Procedure

Procedure 10300.1 - Parents' Advisory Councils

1. SCHOOL PARENTS’ ADVISORY COUNCILS

1.1.

Establishment of School Parents’ Advisory Councils

a)	Parents of students attending a school in the district wishing to establish a school parents’ advisory council shall apply to the board to establish such an advisory council. Applications to the board shall be made through the office of the Secretary-Treasurer.
b)	On receipt of such application the board will recognize the establishment of a parents’ advisory council for that school.
c)	There shall be only one parents’ advisory council for each school in the district as per the School Act.

1.2.

Function of School Parents’ Advisory Councils

a)	Section 8(5) of the School Act mandates the required bylaws of Council meetings and how to conduct its business affairs including elections and dissolution.
b)	The constitution and bylaws of every parents’ advisory council shall be filed with the board.
c)	A school parents’ advisory council through its elected officers may advise the board and the principal and staff at the school respecting any matter relating to the school.
d)	Notwithstanding 1.2 c) above, school parents’ advisory councils should not discuss individual school personnel, students, parents or other members of the school community.
e)	Minutes of meetings should be kept and copies of the minutes of meetings are to be retained on file and be available to members of the school community.

1.3.

Funding of School Parents’ Advisory Councils

a)	Annually the board will provide funding to duly established parents’ advisory councils to support its activities. The amount will be determined annually.
b)	Individual school parents’ advisory councils will use the money provided to support its activities consistent with its constitution and bylaws, as amended, and as approved from time to time by its membership.

2. SURREY DISTRICT #36 PARENT ADVISORY COUNCIL (DPAC)

2.1.

District Parent Advisory Council Membership

The board recognizes DPAC as representing individual school parents’ advisory councils. Such recognition is subject to the understanding that:

a)	Membership and participation in DPAC and its activities is open to all parents’ advisory councils established pursuant to this policy and, as per the School Act.
b)	Each parents’ advisory council may elect annually one of its members to be a representative on DPAC for a term of not more than one year.
c)	Minutes of DPAC meetings will be provided to the board and kept on file in the Office of the Secretary-Treasurer.
d)	The superintendent of schools or designate, and/or a trustee may attend any meeting of DPAC.

2.2.

District Parent Advisory Council Function

The stated objective of DPAC is to encourage cooperation and communication among parents, students, educators and school district appointed and elected representatives. In meeting this objective DPAC, as the recognized district representative group, shall:

a)	Promote the interests of the public school system throughout the district.
b)	Liaise with the board, district staff assigned this responsibility by the board or the superintendent, and other partner groups.
c)	Liaise with the British Columbia Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils.
d)	Provide a vehicle for communication among parents’ advisory councils and provide assistance to councils as requested.

2.3.

Board Support for the District Parent Advisory Council

a)	The board shall provide meeting space for DPAC meetings free of charge for up to two meetings a month.
b)	The board shall provide access to reprographic services to support the publication of newsletters and other materials and seek cost recovery from DPAC for such use.
c)	The board shall provide access to the school district courier system to DPAC to enable them to distribute mail to and from schools and district offices.
d)	The board will provide funding to DPAC to support its activities. The amount will be determined annually.

3. DISTRICT COMMITTEES THAT INCLUDE PARENT MEMBERS

3.1.

District committees that call for parent members will include the following:

a)	One or more representatives appointed by DPAC.
b)	One or more members of the parents’ advisory council where the district committee’s mandate deals with a program or service that is located at a specific school.
c)	Other parent representatives as determined by the board’s terms of reference for a specific district committee.

3.2.

DPAC shall appoint representatives to district committees for a one-year term.

3.3.

Where applicable, the parents’ advisory council shall appoint representatives to district committees for a one-year term.

3.4.

Where possible, appointments should be made by September 30 of each year.

3.5.

With DPAC’s endorsement, a PAC representative may also serve as the DPAC representative on district committees.

4. REFERENCES AND RELATED DOCUMENTS

4.1.	School Act

5. AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITY

5.1.	Superintendent of Schools
5.2.	Secretary-Treasurer

6. HISTORY

Revised:	2023-09-18
Approved:	2018-11-21