Baddeck Academy School Advisory Council Bylaws

Membership

The Baddeck Academy School Advisory Council will have eleven voting members which shall include (when possible): 

• three parents/guardians; 

• three teachers; 

• one support staff member; 

• two community members; 

• one member from the parent group;

• two student representatives;

• and the principal. 

The principal (or designate) is a permanent, non-voting member.

Eligibility for membership

Parents/guardians

• Must have a child at Baddeck Academy and cannot be a Cape Breton Victoria Regional Centre for Education (CBVRCE) employee on staff at Baddeck Academy.

Teachers

• Must be a teacher on staff at Baddeck Academy.

Support staff

• Must be a support staff member on staff at Baddeck Academy.

Community members

• Must not be an employee of Baddeck Academy.

• Must not have a child registered at Baddeck Academy.

• Must reside in the geographical area served by Baddeck Academy or provide a service to or within the geographical area served by Baddeck Academy.

• The newcomer community member will represent the newcomer community of Baddeck Academy .

Elections and appointments

Elections and appointments will be held  at the first meeting of the new school year.  

Parents/guardians

A call for nominations may be made during the first two weeks of September through the school website, newsletters sent home with children, and/or the Home and School Association, with a day designated for voting in late September. Nominations will close one week prior to the advertised voting day. Nominations will be received by the school principal and forwarded to the SAC chair. Election will be by a simple majority vote of eligible parents/guardians on the designated voting day. Those unable to vote on that day can contact the school to make arrangements to vote prior to the voting day. The principal will appoint three individuals to act as scrutineers to count the vote. 

Eligible parents/guardians are those who have children enrolled in Baddeck Academy. In the event of a tie, a run-off election will be organized.

Teachers and support staff

Teachers and support staff will elect/choose their own representatives in September by the method of their choice. 

Community members

Community members will be appointed by the SAC members at the first meeting of the elected representatives so that the executive can be selected. The community member positions will be advertised on the school website and may be advertised in the local newspaper. To ensure diverse representation of membership from the newcomer community, self-identified individuals will be considered as long as they meet the requirements outlined for community membership.  If the SAC is not able to fill the designated position with an eligible self-identified community member, a self-identified parent/guardian may be selected to fill the designated position.

Terms of service

Terms of service for each representative group are as follows ( where possible).

• Parents/guardians are elected for a term of three years. Parents/guardians elected or appointed to fill a vacancy are elected or appointed for the remainder of the term.

• Teachers and support staff are elected/chosen for a term of three years. Teachers and support staff elected or appointed to fill a vacancy are elected or appointed for the remainder of the term.

• Community members are appointed for a term of two years. Community members appointed to fill a vacancy are appointed for the remainder of the term.

• All members can re-offer for election or appointment to the SAC at the end of their term, to a maximum of three consecutive terms.

• The principal position is permanent.

• A council member elected to an executive position may serve in that position for a maximum of two consecutive one-year terms.

Vacancies

Should a vacancy arise, it will be addressed as follows:

• Vacancies on the SAC will be filled from the relevant membership group.

• Vacancies of less than three months may be filled by SAC appointment.

• Vacancies of longer than three months will be filled according to the bylaws governing the election or appointment of the appropriate membership group to fill the remainder of the vacated term.

Executive

The executive will consist of a chair, vice chair, secretary, and principal. The selection of the chair, vice chair and secretary will be done annually at the first meeting of all elected and appointed members. The chair, vice chair and secretary will be selected from those SAC members other than the principal and will serve no more than two consecutive one-year terms as chair, vice chair, or secretary.

The executive will remain in place until a new executive is selected at the next annual organizational meeting.

Agenda and meeting summary

The chair will draw up the meeting agenda in consultation with the principal prior to each meeting. Copies of the agenda will be distributed to each member by email, along with any other information that is relevant to the agenda items. Agendas from each meeting will be kept in  Baddeck Academy records, in either print or electronic format. Agendas will be made available to the public upon request and posted on the school website.

The secretary will prepare a meeting summary for each SAC meeting which will include highlights of key decisions and actions. Once approved at the subsequent meeting, the meeting summary will be provided to the principal of Baddeck Academy to be included in the school record in either print or electronic format. Meeting summaries will be made available to the public upon request and posted on the school website.

Meetings

Meetings will be conducted according to the following guidelines:

• A regular meeting schedule will be determined at the initial meeting of the members with a minimum of three meetings annually. Additional meetings may be scheduled as determined by the Baddeck Academy SAC. Meetings will be a maximum of 90 minutes in length unless the SAC agrees by consensus to go longer.

• All meetings are open to the public. Members of the public who wish to address the SAC are asked to inform the SAC through the chair or the school principal in writing at least one week prior to the SAC meeting. They may address the meeting at the discretion of the chair.

• Agendas will provide a ten-minute period for input on the agenda items from any members of the public in attendance at the council meeting. 

• Members who are not able to attend a meeting will notify the SAC secretary or the SAC chair by noon of the meeting date.

Quorum

A quorum will be established when the meeting is called to order. A quorum will consist of a minimum of six of the SAC voting members present. Representative groups include parents/guardians, teachers/support staff, student representatives and community members.

In addition, the principal or the designate must be present and are non-voting.

Decision-making process

The following principles and procedures will be used by the SAC when making decisions.

Principles

• All council members are responsible for making decisions that ensure the best education possible for students at Baddeck Academy.

• All council members will have the opportunity to participate in decision-making.

• Council decisions will be by consensus whenever possible.

Procedures

• Agenda items will be discussed in a structured way prior to a decision.

• When background information is required for an agenda item, the principal or other relevant person will provide this information to council members a minimum of 2 days prior to the meeting date.

• Whenever possible, decisions will be made by consensus.

• If consensus cannot be reached, the decision can be delayed until the following meeting, which must occur within 30 days. If at that time consensus cannot be reached, a majority vote will be required of those members present.

• Decisions and recommendations will be recorded in the meeting summaries.

School improvement plan and annual report

The school improvement plan (i.e. student success plan) for Baddeck Academy will be developed by the principal and staff of the school and shared with the SAC. The SAC will work in collaboration with the principal and participate in efforts to improve student achievement and student and community well-being by regularly receiving information on the school improvement plan and monitoring progress and improvements under the plan. The school improvement plan of Baddeck Academy will be a standing agenda item at each SAC meeting.

In addition, in accordance with the terms of the SAC agreement, the SAC will determine priorities for spending the funds allocated to support the mandate of the SAC including student achievement and report annually on the expenditures of funds to the CBVRCE and the school community.

The SAC will prepare an annual report in the form and containing the information determined by the Minister. The report will be presented at the June SAC meeting and then submitted to the regional centre for education by the end of June.

Adopting and amending bylaws

A notice of motion, given one meeting in advance, is required to amend the bylaws. Bylaws will be amended following the established decision-making process. The proposed amendments to the bylaws will be forwarded to the regional executive director at CBVRCE for approval. The amendments become effective upon receipt of this approval.

Parties to the agreement

We, the undersigned, understand and agree to follow these bylaws.

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Baddeck Academy SAC Chair Date

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CBVRCE Regional Executive Director of Education Date