents. 

(g)                Give written notice of the dates, times and locations of Council meetings to every parent and attend every meeting of the Council, unless he or she is unable to do so by reason of illness or other cause beyond his or her control. 

(h)                Act as a resource person to the Council and assist the Council in obtaining information relevant to the functions of the Council, including information relating to relevant legislation, regulations and policies. 

(i)                  Consider each recommendation made by the Council and advise the Council of the action taken in response to the recommendation. 

(j)                 Report the composition of the Council to the local supervisory officer before November 1 of each year. 

8.       Consultation by Board 

The Toronto Catholic District School Board shall consider each recommendation made to the Board by Catholic School Advisory Councils, shall advise such Councils of the action taken in response to the recommendation, and shall solicit the views of local Catholic School Advisory Councils with respect to the following: 

(a)                The establishment or amendment of Board policies and guidelines that relate to pupil achievement or to the accountability of the education system to parents, including, 

(i)                  Policies and guidelines with respect to the conduct of persons in TCDSB schools. 

(ii)                Policies and guidelines respecting appropriate dress for pupils in TCDSB schools. 

(iii)               Policies and guidelines respecting the fundraising activities of Catholic School Advisory Councils. 

(iv)              Policies and guidelines respecting conflict resolution processes for internal Council disputes. 

(v)                Policies and guidelines respecting reimbursement by the Board of expenses incurred by Council members. 

(b)               The development of implementation plans for new education initiatives that relate to pupil achievement or to the accountability of the education system to parents, including, 

(i)                  Implementation plans for policies and guidelines with respect to the conduct of persons in schools. 

(ii)                Implementation plans for policies and guidelines respecting appropriate dress for pupils. 

(c)                Board action plans for improvement, based on the EQAO reports on the results of tests of pupils and the communication of those plans to the Catholic community. 

(d)               The process and criteria applicable to the selection and placement of principals and vice-principals. 

(e)                That any CSAC recommendation which might impact globally on TCDSB special education programs or services be referred to SEAC for information and comments; and that any recommendation of SEAC that might impact on special education programs and services in schools be referred to the CSACs of the potentially impacted schools for information and comments.