School Council

School Council Handbook
School Council Brochure

The Edmonton Catholic Separate School District No. 7 recognizes the rights of parents to be involved in their children's education and for parents, community members and school staff to be involved in key decisions about the education of students. In each school in the district, parents and the school community are to be provided with the opportunity to establish and maintain a school council. School councils have a role in advising and consulting with the principal on many matters relating to the school.

A school council is a collective association of parents, teachers, principals, staff, students (where appropriate), and community representatives who seek to work together to promote the well being and effectiveness of the entire school community and thereby to enhance student learning. A school council provides a means to facilitate cooperation among all the concerned participants in the local school.

1. Each school is to provide for the establishment of a school council with the stipulation that the majority of the members are parents of students attending the school.

a. Any parent of a student registered in Edmonton Catholic Separate School District No. 7 can serve on a school council.

b. It is expected that there be an opportunity for representation from both the parish and broader community.

2. The central focus of the school council must be the desire to create a strong learning environment for the students.

3. The school council may advise the principal and the board respecting any matter relating to the school. Areas that the school council typically addresses are planning, budgeting, communications, community relations, and school programming.

Communities of School Councils (COSCs)

The Board of Trustees of Edmonton Catholic Schools is committed to serving its community and to preserving our Catholic identity.  The Board governs with an emphasis on an outward vision, encouraging diversity in viewpoints, strategic leadership, collective decisions, the future, and proactivity.  

An important link is the Communities of School Councils (COSCs).

Communities of School Councils (COSCs) consist of schools in each of the Trustees’ Wards.  There are 7 Wards in Edmonton Catholic Schools and from each of these wards, a trustee is elected to serve on the Board.

The purpose of COSC meetings is to provide a venue for meaningful communication with, and involvement of, school councils, including:

• sharing of information from the Board
• discussing concerns and answer questions of school councils
• receiving advice and input from school councils (budget, three-year plan, etc.)
• launching lobby efforts when necessary

There are a variety of ways for Communities of School Councils to gather:

• individual trustees will host a meeting of the school councils in their respective wards
• two or three trustees may host a joint meeting in a school in one of their wards
• a district-wide COSC meeting hosted by all trustees

There is a difference between trustees attending school council meetings and a COSC meeting. 

• Trustee attendance at a School Council Meeting is by invitation extended to a trustee by a school council in his/her ward
• COSCs are hosted by a trustee/group of trustees/Board of Trustees