Resource Guidelines
September 2008
The Halton District School Board Parent Involvement Committee (PIC) recognizes the vital role
parents play in the collaborative development and education of their children and in the success
of schools. Therefore, PIC provides a regular opportunity for parents to network, share ideas,
offer input and enjoy informative presentations on education and related topics throughout the school year. PIC makes parental engagement a priority by providing ongoing support on a system-wide basis and promotes two-way communication and dialogue among School Councils, parents, staff, the Board of Trustees and members of the community.
Mandate
The mandate of the Halton District School Board’s Parent Involvement Committee is to:
• assess the status of parent involvement in order to support, encourage, and enhance
meaningful parental involvement;
• reach out to parents who find school involvement challenging;
• collaborate with school board and various stakeholders to support student success;
• develop strategies for enhancing parental engagement and outreach;
• develop strategies to assist school councils in their development;
• provide consultation opportunities to staff, superintendents, the Director of Education
and Board of Trustees;
• provide an annual report to the Ministry of Education’s Parent Engagement Office highlighting
actions of the year;
• participate in the promotion, application, and implementation of grant applications and
projects funded under the Ministry of Education Parents Reaching Out (PRO) Program;
• offer advice in the use of Parent Involvement Policy Funds provided by the Ministry of Education.
Functions
School Council Support
• communicating
• assisting at home
• attending school events
• building parenting skills
• volunteering
• fund raising
• participating in decision-making
• using community resources
Awareness and Education of Hot Topics
Consultations to Support Initiatives and Parent Engagement
Provincial Voice
• representation
• grant application/distribution
General Membership
All parents may participate in meetings and functions of the Parent Involvement Committee.
Each school should designate a parent name to a central list for the purpose of communication and
distribution of information. All parents interested in participating on a subcommittee of the PIC
planning team are welcome.
PIC shall hold three general meetings and/or events per school year. One event shall be a workshop or conference for parents.
Planning Team Membership
The core planning team, with the input of the general membership, will be action-oriented and
plan events guided by the mandate and functions. Decisions will be reached through discussion
and consensus. Some scenarios may require a resolution process determined by the Chair, Vice-Chair and Superintendent.
(Consensus is a decision-making process, which equalizes power. Instead of simply voting for an item, and having the majority
of the group dominate decision-making, members must seek to understand other points of view and collaborate to reach common ground. In the compromise, individuals must feel they can live with the decision and support it publicly.)
Membership must include a majority of parents/guardians and reflect the diversity of the parent
community within the Halton District School Board elementary and secondary panels. The planning team, chaired by a parent, will consist of members including, but not limited to:
• three parents from the Burlington Family of Schools;
• three parents from the Oakville Family of Schools;
• two parents from Milton Family of Schools;
• two parents from Halton Hills Family of Schools;
• two Principals (one elementary and one secondary);
• Board appointed Trustee(s);
• Superintendent of Education – Parent Community Engagement.
Invitation to participate will be extended to the:
• Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC);
• Halton Multicultural Council.
Majority of the members will be parents of Halton District School Board students.
Term
Parent representatives will be required to serve one two-year term. Members must attend three regularly scheduled planning meetings throughout the school year. A term runs from January to December.
The new core planning team membership will be selected at the end of November each year.
Selection Process
• Parents interested in participating in the Planning Team will fill out the Parent Involvement
Committee Planning Team Interest Form.
• Interest Forms will be reviewed by the Superintendent of Education – Parent Community
Engagement, PIC Chair and PIC Vice-Chair.
The composition of the Planning Team will include elementary and secondary parents reflecting the diversity of the community.
Selection Criteria:
• demonstrates volunteer experience;
• interest in working with parents and staff to support School Councils and parent development;
• demonstrates “students first” attitude and support for public education;
• parents do not have to be a member of a School Council.
• Parents from each Family of Schools will be selected based on the selection criteria.
• All parents interested in participating will be placed on a subcommittee.
• Interest Forms will be available on the Halton District School Board website (www.hdsb.ca) or at
Halton District School Board schools.
Chair and Vice-Chair
• PIC shall elect/designate a Chair and Vice-Chair from its own Planning Team.
• Chair shall serve a term of one year.
• Vice-Chair will assume Chair role following the completion of the Chair’s term.
Norms
Recognize individual views and beliefs
Engage in a collaborative process
Safe inclusive welcoming ‘risk free’ environment
Publicly support group decisions
Encourage and foster healthy relationships
Communicate ideas positively about issues not people
Trust the intentions and integrity of others
RESPECT
Self – Others – Environment
Meeting Principles
• Common vision, goals and interests
• Roles are defined,
understood and accepted
• Active listening
• Start and end on time
• Action-oriented
• Focus on task
• Think outside the box
• Right to pass
For further information please contact:
Superintendent of Education - Parent Community Engagement
www.parentcommunity.hdsb.ca