Bird Rock Elementary School

Bird Rock Elementary School Governance Team By-Laws
(Updated Fall 2011)

Philosophy

To make Bird Rock Elementary (which will hereafter be “BRE”) a community of parents, staff and students who cooperate to achieve high levels of academic performance, develop a lifelong love of learning, respect diversity and individuality and welcome innovation.

Mission

The staff, students, and parents of BRE believe that all students can learn and achieve regardless of their previous academic performance, family background, socioeconomic status, race or gender.  We believe that our school’s purpose is to educate all students to high levels of academic performance while fostering positive growth in social/emotional behaviors and attitudes.  We accept the responsibility to work together so that all students can attain maximum educational potential.

Purpose

The purpose of the Governance Team at BRE is to involve staff, parents, students and community in making decisions about school life.

Governance Team (which will hereafter be “GT”)

Participants and Size

Total members:  13
  • One principal
  • Two Classified Staff (clerical, custodial, paraprofessional)
  • Five classroom teachers (K-1 teacher, 2-3 teacher, 4-5 teacher, teacher-at-large, SDEA representative)
  • Five parents with children currently enrolled at BRE (one PTO/Events Board Representative, one PTO/Fundraising Board Representative, three Parents-at-large)
A Student Council member elected by the Student Council may be invited to attend the GT meetings.

Business partners may be invited to attend the GT meetings (if relevant.)

Method of Selection

Members of GT for each new academic year will be elected by their peers via written ballot (i.e. teachers elect teachers, parents elect parents, classified elect classified,) with the exception of the PTO.  They shall be appointed by their respective incoming boards prior to the final meeting of the GT each year.  Parent representatives are elected using the following timeline:  Interest letters are sent in April.  Nomination forms and ballots are sent out in May.  Spanish language ballots will be distributed to those families who need them. Teacher reps are elected prior to the first GT meeting of the new academic year.  Classified reps are elected as soon as possible at the beginning of the new academic year.

Term of Office

Term of office for each member will be two (2) years, with the exception of the PTO representatives who will serve for a one-year term.  If a vacancy occurs mid-school year, a special election will be held by the respective group to fill the vacancy.

Scope of Decisions

Areas for Shared Decision Making:

  1. Accountability and Assessment - GT will be a forum for staff, parents, and community to raise questions and concerns regarding student accountability and student assessment.
  2. Budget – GT will approve the expenditures of non-allocated funds made available to BRE, as notified by the principal.  (Non-allocated funds are those that are not specifically earmarked.)  The principal will continue to make discretionary spending decisions.  GT will coordinate efforts to fund programs and projects, working with the School Site Council (SSC,) PTO, and the volunteer grant writers, as appropriate.
  3. Communication – GT shall determine if school/community communication is effective and efficient and will recommend solutions as needed.  Parents need to address issues pertaining specifically to their child to the classroom teacher or principal.  GT will coordinate a survey no less than once every three years of parents and staff, working in conjunction with the PTO and SSC.

  4. Curriculum Development – GT will serve as a forum for any teachers, staff, parents, or community members to raise questions or concerns about curriculum.

  5. Integration – GT will work to enhance integration in the school by encouraging students and staff to recognize, support, respect, and appreciate individual and cultural diversity.

  6. Scheduling/Calendar – GT will be a forum to discuss and resolve issues regarding scheduling and pull-out programs.

  7. Selection of Staff – the principal will notify the Chair of GT when an interview team needs to be organized.  The Chair will ask each stakeholder group to designate one of its GT members or a member of its stakeholders group to serve on the interview team.  The interview team will consist of at least four members, including the principal.  It will be at the principal’s discretion to request additional members as needed.

  8. Setting Future Goals/Objectives – in support of the SDUSD goals, GT will use the Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA) to insure the continuous development of student achievement and quality of life at BRE.  Each June, GT will determine a focus for the coming year.

  9. Site Facilities – GT will address how to use the existing site, be a forum for the community to bring up issues regarding the site facilities, and ensure a clean, safe, healthy campus.

  10. Staff Development – GT may be a forum where staff, parents, or community members may raise questions regarding staff development.

  11. Student Placement Policy – GT may offer comments and suggestions regarding student placement.

  12. School Issues – GT may be a forum where staff, parents, or community members may raise questions regarding school issues.

Responsibilities

  1. Gather and disseminate information to staff, parents, students, and community.
  2. Evaluate the existing school committees and consider the formation of future school committees.
  3. Delegate tasks to committees, as needed.
  4. Review committees’ recommendations and prioritize.
  5. Prepare and publicize agenda and related information to allow input in advance.
  6. Set a regular monthly meeting.

Range of Authority

With appropriate district procedure, education code and collective bargaining agreements, the GT shall be empowered to make recommendations and decisions in the areas stated above.

Decision Making

Determine decision by consensus.  All members of the BRE school community are invited to attend the GT meetings, but the responsibility of voting belongs only to the GT members.  Visitors may present comments regarding a specific agenda item following the discussion and prior to the vote.  Comments are not to exceed three (3) minutes.  A membership quorum of 51% is necessary to conduct business.  GT will elect a Chair annually who will appoint a Vice-Chair in the event of his/her absence.  Monthly agendas will be formulated and distributed the week prior to an upcoming meeting by the chairperson.  Agenda items are to be submitted to the Chair two (2) weeks prior to an upcoming meeting using a submittal form.  All members of the school community may submit agenda items via their respective representatives (i.e. teachers to teacher rep, parents to parent-at-large rep, PTO to PTO rep, classified to classified rep.) The meeting will also include a roundtable discussion of items not on the agenda by elected GT members.

Resolution

If consensus is not reached, then the issue will be decided by a two-thirds vote of the GT. 

Amendment Process

Any change must be approved by the majority of those voting in each stakeholder group.

Fall, 2011