Education

School Councils

Your Voice in the Yukon’s Education System

School councils provide a rewarding opportunity for Yukon people to get involved in the education of their children.

  • They are a voice for parents and community members.
  • They work with students, teachers, administrators and the Department of Education to provide high-quality education.
  • They can have an impact on issues that go beyond their school.
  • Along with teachers and administrators, school councils are a key source of information and support for parents who have questions about their children’s education.

Almost every school in the Yukon has a school council. They have three to seven members, including a chairperson. School councils reflect the value the Yukon government places on the participation of parents and the public in the operation of the territory’s schools.

What School Councils Can Do

School councils can influence everything from school programming to discipline policies. They help with problem-solving and decision-making. They review and approve school plans, which are the blueprints for the school’s activities and priorities. They participate in the hiring of the school’s principal. They make recommendations on how the school’s budget is spent. They may propose locally developed courses. They may also advise on the length of the school year, on staffing needs, on school renovations, on school programming, and on student transportation.

School Councils and School Boards

School councils have considerable influence on their schools through their advice and involvement. School boards, on the other hand, have direct responsibility for the entire operation of their schools. The Yukon currently has one school board, which operates the territory’s French First Language school, École Émilie-Tremblay.

Who Can Be A Member of a School Council

You are eligible to become a school council member if you are a Canadian citizen, you are at least 18 years of age, and you have either 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 can not be on a school council if you are an employee of the school.

School councillors are elected to two-year terms. They are elected by the parents of the school’s students, and by those living in the school’s attendance area.

Yukon Francophone School Board Trustees are elected for three-year terms.

How To Become A Member

If you wish to run in a school council election, you need to obtain nomination signatures from at least three people who are qualified to vote in the school council election. You can find out more by calling the Elections Office at (867) 667-8683. Long distance calls to 1-866-668-8683 are toll-free Canada wide. The e-mail address is elections.yukon@gov.yk.ca.

Guaranteed Representation

The Yukon Education Act provides for guaranteed representation of First Nations on school councils. These representatives play an important role. They bring to the school council their cultural perspectives and their ideas. To find out more about these positions, contact the office of your local First Nation.

Departmental Support for School Councils

School Council Liaison

The Department of Education has designated a senior official as School Council Liaison. This person provides support and answers questions about issues, procedures and resources. School administrators and superintendents also provide valuable help.

Training

The Department of Education provides training sessions for school council members who request them. It also provides a training manual, and additional reference materials new members may need. New school council members can also draw upon the knowledge of experienced members.

Funding

The Department of Education funds each school council through contribution agreements. School council members receive honoraria of up to $500 per year for attending meetings.

Conferences

School councils regularly come together for annual conferences. These forums give school council members the opportunity to exchange ideas, learn about new approaches to issues, and address concerns they all share. The Department of Education pays the travel and accommodation costs of school council members who attend these conferences.

How To Reach Your Local School Council

School offices can give you contact information for school councils. If you live in a small community, the school council chairperson may be someone you know.

The Department of Education publishes the School Council Contact Book, which lists all school council members, and the schedules of school council meetings. To obtain a copy, call your local school, or contact the School Council Liaison at the Department as listed below.

Association of Yukon School Councils, Boards and Committees

The Education Act allows School Boards and Councils to form and become members of an association of School Boards and Councils.  In response to this authority the Association of Yukon School Councils, Boards and Committees (AYSCBC) formed in 1999.

Contact - School Council Liaison

School Council Liaison
Department of Education
Government of Yukon
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
schoolcouncilliaison@gov.yk.ca