Join a school council

The Public Schools Branch of Department of Education leads most school councils.

The Commission scolaire francophone du Yukon (CSFY) leads the French First language schools:

• École Émilie-Tremblay; and
• Académie Parhélie.

The Department of Education funds school councils and CSFY. The duties and powers of school councils are described in sections of the Education Act, primarily Section 113.

These include:

• reviewing and approving school growth plans;
• reviewing and developing school-based policies such as:
  • dispute resolution;
  • attendance; and
  • discipline policies;
• participating in hiring school principals;
• making recommendations on how school budgets are spent; and
• advising on matters such as:
  • length of the school years;
  • staffing needs;
  • school renovations;
  • school programming;
  • discipline policies;
  • student transportation; and
  • proposing locally developed courses.

Protecting privacy

School council members are bound by an oath of confidentiality. They must not reveal personal information about staff or students. Sometimes meetings must be closed to the public to protect personal information.

To find a school council, visit the school's website. Find a school website on our Find a school webpage.

 

 

The school council liaison provides support to school councils.

• Providing information and advice about school council to members and to the public on:
  • mandates;
  • responsibilities;
  • policies; and
  • procedures.
• Helping with problem-solving.
• Training school council members.
• Supporting recruitment between general school council elections.
• Coordinating and managing annual school council conferences.
• Working with school councils on the annual school calendars.
• Working with Yukon First Nations on the appointments of guaranteed representatives.
• Researching issues and developing and proposing policies as requested by school councils.

School administrators and superintendents also support school councils.

The Department of Education provides resource materials and offers professional development opportunities such as:

• conferences;
• workshops; and
• training to school councils.

 

These associations also support school councils:

• Association of Yukon School Councils, Boards and Committees; and
• Catholic Education Association of Yukon.

Roles and responsibilities

• Role of the chair.
• Role of the secretary-treasurer.
• The sample job description of secretary-treasurer.
• Role of the Department of Education School Council Liaison.
• Role of Association of Yukon School Councils, Boards and Committees (AYSCBC).

Rules and regulations

Much of a school council’s work is described in acts, regulations and policies.

• Policies and legislation web pages.
• Regulations under the Education Act.
• School council monthly planning calendar.

Financial information and reporting

School councils are legally required to report on the funds they receive from the government. The Education Act sets out how councils can use their funds. Councils conduct banking arrangements, pay their accounts and report on an annual basis how they used the funds.

• How to complete School Council income statement-financial reporting template.
• School Councils and school board operating grants regulation.
• Financial statement template.
• School supply reporting template.
• Synoptic journal.
• Synoptic journal examples.

Honoraria

School council members may receive honoraria for the meetings they attend. Canada Revenue Agency considers honoraria a taxable benefit. School council members may choose to donate their honoraria to their schools or school councils.

• Year-end honoraria information template.
• Instructions for handling T4A information.
• T4A information for members to provide to the department.
• The template required for school council members to donate honoraria to school.
• The template required for school council members to donate honoraria to school council.

Oaths, ethics and code of conduct

New school council members need to make an oath or declaration when they are:

• elected;
• acclaimed; or
• appointed.

 

Secretary-treasurers who are hired by a school council must:

• swear an oath; or
• make a declaration of non-disclosure (to protect privacy).

New Whitehorse councillors may be invited to come to the Department of Education to swear their oaths.

Outside Whitehorse, councillors can swear an oath in their communities.

1. Fill in 1 of these oath forms.
   • Oath of office for Yukon School Council member;
   • Oath or declaration of non-disclosure for School Council member; or
   • Oath or declaration of non-disclosure for School Council secretary-treasurer.
2. Take it to a local notary.
3. Swear the oath.
4. Send the notarized form to our offices.
   Email: lori.choquette@gov.yk.ca
   Fax: 867-393-6339
   Mail:
   Government of Yukon
   Public Schools (E-1)
   Box 2703, 
   Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 2C6

Protection from liability

Section 194 of the Education Act protects school council members from legal liability, when they:

• are legally exercising their powers; and
• in a way that is not negligent.

 

Negligence normally refers to:

• acts that are willfully intended to harm;
• acts that members should reasonably expect would cause harm; and
• willfully ignoring a situation that would likely cause harm.

To be negligent, harm has to actually occur to a person.

Eligibility for school council membership

You are eligible to serve on a school council if you are a Canadian citizen, at least 18 years old and:

• you have lived in the school’s attendance area for at least 3 months; or
• you are the parent of a child who attends the school.

According to Section 151 of the Education Act, you cannot serve on a school council if you work in the school.

Run for election to a school council

You can be elected to a school council. To run in an election, you have to get nomination signatures from at least 3 people who are qualified to vote in the election.

Elections are held:

• every 2 years;
• in even-numbered years; and
• in the spring.

Visit the Elections Yukon website for more information about school council elections.

Filling vacancies on a school council

Under Section 108 of the Education Act:

• a school council can recommend a person fill a vacancy;
• the Minister of Education can appoint a person recommended by the council; or
• the Minister can call a by-election to fill the vacancy.

Guaranteed representation for Yukon First Nations

Section 68 of the Education Act provides for guaranteed representation of Yukon First Nations on School Councils. To find out more about these positions, contact:

• your local principal Find a school;
• the school council;
• a First Nations' office; or
• the school council liaison at the Department of Education lori.choquette@gov.yk.ca.

Disqualification of council members

Section 151 of the Education Act says that a person is no longer qualified and forfeits their seat on a council when they:

• are absent from 3 meetings in a row without authorization;
• are no longer an elector in the attendance area (i.e., moves away);
• use information gained as a council member for financial gain;
• are a judge other than a justice of the peace or youth court; and
• are employed in a school operated by the school council, with the exception of a secretary-treasurer of a school council.

If a member has a financial interest in a matter before the council, the member is has to:

• disclose the interest before the discussion in council;
• not vote on any question relating to the matter;
• not discus the matter; and
• leave the room until after the discussion and voting are finished.

Members who break these rules:

• are no longer qualified; and
• forfeit their seat on the council.

Any person can apply to the court to determine if a member is qualified to remain on the council. The Education Act describes the process in detail.

Building relationships with your council and community

Invest time to develop good working relationships in your school community. These documents can give you ideas:

• Building Relationships with and Engagement of Parents, Families and Community;
• sample Developing Norms exercise;
• sample Selkirk Elementary Developing Norms for Council Meetings;
• sample Developing Norms worksheet; and
• sample Norms of National Staff Development Council Board of Trustees and Staff.

Holding effective meetings

Tips to help councils hold effective meetings and keep meaningful records:

• how to run meetings;
• school council's annual general meeting (AGM);
• record of meetings (minutes);
• simplified rules of order; and
• sample minutes, École Whitehorse Elementary.

Policy development

The Department of Education policies provide guidance for school-based policies. Here are some guides and examples to help councils develop policies:

• Policy Development Process;
• sample Hidden Valley School Council Dispute Resolution Procedures;
• sample Christ the King (CKES) school council policy on resolving an issue or dispute; and
• sample Hidden Valley School Nutrition Policy and Guidelines.

School staff hiring and performance review

School councils have a role in evaluating principals. They may provide a recommendation to the superintendent for teachers, principals or other employees in the school on:

• dismissal;
• transfer;
• discipline; or
• demotion.

To learn more:

• read Education Act, Section 113; and
• visit the Educator evaluation webpage.

School growth process

The purpose of the school growth process is to improve the success of each Yukon learner.

School staff, school councils, parents, Yukon First Nations, Elders and students are involved in:

• planning;
• determining appropriate actions to achieve goals; and
• monitoring progress.