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CATHOLIC SCHOOL COUNCIL
CONSTITUTION
School:_______________
Principal: _____________
Revision Dates
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YCDSB CONSTITUTION
Table of Contents
Preamble 3
Article I - NAME 3
Article II - COUNCIL GOALS 3
Article III - COMPOSITION 4
Article IV - OFFICERS 6
SECTION I - STRUCTURE OF COUNCIL 6
1.1 Elections 6
1.2 Term of Office 7
1.3 Meetings 7
1.4 Quorum 8
1.5 Voting and Decision Making 8
1.6 Vacancies 8
1.7 Attendance 8
1.8 Consultation 9
1.9 Consultation by the Board 9
1.10 Minutes and Financial Records 9
1.11 Annual “Year-End” Report 9
SECTION II - DUTIES OF OFFICERS 9
2.1 Chair/Co-chair 9
2.2 Secretary 10
2.3 Treasurer 10
2.4 Principal 11
2.5 Council Members 11
SECTION III - COMMITTEES 12
BY-LAWS
SECTION IV - CONFLICT OF INTEREST & CONFLICT RESOLUTION 12
SECTION V - FUNDS 12
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YCDSB CONSTITUTION
SECTION VI - EXPENDITURES 12
SECTION VII - AUDITORS 13
SECTION VIII - REMUNERATION 13
SECTION IX - DISSOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL 13
SECTION X- AMENDMENTS 13
APPENDIX “A”
Notice of Election 14
Nomination Form 15
All York Catholic District Schools are expected to review the Constitution at the first meeting after
Catholic School Council elections.
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YCDSB CONSTITUTION
PREAMBLE
The education of our children is a shared responsibility which involves the schools, students and their
families and the Church. The main goal of Catholic School Council is to “promote the best
interests of the School Community”. This Constitution and the following By-laws are drafted in
accordance with the Education Act and Regulations.
The Catholic School Council operating as an advisory council will strive to provide an
opportunity to build community, strengthen the home/school/parish partnership and work together as
a community of believers committed to putting the values of our faith into practice in the education of
our children.
ARTICLE I - NAME
The name of this Catholic School Council is the Catholic School Council,
hereinafter referred to as the “Council”.
ARTICLE II - COUNCIL GOALS
The purpose of school councils is, through active participation of parents, to improve pupil
achievement and to enhance the accountability of the education system to parents [O.Reg. 612/00, S.
2(1)].
A school council’s primary means of achieving its purpose is by making recommendations in
accordance with Ontario Regulation 612/00 to the principal of the school and the Board that
established the council [O. Reg. 612/00, s. 2(2)].
Council members are to maintain a school-wide focus on all issues. Council meetings are not a forum
of discussion about individual parents, students, staff, Trustees or other council members.
The Council will work within the policies, mission statement and goals of the school, the York
Catholic District School Board (Board), hereinafter referred to as the “Board”, and the Education Act
and Regulations. Council is an advisory body. The Council will provide advice to the school principal,
and where appropriate, to the school board on matters such as:
● development/promotion of faith community;
● local school calendar of events;
● school code of conduct behaviour;
● student dress code;
● recruitment of school volunteers;
● parent engagement opportunities;
● curriculum and program goals and priorities;
● the process and criteria applicable to the selection and placement of principals and
vice-principals;
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YCDSB CONSTITUTION
● school budget priorities, including local capital-improvement plans;
● school-community communication strategies;
● school-based services and community partnerships related to social, health, recreational and
nutrition programs;
● local co-ordination of services for children and youth;
● development, implementation, and review of board policies at the local level;
● learning partnerships;
● corporate sponsorships within the parameters established by the Board.
ARTICLE III - COMPOSITION
SCHOOL COUNCIL
(a) All members on a Council are valued and equal partners. Each elected or appointed member
receives one vote.
(i) The principal does not participate in votes taken by the school council or by a
committee of the school council.
(ii) If more than one Parish Representative is designated from the affiliated Parishes, it must be
understood that only one vote is allocated to this position.
(b) The Board encourages all Councils to have student representation.
(c) A school council shall be composed of the following people:
(i) Parent members shall be elected by Parents and Guardians of students enrolled in the
school;
(ii) In the case of a school with one or more secondary school grades, one pupil enrolled in the
school who is appointed by the student council, if the school has a student council, or one
pupil enrolled in the school who is elected in accordance with section 5 of Ontario
Regulation 612/00, if the school does not have a student council. In the case of a school
with no secondary school grades, one pupil enrolled in the school who is appointed by the
principal of the school, if the principal determines, after consulting with other members of
the school council, that the council should include a pupil.
(iii) One teacher who is employed at the school, other than the principal or vice-principal.
(iv) One person who is employed at the school, other than the principal, vice-principal or any
other teacher (i.e.: Secretaries, Custodian Educational Assistants, Educational Intervenors,
Designated Early Childhood Educators, Lunchtime Supervisors, Office Support Workers);
(v) One School Community representative shall be appointed by the Catholic School Council;
(vi) One person appointed by an association that is a member of the Ontario Federation of
Home and School Associations, the Ontario Association of Parents in Catholic Education or
Parent Partenaires en Education, if the association that is a member of the Ontario
Federation of Home and School Associations, the Ontario Association of Parents in
Catholic Education or Parent Partenaires en Education is established in respect of the
school.
(vii) Parish Representative(s) designated by the Parish or Parishes affiliated with the school;
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