School Community Council (SCC)

The concept of Shared Governance has been implemented in the Salt Lake City School District since 1973. It was established to enable teachers, staff and community to participate in the decision making process of the school. Shared Governance operates under consensus and is implemented through the School Improvement Council (S.I.C.) and the School Community Council (S.C.C.).

The School Community Council is composed of:

• PTA president and officers
• school administration
• SIC chair and teacher representative(s)
• community representative

The purpose and duties of SCC:
School community councils are responsible for preparing plans that are submitted to the school board for approval. They also should assist, as needed, and provide support for the implementation of the approved plans. School community council members are to represent the group that elected them to the school community council, as they make decisions and bring issues to the school community council for consideration.
They may form subcommittees or task forces to address an issue or project and bring it to the school community council for approval. They are a good resource to school and district administrators in bringing issues of concern forward and in providing feedback, upon request.
The school plans for which the school community council has responsibility for developing are:

• The School Improvement Plan
• The School LAND Trust Plan
• The Reading Achievement Plan (elementary)
• The Child Access Routing Plan (all but high schools)
• They also assist in the development of the Professional Development Plan but this plan is ultimately approved and submitted by staff

Reason for SCC establishment (53G-7-1202): a) involve parents of student in decision making at the school level; b) improve the education of students; c) prudently expending School LAND Trust Program money for the improvement of students’ education through collaboration among parents, school employees and the local school board; and d) increasing public awareness of: i. school trust lands and related land policies; ii. management of the State School Fund established in Utah Constitution Article X, Section V; and iii. educational excellence

Review school-wide assessment data annually to identify critical academic needs and use School LAND Trust Program funds in data-driven and evidence-based ways to improve educational outcomes, consistent with the academic goals of the school’s teacher and student success plan framework and the priorities of the LEA governing board.

Assist in the development and implementation of school plans in accordance with state law, state board rule and district policy: 1. TSSP (School Improvement) (53G-7-1305) 2. Trust LAND Plan (expend these dollars to support a goal in TSSP) (53G-7-1206) 3. School Safety Plan (53G-7-1202(v)(A)(B)) 4. Safe Technology and Digital Citizenship Plan (53G-7-1202(ii)(D); (iii); (iv)) • Provide for education and awareness on safe technology utilization and digital citizenship that empowers: o a student to make smart media and online choices; and o a parent to know how to discuss safe technology use with the parent’s child 5. Positive Behavior Plan (53G-7-1202) (53G-10-407) to address student use of tobacco, alcohol, electronic cigarettes, etc…

Advise & Recommend to school and school district administrators and the local school board regarding: 1. the school & its programs; a. example: school attendance policy 2. school district programs; a. High school councils may (if the SCC chooses) discuss and advise local boards about the possible benefits and consequences of a later start to the school day for high schools. b. school breakfast- may (if the SCC chooses) to advise the local board to opt out of the program 3. a child access routing plan (53G-4-402 (17)(a-d))Elementary and Middle Schools); 4. other issues relating to the community environment for students; ADA Compliant 10/13/20

Partner with the school’s principal and other administrators to ensure that adequate on and off campus Internet filtering is installed and consistently configured to prevent viewing of harmful content by students and school personnel, in accordance with local school board policy and Subsection 53G-7-216(3).

Ensure parents can access information regarding the council and its roles by providing required information on school website. Updated yearly on or before October 20th: 53G-7-1203(6) • Council member names with a direct email, phone number or both (The school email or phone numbers are not acceptable for parent members.) • Proposed meeting schedule for the school year • A report to parents on how the School LAND Trust Program funds were used in the prior year and what was accomplished for students Always on the school website – updated as needed: R277-491-4(2) • Approved council minutes for the current school year (new) • Teacher and Student Success Plan (other information required by 53G-7-1304) • Opportunities provided to parents by serving on the school community council and how parents can directly influence the expenditure of School LAND Trust funds • Dollar amount received by the school each year through the program At least one week before each school community council meeting: 53G-7-1203(5) • Notice of the time, place and date of the meeting • Meeting agenda • Draft minutes of the previous meeting Always on the school website, updated as needed, with a copy at every meeting 53G-7- 1203(10) • Rules of order and procedure the council uses to conduct meetings R277-491-6 There is a Rules of Order and Procedure template on https://schools.utah.gov/schoollandtrust/councils . If a district has in place a process for electronic voting, the website will include: R277- 491-3 • Directions for electronic voting to elect parents for the school community council • How a parent may vote by paper ballot, if preferred.

Rules of Order and Procedure

This TEMPLATE was developed at the request of schools and districts to assist School Community Councils and elected Charter Trust Lands Councils adopt Rules of Order and Procedure as required (53G-7-1203(10)).  The template should be reviewed and amended by councils to meet their needs or councils may develop their own.

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. (required)

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, will be posted on the school website and made available in the main office.  The agenda will include the date, time and location of the meeting. (required)

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

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 timeline will assist in preparation of agendas to be sure the council accomplishes their work in a timely manner. (best practice – example on www.SchoolLANDTrust.org/timelinesdue-date/)

The council consists of the principal, _____ school employee(s) who is/are elected in even years, _____ school employee(s) who is/are elected in odd years,  and _____ parent members, half of whom are elected in even years and half in odd years.  In the event there is a tie vote in an election, the principal shall flip a coin to determine the outcome.  (Size of the council should be determined by the council, but councils are required to consist of the principal, at least one school employee, and at least four parents with a two-parent majority on the council. Elections are required to be staggered)

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.

The council must have a quorum to vote (required).  A quorum is equal to a majority of council members.

 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.  (best practice)

The council must determine a procedure for a council member to disclose a conflict of interest if required by the local school board.

Meetings shall be conducted and action taken according to very simplified rules of parliamentary procedure as required in 53G-7-1203(10).  Council actions will be taken by motions and voting with votes and motions recorded in the minutes. (required)

Simple Motions of Parliamentary Procedure

Used by some organizations to assist those new to the process

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.  Then the 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.  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.

• A tie vote is a lost vote.
• Most motions are main motions.  A main motion may be amended.
• 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.”  This requires a second and a 2/3 vote.
• Hasty action may be corrected by use of the motion to reconsider. This motion may be made only
  by one who voted on the prevailing side.
• A person who made the motion may withdraw the same motion.

Current and Previous Reports

Click Whittier Land Trust and SCC information  to view reports about how much School LAND Trust funding was received, how they were used and what was accomplished for students.