Policy No. 7100 School Community Councils
School Community Councils
The board recognizes the importance of collaborative decision-making in the school community and that a sense of shared ownership is created when the people closest to the implementation of the decision are a part of the process. Those affected by a school community council decision should be invited to participate and/or provide information for use in the decision-making process. It is our belief that school community councils will improve student learning, performance, and achievement through open communication involving the stakeholders in the education community.
Formation of Community Councils
Each school within the district shall establish a school community council at the school building level.
Membership
A. Each school community council shall consist of school employees (including the school’s principal) and parents or guardians of students who are attending the school.
B. The recommended composition of school community councils for high schools is six (6) parent or guardian members and four (4) school employee members (including the principal). The recommended composition of school community councils for other schools is four (4) parent or guardian members and two (2) employee members (including the principal). While the number of members can be larger or smaller than the recommended number, the number of parent or guardian members must always exceed the number of school employee members by two (2), and the council must consist of at least four (4) parent or guardian members and two (2) school employee members.
C. The number of parent or guardian members of a school community council who are not educators employed by the school district shall exceed the number of parent or guardian members who are educators employed by the school district.
D. Each council shall elect a chair from its parent or guardian members and a vice chair from its parent or guardian members or school employee members other than the principal.
E. A school community council may appoint non-voting members to serve on the council (i.e., business or community leaders, students in secondary schools). F. A school community council may create subcommittees or task forces to advise or make recommendations to the council or to develop all or part of the plans required of the council. Such subcommittees may include individuals appointed by the council who are not council members including parents, community members, or school employees. Subcommittee recommendations shall be subject to the approval of the council. (Utah Code 53G-7- 1202)
Compliance with Open Meetings Law (Utah Code 53G-7-1203)
Because school community council plans and recommendations are subject to approval by the Cache County Board of Education (CCBE), councils may or may not be “public bodies” subject to the Utah Open and Public Meetings Act. However, the board desires that school community councils conduct their business in an open and transparent manner, and therefore requests that school community councils comply with the Utah Open and Public Meetings Act, and adopt policies and procedures for holding meetings which satisfy the requirements of that Act.
A. Parents and teachers should be notified in advance of meetings and their participation welcomed.
B. Agendas should be posted on the school front door at least 24 hours in
advance.
C. All interested parents and faculty should be encouraged to attend and participate. D. A simple majority must be present when the School LAND Trust Plan is approved or any other official action is taken.
E. Written minutes should be kept that include the date, time, and place of the meeting, who was present and absent, what was discussed and decided, and the names of anyone who made a presentation.
Selection of School Employee Members
A. The principal shall serve as an ex officio member with full voting privileges.
B. Employee members shall be elected by majority vote of the school employees. Results of the election shall be made available to the public upon request.
C. If the number of employee candidates is less than or equal to the number of open employee positions, no election is required.
D. If an employee position on the council remains unfilled following an election, the other employee members of the council shall appoint an employee to fill the position. The council chair shall update the school's website with new member names and include all council member names in the annual Council Membership Report.
Selection of Parent and/or Guardian Members
A. Parent or guardian members shall be elected by majority vote of those voting in an election held at the school. Only parents or guardians of students attending the school are eligible to vote in this election. Written notice of this election shall be given at least two weeks prior to the date of the election. Results of the election shall be made available to the public upon request.
B. Any parent or guardian who qualifies to be a candidate may file or declare him/herself as a candidate for election to the council. An individual qualifies to be a candidate if he/she is the parent or guardian of a student who will be enrolled at the school at any time during the parent or guardian’s initial term of office; however, if the parent or guardian is also an employee at the school, the parent or guardian is not eligible to be a “parent or guardian” candidate or member of the council.
C. If a parent or guardian position on the council remains unfilled following an election, the other parent or guardian members of the council shall appoint a parent or guardian who meets the above qualifications to fill the position. The council chair shall update the school's website with new member names and include all council member names in the annual Council Membership Report.
Term of Office
Elected or appointed members of the council shall serve two (2) year terms beginning the first day of July. Initial terms shall be staggered so that no more than 50% of the council members stand for election in any one year. Council members may serve up to three (3) successive terms.
Duties of Councils
A. Develop a Fall Final Report.
B. Develop a School LAND Trust program for the school. (Utah Code 53G-7-1202, 53F-2-404)
C. Advise and make recommendations to school and district administrators and the school board regarding the school and its programs, school district programs, a child access routing plan, safe technology use and digital citizenship, and other issues relating to the community environment for students.
D. Each school community council for an elementary school shall develop a Reading Achievement Plan. E. Develop operational by-laws to guide the operation of the committee consistent with this policy.
School Improvement Plan (Utah Code 53G-7-1204)
As approved by the Cache County Board of Education, The School LAND Trust Plan is the School Improvement Plan.
Fall Final Report
Each school community council shall develop a Fall Final Report. In developing this report, the council shall annually evaluate and use the results of the school's statewide achievement test results, reading achievement plan, class size reduction needs, and technology needs.
A. The Fall Final Report shall include information detailing the results of the previous year's plan and use of funds.
B. The school principal shall make the prior year's School LAND Trust budget and other data available to the council as needed in developing this report.
C. The Fall Final Report is submitted electronically via the School LAND Trust website by October 20th. The Cache School Board is provided a copy of this report.
School LAND Trust Plan
A. The plan shall include the use of School LAND Trust funds allocated to the school to implement the plan including a description of programs, practices, materials or equipment needed.
B. The program developed by the council to use the School LAND Trust funds is subject to the approval of the CCBE.
C. The school shall provide ongoing support for the council’s plan. The school shall also publicize to its patrons and the general public how the School LAND Trust funds were used to implement the plan and the results of those efforts.
D. Through the school community council, the school shall prepare an annual report for the Board of Education at the end of the school year which details the use of the School LAND Trust funds and which assesses the results obtained from the use of those funds.
E. The council may develop a multi-year program for using School LAND Trust funds, but the program must nevertheless be approved by the CCBE each year.
Child Access Routing Plan
Each school community council shall annually develop a child access routing plan for its school and submit it to the school traffic safety committee.
Staff Professional Development Plan Assistance (Utah Code 53G-7-1202)
The school community council shall assist the school with the development and implementation of the school’s professional development plan.
Reading Achievement Plan for Elementary Schools (Utah Code 53G-7-1204, 53E-4-306)
A. Each school community council in an elementary school shall develop a Reading Achievement Plan for the school which shall be submitted to the District for annual review and approval prior to implementation.
B. Following approval by the District, the school principal, teachers and staff will implement the plan.
C. The Reading Achievement Plan shall be designed to reach the long-term goal of having all students in the school reading at or above grade level by the end of the third grade.
D. The Reading Achievement Plan shall include the following components:
1. An assessment component that focuses on ongoing formative assessment to measure the five domains of reading (phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary), as appropriate, and to inform instructional decisions, and which includes a reading assessment selected from a list recommended by the State Board of Education.
2. An intervention component that:
(a) provides adequate and appropriate interventions focused on each student attaining proficiency in reading skills;
(b) is based on best practices identified through proven research-based
methods;
(c) provides intensive intervention implemented at the earliest possible
time for students having difficulty in reading;
(d) provides an opportunity for parents to receive materials and guidance so that they will be able to assist their children in attaining proficiency in
reading skills; and
(e) involves a reading specialist, as resources allow.
3. A reporting component that includes reporting to parents their children’s literacy profile, which documents ongoing formative assessment results and, at the end of third grade, their child’s reading level.
Legal References:
Utah Code 53F-2-S404
Utah Code 53E-4-306
Utah Code 53G-7-1204
Utah Code 53G-7-2013
Utah Code 53G-7-1202
Synopsis:
Approved by the Board of Education: July 1, 1989. Last Reviewed: May 17, 2018. Last Revised: May 17, 2018. Prior Revised Dates: 06/1/1997, 09/01/2004, 06/01/2007.