Site Council ByLaws

Walker Elementary School
Site Council Bylaws
Revised & Approved September 2012

 
 
Meeting Times
The Site Council will meet monthly on the first Tuesday of each month from 3:15 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Walker Elementary School, unless otherwise agreed upon and posted in a timely manner. A calendar of all meeting dates will be published on the school’s master calendar and be available at the beginning of the school year on the web. All Site Council meetings are open meetings.
 
Duties and Responsibilities
The duties of the Walker School Site Council shall encompass the development and coordination of programs under the 21st Century Schools Act which include but are not be limited to:

  • The development of plans, and administration of grants to improve the professional growth of the school’s staff as related to student learning

  • The improvement of the school’s instructional program to ensure success for all students;

Site council duties also include:

  • The development and review of Title One budgets, action plans and activities.

  • Review  grants require site council approval

  • Communicate activities of the council with staff, parents, students, and other district site councils.

Team Members
The Site Council at Walker Elementary School strives to consist of not more than half the members as staff and not more than half the members as parents/guardians of children attending Walker Elementary School. At least one member shall be a classified employee. One member shall be the building principal or designee.
 
Member Selection
All members shall serve voluntarily without pay. Members will be selected in the fall at the first meetings of the year.
 
Teachers shall be selected by the licensed Walker staff.
Classified employees shall be selected by their peers.
Parents/Guardians of children attending Walker Elementary School will be selected by their peers at a PTO meeting. Site Council parent representative will report to PTO monthly.
 
If no parent, teacher or classified employee representatives volunteers, the site council has the ability to appoint members who agree to serve.
 
Terms of Office
Teachers, classified, and parents/guardians shall serve three years on the site council. Site Council member terms will begin and end in staggered years so not all parents, teachers or other staff begins new in one given year. The Site Council will review at the end of each school year the effectiveness of the team, and use the consensus model to make recommendations for the continuing membership.
 
Early Vacancies
In the event a Site Council position is vacated during the school year, the position may be filled by appointment of the council to serve the remainder of the term vacated.
 
Site Council Duties
While the site council is a collaborative group the following roles will be agreed to at the beginning of the school year by the council:

  • Facilitator (set agendas and facilitate meetings)

  • Recorder

Each meeting the following roles will also be assigned:

  • Process Observer/Time Keeper

Procedures for Meetings

  • Agendas will be set at the end of each meeting.

  • Each agenda will begin with a report of the current activities that address the School Improvement Plan action items.

  • New Business items may be submitted to the Facilitator a minimum of two days prior the next scheduled Site Council Meeting. New business may be submitted in person during the New Business section of the Site Council Meeting. The Site Council will determine when or if it will be discussed at a future Site Council meeting.

Consensus
The Site Council will use a consensus model for decision-making. In the event of an impasse, a vote will be called and the majority will pass. A quorum equals 50% plus 1 or 60% of the members. Members agree that if a member is dissatisfied with any activity of the group or the process of the council they will report the reasons for dissatisfaction directly to the group rather than caucus outside the group. Members of the council can report on or answer questions concerning team decisions but opinions should not be linked to individuals or interest groups. Individual ideas, opinions and feelings expressed are always kept confidential by team and visitors alike.
 
Minutes
A summary of all Walker Elementary Site Council meeting minutes will be posted on the Walker School website. A report of site council activities will be given at each monthly PTO meeting.
 
Amendments
The bylaws may be amended or revised by consensus of all the members present at a meeting designated for that purpose. Copies of proposed amendments shall be given to members in writing one month prior to the meeting.