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Administrative Procedure

AP-709 — Administrative Council

Section Seven: Personnel and Employee Relations
Effective Date: March 19, 2018 Last Reviewed: June 18, 2018

Background

The Board of Education believes in the value of the Administrative Council within Grasslands School Division. To help fulfill this commitment the Superintendent will provide opportunity for school and Central Office leaders to meet together throughout the school year to achieve a number of important purposes.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Administrative Council is to work towards maintaining the highest quality education system possible by:

  1. Serving as a model of collaborative leadership and networking;
  2. Coordinating the work of administrators and leaders;
  3. Expanding strategies for enhancing student learning, quality teaching and development of school leaders;
  4. Providing access to in-service training for administrators;
  5. Formulating and presenting Administrative Council recommendations to the Board and/or Senior Administration and/or schools on educational matters;
  6. Facilitating communication that supports the objects of the Division;
  7. Providing a forum for discussion of topical issues of concern to administrators, as well as the school system generally;
  8. Providing support and mentorship in the orientation of new school-based administrators.

Membership

  1. School level – Principals, vice-principals, assistant principals and on invitation acting principals
  2. Central Office level - Superintendent, assistant superintendent, associate superintendent, directors, and as deemed necessary, the coordinators/consultants

Attendance at Meetings

  1. It is expected that each school will be represented by the principal and vice-principal/assistant principal (if there is one designated).
  2. It is expected that Central Office will be represented by senior administration.
  3. Where deemed appropriate by the Superintendent, other individuals will be invited to attend.

Meetings

Notwithstanding the declaration of an emergent meeting:

  1. Regular meetings shall be held each month from August to June;
  2. Regular meetings will be held on a rotational basis at schools for the following months:
    1. September
    2. October
    3. November
    4. February
    5. March
    6. April
    7. All other meetings will be held at Central Office
  3. The schedule of meetings will be set prior to the commencement of the upcoming school year;
  4. Administrative Professional Learning meetings will occur in the morning and will be coordinated by senior administration. PLC topics, needs and structure will be collaboratively created by the entire Council.
  5. Administrative business meetings will occur in the afternoon and will be led by the two designated facilitators.
  6. It is understood that flexibility in scheduling may be necessary to accommodate the needs of the group.

Meeting Facilitators

Will consist of two representatives on a rotating basis.

  1. Chairperson
  2. Secretary

Representatives for the next school year will be selected by random draw at the June meeting of the current year.

Ad Hoc Committees

  1. As decided by the Council.

Agenda/Meeting Norms

  1. The superintendent will call for suggestions for agenda items a minimum of one week prior to the meeting date.
  2. All meetings will begin and end as scheduled.
  3. All members will arrive on time and stay for the entire meeting.
  4. All members of the Administrative Council will come prepared for the meeting.
  5. Members will actively listen to all ideas, discussions, and questions and will avoid sidebar conversations.
  6. All relevant documents will be posted in the Drive by 5 PM the day before the meeting.
  7. Members will promote discussion and collaboration where possible.
  8. All information and ideas discussed at Administrative Council should be considered confidential.

Minutes

The minutes of the meeting will be recorded by the secretary and placed in Administrative Council Google Drive. Minutes should include:

  1. Names of those in attendance;
  2. Topics of the agenda accompanied by a brief outline of the information provided and discussion that took place;
  3. Decisions made;
  4. Any actions persons are required to perform.

Collaborative Decision Making

(see Grasslands Collaborative Decision Making Manual)

As per the Grasslands Collaborative Decision Making Manual or when it is deemed, by the superintendent, that a decision needs to be made collaboratively:

  1. Recommendations will be made by consensus as much as possible;
  2. The recommendation made by consensus must be stated clearly and recorded as such in the minutes of the meeting;
  3. If the consensus of those present at the meeting is that an issue is best resolved by a vote, a motion will be made with the outcome recorded in the minutes;
  4. Each school shall be entitled to one vote;
  5. Prior to a vote being conducted, as per Robert's Rules of Order, a discussion shall occur.

Opportunities to Develop Leadership Skills

The following opportunities may be available subject to approved funding.

  1. Leadership PD Fund: This centralized fund provides support to school-based and division-based leaders who wish to attend conferences or other professional development events, retreats or interest sessions. Leaders can access funds as set in the annual budget. The Leadership PD fund supports other PD funding sources such as curriculum and instruction, school-based funding and Grasslands/ATA funding. Submission of a completed application form is necessary before support from this fund can be accessed. A post-PD/conference report detailing learning and applicability to school leadership and school learning is required to be submitted, to the Superintendent within 60 days of attendance.
  2. Leadership Retreat: This retreat, which may include school-based administrators, district administrators, coordinators and trustees, focuses on topics of current educational interest as well as on team/relationship building.
  3. Interest Sessions: Scheduled on an as-needed basis, these sessions provide opportunity for in-depth consideration of topics of current interest to leaders.
  4. Mentorship:
    1. Each beginning principal (protégé) is partnered with a veteran principal (mentor) for one year.
    2. Meetings are held on a regularly-scheduled basis, at which time experiences are shared, questions are discussed and various topics are considered. Mentors and protégés are also encouraged to meet on an informal, as-needed basis.
    3. It is expected that principals will serve as mentors to newly appointed vice principals.

Administrative Council Social Committee

  1. The Council Social Committee will periodically organize social events and plan for recognition of the retirement of its members.
  2. Member fees will be set at the beginning of each year and are made payable to the Grasslands Admin Council.
  3. Members will annually select a coordinator to lead the Social Committee.