Niagara Catholic District School Board
NIAGARA CATHOLIC PARENT INVOLVEMENT COMMITTEE POLICY ADMINISTRATIVE OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES | |
800 – Schools and Community Councils
| Policy No. 800.7
|
Adopted Date: May 24, 2011
| Latest Reviewed/Revised Date: March 19, 2024
|
PURPOSE OF THE NIAGARA CATHOLIC PARENT INVOLVEMENT COMMITTEE
The purpose of the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee (NCPIC) as an advisory committee to the Board is to promote, encourage, and support, parent/guardian engagement at the Board and school levels, to build strong Catholic identity and community, nurture the distinctiveness of Catholic education, and advance student achievement and well-being of all students in the Niagara Catholic District School Board.
1. Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee members are to maintain a regional wide focus to support Catholic education in all schools in the Niagara Catholic District School Board.
2. Recommendations made by the committee shall be in keeping with the Mission, Vision and Values of the Niagara Catholic District School Board, the distinctive character of Catholic education and will be respectful of the faith and traditions of the Catholic Church.
3. The Board will retain all the powers and duties as specified in the Education Act .
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/guardian engagement to the Board;
· communicating with, and supporting Catholic School Councils of schools of the Board;
· undertaking activities to help parents/guardians 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/guardians and to effectively engage parents /guardians in improving student achievement and well-being;
· 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:
o share effective practices to help engage parents/guardians, especially parents/guardians who may find engagement challenging, in their children’s learning,
o identify and reduce barriers to parent/guardian engagement,
o help ensure that schools of the Board create a welcoming environment for parents/guardians of its students,
o develop skills and acquire knowledge that will assist the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee and Catholic School Councils of the Board with their work;
o communicate information from the Ministry of Education Parent Engagement Office to Catholic School Councils of the Board and to the parents/guardians of students of the Board;odetermine, 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/guardian involvement is to be used;
o review new and revised Board Policies; and
o any other matter deemed appropriate by the Board.
2. The Board shall establish a yearly budget to address the various activities projected for the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee.
COMPOSITION
1. The Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee shall include the following:
· the number of parent/guardian members the Board determines appropriate and as specified in the By-Laws of the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee,
· the Director of Education of the Board and/or the Director’s designate/Superintendent of Education,
· two members of the Board,
· up to three Community Representatives appointed by the Board on an annual basis, and
· the Bishop of the Diocese of St. Catharines or his appointed representative.
2. The Board may appoint one or more of the following individuals subject to the By-Laws of the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee:
· one principal of an elementary school of the Board,
· one principal of a secondary school of the Board,
· one teacher employed, other than a principal or vice-principal, in an elementary school of the Board,
· one teacher employed, other than a principal or vice-principal, in a secondary school of the Board,
· one person employed by the Board, other than a principal, vice-principal or teacher, i.e. (support staff),
· one Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) representative to advocate for students with special needs,
· one Secondary Student Senate representative, and
· one parent/guardian to represent the Niagara Catholic District School Board as the Regional Director for the Ontario Association of Parents in Catholic Education (OAPCE), in accordance with the OAPCE Regional Director Eligibility Requirements.
MEMBERSHIP
Every effort will be made to ensure that membership is representative of the population distribution within the geographic areas of the jurisdiction of the Board with half of the parent/guardian representatives serving for a two-year term with the remainder serving a one-year term:
Fort Erie, Port Colborne, Wainfleet up to 2 Parent/Guardian Representatives
Grimsby/Lincoln/West Lincoln up to 2 Parent/Guardian Representatives
Thorold/Merritton up to 2 Parent/Guardian Representatives
Niagara Falls up to 4 Parent/Guardian Representatives
Welland/Pelham up to 2 Parent/Guardian Representatives
St. Catharines/Niagara-on-the-Lake up to 4 Parent/Guardian Representatives
iii. support the mission of Catholic education, and the Mission, Vision and Values of the Niagara Catholic District School Board, and
iv. fully participate in the Annual Commissioning Ceremony of NCPIC members.
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.
ELECTIONS
Elections of parent/guardian representatives to the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee are to be held before November 15 and before the first meeting of the committee in the school year.
VACANCIES
A vacancy in the membership of the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee does not prevent the committee from exercising its authority.
Vacancies on the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee may occur when:
· a parent/guardian member has reached the end of a one or two-year term
· a member resigns
· a member is unable to fulfill their duties
TERMS OF OFFICE
Parent/Guardian Representatives
Half of the parent/guardian representatives will serve for a two-year term while the other half will serve for a one-year term.
Chair and/or Two Co-Chairs
The Chair and/or the two Co-Chairs will serve for a two-year term and may not serve more than two consecutive terms (four years) unless at least one full two-year term has elapsed since the last term as the Chair or the Co-Chair.
Community Representatives
Community Representatives will serve for a term of one-year (renewable).
Non-Voting Members
Non-voting members will serve for a term of one-year (renewable).
OFFICERS
Chair and/or Two Co-Chairs
The Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee shall elect a Chair or two Co-Chairs from the parent/guardian members to chair the committee for a two-year term at the first general meeting of the committee in the school year when there is a vacancy in accordance with the By-Laws of the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee. An employee of the Board cannot serve as a Chair or Co-Chair of the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee.
Sub-Committees
The Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee may establish sub-committees 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.
MEETINGS
The Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee shall meet between September to June at least four times in each school year. Special meetings may also be called by the Director’s designate/Superintendent of Education or by three parent/guardian members by written request to the Director’s designate/ Superintendent of Education. All meetings will be held at the Catholic Education Centre, unless otherwise noted, and are open to the public.
4. Minutes posted on the Board website shall remain on the website for four years.
INCORPORATION
The Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee shall not be incorporated.
CONSULTATION WITH THE NIAGARA CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD, AND
THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
1. The Niagara Catholic District School Board may solicit and take into consideration the advice of the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee with regard to matters that relate to improving student achievement, well-being and active parent engagement.
2. The Niagara Catholic District School Board shall inform the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee of its response to advice provided by the committee.
CONSULTATION BY THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
The Ministry of Education may solicit and take into consideration the advice of the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee with regard to matters that relate to improving student achievement and well-being.
CONSULTATION BY THE NIAGARA CATHOLIC PARENT INVOLVEMENT COMMITTEE
The Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee may solicit and take into consideration the advice of parents/guardians of students enrolled in schools of the Board with regard to matters that relate to improving student achievement and well-being.
SUMMARY OF ACTIVITIES
The Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee shall annually submit a written summary of activities including a report on how funding if any, provided under the Education Act was spent to the Chair of the Board and to the Director of Education of the Board.
CONFLICT RESOLUTION
All members of the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee are required to be in compliance with the Board Complaint Resolution Governance Policy (800.3), and Administrative Operational Procedures and the By-Laws of the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee.
CODE OF CONDUCT
All members of the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee are required to be in full compliance with the Board Code of Conduct Governance Policy (302.6.2) and Administrative Operational Procedures and the By-Laws of the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee.
FUNDRAISING
Any funds or assets generated through activities supported by the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee are the property of the Board.
REMUNERATION
1. An individual shall not receive any remuneration for serving as a member of the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee.
2. Parent/guardian members of the Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee will be reimbursed for pre-approved expenses for conferences attended on behalf of the committee, including accommodation, mileage, parking and meals through the Director’s designate/Superintendent of Education in accordance with Board Governance Policies and Administrative Operational Procedures.
Adopted Date:
Revision History:
May 24, 2011
October 25, 2011
February 28, 2012
June 18, 2013
June 21, 2016
November 24, 2020
May 18, 2022
March 19, 2024