Michaëlle Jean P.S.

(905) 770-6507 michaelle.jean.ps@yrdsb.ca
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School Council Constitution

Article I. Name and Address 

The organization will be known as Michaëlle Jean Public School Council.The members of the school council shall be responsible for maintaining the constitution. 

Michaëlle Jean Public School
320 Shirley Drive 
Richmond Hill, ON 
L4S 2N6 
(905) 770-6507

 

Article II. Mission Statement 

The Michaëlle Jean Public School Council is a partnership of parents, staff, community and students. Its goal is to actively promote a positive learning environment in French, which will enhance the quality of the students’ education.

 

Article III. Purpose and Objectives

The MJPS School Council is an advisory body and will: 

  • Provide a forum for communication among partners.
  • Focus on the best interests of all students.
  • Develop additional resources to supplement those available
  • Support school improvement initiatives

 

Article IV. Procedures and Operating Guidelines

The operational procedures of this council are outlined in YRDSB Procedure #262. 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 V. Membership

There shall be no more than one member on the school council from any one household.

Section 5.01

Number of Parent Members The School Council shall endeavour to maintain the number of parents to keep it well represented and its function efficient.

Section 5.02

 Number of Community Representatives

Section 5.03 Other Members

Other members such as teacher representatives and support staff representatives shall be elected/appointed in accordance with YRDSB Policy #262 but shall not form part of the Number of Parent Members,

Section 5.04 Council Structure

At the first meeting of the year, the Council will elect or appoint the following officers (Note: the officer positions may be co-chaired); 

Voting Members:

  • Chair (executive position) = 1 vote
  • Treasurer (executive position) = 1 vote
  • Secretary (executive position) = 1 vote
  • Communications Officer = 1 vote
  • Volunteer Coordinator = 1 vote
  • Teacher Representative = 1 vote
  • Community Member (optional) = 1 vote
  • Sub-Committee Chairs
  • Student Success = 1 vote
  • Parental and Community Involvement = 1 vote
  • School Climate= 1 vote

 Non-Voting Members: 

  • Principal/Vice Principal
  • Members-at-large 

Members-at-large, The Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary are executive positions of the council. Members holding these executive positions shall declare any potential conflict of interest before taking positions (e.g. school board employees, family members)

Section 5.05

Vacancies In Council

Council vacancies will be filled as soon as possible. Vacancies may be filled by appointment from the Chair. 

Section 5.06

Council Roles and Responsible

Chair/Co-Chair

  • Attend and chair all School Council meetings.
  • Attend Budget Meetings.
  • Set an agenda for all School Council meetings in consultation with the Principal/Vice Principal.
  • Delegate tasks and ensure the completion of objectives.
  • Maintain a liaison relationship with the appropriate YRDSB personnel.
  • Provide financial and budget oversight.

Note: An employee of the York Region District School Board may not hold the position of Chair or Co-Chair.

Treasurer

  • Attend all School Council and Budget planning meetings and/or provide reports.
  • Manage budget planning cycle at the beginning and end of the school year.
  • Recommend policy and procedure towards accountability and transparency.
  • Ensure all monies collected from fundraising activities are secured on school premises.
  • Monitor School Council fiscal budget and oversee expenses with the Sub-Committee Chairs and members of the council.
  • Ensure that monthly financial statements are current.
  • Ensure that all disbursements of funds are accompanied by an authorized Reimbursement Request Form.
  • Ensure proper record-keeping is maintained.

Secretary

  • Attend all School Council meetings.
  • Record meeting minutes (including attendance).
  • Send minutes of meetings to Administration for review.
  • Provide a copy of reviewed minutes to be approved at subsequent meeting.
  • Provide meeting minutes to be posted to the MJPS Web Site.
  • Maintain a record of all minutes.

Communications Officer

  • Coordinate all external communications.
  • Coordinate and ensure production of the School Council newsletter.
  • Maintain School Council Event Calendar.
  • Provide information and recommendations for the School Council website.

Volunteer Coordinator

  • Maintain, promote, and manage the Volunteer list.
  • Co-facilitate the Volunteer Orientation Session with school Administration.
  • Reach out to volunteers on the list for events throughout the year and create a list of available volunteers for each event.

Teaching Representative

  • Help maintain the lines of communication between the teaching staff and Council.
  • Keep the Council up-to-date on teaching issues and school events.

Sub-Committee Chairs

  • Prepare and administer a committee budget, as approved by Council, and provide budget updates to the treasurer.
  • Attend all School Council meetings and/or send sub-committee update reports.
  • Manage and set the direction of the sub-committees objectives in concert with the School Council direction and the needs of the school.
  • Delegate tasks and ensure completion of objectives.
  • Maintain a liaison with School Council Chair and School Administration, as required.

Additional Sub-Committee Responsibilities

Student Success

  • Facilitate, develop, and implement programs which support and enhance the curriculum.
  • Lead programs which support our School Improvement Plan (SIP).

Parental and Community Involvement

  • Facilitate, develop, and implement programs which support parents and the whole community.
  • Lead initiatives to enhance our school grounds.
  • Lead initiatives to strengthen all aspects of communication among partners.
  • Lead initiatives which bring culture and arts to the school.
  • Organize events which bring the community together and/or educate parents.

School Climate

  • Facilitate, develop, and implement programs which support and enhance the school.
  • Lead fundraising initiatives in support of all school initiatives.
  • Lead and organize volunteers in the delivery of catering and/or extracurricular programs.
  • Lead initiatives which address the growth of the school and/or the need for additional resources.

Non-Voting Members

Principal/Vice Principal

  • Implement the processes necessary to establish and maintain the School Council and assist in its operation.
  • Support and promote School Council activities.
  • Act as a resource person to the School Council and assist in obtaining information relevant to the functions of the School Council.
  • Facilitate consultation, at the school level, with the School Council on policies, implementation plans, improvement plans, and other items from time to time as the Board may request.
  • Consider each recommendation made by the Council and advise of any action taken in response to that recommendation.
  • Communicate with the Council.
  • Ensure minutes of the Council meetings are kept at school.
  • Provide for the prompt distribution of memos and correspondence from the Ministry of Education and/or the Board to all Council members.
  • Assist the Council in communication with the school community.
  • Notify and encourage parents at every opportunity to become active.

Member-at-large

  • Attend School Council meetings.
  • Contribute by being a member of record on a sub-committee or may lead an initiative assigned from a sub-committee.

 

Article VI. Elections

Section 6.01 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.

Section 6.02 Election Procedures for Parent Members
  1. Timing of Elections
    • School Council elections shall occur during the first formal School Council meeting and are to be completed within 30 days of the commencement of the school year.
  2. Nomination Process
    • 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.
  3. Voting Rights
    • 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.
  4. Administration Responsibilities
    • Provide nomination forms.
    • Contact nominees to confirm nomination status.
    • Send a nomination form to each family during the first regular week of school.
    • Ensure nomination forms are returned to the school prior to the first School Council meeting.
  5. Communications Officer Responsibilities
    • Ensure that the school community is notified of election procedures and election date(s), location, and time, at least fourteen days in advance of the election.
    • Notify all individuals standing for election of the results before the results are released to the school community.
  6. Secretary Responsibilities
    • Maintain all election results.
  7. Voting Procedures
    • Where there is more than one candidate for a position, secret ballot elections will ensue with all nominees attending the first council meeting.
    • Voting will be conducted among all parents with nomination forms attending the meeting, as required.
    • In the event of a vacant position, the School Council Executive may fill the vacancy by appointment.
Section 6.03 Terms of Office
  • A person elected or appointed as a member of Council holds office from the date of the first meeting of the School Council after the election, until the date of the first meeting of the School Council in the next school year where the new council members are elected.
Section 6.04 Vacancies in Membership
  • A vacancy in the membership of a school council does not prevent the council from exercising its authority.
  • If parent member positions remain vacant on council after the election, the council may appoint parent members.
  • Positions that become vacant due to resignation or removal shall be filled by appointment.

Section 6.05 Resignations

  • Anyone who is a council member, except the principal, may resign his or her position by writing a letter of resignation to the chair.
  • If someone resigns, the position vacated will be filled according to Article 6.04 Vacancies.
Section 6.06 Termination of Membership

Membership on the Council will terminate when a member:

  • Ceases to hold the criteria for representing constituency.
  • No longer has a child enrolled in the school (parent).
  • No longer is employed at the school (employee).
  • Misses more than three consecutive meetings without proper notice to the Chair or principal; and council shall undertake to replace that person according to Article 6.04: Vacancies. Any member subject to removal shall be notified by the Chair, in writing, of the Student Council decision.
  • Submits a letter of resignation to the Chair.

 

Article VII. Meetings

Section 7.01 Timetable of Meetings
  • There will be a minimum of four general and/or executive School Council meetings a school year.
  • A copy of these dates and times will be included in communication(s) to the families of the school and posted on the school website.
  • Special meetings of the Council may be held upon the written request submitted to the School Council Executive.
  • Special meetings shall have a minimum notice of seven days.
  • Sub-Committee meetings will be held as needed.
  • It is recognized that the timetable may change at any time.
  • Additional ad hoc Committees can be established subject to approval of the School Council Executive.
  • A copy of the list of dates and times of meetings will be sent to the local trustee.
Section 7.02 Quorum

A meeting will have quorum if:

  1. The majority of voting council members (see Section 5.04) are present AND the total voting members is equal or greater to 50% +1.
  2. A meeting of council can be held if there is no quorum but all voting will be deferred.
Section 7.03 Decision-Making

The preferred method to resolve issues on council is by consensus. Consensus is a collective opinion or general agreement by ALL the council members. In the case where a decision cannot be reached through consensus, the chair may decide on one of the following:

  • To defer the issue to the next meeting.
  • To defer the issue to a special meeting.
  • To defer the issue to a sub-committee who will report at the next meeting.
  • To have a vote by way of a show of hands or a silent vote by those present in which a two-thirds majority shall carry the vote.
Section 7.04 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.
  • Council members cannot receive any remuneration for their work as a member of Council.
Section 7.05 Conflict Resolution

The Council will undertake to resolve all internal conflicts within its mandate in a timely manner. The Council will abide by any conflict resolution policy issued by the Board.

 

Article VIII. Financial Records

Section 8.01  Signing Authorities
  • The Principal or Vice Principal and one other authorized member of the school staff will be signatories of record.
Section 8.02  Disbursement and Allocation of Money
  • All money must be collected by the end of the school year.
  • The executive will establish a list of ongoing expenditures and yearly priorities towards which funds will be allocated annually by ensuring budget reporting is part of the agenda.
  • Budgets will be completed by the third council meeting of the school year. Each committee chair will be responsible for the creation and administration of their budget component.
  • All expenditures in any amount must submit a request form which will have been reviewed and signed by the school administration. Copies of the forms are to be retained in the school office.
  • All cheques to be signed must be accompanied by a copy of the completed and authorized Michaëlle Jean Reimbursement Request Form.
  • Any request for expenditure that was either not part of the approved operating budget or a request that is in excess of an approved budget line item will require voting approval of Council.
Section 8.03 Bank Account, Annual Auditing and Reviews
  • All school council financials shall follow board policy and procedure regarding accounting/bookkeeping, and are subject to board auditing and review.

 

Article IX. Agendas and Minutes

Section 9.01 Agendas
  • Agenda items should be submitted to the Chair one week prior to the council’s next meeting.
  • The Chair will set the agenda with the principal, prior to the meeting.
Section 9.02 Minutes
  • Minutes shall be posted on the school website after approval at a Council meeting.
  • The Minutes shall include motions, decisions, and actions to be taken.
  • Members of the council must inform the chair if they are going to be absent from a council meeting.

 

Article X. Constitutional Amendments

  • The school council will review the constitution every two years or as the need arises. A sub-committee can perform the review and bring proposed amendments to the school council for voting.
  • Amendments to the constitution must be presented to the council at a regularly scheduled meeting.