School Community Council & Parent Involvement Committee Policy

1.1 In accordance with the Education Act and Ontario Regulation 612/00 thereunder, every school in the District shall establish and maintain a School Community Council (SCC) and the District shall establish and maintain a Parent Involvement Committee (PIC).

2.1 Pursuant to Ontario Regulation 612/00, the purpose of the School Community Council (SCC) is to improve student achievement and to enhance the accountability of the education system to parents through active participation of parents and other community members within the SCC.

2.2 The establishment of a Parent Involvement Committee (PIC) affirms that parent involvement is multi-dimensional and that parents play a vital role in the education of their children, in supporting equitable and inclusive education for all students and in the success of schools.

2.3 This policy is to be interpreted and applied in accordance with the District’s commitment to promoting and upholding Indigenous rights and human rights in all its learning and working environments. This includes anti-colonial, anti-discriminatory and anti-racist approaches and actions to provide services and employment that are safe, welcoming, respectful, inclusive, equitable, accessible and free from discrimination and harassment consistent with the DDSB’s Indigenous Education Policy, Human Rights, Anti-Discrimination and Anti-Racism Policy (the “Human Rights Policy”, the Safe and Respectful Workplace and Harassment Prevention Policy and related procedures.

In this policy,

3.1 Board: The Board of Trustees

3.2 District: The Corporate entity of the DDSB

3.3 Educators: A person who provides instruction to students who attend a school within theBoard

3.4 Parent: means a Parent or Legal Guardian of a student who is enrolled in a school of theBoard.

3.5 Engagement: Parent Engagement in Schools is defined as parents and school staff working together to support and improve the learning, development, and health of children and adolescents.

3.6 School Community: The school community includes students, parents/guardiansand staff members, and members of the local community

3.7 School Community Council (SCC): means “school council” within the meaning of Ontario Regulation 612/00.

3.8 PIC: Parent Involvement Committee.

3.9 Student/Child/Children: Any individual who attends a DDSB School. 

4.1 School Community Councils play a vital role in the education system in Ontario. They provide a forum through which parents and other members of the school community can contribute to improving student achievement, well-being and school performance and enhance accountability of the education system to parents.

4.2 The Durham District School Board values the collaborative and inclusive partnership that education offers between parents, students, staff and the community. The Durham District School Board also encourages and supports the responsible and active advisory role of School Community Councils in the creation and ongoing support of positive school environments.

4.3 School Community Councils play an important role in building school, family and community partnerships by providing input into relevant Board and school-level decisions while encouraging the involvement of all members of the school community. 

4.4 The SCC’s primary means of achieving its purpose is by making recommendations (pursuant to Ontario Regulation 612/00) to the principal of the school. Within the scope of SCC’s mandate and responsibilities, all SCC recommendations and activities (for example, initiatives, strategies, communications and events) must uphold and align with the principles and requirements set out in section 2.3. 

5.1 The PIC will support, encourage, and enhance parent engagement and provide a variety of opportunities to encourage parents to become involved in DDSB schools in order to improve student well being and achievement.

5.2 The PIC will achieve its purpose by providing information and advise on Parent engagement to the Board. Within the scope of PIC’s mandate and responsibilities, all PIC recommendationsand activities (for example, initiatives, strategies, communications and events) must uphold and align with the principles and requirements set out in section 2.3. 

5.3 The PIC will:

1. Communicate with and support school councils and undertake activities to help supporttheir student’s success;
2. Work with partners and agencies to help parents support their children’s learning at home and at school;
3. Identify, prevent and remove discriminatory barriers to parent and community engagement;
4. Review existing partnerships and seek to expand them to reflect the diversity of thestudents, families and broader communities the DDSB serves;
5. Carry out its duties and provide advice to the Board on the matters specified in the EducationAct and applicable Regulations thereunder

6.1 This policy may be reviewed and updated as may be deemed necessary or appropriate, but it 
shall be reviewed at least every 5 years.

• Ontario Regulation 612/00 under the Education Act: School Councils andParent Involvement Committees Ontario School Councils: A Guide forMembers, revised 2002
• The Education Act
• Parents in Partnership: A Parent Engagement Policy for Ontario Schools, 2010
• A Practical Handbook for Parent Involvement Committee Members,Ontario, 2012 DDSB School Community Council Handbook
• Ontario Human Rights Code
• Indigenous Education Policy
• Human Rights, Anti-Discrimination and Anti-Racism Policy
• Safe and Respectful Workplace and Harassment Prevention Policy
• Code of Conduct