Dear Ward 9 School Council Chairs/Co-Chairs:
We hope this email finds you well. As leaders in your parent communities, we thank you for all the support you have provided to your school communities during the pandemic. We know that much of this work has been done without any firm guidance to School Councils as to how they should operate going forward.
We're pleased to report there are now operational guidelines for School Councils at the TDSB. The below communication from Interim Associate Director Karen Falconer was informed by PIAC, which includes parent representatives from all wards in the TDSB. We hope this helps guide your School Council operations this year, with specific reference to communications, meetings, elections and fundraising.
An important point many of you have wondered about is whether School Councils can include parents with children in virtual learning at the TDSB. After conversations with the Ministry, it has been confirmed that they can participate in their school council. In fact, having a strong contingent of virtual and in-school parents on School Council will be important to help create a strong sense of school community during this period.
We will continue to work with our Trustee for Ward 9, Stephanie Donaldson, to communicate important information as it becomes available. As your PIAC representatives, we are always interested in learning how we can best advocate for School Councils in Ward 9. Please feel free to reach out to us directly at PIAC.Ward09@tdsb.on.ca, or to our personal emails - andrew.waters.piac@gmail.com orcecile.farnum@gmail.com
Andrew Waters and Cecile Farnum, Ward 9 PIAC Reps
“School Council Operations - COVID-19 Reopening
Parent/Caregiver engagement and partnership remains a high priority for TDSB schools.
As the TDSB implements the return to school plan, staff is focusing collective efforts on the continuation of learning and the well-being of students and staff while doing our best to stay connected to family/caregivers and School Councils.
We recognize that it is not business as usual for anyone and that some families may face barriers to their participation in School Council meetings and other activities. We must try to balance these different realities in our approach as School Councils engage in activities this school year.
TDSB staff and the Parent and Community Engagement Office (PCEO) acknowledge the work of the Parent Involvement Advisory Committee (PIAC) in supporting School Councils and schools in developing a common understanding and direction of School Council continuation and operations.
With these important considerations in mind, the following protocols are effective immediately for School Councils:
Communication
SC Messenger and ZOOM will be provided by TDSB during the month of September for School Councils to enable School Council Chairs/Co-Chairs/Vice Chairs an opportunity to become oriented with the tools;
§ Protocols for School Messenger usage by School Councils will be posted on the Principal’s page under Parent and Community Engagement;
§ Principals will continue to facilitate School Council meetings using Google or Zoom. Councils will use the School Council Zoom account to facilitate executive, working group meetings as well as for community networking.
Meetings
School Council executive and working group meetings may be held;
School Council meetings may be held or postponed until October, 2020;
The existing School Council membership remains in office until the date of the first meeting of the School Council after the elections (under Education Act, O. Reg. 612/00: School Councils and Parent Involvement Committees);
School Council meetings should be held virtually given the new protocols on numbers allowed to meet in person. Further guidelines will follow.
Elections
With 14 days’ notice, elections of parent members of School Council will be held within 30 days after school re-opening, which will be by the week of October 19, 2020 where feasible;
§ Virtual school parents/caregivers are eligible to be members of their home School Council. They are eligible to hold executive positions (e.g. voting membership, chair, etc.);
§ All other election/appointment of School Council non-parent/caregiver members may be held in the same timeline;
§ Notifications for Council elections and nominations process may now begin;
§ Schools are required to ensure that all families are informed of the School Council elections. Notice may be provided via School Messenger (phone/e-mail, virtual school newsletters, posting on website, flyers posted on school door or fence etc.). All efforts possible to notify parent/caregivers must be made although the challenges of the current Covid context may preclude paper distributions to students;
§ Election notification must include a nomination form (Virtual School) or email/call-in nomination process with set date/time for the opening and the closing of nominations, date/time of the elections and the process for casting ballots.
Fundraising
All School Council fundraising except for the School Cash Online and online donation module and in-kind donations in compliance with TDSB fundraising policies and procedures, will be postponed until November 1, 2020. Information on cash online donation can be found at: https://tdsb.schoolcashonline.com/Fee/Details/457/153/false/true;
For safety reasons, TDSB cannot allow fundraising for HEPA air filters; HVAC related items. The rentals and or purchase of tents is also not permissible at this time;
It is important to note that the TDSB has been working over the summer to review building ventilation and filtration systems and is implementing a number of strategies to improve ventilation in our schools and to increase the volume of fresh air to the maximum extent possible;
We continue to follow our practice which prohibits fundraising for anything the government would typically cover. In the coming weeks, we will be providing additional guidelines to help support schools and School Councils with regards to fundraising.
During these unprecedented times, we are called upon to act and to pivot where necessary to respond to our changing environment.
School Councils are an excellent way for you to get involved in your child’s education. Every TDSB school has an elected School Council. Your School Council is an important forum for involving parents/family and community in matters that impact the education of students.”