Woodlands School Council and Parents’ Society is looking for new members for the 2024/25 year.
Participating in council is the best way for you to keep informed about what’s happening at the school, influence decision-making, and contribute to making your child’s experience a great one.
You’re invited to attend our Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Wednesday, June 12 beginning at 6:30 pm at Woodlands School.
During the meeting, we will review and make amendments to our operating procedures, nominate and elect executive members and begin a draft plan for the 24/25 school year.
Any parent can be an elected member. If you’re interested in any of the below elected roles, please put yourself forward!
Following the formal business, there will be an opportunity to meet and visit with other parents. Refreshments and snacks will be provided!
Registration isn’t required but encouraged to ensure we have enough refreshments for everyone.
We hope to see you there!
What’s the purpose of these groups?
The Woodlands School Council and Parents’ Societies are two separate groups but historically made up of the same group of people.
The purpose of School Council is to advise the principal and CBE Board of Trustees on school matters. Woodlands School council also organizes school events like dances and the end of year carnival.
The Parents’ Society (also referred to as the School Council Association) is a formal group of parents, incorporated under the Societies Act for charitable purposes to support students and the school via fundraising activities. Our school casinos, which generate tens of thousands of dollars in funding to support our students, are organized by this group.
Both these groups play a critical role in enriching our kids’ education by subsiding supplies like music equipment, residencies and field trips and hosting social events.
Roles and responsibilities
The time commitment for each role is a few hours a week, sometimes more, depending on planned activities. You can put yourself forward for any elected role.
The following roles are elected board members:
School Council President: The school council president plans meetings and prepares agendas, chairs school council meetings, and acts as a spokesperson for the school council (unless otherwise delegated.) The president also organizes a pre-meeting with the school principal ahead of each council meeting to plan the agenda. The council must meet a minimum of seven times during the school year. The school council president cannot be the same person as the parents’ society president.
Parents’ Society President: The parents’ society president also plans meetings and prepares agendas alongside the school council president and chairs the parents’ society meeting that occurs directly following each council meeting. They should attend the pre-meetings with the school principal if possible. Because the parents’ society’s primary purpose is fundraising and organization of school casino fundraiser, the parents’ society president must be prepared to familiarize themselves with Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission (AGLC) bylaws for our school.
Secretary: The secretary takes minutes during council and parents’ society meetings and ensures those minutes, as well as any other relevant documents, are made publicly accessible via the Woodlands School website. It’s important for the secretary to have at least a high-level understanding of the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA).
Treasurer: The treasurer tracks and manages all financial transactions for both the school council (general) and parents’ society (AGLC) accounts, reports receipt and expenditure of funds during meetings and complies with the school council and the Calgary Board of Education policies. The Treasurer, with assistance from the President of each group, develops and submits the Annual Report for each account.
The following elected members may also exist, depending on interest:
· Vice-president: Assists the presidents of both groups.
· Casino coordinator: liaises with the AGLC on acquiring our next casino fundraising date and recruits volunteers for the event which usually happens every two years. In the absence of this role, this responsibility falls to the parents’ society president.
· Event coordinator: Oversees the organization of all events.
· Volunteer coordinator: Assists in the recruitment of volunteers for school and council events.
General council member: Any parent that attends meetings is a council member – you don’t need to be elected to a board position. All general council members attend meetings and provide their feedback, vote on how we spend funds and can take the lead on events or fundraising activities.
Head to CBE’s website if you want to learn more about School Councils and Parent Societies.