Welcome Principals School Council Training Agenda v Why

Welcome Principals School Council Training

Agenda v Why School Councils? Who Are School Councils? What Shall School Councils Do? When & Where Shall School Councils Meet? How Shall School Councils Work? Other Legal Issues? How Will School Councils Work Together? What To Do First? Questions? v Adjourn v v v v 2

Why? Why School Councils?

School Councils Working Together to Improve Student Learning! 4

Intent of School Councils v v v v Bring Communities & Schools Together Solve Difficult Education Problems Improve Academic Achievement Provide Support for Teachers & Administrators Bring Parents into the Process Assist Local Boards Create Understanding & Mutual Respect Share Ideas for School Improvement O. C. G. A. 20 -2 -85 (a) – Page 15 5

Accountability to the Constituents v v v Maintain School-Wide Perspective Participate in Council Meetings Participate in Information & Training Sessions Act as a Link Between Council & Community Encourage Participation Work to Improve Student Achievement & Performance O. C. G. A. 20 -2 -86 (k) – Page 17, 18 6

Who? Who Are School Councils? 7

School Council Members ü Composition & Membership O. C. G. A. 20 -2 -86 (c) - Page 16 O. C. G. A. 20 -2 -86 (d) – Page 16 ü Term for Council Members (staggered terms (e)? ) O. C. G. A. 20 -2 -86 (e) – Page 16 O. C. G. A. 20 -2 -86 (n) – Page 18 ü Office Vacated O. C. G. A. 20 -2 -86 (c) – Page 16 O. C. G. A. 20 -2 -86 (e) – Page 16, 17 8

Election of Members & Officers ü Election & Selection of Members ü (August instead of May? ) O. C. G. A. 20 -2 -86 (g) – Page 17 O. C. G. A. 20 -2 -86 (d) – Page 16 Page 40 -42 ü Officers of the Council O. C. G. A. 20 -2 -86 (d) – Page 16 O. C. G. A. 20 -2 -86 (j) – Page 17 Pages 23 - 26 9

What? What Shall School Councils Do? 10

School Councils Working Together to Improve Student Learning! 11

Roles & Responsibilities Ø Relationships Among … O. C. G. A. 20 -2 -85 (b) – Page 15 Ø School Council Ø Principal O. C. G. A. 20 -2 -86 (s) – Page 20 (Delete section s)? Page 21, 22 O. C. G. A. 20 -2 -86 (r) – Page 18, 19 Page 23, 24 Ø Board of Education O. C. G. A. 20 -2 -86 (p) & (q) – Page 18 Page 27, 28 12

Roles & Responsibilities Relationships Federal DOE PTA State DOE GGA Court Cases Supreme Court Others Local School Boards Teachers OEA Councils Superintendent Parents Community Principal STUDENTS 13

Authority of Council Ø Appoint Committees, Use Advisory Groups O. C. G. A. 20 -2 -86 (o) – Page 18 Ø Appoint Business Person O. C. G. A. 20 -2 -86 (d) (2) – Page 16 Ø Withdraw Member Due to Inactivity Ø OEA Audits O. C. G. A. 20 -2 -86 (c) – Page 16 O. C. G. A. 20 -14 -35 & 36 – Pages 152 & 153 Ø Distribute School Awards 153, 154 O. C. G. A. 20 -14 -38 – Page Ø State Board Interventions O. C. G. A. 20 -14 -41 – Page 154 -156 14

Focus on Student Achievement & School Improvement ü Review & Discuss… • Analyses of Available Test Data • Analyses of Other Available Data • School Improvement Goals & Plan • Improvement Initiatives & Grants • QBE Goals & Objectives • Indicators of Quality Learning by OEA ü Make Recommendations for Improvement Pages 102, 103, 128 - 130 15

When & Where? When & Where Shall School Councils Work? 16

Meetings & Training n Monthly Meetings (Quarterly minimum? ) O. C. G. A. 20 -2 -86 (f) – Page 17 n n Training O. C. G. A. 20 -2 -86 (b) – Page 15, 16 Remuneration O. C. G. A. 20 -2 -86 (f) – Page 17 17

How? How Shall School Councils Work? 18

Bylaws n Bylaws of the Council O. C. G. A. 20 -2 -86 (h) – Page 17 O. C. G. A. 20 -2 -86 (c) – Page 16 19

Quorum, Majority & Voting Ø Ø Ø Quorum O. C. G. A. 20 -2 -86 (d) – Page 16 O. C. G. A. 20 -2 -86 (f) – Page 17 O. C. G. A. 20 -2 -86 (m) – Page 18 Majority O. C. G. A. 20 -2 -86 (d) – Page 16 O. C. G. A. 20 -2 -86 (m) – Page 18 Voting § O. C. G. A. 20 -2 -86 (m) – Page 18 O. C. G. A. 20 -2 -86 (f) – Page 17 O. C. G. A. 20 -2 -86 (c) – Page 16 O. C. G. A. 20 -2 -86 (j) (3) – Page 17 20

Parliamentary Procedure v Definitions v Motions v Debating a Motion v Voting Page 50 -52 21

Agenda & Minutes z z Agenda Minutes O. C. G. A. 20 -2 -86 (r) (1) – Page 18, 19 O. C. G. A. 20 -2 -86 (r) (6) – Page 19 O. C. G. A. 50 -14 -1 (e) (1) – Page 58, 59 Page 87 O. C. G. A. 20 -2 -86 (l) – Page 18 O. C. G. A. 20 -2 -86 (j) (3) – Page 17 O. C. G. A. 50 -14 -1 (e) (2) – Page 59 Page 89 -91 22

What Will Meetings “Look Like? ” üMeeting Ambiance üRoom Arrangement üProtocol üDecorum üVisitors 23

Immunity § Immunity O. C. G. A. 20 -2 -86 (i) – Page 17 24

Other Legal Issues? Open Meetings Act v Open Records Act v Confidentiality v 25

Open Meetings Act v. Meetings v. Notices v. Agenda v. Minutes v. Executive Session v. Violations of the Act O. C. G. A. 50 -14 -1 - 50 -14 -6 - Page 57 -61 O. C. G. A. 20 -2 -86 (f) - Page 17 Pages 54, 82 - 92 26

Open Records Act Ø Access to Records Ø Copies of Records Ø Time Requirements Ø Confidential Records Ø Violations of the Act O. C. G. A. 50 -18 -70 -- 50 -18 -74 - Page 65 -77 O. C. G. A. 20 -2 -86 (l) - Page 18 Page 62 -64 27

Confidentiality v Student Information O. C. G. A. 20 -2 -720 - Page 109 Pages 105 -108, 110 -124 v Personnel Evaluations O. C. G. A. 20 -2 -210 – Page 125, 126 28

What To Do First? 1. Elect Secretary & Vice Chair 2. Adopt Bylaws 3. Set Yearly Calendar 4. Adopt Code of Ethics 5. Begin Working on … Ø Improving Student Achievement Ø School Improvement Ø Communications with Constituents 6. Prepare Agenda for Next Meeting 7. Review Checklist for Effective Councils 8. Dust-Off Your Leadership & Communication Skills! 29

School Councils … Questions? 30

School Councils Working Together to Improve Student Learning! 31

Questions to Frame the Work 1. What are our students learning? 2. How is my school performing? 3. Does the school organization maximize learning? 4. What are we doing to improve schools for teaching and learning? 32

Fayette County School Councils Congratulations! 33

WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE? School Council Edition

What is the purpose of school councils? A) “…bring parents & B) “…share ideas for community together school improvement…” with teachers & administrators…” C) “…create a better D) All of the above understanding of and mutual respect for…” educators & parents” 35

What is the training requirement for councils? A) Twice per year B) Address laws, organization, rules, purpose, procedures, responsibilities C) Every year in July D) All of the above if members have not been trained 36

What is the composition of school councils? A) 2 parents B) 2 parents 2 teachers 2 board members 1 board member 1 principal 1 business leader C) 2 2 2 1 parents D) 2 parents teachers 2 administrators business leaders 2 business leaders principal 1 board member 37

Who selects the parents on the school councils? A) Teachers & parents of the school B) Principal of the school C) PTA or PTO D) Parents of the school 38

Who selects the business leaders on school councils? A) Board & council B) Principal & board C) Parents D) Principal & teachers 39

Who selects the teachers on the school council? A) Board of education B) Principal of the school C) Teachers of the school D) All school employees 40

What is the term of the school councils? A) 1 year: July - June B) 1 year: August - June C) 2 years: July - June D) 2 years: August - June 41

When is a council member’s office vacated? A) Upon resignation B) Upon removal by the council C) If member no longer meets qualifications D) All of the above 42

What is not required for council meetings? A) Meetings held monthly B) Meetings held at the school C) Quorum must be present to conduct business D) Remuneration determined by board 43

Who are the officers of the council? A) Chair, Vice Chair, B) Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, Treasurer C) Determined by bylaws D) Determined by board 44

Council members shall…? A) Maintain schoolwide perspective B) Participate in information & training programs C) Act as link between councils & community D) All of the above 45

Minutes of the council meetings shall be…? A) Available at the school for public inspection B) Received by council members within 20 days C) Subject to the Open Records Act D) All of the above 46

The board shall…? A) Provide all B) Receive all information recommendations of requested that is not council confidential C) Respond to council D) All of the above recommendations within 60 days after notification 47

What is not a part of process to overturn a council decision? A) Public notice that board will receive recommendations, decisions … B) Council receives 7 days written notice prior to board consideration C) Board shall respond within 30 days D) Majority vote of the board overturns a council decision 48

Who is the chair of the school council? A) Principal B) Determined by majority vote of the council C) Determined by bylaws D) Selected by superintendent 49

What are the duties of the principal? A) Speak for the council before the board of education B) Communicate council requests for information to superintendent C) Serve as chair of D) All of the above the council 50

What is not required of principals? A) Develop agenda for each meeting B) Provide school allotment sheets to council C) Record minutes of D) Convene groups to each meeting select council members 51

Councils provide advice on? A) Use of facilities; budget priorities; school calendar; school profile B) Extracurricular activities; codes of conduct; curriculum C) School board D) All of the above policies; student achievement; early intervention services 52

What is council’s role in the selection of principal? A) None B) Recommend from a list of qualified applicants C) Interview top 5 applicants selected by superintendent D) Screen all applicants and recommend 3 to superintendent 53

Five affirmative votes are required for …? A) Adoption of bylaws B) Changes in bylaws C) Removal of inactive council member D) All of the above 54

Council members are accountable & shall. . . A) Maintain schoolwide perspective B) Participate in meetings & training programs C) Act as a link between school & community D) All of the above 55

Will the council work toward improving student achievement? A) Yes! B) For sure! C) Amen! D) Definitely! 56