Every voice counts: School councils support student success
Workshop materials from March 3, 2008 Tips, tools and techniques: a training evening for school council members
Workshop materials from Oct. 15, 2007 Great Start: an orientation and information evening for school council members
Focused on student success
Every Peel school has a school council--a group focused on helping students succeed. Though Peel schools have long welcomed and encouraged parent involvement, school councils were legislated by the Ontario government in 1996. Schools can have another parent organization, such as a parent-teacher association, in addition to a school council.
Councils offer advice to the school principal on a number of topics. In Peel, most of the work of councils focuses on three main areas: school community communication strategies, ways of responding to parents and the community and school code of behaviour. School councils include parents, school staff, community representatives and, in some cases, students.
We welcome and encourage the participation of parents and community members in our schools, and on councils. In this section, you can find out more about school councils, including how to become a member.
Find out Everything you need to know about school councils including the role of council, the term of office for elected position and more. You can also find out more in Your School Council Guide--a one-stop shop for school council members in Peel. This guide, which is distributed in September, was created at the suggestion of school council members and principals who asked for all the key information they need to be in one place for easy reference. It includes resource materials and templates that council members will find useful.
School council support
The responsibility for school council support is with Communications & Strategic Partnerships and we continue to look for ways to be helpful to councils. We:
- provide school council orientation and training evenings in the fall and spring
- support the meetings of councils at the family of schools level
- answer questions related to school councils
- produce Your School Council Guide annually
- send information to councils
- maintain and update the Peel board website
If you have any questions about school councils, please contact Carla Pereira, communications officer, at 905-890-1010, ext. 2626.
