Bylaws

SCHOOL SITE COUNCIL BY-LAWS

1.0 PURPOSE

The purpose of the School Site Council is to oversee the academic program at Marston Middle School and provide guidance and approval in regards to human resources, curriculum implementation, and categorical/restricted budget concerns. They shall be to promote communication, encourage leadership, better utilize staff in the area of school programs, and establish the problem solving and decision making process on issues relating to a positive school climate, as related to Marston's Vision Statement. The school site plan is developed and recommended by the School Site Council. It is one of their purposes and responsibilities to review its effectiveness and modify it as necessary to meet the academic needs of students. The School Site Council is required by the State Legislature to have by-laws in order to distinguish it from the Site Governance Team, which has a similar purpose.

2.0 GOAL

To make decisions in the bestinterest of student achievement and school improvement through student, staff and community involvement.

3.0 NAME

The School Site Council is the name established by the California Legislature and is recognized by the San Diego Unified School District as the approval body for issues that relate to state compliance driven mandates.

4.0 AUTHORITY

The School Site Council shall have the authority to:

  • Determine the curriculum and organization of instruction at the school site for groups of students that generatecategorical/restricted funds: English learners, special education students, gifted and talented students, underachieving students, and any other students who benefit from the use of school improvement funds.
  • Determine the use of categorical funds (Gifted & Talented Education, Title I, Title I: Parent Involvement, School Improvement Program, and Second Language) including assignment and use of personnel within the confines of policy, collective bargaining agreements, and state and federal law.

The entire school staff shall have the following rights to:

  • Preview proposals of the School Site Council affecting all staff. Issues submitted by the staff must have a majority affirmative vote in a secret ballot election for the issue to be presented to the School Site Council for consideration. After one year, the staff has the right to revisit any issues that may need revision.
  • Have issues and proposals referred to an Ad Hoc committee. These issues and proposals will then be brought back to the School Site Council for consideration only after final acceptance by a staff majority vote.
  • Elect their representatives to the School Site Council as established in other provisions of this document.

The school parents shall have the following rights to:

  • Be involved in all decisions (through elected representation) of the School Site Council that have an effect upon the education of the children.
  • Elect their representatives to the School Site Council as established in other provisions of this document.

The school principal shall retain the following rights:

  • Evaluation and discipline of staff members.
  • Implementation of programs, policies, and procedures.
  • Such other power and authority such as exclusively delegated to the principal by Education Code, District policy, and collective bargaining agreements.

5.0 MEMBERSHIP

The School Site Council may be of any size, but one-half the membership must be parents, students, or community members and the other half must be composed of staff. Within the half composed of staff, the majority must be teachers. Staff members who are also parents at the school may not serve as a parent representative. Whenever possible, the parent representatives should represent the various communities present at the school.

5.1 SELECTION/ELECTION OF MEMBERS

  • Vacancies for staff members will be announced at the first staff meeting of the school year. Teacher vacancies will be filled by vote of their respective curricular departments. Classified and paraprofessional vacancies will be filled by their respective constituencies.
  • Parent nominees will be solicited in the Opening of School Packet sent home with students on the first day of school. All nominees will be accepted. If there are more parent/community volunteers or nominees than there are vacant positions, an election will be held. The principal and the SDEA representative will count the ballots.

5.2 REPLACEMENTS/VACANCIES

Vacancies that occur during the school year shall be filled by appointments of the School Site Council. The appointment shall continue to the end of the school year.

5.3 TERMS OF OFFICE

With the exception of the principal, members are elected for a two (2) year term. The principal is a permanent position on the SSC.

If a member no longer meets the requirements under which they were elected, membership will terminate.

5.4OFFICERS

The School Site Council shall have the following officers:

  • Chairperson (the principal may not serve as co-chair)
  • Parliamentarian (optional)
  • Recording Secretary

5.5 DUTIES OF THE CHAIRPERSON

The duties of the chairperson are to include:

  • Planning the agenda with the principal
  • Consulting with the principal to obtain policies pertinent to discussion of agenda items
  • Preparing the agenda
  • Facilitating the meeting and acting as parliamentarian
  • Publishing meeting times and distributing agendas

5.6 DUTIES OF THE PARLIAMENTARIAN (optional)

At the request of the chairperson, the committee may appoint a parliamentarian. The duty of the parliamentarian is to keep order according toRobert's Rules of Order.

5.7 RECORDING SECRETARY

The committee shall appoint a recording secretary.

5.8 DISTRICT ADVISORY COUNCIL (DAC) REPRESENTATIVE

The School Site Council will appoint a parent representative to the District Advisory Council who will attend the monthly meetings and report back to the School Site Council about important issues and decisions. If more than one person is interested in serving in this capacity, a secret ballot will determine primary and alternate representation.

5.9ENGLISH LEARNER ADVISORY COMMITTEE (ELAC) REPRESENTATIVE

The English Learner Advisory Committee will determine at the first meeting of the year whether or not they want the ELAC chair to serve on the School Site Council, or remand decisions about second language students to the School Site Council based on the minutes of their separate meetings. The ELAC chair will serve as the District English Learner Advisory Committee representative.

6.0 MEETING FREQUENCY AND AGENDAS

Meetings of the School Site Council will be held on a monthly basis for at least eight months in the school year. Typically, these meetings will be held on the same day and place, before or after Site Governance Team meetings. Agenda items will be accepted up to five (5) working days before the meeting. Agendas will be posted and distributed at least seventy-two (72) hours prior to the meeting in accordance with state law. Any staff/community member may place an item on the agenda by written request to the co-chair. All meetings of the SSC are open to the public.

Special meetings may be called by the chairperson or by the majority vote of the School Site Council.

6.1 MEETING AGENDAS SHALL INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:

  • Call to Order
  • Approval of Minutes
  • Emergency Items
  • Committee Reports
  • Student Achievement
  • Site Plan Monitoring and Evaluation
  • Budget
  • Unfinished Business
  • New Business
  • Public Address
  • Adjournment

7.0 MINUTES

The recording secretary shall take minutes of each meeting. These minutes shall be posted by the recording secretary to the entire staff, plus parent and community members no later than five (5) working days following a meeting. Minutes shall accurately reflect the agenda and business discussed.

8.0 ATTENDANCE OF SCHOOL SITE COUNCIL MEMBERS

Attendance by members shall be deemed of utmost importance to the success and continuity of the School Site Council. Non-attendance for three consecutive meetings carries an implication of an unwillingness or inability to serve. The chair shall approach said member to determine his/her continued active participation on the School Site Council. At the next meeting, the School Site Council will decide whether or not to replace the inactive member.

8.1 ATTENDANCE BY NON-MEMBERS

Any staff/community member may attend any School Site Council meeting. Any member of the staff/community may express concerns or voice opinions during the discussion time of a specific topic when recognized by the chair. However, only School Site Council members may exercise decision-making privileges. Should a visitor wish to add an item(s) to the agenda, it must be submitted in writing as per section 6.0.

9.0 DECISION MAKING PROCESS

All business items requiring action shall be resolved by consensus or a vote.

9.1 DEFINITION OF CONSENSUS

Consensus is achieved when the group reaches a conclusion that everyone in the roomcan support.

9.2 VOTING

Some items require a vote, and sometimes consensus cannot be reached. In these instances, the principal, chairperson, and parliamentarian may make the decision to put an item to a vote. If a vote is necessary, it will be heldaccording to Robert's Rules of Order. A quorum of members must be present to hold a vote.A quorum is defined here as a majority of SSC members. A majority vote will determine the issue.

Each member will be entitled to one vote. The elected alternate shall vote in the absence of the representative. Absentee ballots shall not be permitted.

10.0 CHANGES/AMENDMENTS

Changes/amendments to the School Site Council By-Laws may be made at any time by a vote of the School Site Council.

11.0 MISCELLANEOUS

In the implementation of the By-Laws, no person(s) shall be discriminated against, based upon race, creed religion, gender, ethnicity, age, marital status, sexual orientation, or disability.

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