Last modified: December 17, 2024

Community Council Rules and Procedures

A School Community Council (SCC) is established in each school to provide a cooperative means of improving the educational programs and conditions within that school. Its membership should represent school employees and parents or guardians of students. Ideas for discussion topics may be generated by any individual or group in the school community.

Rules of Order and Procedure

To promote ethical behavior and civil discourse each council member shall:

• Attend council meetings on time and prepared
• Make decisions with the needs of students as the main objective
• Listen to and value diverse opinions
• Be sure the opinions of those you represent are included in discussions
• Expect accountability and be prepared to be accountable
• Act with integrity

Rules of Procedure

All meetings are open to the public and the public is welcome to attend.

The agenda of each upcoming meeting with draft minutes of the prior meeting will be made available to all council members at least one week in advance and will be posted on the school website. The agenda will include the date, time and location of the meeting.

Minutes will be kept of all meetings, prepared in draft format for approval at the next scheduled meeting.

The council will prepare a timeline for the school year that includes due dates for all required reporting and other activities/tasks that the council agrees to assume or participate in. The following timeline will assist in preparation of agendas to be sure the council accomplishes their work in a timely manner. The suggested timeline is as follows:

• August/September: Elections, Vice-chair election, meeting calendar, welcome new members, clarify role of Community Council, report on last year’s plan.
• October: Ratify timeline and procedures
• November: Data
• December: Data
• January: Brainstorm Plan
• February: Draft Plan
• March: Finalize draft for District School Board
• April: Revise plan as directed by School Board and submit to the State

The council consists of two school employee members including the principal and four parent members. In the event there is a tie vote in an election, the principal shall flip a coin to determine the outcome; ‘heads’ belongs to the candidate whose last name comes first in the alphabet and ‘tails’ belongs to the candidate whose last name comes later in the alphabet.

Elections will be held once annually at the beginning of the school year.

Concerns

• Anonymity: Fair election while ensuring one vote per voter
• Representation: Everyone has the ability to vote but can’t include those not connected to Westridge, etc.
• Representation: Everyone has the ability to vote even if they don’t have transportation to the school or access to the internet.
• Security: Who tallies the votes? How do we ensure impartiality?
• Length of time: hours?

Notification of election will be announced 10 days prior to the election (required). Parent/guardians who are interested in becoming a candidate must complete a candidate form (suggested).

Nominations will be due 3 days prior to the election (suggested). Chair, Principal and Secretary will meet to create the ballot or certify that there are no more nominees than vacancies on the council, at which point no election is required and the nominees are appointed to the council.

In the case of a resigned council seat, the remaining members of that represented body of the council (i.e., parents or school employees) will vote to appoint a replacement for the duration of the vacated seat.

The council must have a quorum to vote (required). If a parent member is absent from two consecutive meetings, the chair will notify the member that if the member does not attend the next meeting, the council will consider the seat vacant and the remaining parent members will appoint a parent to fill the unexpired term.

The chair conducts the meetings (required), makes assignments and requests reports on assignments. In the absence of the chair the vice-chair shall conduct meetings.

Meetings shall be conducted and action taken according to very simplified rules of parliamentary procedure as required in 53A-1a-108.1(9)(i). Items on the agenda take priority over other discussions coming before the council. Action of the council will be taken by motions and voting. e motions and voting are recorded in the minutes.

A motion (or an action to be taken by the council) is stated as a motion. Someone else on the council “seconds” the motion indicating that at least one other person on the council feels the motion is worthy of discussion. Council members may provide input and discussion as called upon by the chair. When discussion seems complete the chair may call for a vote on the motion. Or when a member of the council “calls the previous question” (a motion to end discussion of the first motion), a second is required and then, without discussion the chair calls for a vote that must pass by 2/3. If the vote on the previous question fails the council goes back to discussing the first motion. If the motion to call the previous question passes, the chair directly calls for a vote on the first motion. A vote to call the previous question is usually used to move business along.

Below is a chart that could be used if the council feels they would like to use additional motions of Parliamentary Procedure in their meetings.

Simple Motions of Parliamentary Procedure

•  A tie vote is a lost vote.
• A main motion may be amended.
• Nominations can be closed by saying, “I move to close nominations.”
• Most motions are main motions.
• A point of order is offered when there is some question if procedure had been followed correctly.
• To stop debate or discussion on a motion and force the vote a member would say, “I move the previous question.” is requires a second and a 2/3 vote.
• Hasty action may be corrected by use of the motion to reconsider. is motion may be made only by one who voted on the prevailing side.
• A person who made the motion may withdraw the same motion.