Membership & Elections
School Council Membership
Ontario Regulation 612/00 establishes that a School Council will consist of the following members:
Parent Members
A majority of the School Council must be made up of Parent Members
Must be parents and legal guardians of students at the school (Reg 612:3)
Must disclose if they are employed by the school board
Cannot be employees at the same school or a member of the school board
The number and roles of Parent Members may be determined by the School Council Bylaws
School Council Members cannot be remunerated for their service on a School Council
The Principal of the school (or a Vice Principal designated by the Principal)
A Teacher at the school (elected in accordance with Reg 612/00)
A Staff Member at the school (a non-teaching staff member elected in accordance with Reg 612/00)
Student representative(s)
(Required) Secondary Schools appointed by Student Council or elected by the students
(Optional) Elementary Schools appointed by the Principal, if the Principal & Council agrees to include a student representative
Designated community members
Appointed by the School Council or as defined by the School Council Bylaws
A representative appointed by a member association of the OFHSA (English secular), OAPCE (English Catholic) or PPE French)
School Council Roles for Members
Roles for Members
Chair/Co-Chairs: Each School Council must have a Chair or two Co-chairs who are parents/guardians of a student at the school and are elected by parents of students at the school.
Other roles for Members may include Treasurer, Secretary, Communications, Fundraising, or Special Committee leads as laid out in your School Council's bylaws.
Who Cannot be Members?
TDSB employees at the same school
Members of the school board (Trustees)
School Council Elections
Elections must be held within 30 calendar days of the start of the school year. (Reg 612:4.4,5.1)
A person is qualified to vote in an election of parent members of a School Council if he or she is a parent of a pupil who is enrolled in the school.
Chair(s), executive positions, or officers (as defined in your bylaws) are determined from among the elected Parent Members
Term of Office - is one full year from the date of election or the first School Council meeting.
Vacancies - may be filled by election or appointment, as per the School Council bylaws. Vacancies do not prevent a School Council from functioning.
Elections are typically held in person, but councils have the following virtual options (Detailed election instructions):
Hybrid Election – In-Person and Zoom Meeting Election – In-person voting at a safe space in the school for parents who do not have access to virtual platforms. For those with access to virtual platforms, the anonymous polling feature will be used for secret ballot voting during a live ZOOM election meeting.
Virtual Zoom Meeting Election – Elections can be held during a live Zoom meeting using the anonymous polling function for voting. Pre-registration is required. Guide for Zoom Elections
Virtual ONLY Voting Using Survey Monkey – An anonymous ballot can be created and distributed using Survey Monkey. All parents will receive the ballot and vote within a defined time period. Guide for Survey Monkey Elections