Centennial Site Base Council

Policies and Bylaws

Revised: November 2001

Preamble:

This document identifies the basic operating procedures of the Centennial Site Base Council, hereinafter referred to as the "Council". The procedures shall be consistant with applicable policies of the Olympia School District Board of Directors.

Purpose:

Our purpose and task is to develop and adopt, monitor the implementation of, and annually evaluate a student learning enhancement plan which:

• Establishes and/or maintains a positive learning climate which both encourages and supports the academic and social growth of all students and enhances the quality of education at Centennial.
• Establishes and maintains a policy of shared decision-making and governance among all representative groups of the Centennial community.
• Encourages and actively solicits student input through the Centennial Student Council.
• Identifies budget, specific activities, necessary human and material resources which will help enhance student learning at Centennial.
• Actively enlists the support of all representative groups.
• Is consistant with the district's vision, mission, goals, objectives, and strategic plan.

Bylaws:

Membership:

• The Council shall be comprised of seventeen members as follows: the principal, nine school staff, and seven parents/community members.
• Members shall pledge to serve a minimum of two consecutive years on the Council but shall serve no more than four years. Speciality areas of representation such as the Library, Special Services, and other specialized staff members shall not be limited to a four year term since there is limited representation in these areas. The Council shall consider that the school's diversity is adequately reflected, represented, and/or given adequate opportunities for input. The Council shall determine a method for assigning staggered terms of membership for the original members. A plan shall also be developed to ensure a majority of members do not leave the Council at one time. The Council shall discuss plans for the addition of new members for the upcoming year during the month of February.
• The school staff are responsible for selecting or electing staff representatives to the Council. A committee consisting of Booster Club Board representatives, Council representatives, and the principal shall identify and select the parent/community representatives to the Council. Vacancies shall be filled by the selection or election process by the group left under represented. The selection process shall not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, language, income, or marital status.
• In making selections, consideration shall be given to a Council composite that is reflective of the school's diversity. Selection criteria will be established prior to selection.

Officers:

The Council will elect three members each year to serve as chairperson, vicechairperson, and as a recorder. The recorder is responsible for taking notes of Council meetings and distributing the notes to Council members within one week after each meeting.

Committees:

The Council shall form subcommittees as necessary in order to facilitate completion of Council tasks.

Meetings:

The Council shall meet not less than once a month during the school year. The meeting schedule shall be established cooperatively by all members of the Council. All meetings of the Council shall be open to all interested individuals as required under the state's Open Meeting Law (Chapter 42.30 RCW). As agendas will be developed prior to each meeting, non-members may fill out an Agenda Item Consideration Form if they wish to have a topic considered for inclusion on the agenda (this is optional, items may also be brought to the Council directly). Completed forms will be considered by the Council members who will develop a list of upcoming agenda items at the conclusion of each meeting. Visitors who wish to present information to the Council, or address the Council, may do so under the following guidelines:

• Visitors may address the Council for up to 5 minutes (possibly longer if time permits) either at the beginning or end of the meeting.
• The Council maintains the option of tabling any item of discussion brought to the Council by a visitor.
• Visitors are not voting members.
• The chairperson may elect to allow the visitor to address the Council at any point in the discussion.

Agendas:

An agenda for each meeting shall be prepared by the chair in consultation with Council members. Items to be included shall be discussed at the conclusion of each meeting. Members shall also consider any items brought before the Council on an Agenda Item Consideration Form. Any member may place an item on the agenda. The chair shall determine the exact order of the agenda.

The following areas shall not be subject to decisions of the Council unless a waiver has been requested in writing and approved by the district board of directors: transportation route planning; food service planning and purchasing; special education (all legal aspects); legal services; state required testing; personnel such as custodians, food service workers, and other auxiliary staff and their budgets; and the discipline and termination of all employees.

Personnel issues cannot be discussed by the Council.

Quorum:

A quorum of the parent Council members and a quorum of the staff Council members is required for any decisions to be binding.

Decision-making:

Council members are expected to represent the ideas, concerns, and problems of students, parents, teachers, community members and administrator(s) of Centennial Elementary School. Members are expected to state their views on all topics under discussion and to facilatate reaching consensus to encourage the developement of decisions which have the support of most of the school community.

Consensus does not require unanimous agreement but it does require that everyone consents. If a discussion shows that members are clearly in agreement on an issue, the chair may ask if everyone is in agreement. The chair may ask for a determination of those who agree or consent, those who do not agree but will consent, and those who neither agree or consent. The Council recognizes that consensus if all members is the desired goal of discussion. Where consensus cannot be achieved, the chair may ask for a vote by a show of hands. A simple majority of Council members in attendance is required.

The teacher contract specifies that a two-thirds majority of all school staff must support a decision of the Council that affects any major school activity. For purposes of this contractual obligation, "major school activity" shall be defined as any event, activity, purchase, program, or policy change/adaptation/enhancement which directly impacts classroom instruction, learning, and/or working conditions.

Public Communications:

The Council shall develop and implement a communications plan that shares monthly progress and activities of exploration by the Council, and that facilitates obtaining sound input and feedback regarding these endeavors. The Council believes that communication should serve to inform, to advertise, and educate. Communication responsibilities and procedures shall be established and/or reviewed at the beginning of each school year. These procedures shall be one aspect of the evaluation process at the end of the year.

Parents shall be kept apprised of all topics of discussion and/or involved in the decision making process through: Booster Club meetings, a monthly article in an existing newsletter (school or Booster Club), a separate newsletter to be written by parent members of the Council (when needed as determined by the Site Base Council), surveys, and such other means as determined by the Council.

Staff shall be kept apprised of all topics of discussion and/or involved in the decision making process through: work in representative groups, staff meetings, bulletins, and such other means as determined by the Council.

Students shall be kept apprised, as determined by the Council, of all topics of major discussion and/or involved in the decision-making process through the Student Council, as members or visitors on the Site Council, through classroom discussions, and through announcements.

Evaluation:

The Council shall self-evaluate at the end of each school year. The Council shall develop a procedure by which its activities can also be evaluated by staff, parents, and students as appropriate.