Goals & Responsibilities

Why it's Important

It is important that your School Council establishes priorities and set goals, and sticks to them. Determining priorities will allow members to focus on areas of need within your school. Setting goals will give members a clear sense of what to do to address those needs. A comprehensive guide to goals, priorities, roles, and responsibilities as well as effective practices for School Councils can be found in the Ontario Ministry of Education's handbook:  School Councils: A Guide for Members.

• Communicate and consult with parents regarding matters under consideration by the School Council.

• A School Council must hold at least four (4) publicly accessible meetings per school year. The minutes of these meetings must be recorded and accessible.

• School Councils have regular reporting duties, including reports to the school board and reports to the parent community. To help you get organized please refer to our SC Monthly Checklist.

• Develop and update the School Statement of Needs (SSON) annually. In the event of an upcoming Principal vacancy, the TDSB (your Superintendent) will use the SSON to help find a new Principal who best fits the school's needs. Use this guide to develop an SSON and template for the SSON.

• A School Council must produce an Annual Report of its activities that is distributed to all parents by the Principal. Templates for annual reports can be found in Section 10.1 of School Councils: A Guide for Members.

• School Councils must keep records of all financial transactions (for 4 years).  Financial reporting must be included in the council's Annual Report. School Councils that fundraise are required to create and submit an annual financial plan using the TDSB’s form (School Generated Funds Financial Plan and School Needs Assessment Form) and must submit the PSAB Annual Report to their Principal.

• School Council members must be given opportunities to become acquainted with their roles and responsibilities so that they are aware of the importance of the commitment they are making, understand their duties as council members, and become effective participants. Each member should be familiar with the following materials:

  • • School Councils: A Guide for Members

    • Ontario Regulations 612/00 and Regulation 298, which set out the legal requirements for and responsibilities of School Councils, boards, and principals

    • TDSB Parent and Caregiver Engagement Policy

    • information about the school, the local school board, and the Ontario Ministry of Education

    • the School Council’s bylaws and operating procedures

    • the School Council’s code of ethics for its members, if your council has one

    • the School Profile and School Improvement Plan

• The Principal’s involvement and interaction with the School Council are important for the council’s success. As a non-voting member of the School Council and a leader of the school community, the principal can provide guidance and support to help the council achieve its goals and be an effective voice for parents and caregivers.

• Principals and school boards must consult with School Councils on a variety of matters that affect student learning. They must also consider recommendations made by School Councils and report back to the councils on if/how they plan to act on School Council advice.

• The Principal (or designated Vice Principal) must attend all School Council meetings.

• The Principal acts as a resource to the council on laws, regulations, and board policies.

• The Principal may attend any committees established by the School Council.

• The Principal must notify the school community of

  • • the dates, times, and locations of School Council meetings, committee meetings, and School Council elections

    • the School Council Annual Report, including a report of fundraising activities and financial statements, if applicable

• Ontario Regulations 613/00 and Regulation 298 (Operation of Schools, General) set out the duties of Principals regarding School Councils.

• The Principal must ensure the school has a School Council and support School Council elections by:

  • • working with the elections committee or the previous year's School Council Chair to schedule elections.

    • posting the date, time, and location of the School Council elections for the parent community, at least fourteen days before the election date. 

    • posting the results of the School Council election (the names of the members elected to the School Council), no later than thirty days following the School Council election. 

• The Principal does NOT run School Council meetings or set meeting agendas, appoint council members, or spend or approve spending of School Council funds without the approval of the voting members of the School Council.

• The Principal must also help a School Council:

  • • access the Parent Outreach and administrative funds provided by the Ministry of Education

    • apply for event and meeting permits

    • annually activate the TDSB School Council email account and submit technical support tickets on behalf of the School Council

    • determine acceptable avenues and resources for fundraising