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·	specifying the number of parent members to be appointed or elected to the committee, governing the process of appointment or election of parent members and governing the filling of vacancies in parent membership,
·	specifying the number of community representatives, up to three, to be appointed to the committee, governing the process of appointment of community representatives and governing the filing of vacancies in community representative membership,
·	governing the election of members of the committee to the offices of the Chair and/or the two Co-Chairs, and any offices provided for in the By-Laws, and governing the filling of vacancies in the offices of the committee,
·	specifying the number of parent members of the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee that will hold office for a one year term and the number of parent members that will hold office for a two year term,
·	specifying the length of the term of office for the community representative member(s),
·	establishing rules respecting conflicts of interest of the members of the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee, and
·	establishing a process for resolving conflicts internal to the committee, consistent with the Niagara Catholic Complaint Resolution Policy (800.3).

  

1.  Recommendations made by the committee shall be in keeping with the Mission, Vision and Values of Niagara Catholic District School Board along with the distinctive character, philosophy and goals of Catholic education and respectful of the faith and traditions of the Catholic Church. The Board will retain all the powers and duties specified in the Education Act and its related Regulations.

 

2.  Members of the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee are to maintain a regional wide focus to support Catholic education in all schools, to encourage and enhance parent engagement for the improvement of student achievement, and well-being of all students in the Niagara Catholic District School Board.

 

3.  Individual members of the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee do not speak for the committee and the Chair and/or the two Co-Chairs must be diligent in ensuring that any views presented in the capacity of the Chair and/or Co-Chairs represent fairly the position of the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee.

 

4.  As cited in the Board Privacy Policy (600.6), about confidentiality and privacy of staff, students and parents, a public meeting of the NCPIC is not the forum to discuss personal matters.

MANDATE OF THE NIAGARA CATHOLIC PARENT INVOLVEMENT COMMITTEE

 

 

The Board and/or School Administration may ask for recommendations from the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee.

 

1.  The Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee shall achieve its purpose by:

·	providing information and advice on parent engagement to the Board;
·	communicating with, and supporting Catholic School Councils of schools of the Board;
·	undertaking activities to help parents of students of the Board support their children’s learning at home and at school;
·	developing strategies and initiatives the Board and the Director of Education could use to effectively communicate with parents, and to effectively engage parents in improving student achievement, and well-being of all students in the Board such as meetings, faith formation, conferences, Ministry of Education Parents Reaching Out (PRO) Grants and other events for Catholic School Councils;
·	advising the Board and the Director of Education on ways to use the strategies and initiatives;
·	working with Catholic School Councils, the Director of Education and/or the Director’s Designate/Superintendent of Education, and with employees of the Board to:

·	share effective practices to help engage parents, especially parents who may find engagement challenging, in their children’s learning,
·	identify and reduce barriers to parent engagement,
·	help ensure that schools of the Board create a welcoming environment for parents of its students,
·	develop skills and acquire knowledge that will assist the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee and Catholic School Councils of the Board with their work;
·	communicate information from the Ministry of Education Parent Engagement Office to Catholic School Councils, and to the parents of students of the Board;
·	determine in consultation with the Director of Education and/or the Director’s Designate/Superintendent of Education, and in keeping with the Board Governance Policies and Administrative Operational Procedures how funding, if any, provided under the Education Act for parent involvement is to be used by the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee,
·	review new and revised Governance Policies; and
·	other issues deemed appropriate by the Board.

 

2.

Each year, the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee shall make recommendations to promote Catholic values and to encourage parental involvement in the schools. Recommendations shall be presented to the Director of Education through the Director’s Designate/Superintendent of Education and shall outline the objectives, description of activities, personnel and required budgets, as well as a brief statement of expected outcomes.

 

3.	The Board shall establish a yearly budget to address the various activities projected for the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee.

 

4.	The normal reporting system for the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee will be through the Director’s Designate/Superintendent of Education.

  

·	Up to sixteen parent members.
·	Up to three community representatives appointed by the Board that are not members or employees of the Board.

 

Non-voting members:

·	The Director of Education and/or the Director’s Designate/Superintendent of Education.
·	Two members of the Board appointed by the Chair of the Board for a one-year term (renewable).
·	The Bishop of the Diocese of St. Catharines or his appointed representative.

 

The Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee may include the following:

·	one representative to advocate for students with special education needs appointed by the established
·	Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC).
·	one Principal of an elementary school of the Board recommended by the Principal/Vice-Principal Council to Senior Administrative Council, for approval.
·	one Principal of a secondary school of the Board recommended by the Principal/Vice-Principal Council to Senior Administrative Council, for approval.
·	one teacher employed, other than a Principal/Vice-Principal, in an elementary school of the Board recommended by the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association (OECTA) to Senior Administrative Council, for approval.
·	one teacher employed, other than a Principal/Vice-Principal, in a secondary school of the Board recommended by the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association (OECTA) to Senior Administrative Council, for approval.
·	one person employed by the Board, other than a Principal/Vice-Principal or teacher, i.e. (support staff) recommended by Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) to Senior Administrative Council, for approval.
·	one Secondary Student Senate representative appointed by the Student Senate.
·	one parent/guardian appointed/elected to represent the Niagara Catholic District School Board as the Regional Director for the Ontario Association in Catholic Education, in accordance with the OAPCE By-Laws (10.2) Director Eligibility Requirements.
In the event that the position is not filled, the Director of Education reserves the right to appoint a representative as the Niagara Catholic OACPE Regional Director.

 

 

Nomination Forms will be sent to all elementary and secondary schools one month prior to the elections. Interested parties are to complete and submit a nomination form no later than 4:00 p.m. EST. on the designated date. All nomination forms will be date stamped for receipt. Late and/or incomplete forms will not be accepted.

 

1.  To be eligible for election/appointment to the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee a

·	be a parent of a student enrolled in a school of the Niagara Catholic District School Board,

·	reside within the Board’s jurisdiction,

·	support the Mission of Catholic Education, and the Mission, Vision and Values of the Niagara Catholic District School Board, and

·	fully participate in the Annual Commissioning Ceremony of NCPIC members.
2.	A parent who is employed by the Board is qualified to be elected/appointed to the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee and shall at the first meeting inform the committee of their employment with the Board prior to elections.

  

1.  act in the best interest of Catholic education;

2.  carry out responsibilities in a manner that assists the Board in fulfilling its duties under the Education Act, the Regulations and the guidelines issued under the Act, and the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee Policy (800.7), Administrative Operational Procedure and By-Laws;

3.  attend and participate in meetings of the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee, including sub-committee meetings of which they are members; and

4.  promote student achievement and well-being of all students in the Niagara Catholic District School Board.

1.  A person is not qualified to be nominated or appointed to the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee as a community representative unless the person is qualified to vote for members of the Niagara Catholic District School Board and is a resident in the jurisdiction of the Board.

 

2.  A person is not qualified to be nominated or appointed to the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee as a community representative if the person is employed by the Board.

1.  If an election is to be held, notification will be given to all candidates as to the date/time and location of the election, which will occur at the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee Annual Catholic School Council Chair and/or Co-Chair(s) and Members’ Meeting in the fall of each school year.

 

2.  An (election) sub-committee, comprised of the previous year’s Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee Chair and/or the two Co-Chairs, (if not seeking re-election), the Director’s Designate/ Superintendent of Education and up to four additional members will oversee the election process. 

 

·	be a parent of a student enrolled in a Niagara Catholic District School Board school,
·	be a resident of the geographic area, residency may be verified through a request for official documentation such as a tax bill, and
·	must be in attendance at the election site.

 

5.

Names and addresses of elected/appointed members of the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee will be forwarded to the Director of Education within thirty days of the election and will be published to the Niagara Catholic District School Board school communities and posted on the Board website.

 

 

1.  At the first meeting of the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee, terms of office for parent representatives of each geographical area will be determined by consensus.

2.  Failing a consensus, the parent representatives from the geographical area will draw lots (straws) to determine the length of term.

3.  The drawing of lots shall be done in alphabetical order and the person who draws the longest straw shall be the parent representative for a two-year term.

4.  Members of the Board appointed by the Chair of the Board will serve for a one-year term.

5.  Non-parent members will serve for a one-year (renewable).

6.  A member of the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee may be re-appointed or re-elected to the committee.

At the first general meeting of the committee, the committee shall decide to either elect one Chair, or elect two Co-Chairs to chair the committee for a two-year term.

1.  Only parent members that have been elected/appointed to the committee for a two-year term are eligible to be elected as the Chair, and/or the two Co-Chairs.

2.  Parent members with only one year left of their term are not eligible to stand for election as a Chair and/or Co-Chair.

3.  An individual may not serve more than two consecutive terms (four years) as Chair and/or Co-Chair unless at least one full two-year term has elapsed since the last term as the Chair and/or Co-Chair.

4.  An employee of the Board cannot serve as the Chair and/or Co-Chair of the committee.

 

The Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee may establish subcommittees to carry out specific tasks or projects in accordance with the overall mandate of the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee and to make recommendations on these matters to the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee. Members of the sub-committees will elect a Chair by consensus at the first meeting of the sub-committee.

Subcommittees shall include, but are not limited to Faith Formation and Parent Engagement.

 

A subcommittee of the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee:

·   must have at least one parent member of the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee.

·   shall elect a Chair at the first meeting of the subcommittee.

·   in consultation with the Director’s Designate/Superintendent of Education and all subcommittee members determine the date and time of the subcommittee meetings;

·   plan the agenda in consultation with the Director’s Designate/Superintendent of Education;

·   chair the subcommittee meetings;

·   report on the recommendations of the subcommittee at the subsequent Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee meeting on matters of the Committee;

·   record and make available the minutes of the subcommittee meetings to the Director’s Designate/Superintendent of Education and the NCPIC members; and

·   communicate matters of the subcommittee with the Director’s Designate/Superintendent of Education and the Chair and/or the two Co-Chairs of the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee.

 

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·   a parent member has reached the end of a one or two-year term

·   a member resigns

·   a member is unable to fulfill his/her duties

·   advertisements in newsletters of all schools or Catholic School Councils of schools of the Board,

·   advertisements in the newspaper with general circulation in the geographic jurisdiction of the Board,

·   advertisements on radio or television stations that broadcast in the geographic jurisdiction of the Board,

·   notices in schools of the Board,

·   notices on the Board website and on school websites of the Boards, and

·   notices in the Parish bulletins.

 

·

If none of the candidates from the pool of the previous election process is interested in becoming a member of the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee, the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee may request nominations from interested parents of the Niagara Catholic District School Board from the vacant geographic area by a designated date for consideration.

 

·	The Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee may then appoint one of the interested candidates from the vacant geographic area.

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·   fully participate in the Annual Commissioning Ceremony,

·   attend all Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee meetings and subcommittee meetings of which they are members, either in-person or through electronic means on a regular basis,

·   participate in information and training sessions, and

·   work with the committee to facilitate the approved mandate.

·   determine the dates of the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee meetings in consultation with the Director’s Designate/Superintendent of Education.

·   plan the agenda with Director’s Designate/Superintendent of Education.

·   Chair the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee meetings.

·   communicate regularly with the Director’s Designate/Superintendent of Education and Catholic School Councils regarding matters of the committee.

·   be diligent in ensuring that any views presented in the capacity of Chair represent fairly the position of the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee.

·   review the By-Laws annually in consultation with the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee.

·   participate as ex-officio members of all subcommittees established by the NCPIC.

·   facilitate and assist in the operation of the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee.

·   in consultation with the Chair and/or the two Co-Chairs determine the date and time of the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee and subcommittee meetings, and arrange a meeting room.

·   plan the agenda with the Chair and/or the two Co-Chairs and subcommittee Chair(s) of the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee.

·   make every effort to distribute the agenda to all members of the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee at least five calendar days prior to the meeting.

·   support and promote the approved activities of the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee.

·   seek input from the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee.

·   act as a resource on regulations and Board Governance Policies and Administrative Operational Procedures.

·   communicate with the Chair and/or the two Co-Chairs of the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee on matters of the committee as required.

·   assist the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee in encouraging increased parent involvement.

·   ensure that the approved minutes of the meetings are recorded, maintained, and posted on the Board website.

·   facilitate communication between the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee and the Catholic School Councils.

·   act as the secretary/treasurer to the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee.

·   prepare and present a report at each meeting, including a financial statement.

·   in the event that the NCPIC Chair or the two Co-Chairs are unable to attend a meeting of the committee, the Directors’ Designate/Superintendent of Education shall chair the meeting.

 

 

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1.  The Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee shall be established at the first meeting of each school year.

 

2.  Meetings will open and close with a prayer.

3.  Meetings will commence on time and not last more than two hours, unless the majority of the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee members agree to a longer meeting of no more than thirty minutes beyond the two-hour time limit.

4.  Meetings shall not proceed unless there is a quorum in attendance. A quorum is fifty percent plus one (50% + 1) of voting members, but at all times there must be a majority of parents at the meeting.  A member who participates through electronic means shall be deemed to be present at the meeting.

 

5.  A meeting cannot be held unless,

·   a majority of the members present at the meeting are parent members;

·   the Director of Education, or the Director’s Designate/Superintendent of Education is present, and

·   a member of the Board (Trustee) who sits on the committee, or a designated member of the Board (Trustee) is present.

6.  The Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee shall use consensus as the usual method for developing recommendations and plans. If voting becomes necessary, a simple majority will be sufficient for a vote on any issue.

 

7.  When the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee votes on a matter, only parent members and community representatives are entitled to vote.

·   A member who is unable to attend a scheduled Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee meeting must request to be excused from a meeting by contacting the Director’s Designate/Superintendent of Education and will be marked as excused in the minutes of the meeting.

·   Members, who, prior to the adjournment of a meeting, have excused themselves or depart at any time during a meeting will have the time of departure noted in the minutes of the meeting.

·   Members, who have not been excused from attendance at a Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee meeting will be recorded as absent in the minutes of the meeting.

·   Where a Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee member submits a letter of resignation or is absent from three consecutive Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee meetings, the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee may appoint a replacement to serve until the next election.

 

 

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1.  The approved minutes of the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee shall be: 

·   posted and remain on the website of the Board for four years, and

·   sent electronically to the Chair and/or Co-Chair(s) of the Catholic School Council of each school of the Board.

2.  The approved minutes and financial transaction records shall be available for examination at the Board by any person without charge for four years.

 

3.  The Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee will inform Catholic School Councils and parent communities of their activities through newsletters, special meetings, the Board website, and through liaison with Catholic School Councils. Information to Catholic School Councils shall flow through the school Principal.

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·   Each Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee member shall avoid situations that could result in an inconsistency between the overall goals and vision of the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee and a personal or vested interest that may arise in connection with his or her duties as a Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee member.

·   Should an issue or agenda item arise during a Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee meeting where a committee member is in a conflict-of-interest situation, he or she shall declare the conflict of interest immediately and decline from the discussion and resolution.

·   The committee member shall declare a conflict of interest in matters that they, members of their families or their business affiliations could directly or indirectly benefit from the decisions of the committee.

·   A committee member who identifies a conflict of interest must declare it before any discussion of the matter begins. The member must:

·	publicly state the conflict of interest, explain the general nature of the interest and have the declaration recorded in the minutes.
·	not vote on the matter under discussion.
·	leave the room when the committee is discussing the matter, and noted in the minutes of the meeting.
·	not discuss the matter with members or attempt to influence the decision.

  

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·   If a member becomes disruptive during a meeting, the Chair and/or the two Co-Chairs shall ask for order.

·   If all efforts to restore order fail or the unbecoming behaviour continues, the Chair and/or the two Co-Chairs may direct the individual Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee member to leave the meeting, citing reasons for the request.

·   The removal of a member for one meeting does not prevent the member from participating in future meetings of the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee.

·   The incident shall be recorded and submitted to the Director of Education by the Director’s Designate/Superintendent of Education within one week of the meeting.

·   It is recommended that parties involved in the conflict follow the Board’s Complaint Resolution Policy No. 800.3.

·   Upon removal of a member, a special meeting shall be called, the purpose of which will be to arrive at a mutually acceptable solution to the dispute. Such a meeting shall be a private meeting and not construed as a meeting of the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee.

·   Any resolution reached at the meeting to resolve the conflict shall be signed and respected in full by all parties to the agreement.

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·   fully participate in the annual Commissioning Ceremony of the NCPIC members.

·   consider the best interest of all students and the NCPIC members.

·   be guided by the Mission of Catholic Education and the Mission, Vision and Values of the Board.

·   become familiar with the Education Act, Board Governance Policies and Administrative Operational Procedures, and Ministry of Education Regulations.

·   maintain the highest standards of integrity, recognizing and respecting the personal integrity of each member of the NCPIC and Board Staff.

·   treat all other Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee members and Board Staff with respect and allow for diverse opinions to be shared, without interruption.

·   create a positive environment in which individual contributions are encouraged and valued.

·   acknowledge democratic principles and accept the consensus of the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee for recommendation to the Director’s Designate/Superintendent of Education.

·   focus discussions at Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee meetings to those items that fall within the mandate of Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee.

·   bring questions or concerns to the attention of the Director’s Designate/Superintendent of Education through appropriate policies of the Board.

·   promote high standards of ethical practice within the NCPIC.

·   not accept any payment for their Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee involvement.

·   refrain from making any negative statements about any individual or groups.

·   declare any conflict of interest.

 

 

 

 

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