Education

Schools K - 12

School councils

School Councils provide a way for Yukon residents to get involved in the education of children.

School Councils have three to seven members. Members are elected to two-year terms and receive honoraria for attending regular meetings.

Most Yukon schools are run by the Public Schools Branch of Department of Education. École Émilie Tremblay and Académie Parhélie, the French First language schools, are run by a school board, the Commission scolaire francophone du Yukon, (CSFY).

The Department of Education funds School Councils and CSFY.

On this page, you will learn:

School Council by-elections

By-elections have been called to fill vacant seats on the following School Councils:

Takhini Elementary School Council
Ross River School Council
St. Elias Community School Council
Eliza Van Bibber School Council
Nelnah Bessie John School Council

If you are interested in serving on one of these school councils, submit your nomination papers to Elections Yukon by 12 pm on Thursday, October 11, 2018.

For more information, please visit the Elections Yukon website, call 867-667-8683 or email info@electionsyukon.ca.

About school councils Group of students in a classroom working together on a project.

What School Councils do
Finding your School Council
Protecting privacy
Eligibility for School Council membership
Running for election to a school council
Filling vacancies on a school council
Guaranteed representation for Yukon First Nations

Responsibilities of councils

Resources for School Councils
Rules and regulations
Financial information and reporting
Honoraria
Oaths, ethics and code of conduct
Disqualification of council members
Protection from liability

Tips for school council members

Building relationships with your council and community
Roles and responsibilities
Holding effective meetings and taking minutes
Policy development
Hiring and performance review of school staff
School growth process

What School Councils do

The duties and powers of School Councils are described in sections of the Education Act , primarily Section 113. They include:

Reviewing and approving school growth plans
Reviewing and developing school-based policies such as dispute resolution, attendance and discipline policies
Participating in hiring school principals
Making recommendations on how school budgets are spent
Advising on matters such as:
- Length of the school years
- Staffing needs
- School renovations
- School programming
- Discipline policies
- Student transportation
- Proposing locally developed courses
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Finding your School Council

For information about a specific School Council, visit the school website listed on our school directory page.

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Protecting privacy

School Council members are bound by an oath of confidentiality. They must not reveal personal information about staff or students. Sometimes meetings must be closed to the public to protect personal information.

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Eligibility for School Council membership

You are eligible to serve on a School Council if you are a Canadian citizen at least 18 years old and:
- You have lived in the school’s attendance area for at least three months.
  OR
- You are the parent of a child who attends the school.
You cannot serve on a School Council if you work in the school according to Section 151 of the Education Act .

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Running for election to a School Council

If you wish to run for election to a school council, you must obtain nomination signatures from at least three people who are qualified to vote in the election.

Elections are held every two years, in even-numbered years in the spring.

Visit the Elections Yukon website for more information about School Council elections.

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Filling vacancies on a School Council

The Minister may appoint a person recommended by a School Council to fill a vacancy, under Section 108 of the Education Act . The same section also allows the Minister to call a by-election to fill the vacancy.

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Guaranteed representation for Yukon First Nations

Section 68 of the Education Act provides for guaranteed representation of Yukon First Nations on School Councils. To find out more about these positions, contact your local principal, School Council, First Nation office or the School Council Liaison at the Department of Education.

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Resources for School Councils

The School Council Liaison provides support to School Councils including:
- Providing information and advice about School Council mandates, responsibilities, policies and procedures to School Council members and to the public
- Helping with problem-solving
- Training School Council members
- Supporting recruitment between general School Council elections
- Coordinating and managing annual School Council conferences
- Working with School Councils on the annual school calendars
- Working with Yukon First Nations on the appointments of Guaranteed Representatives
- Researching issues and developing and proposing policies as requested by School Councils
School administrators and superintendents also support School Councils.

The Department of Education provides resource materials and offers professional development opportunities such as conferences, workshops and training to School Councils.

These associations also support School Councils:
- Association of Yukon School Councils, Boards and Committees
- Catholic Education Association of Yukon
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Rules and regulations

Much of a School Council’s work is described in acts, regulations and policies.
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Financial information and reporting

School Councils are legally required to report on the funds they receive from the government. The Education Act sets out how councils can use their funds. Councils conduct banking arrangements, pay their accounts and report on an annual basis how they used the funds.
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Honoraria

School Council members may receive honoraria for the meetings they attend. Canada Revenue Agency considers honoraria a taxable benefit. School Council members may choose to donate their honoraria to their schools or School Councils.
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Oaths, ethics and code of conduct

When new School Council members are elected, acclaimed or appointed, they need to make an oath or declarations. Secretary-treasurers who are hired by a School Council must swear an oath or make a declaration of non-disclosure (to protect privacy).

New Whitehorse councilors may be invited to come to the Department of Education to swear their oaths. Outside Whitehorse, councilors might prefer to fill in one of these oath forms, take it to a local notary, swear their oath and send the notarized form to our offices.
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Disqualification of council members

The Education Act (Section 151) says that a person is no longer qualified and forfeits their seat on a council when they are:
- Absent from three meetings in a row without authorization
- Ceases to be an elector in the attendance area (i.e., moves away)
- Uses information gained as a council member for financial gain
- Is a judge other than a justice of the peace or youth court
- Is employed in a school operated by the School Council, with the exception of a secretary-treasurer of a School Council.
If a member has a financial interest in a matter before the council, the member is required to
- Disclose the interest before the discussion in council
- Abstain from voting on any question relating to the matter
- Abstain from discussing the matter
- Leave the room until the discussion and voting have taken place.
Members who break these rules are no longer qualified and forfeit their seat on council. Any person can apply to court to determine if a member is qualified to remain on council. The Education Act describes the process in detail.

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Protection from liability

When School Council members are legally exercising their powers under the Education Act in a way that is not negligent, Section 194 protects School Council members from legal liability. Negligence normally refers to
- Acts that are wilfully intended to harm
- Acts that members should reasonably expect would cause harm
- Willfully ignoring a situation that would likely cause harm
To be negligent, harm has to actually occur to a person.

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Building relationships with your council and community

Invest in time to develop good working relationships in your school community. These documents can give you ideas.
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Roles and responsibilities
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Holding effective meetings

Tips to help councils hold effective meetings and keep meaningful records.
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Policy development

Department of Education policies provide guidance for school-based policies. Here are some guides and examples to help councils develop policies.
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Hiring and performance review

School Councils have a role in evaluating principals. They also may recommend to the superintendent the dismissal, transfer, discipline or demotion of teachers, principals or other employees in the school.

To learn more, read
- Education Act , Section 113
- Educator evaluation web page
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School Growth Process

The school growth process sets out a school’s priorities for improving the success of its students. School staff, School Councils, parents, Yukon First Nations, Elders and students are involved in planning, determining appropriate actions to achieve goals and monitoring progress.
- Read the school growth process web page >>>
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School Councils

Department of Education
1000 Lewes Boulevard
Box 2703
Whitehorse, Yukon
Canada Y1A 2C6

Phone: 867- 667-8226
Toll free (In Yukon): 1-800-661-0408, local 8226
Fax: 867- 393-6339
Email: bob.walker@gov.yk.ca

Yukon government directory >>>

Education

Schools K - 12

School councils

Building relationships with your council and community

School Growth Process

School Councils