School Site Council

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Stanford Middle School Home/School Compact 2024-25

A challenging instructional program encourages ALL Stanford Middle School to reach their highest potential.  Classroom instruction includes strong reading and writing components, while providing a variety of opportunities for students to become responsible, productive citizens.  Learning is student-centered, and instructional strategies focus on the unique needs of adolescents.  A school wide emphasis on critical thinking strategies creates an instructional environment that stimulates academic, social and cultural learning.  Staff assists in organizational skills, ensuring students are prepared to learn.  We commit to a safe, secure campus that facilitates academics.  As a community of learners, Stanford students, parents/guardians, and staff share responsibility for high academic achievement and are in consensus that:  

Stanford Staff

• The staff has high expectations for academic achievement that are clearly communicated to students and parents.
• The staff communicate openly with students.
• The staff uses a variety of instructional strategies and multiple forms of assessment to evaluate student progress toward meeting educational goals.
• The staff maintains on-going communication about school programs and events.
• The staff clearly communicates that Stanford is a community of learners.
• The staff focuses on student needs by creating a positive school/classroom climate that promotes academic, social and cultural learning.
• The staff consistently reinforces school rules, policies, and expectations to facilitate learning for all students.
• The school maintains facilities that are safe and in working order.
• The school has an emergency/safety plan that is communicated to students and parents.
• The school provides specific activities and strategies which enhance self-esteem and promote the development of positive interpersonal relationships.
• Bullying –advocate anti-bully culture teach and model.
• Technology –teach and advocate proper responsible use of technology and social media.

Students

• Students demonstrate a clear understanding of school wide expectations for high achievement and accept responsibility for learning.
• Students recognize their potential, set personal goals, and know how to seek help in achieving their goals.
• Students attend school each day in appropriate academic attire, enter class on time, and are ready to learn.
• Students assume responsibility for bringing all necessary books, materials, and supplies to class each day.
• Students follow school rules, policies and expectations.
• Students assume responsibility for maintaining a safe, clean campus.
• Students clearly understand and comply the school’s emergency/safety plan.
• Students use conflict management and decision making skills to resolve problems in a positive manner.
• Students take responsibility to communicate with teachers.
• Bullying –to report incidents of bullying and to not take part in bullying 
• Technology –use phone and other technology responsibly.  Use social media responsibly not using profanity or to bully others.

Parents

• Parents actively support high standards for academic achievement for students.
• Parents serve as advocates for their students to help them realize their potential and achieve their educational goals.
• Parents assume responsibility for keeping informed about their students’ educational programs and progress. 
• Parents ensure that students are in appropriate academic attire and arrive to school on time each day.
• Parents designate a homework plan/structure and provide a place for students to keep books, materials and supplies at home.
• Parents support school rules, policies and expectations.
• Parents help students develop pride in their school.
• Parents clearly understand the schools emergency safety plan.
• Parents provide support for students to develop interpersonal and communication skills that enable them to become responsible, productive citizens.
• Bullying –advocate anti-bully culture, report incidents to school personnel.
• Technology - advocate responsible use of technology and social media

Appendix F: Outline of Sample Bylaws

The following outline is provided as a sample to assist the school site council in developing its own bylaws. No claim of completeness is made, nor is the sample a recommendation by the California Department of Education.

Article I
Duties of the School Site Council

The school site council of ________ School, hereinafter referred to as the school site council, shall carry out the following duties:
•    Obtain recommendations for, and review of the proposed Single Plan for Student Achievement from all school advisory committees.
•    Develop and approve the plan and related expenditures in accordance with all state and federal laws and regulations.
•    Recommend the plan and expenditures to the governing board for approval.
•    Provide ongoing review of the implementation of the plan with the principal, teachers and other school staff members.
•    Make modifications to the plan whenever the need arises.
•    Submit the modified plan for governing board approval whenever a material change (as defined in district governing board policy) is made in planned activities or related expenditures.
•    Annually, (and at each semester, trimester, etc), evaluate the progress made toward school goals to raise the academic achievement of all students.
•    Carry out all other duties assigned to the school site council by the district governing board and by state law.

Article II
Members

Section A: Composition
The school site council shall be composed of __ members, selected by their peers, as follows:
•    __ Classroom teachers
•    __ Other school staff members
•    __ Parents or community members
•    The school principal shall be an ex officio member of the school site council.

School site council members chosen to represent parents may be employees of the school district so long as they are not employed at this school.

 

Section B: Term of Office
School site council members shall be elected for __ year terms. Half, or the nearest approximation thereof, of each representative group shall be elected during odd years, and the remaining number elected during even years. At the first regular meeting of the school site council, each member's current term of office shall be recorded in the minutes of the meeting.

Section C: Voting Rights
Each member is entitled to one vote and may cast that vote on any matter submitted to a vote of the school site council. Absentee ballots shall not be permitted.

Section D: Termination of Membership
The school site council may, by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of all its members, suspend or expel a member. Any elected member may terminate his or her membership by submitting a written letter of resignation to the school site council chairperson.

Section E: Transfer of Membership
Membership on the school site council may not be assigned or transferred.

Section F: Vacancy
Any vacancy on the school site council occurring during the term of a duly elected member shall be filled by ___________________________________________.
(Examples: regular elections; appointment of the school site council for the period of time until the next regular election; or the seating of a previously elected alternate member to fill the remainder of the term of the vacant seat)

Article III
Officers

Section A: Officers
The officers of the school site council shall be a chairperson, vice-chairperson, secretary, and other officers the school site council may deem desirable.

The chairperson shall:
•    Preside at all meetings of the school site council.
•    Sign all letters, reports and other communications of the school site council.
•    Perform all duties incident to the office of the chairperson.
•    Have other such duties as are prescribed by the school site council.

The vice-chairperson shall:
•    Represent the chairperson in assigned duties.
•    Substitute for the chairperson in his or her absence.

 

The secretary shall:
•    Keep minutes of all regular and special meetings of the school site council.
•    Transmit true and correct copies of the minutes of such meetings to members of the school site council and to the following other persons: ________________.
•    Provide all notices in accordance with these bylaws.
•    Be custodian of the records of the school site council.
•    Keep a register of the names, addresses and telephone numbers of each member of the school site council, the chairpersons of school advisory committees, and others with whom the school site council has regular dealings, as furnished by those persons.
•    Perform other such duties as are assigned by the chairperson or the school site council.

Section B: Election and Terms of Office
The officers shall be elected annually, at the _______ meeting of the school site council and shall serve for one year, or until each successor has been elected.

Section C: Removal of Officers
Officers may be removed from office by a two-thirds vote of all the members.

Section D: Vacancy
A vacancy in any office shall be filled at the earliest opportunity by a special election of the school site council, for the remaining portion of the term of office.

Article IV
Committees

Section A: Subcommittees
The school site council may establish and abolish subcommittees of its own membership to perform duties as shall be prescribed by the school site council. At least one member representing teachers and one member representing parents shall make up the subcommittee. No subcommittee may exercise the authority of the school site council.

Section B: Other Standing and Special Committees
The school site council may establish and abolish standing or special committees with such composition and to perform such duties as shall be prescribed by the school site council. No such committee may exercise the authority of the school site council.

Section B: Membership
Unless otherwise determined by the school site council, the school site council chairperson shall appoint members of standing or special committees. A vacancy on a committee shall be filled by appointment made by the chairperson.

 

Section C: Terms of Office
The school site council shall determine the terms of office for members of a committee.

Section D: Rules
Each committee may adopt rules for its own government not inconsistent with these bylaws or rules adopted by the school site council, or policies of the district governing board.

Section E: Quorum
A majority of the members of the committee shall constitute a quorum, unless otherwise determined by the school site council. The act of a majority of the members present shall be the act of the committee, provided a quorum is in attendance.

Article V
Meetings of the School site council

Section A: Meetings
The school site council shall meet regularly on the __ school day of each month. Special meetings of the school site council may be called by the chairperson or by a majority vote of the school site council.

Section B: Place of Meetings
The school site council shall hold its regular meetings at a facility provided by the school, unless such a facility accessible to the public, including handicapped persons, is unavailable. Alternate meeting places may be determined by the chairperson or by majority vote of the school site council.

Section C: Notice of Meetings
Written public notice shall be given of all meetings at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting. Changes in the established date, time or location shall be given special notice. All meetings shall be publicized in the following venues: _________, __________, and __________.

All required notices shall be delivered to school site council and committee members no less than 72 hours, and no more than __ days in advance of the meeting, personally or by mail (or by e-mail).

Section D: Quorum
The act of a majority of the members present shall be the act of the school site council, provided a quorum is in attendance, and no decision may otherwise be attributed to the school site council. A majority of the members of the school site council shall constitute a quorum.

 

Section E: Conduct of Meetings
Meetings of the school site council shall be conducted in accordance with the rules of order established by Education Code Section 3147(c), and with Robert's Rules of Order or an adaptation thereof approved by the school site council.

Section F: Meetings Open to the Public
All meetings of the school site council, and of committees established by the school site council, shall be open to the public. Notice of such meetings shall be provided in accordance with Section C of this article.

Article VII
Amendments

An amendment of these bylaws may be made at any regular meeting of the school site council by a vote of two-thirds of the members present. Written notice of the proposed amendment must be submitted to school site council members at least __ days prior to the meeting at which the amendment is to be considered for adoption.