LEWIS & CLARK HIGH SCHOOL

SITE COUNCIL CHARTER

 

 

I.  PREAMBLE / MISSION STATEMENT

 

In the public school setting, it is essential that all members of the community, including staff, students, and parents, have the opportunity to participate as individuals in developing an infrastructure for the  decision-making process.

 

Lewis & Clark should be organized in such a way as to encourage the staff, students, parents, and community to participate in the decisions that affect the running of the school and provide improved learning opportunities for students.

 

II.  PURPOSE

 

The Lewis  & Clark Site Council (hereinafter "LCSC" or "Council") is established to supervise the flow of information and bring issues to a point of decision when it appears that an appropriate level of consensus has been reached.  The LCSC will enlist the support of staff, students, parents, and community to work collaboratively to design and implement programs that support the Lewis & Clark High School mission.

 

III.  SITE COUNCIL

 

A.     Organizational Structure

 

1.     Eligibility

 

Certified and non-certified staff assigned to Lewis & Clark for at least fifty percent (50%) of their workday, Lewis & Clark students and parents, and interested patrons.

 

2.     Site Council Membership

 

The Council shall be comprised of seventeen (17) voting members:

7      Non-administrative certified staff

3      Non-certified staff

1      Student who is an ASB officer/designee

2      Students who are not ASB officers

1      Administration

3      Parents

 

3.     Length of Service / Terms of Membership

 

For the purpose of determining length of service, a year shall be deemed to commence on July 1 and shall be deemed to end on June 30 of the following year.

 

All non-student members except the administration member shall serve a two-year term.  However, in the Council's first year (July 1, 1995, through June 30, 1996) seven (7) non-student members will be designated to serve a two-year term (July 1, 1995, through June 30, 1997) and six (6) non-student members will be designated to serve a one-year term (July 1, 1995, through June 30, 1996); provided, however, that a staff member shall not be eligible to serve consecutive two-year terms.

 

The student members must be a member of either the junior or senior class during the time of their term.  The ASB officer member shall serve during the ASB term of office.  All other student members shall serve one-year terms.  The administration member shall not have any specified term.

 

4.     Selection Process

 

a.     Non-administrative certified staff:  Seven (7) positions

Non-certified staff:  Three (3) positions

 

(1)    Non-administrative certified staff and non-certified staff members will be elected by the entire staff in a general election.  In the inception year, an election committee consisting of three (3) members shall be selected by the administration to develop the ballot format and to schedule and coordinate the details necessary to properly and fairly conduct each general election, provided that in all subsequent elections the committee shall be selected from the existing Council.

 

(2)    Each staff member shall be entitled to one (1) vote for each position on the ballot but will not be entitled to vote for the same person more than once; provided further that ballots shall be arranged so that a voting staff member may not cast more votes for certified or non-certified positions than are eligible for election.  For example, in the inception year a staff member will have ten (10) votes, a maximum of seven (7) of which may be cast for certified staff members and a maximum of three (3) of which may be cast for non-certified staff members.

 

(3)    The first election for positions for the inception year (July 1, 1995, through June 30, 1996) shall be held before the end of the 1994-1995 school year.

 

(4)    The seven (7) non-administrative certified staff members receiving the most votes will be designated as Council members.  The three (3) non-certified staff members receiving the most votes will be designated as Council members.

 

(5)    In the event of a tie, a lottery drawing will be held to select the representative(s).  In the event an individual so elected chooses not to serve, the individual receiving the next highest number of votes shall take his/her place.

 

(6)    All future elections shall be held before the end of each succeeding school year.

 

(7)    In the inception year, five (5) of these positions will be designated as two-year terms and five (5) will be designated as one-year terms.  These designations will be determined by a lottery after the general election; provided, however, that certified staff members will have four (4) two-year terms and three (3) one-year terms, and non-certified staff members will have one (1) two-year term and two (2) one-year terms.

 

(8)    If a position becomes vacant for any reason, that position will be offered to the person who received the next highest vote in the last general election in the respective category for the vacant position (certified or non-certified).  This person shall then serve the remainder of the vacated person's term.

 

b.     Students:  Three (3) positions

 

(1)    The ASB officers shall designate one officer to attend each meeting.

 

(2)    Two students who are not ASB officers shall be selected by a process determined by the ASB.

 

(3)    In the inception year, the two students who are not ASB officers shall be selected before the end of the 1994-1995 school year.  All future selections shall be done before the end of each succeeding school year.

 

c.      Administration:  One (1) position consisting of the Principal or his/her designee from staff.

 

d.     Parents:  Three (3) positions to be selected by a process to be determined by the Parent/Teacher Student Group ("PTSG").

 

(1)    In the inception year, two (2) parents shall be designated to serve two-year terms and one (1) parent shall be designated to serve a one-year term.  These designations will be determined by a lottery after the selection process is completed.

 

(2)    For the inception year, the parent members shall be selected on or before the end of the 1994-1995 school year .  All future selections shall be done before the end of each succeeding school year.

 

5.     Officers / Duties

 

At the first meeting of the LCSC each term, the Council shall elect from its members, by majority vote, one (1) chairperson, one (1) vice chairperson, and two (2) secretaries.

 

It shall be the duty of the chairperson to establish the agenda for each meeting and preside over the meeting pursuant to Robert's Rules of Order or by such other procedures as shall be adopted.  It shall be the duty of the vice chairperson to establish the agenda and preside over meetings in the absence of the chairperson.  It shall be the responsibility of the vice chairperson to see that each board member receives written confirmation of the meeting and a copy of any agenda prior to each meeting.  It shall be the duty of each secretary to record proper minutes of the meetings.  Each secretary shall be responsible for recording minutes for one-half of each meeting unless otherwise established by agreement; provided that the secretaries will be relieved of this responsibility for any meeting in which the administration has secured other arrangements for recording the minutes.

 

6.     Meeting Schedule

 

a.     Orientation Meeting:

 

The first meeting of each term shall be called by the administration member who shall set the agenda which is to include elections; establishing a schedule for its regular business meetings; discussion of potential agenda items for the year; and a review of the prior years' activities and the Council rules and procedures for new members.

 

b.     Regular Meetings:

 

In addition to the annual orientation meeting, there shall be a minimum of two (2) regular business meetings each semester, the schedule for which shall be set at the orientation meeting.

 

c.      Special Meetings:

 

Special meetings may be scheduled as deemed necessary by the Council or by the chairperson.

 

d.     Notice of Meetings:

 

Meeting dates shall be published through all available communication means, including the monthly calendar.  The meetings shall be open to all staff, students, parents of students, and patrons.

 

e.     Procedures and Rules:

 

The Council may establish such rules and procedures as are necessary to ensure that it conducts its business in an orderly and fair manner.  To the extent it is necessary to adopt any such procedures and rules, a majority vote shall control, provided that a quorum consisting of thirteen (13) members must be present at any meeting in which a vote is taken to implement such a rule or procedure.

 

B.   Procedures and Responsibilities

 

1.     Structure

		STUDY Ú		DECISION Ú		OPERATION Ú
		Parents/ PTSG				Administration
Task Force		Staff: FAR				Department Heads		Operation Group
				Council
		Students: ASB				Departments
		Community