School Site Council Bylaws
San Diego Unified School District
Willard B. Hage Elementary School
School Site Council
Bylaws
Miss ion Statement
Improve student achievement by supporting teaching and learning in the classroom and community through teamwork and collaboration.
Article I
Name of Council
The name of the governance shall be the Willard B. Hage School Site Council. The term, council, shall be associated with School Site Council or SSC.
Article II
Role of the Council
The Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA) including a budget, shall be developed, monitored and recommended by the School Site council. The School Site Council, following approval of the Single Plan for Student Achievement by the school district's governing board, shall have ongoing responsibility to review with the principal, teachers, other personnel and community members the implementation of the SPSA and to assess annually the effectiveness of the plan. Modifications or any improvement of the plan or budget shall be developed, recommended, and approved or disapproved in the same manner. The council shall carry out all other duties and responsibilities assigned to it in the Education Code of the State of California - Section 52853.
The primary purpose of the Willard B. Hage School Site Council is to provide all stakeholders involvement in a governance system and ensure student learning and achievement through quality teaching and learning.
Article III
Membership
Section 1 - Size and Composition
The School Site Council shall be composed of (10) members. Representation on the council shall be: the principal (1), representatives of teachers selected by teachers at the school (3), parents of students attending the school selected by such parents, and community members selected by parents of students attending the school (5), representative of the classified employees (1). The council shall be constituted to ensure parity between (a) the principal, classroom teachers, classified representative; and (b) equal numbers of parents and community members. Classroom teachers shall constitute the majority of those persons representing school staff. Council members representing parents and/or community members may be employees of the school district, but may not serve as a parent representative at the site of employment.
Section 2- Election Procedures
Selection Process-General Election
- Parent Constituent Groups
- Parents may nominate or self-nominate
- In the general election of the parents at large, ballots will be sent home with the children; ballots will be returned within 7 calendar days to the child's classroom teacher or to the office. Ballots will be counted by 3 current members; the candidates will be notified by telephone; a notice of the newly elected member will be published.
- Elections will be held in September/October for parent/community and teacher representatives.
- The chair and recorder will be elected by the members at the first meeting of their term of office. Principal will serve as co-chair.
Section 3 - Term of Office
It shall be the duty of all council members to attend all regular and special School Site Council meetings. Members have the responsibility to meet with their respective groups to ensure that various interests are represented.
Term of Office
A two year term with the option of being re-elected
Terms will go from October to September.
Staggered terms of election shall be maintained.
Section 4 - Voting Rights
Each member shall be entitled to one vote. Only School site Council members shall vote on SSC issues.
Section 5 - Termination of Membership
A member shall no longer hold membership should s/he cease to be a resident of the area or no longer meets the membership requirements under which s/he was selected; e.g., a parent becomes employed by the site. Membership can be terminated for any member who is absent from all regular meetings for a period of two consecutive meetings.
Section 6 - Resignation
Any member may resign by filing a written resignation to the School Site council co-chairpersons.
Section 7 - Vacancy
Any vacancy on the council shall be filled for the remainder of the school year with an appointment by the respective chairperson with input from the constituent group. If the unexpired term is for another full year thereafter, the term for that year shall be filled by the regular selection process.
Section 8 - Member Responsibilities
- Ensure the representation of all constituents (parents, students, classified and certificated staff) in making policies which affect the educational success of Hage students.
- Attend all meetings on time and stay for the duration of the meeting
- Keep an open mind
- Report and communicate with all constituencies through the minutes and/or verbal communication
- Share duties/responsibilities
- Respect others; opinions
- Notify the chairperson prior to any absence
- Come to each meeting prepared to discuss and/or vote on issues published in the agenda prior to the meeting date.
Article IV
Officers
Section 1 - Officers
A chair and recorder will be elected by the School Site Council annually during the first meeting. The election may be held by secret ballot or open court.
The chair, co-chair and recorder will plan the agenda, facilitate meetings, ensure minutes are taken and write a synopsis for the principal to include in the next parent newsletter following the meeting.
The chair will determine if there is a quorum (a minimum of 1 representative from each constituency and at least 8 members present) and if not, cancel the meeting.
The chair will be responsible to work with the council to develop resolution procedures when there is a dispute.
Section 2 - Election and Term of Office
The officers shall be elected annually and shall serve for two years or until each successor has been elected.
Section 3 - Vacancy
A vacancy in any office because of death, resignation, removal, disqualification, or otherwise shall, by special election, be filled by the council for the unexpired portion of the term.
Article V
Communication Process
- The recorder will record and dist4rigute the draft minutes of each meeting within ten working days.
- The minutes will be posted on the community bulletin board.
- Members will actively solicit information from and report back to their constituency. Each member will represent their constituency. Members will report and communicate with all constituencies through the minutes and/or verbal communication.
- Representatives will communicate monthly with their constituents before and after each meeting.
- Written minutes will be kept of each meeting and posted for staff and parents at a specific location at the site accessible to all constituencies. Highlights of the minutes will be written by the chairperson to be included in the principal's bulletins to all parents.
Article VI
Evaluation
Once a year the Willard B. Hage School Site Council will write an evaluation of its accomplishments. This evaluation will be communicated to all the constituents.
After the yearly evaluation or at nay time appropriate during the year, changes to the By-Laws may be proposed by any council member. Changes will be considered only if they increase the effectiveness of the council or are necessary to meet the requirements of state law. Any By-laws changes must be presented annually to the constituencies and can only be considered accepted when voted on and passed by a majority of those constituents who choose to vote. The council may choose to operate on By-Law changes that they have accepted by a majority vote until a vote of the constituencies can occur.
12/06