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Revised: September 25, 2001
Revised: September 9, 2003
Revised: October 24, 2007 (References to Board of Trustees changed to Board of Education)
Revised: June 23, 2010
Policy
The Board believes that its policy making role and the quality of its decisions are enhanced when the considerable expertise, resources, and talents within the School District and the community are used to assist the Board in addressing the various challenges and opportunities that arise. As the elected and responsible body, the Board reserves for itself the right and duty to provide final approval to any change of policy or other act normally expected of Boards of Education.
To facilitate comprehensive discussion of school district matters, the Board will use ad hoc committees and three (3) standing committees. Recommendations resulting from the business of the standing committee meeting will be forwarded by the Standing Committee Chair to the Board for consideration. The Board’s standing committees are Education and Programs, Finance and Facilities, and Towards the Future for Schools. The Board shall adopt administrative procedures for the conduct of its standing committee meetings.
The Board shall review annually all Trustee representational assignments. Subject to approval of the Board, the Chair of the Board may, for a calendar year, appoint Trustees to represent the perspective of the Board to external organizations or agencies in those instances where the maintenance of external relationships is considered essential to Board effectiveness or where representation is required by legislation or contract. These assignments may be discussed informally at a Trustee Seminar or working session. Following the Board’s meeting in December of each year, the Chair of the Board will assign each Trustee to represent the Board on internal and external committees, organizations, or agencies.
Administrative Procedures
General Operating Guidelines for Standing Committees
The purpose of the Board’s Standing Committees is to provide increased opportunities to share and receive information and input, to review and consider matters, and to make recommendations to the Board. Each Standing Committee shall have a Chair appointed by the Board and hold public meetings in accordance to a schedule established annually by the Board. All Trustees are members of each of the Standing Committees.
A representative of each of the Board’s five partner groups and two student representatives of the Student Leadership Council (SLC) shall be invited by the Committee Chair to participate in the discussions of the Standing Committee. The partner groups include the North Vancouver Parent Advisory Council (NVPAC), the North Vancouver Teachers’ Association (NVTA), the Canadian Union of Public Employees – Local 389 (CUPE), Secondary School Administrators and Elementary School Administrators. The Committee Chair may invite other employees and members of the community to participate in specific discussions. Meetings will be open to any interested persons and will be conducted in an inclusive and informal manner.
The representatives on Standing Committees are expected to reflect the interests, concerns, and perspectives of the organization on whose behalf they represent. The representatives will act as liaisons for their organization and will provide the means through which their membership will be informed about the activities of the Standing Committees.
A Standing Committee shall be supported by senior administrators to be named by the Superintendent, and, from time to time, other administrative officers and managers as may be required by the committee. The preparation of the agenda for a meeting of the Standing Committee shall be the responsibility of the Committee Chair in consultation with the assigned senior administrator. The meeting agenda and supporting materials shall be made available either on-line or by pick up at the Board office on the preceding Friday, whenever possible.
A record containing a summary of the matters discussed, input received, and any recommendations to the Board shall be provided by the Standing Committee Chair to the Board at the first Board meeting following a Standing Committee Meeting.
A Standing Committee may resolve to consider, in the absence of persons other than Trustees and senior staff, matters of a confidential nature. In such circumstances, no actions shall be taken and no minutes shall be kept.
Standing Committee on Education and Programs
The Education and Programs Standing Committee addresses matters pertaining to the quality and types of education provided by the school district including curriculum, programs, educational technology, special education, athletics and the teaching methods employed. It also deals with all matters affecting services provided to students, including counselling, student achievement, safe and caring schools, and health services.
Standing Committee on Finance and Facilities
The Finance and Facilities Standing Committee addresses matters pertaining to budget preparation, financial and investment policy, and the allocation of operating and capital funds. It also deals with long-range facility planning, matters of facility design, construction and alteration, maintenance of buildings and grounds, facility leases, dispositions and acquisitions of facilities and land, and the community use of facilities.
Standing Committee on Towards the Future for Schools
The Towards the Future for Schools Standing Committee addresses matters pertaining to the development and annual refinement of the long-term strategic (10-year) and short-term operating (3-year) plans. Plans are informed by demographics and student enrolment, land and facility issues, community values and trends, and Ministry initiatives. It also identifies, with the partner groups, opportunities for more efficient and flexible use of school district facilities and any other opportunities to sustain school operations in all areas of the school district through input into the development of the annual budget.
Ad Hoc Committees
The Board may, from time to time, establish ad hoc committees comprising of less than a majority of the Board, plus other persons, for purposes of investigating or considering particular issues, opportunities, or concerns, with the intent of reporting or presenting recommendations to the Board.
In establishing an ad hoc committee, the Board shall set out, by resolution, its membership, Chair, terms of reference, responsibilities, duration, schedule of reporting, and relationship to the Board. It is expected that each ad hoc committee shall determine its work plan, record-keeping procedures, methods of decision-making, and the frequency and scheduling of its meetings.
Liaison Trustees
The purpose of liaison assignments is to provide each Trustee with increased opportunities to become acquainted with the schools and act as a Board representative when one is desired at school functions. Liaison assignments provide an opportunity for increased communication between Trustees and residents of the schools' communities. Consistent with the policy making and corporate role of the Board, the liaison Trustee is not expected to carry out administrative or Board-delegated authority.
The assignment of a Trustee to a "family of schools" shall be for a school year, July 1 to June 30. Following the Board’s meeting in June of each year, the Chair of the Board will assign each Trustee to a liaison area consisting of a secondary school and its surrounding elementary schools (family of schools). Family of school assignments shall be rotated among Trustees each year.
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