To enable school council presidents to test their understanding of the role of the school council president, the requirements for an effective school council meeting, and how to run an effective school council meeting.
Steps
Your council meeting is about to commence. Your membership according to the council constituting Order is fourteen (plus two student members): seven parent members, four Department staff members including the principal, and three community members. Two students members are now on council. Two of your parent members are Department employees and one community position remains unfilled. Present at tonight’s meeting are the principal, three teachers, two community members (including the president), two student members and four parents, one of whom is a Department employee. Do you have a quorum?
One council member continually dominates school council meetings, no matter what item on the agenda is being discussed. You are aware that some other members hardly speak at meetings.
You receive a letter from a parent upset at how the principal has handled a situation that resulted in her son being suspended for three days. The parent believes the suspension was not warranted and the principal was victimising her son. The parent wants this matter raised at school council and plans to attend the next council meeting to see that it is.
Advise the parent that the letter will not be tabled or discussed at school council.
You are about to close the school council meeting when a council member indicates he wishes to have a matter discussed. He starts by saying some parents are concerned about the behaviour of a teacher outside school hours.
Your council has been considering a contentious issue for several meetings. Finally a motion has been put and the voting sees five votes for and five votes against. As president and chair, your vote went for the affirmative. Now what do you do?
The finance sub-committee has recommended that council not renew the council’s contract with the current cleaners. It recommends the school should hire a new cleaner, who is the brother-in-law of the principal.
School council decides it is time to review the school dress code and sets up a working party to consider this. Policy states the community must be consulted on changes to the dress code. How should you proceed?
As president of the school council, you are approached by a small group of staff members who would like to have a discussion with you about the school. You feel this is positive and agree to meet with them. At the meeting the group commences to make direct comments about their dissatisfaction with some teacher colleagues and the principal.
Conclusion
The key points to remember are: