The District 16 Education Council encourages teachers, parents and other community members to volunteer within the school system, and recognizes their important contribution.

On behalf of the community of School District 16, the District Education Council shall provide educational leadership.

The councillors shall govern in a respectful and proactive style, which emphasizes vision, encouragement of diversity in viewpoints, strategic leadership and a clear distinction of councillors and superintendent roles.

The Council shall follow an annual agenda which: (a) reviews end results policies; and (b) enhances council performance through continuous process improvement.

Council committees may be formed to carry out specific tasks. They have no decision-making authority except that given to them by council motion.

In order to provide for effective communication and clearly distinguish the Council’s own unique work from the work of its staff, the Council shall establish the following protocols with respect to the various stakeholders in the educational community.

The Superintendent, as Chief Executive Officer, is accountable to the Council acting as a body corporate. The Council shall instruct the superintendent through written policies and shall delegate interpretation and implementation of these policies to the superintendent.

As the council’s single official link to the operating organization, the superintendent’s performance shall be considered to be synonymous with organizational performance as a whole.

The Superintendent shall not cause or allow any practice, activity, decision or situation which is either imprudent or in violation of commonly accepted business and professional ethics.

Budgeting for any fiscal year or the remaining part of any fiscal year shall not deviate substantially from council priorities, risk fiscal jeopardy, or fail to show a generally acceptable level of foresight.

In order to protect the council from the sudden loss of chief executive services, the Superintendent shall not fail to inform the three directors – Director of Education, Director of Finance/ Administration, and Director of Human Resources – of their roles.

The superintendent shall not fail to provide the council with relevant information.

To govern and regulate the operation of school and student council accounts and accounting procedures.

To regulate practices and procedures related to the engagement or hiring of new employees.

To regulate practices and procedures related to the engagement of replacement workers.

To regulate the admission and transfer of pupils. To control the unregulated movement of students between and among district schools and programs.

To create and maintain a safe, orderly climate for learning. To regulate the administration of discipline in school, on buses, and at co- and extra-curricular activities.

To guide and regulate school responses to threats, fighting, hostile behaviour, physical aggression, and to the possession or use of weapons in school or at school events.

The mission of the Food and Nutrition Regulation is to contribute to the health and well being of the District 16 school students by developing healthy eating habits through education in an economically, socially and environmentally responsible manner.

District 16 believes that regular attendance at school has a direct impact on student achievement. Exemption from a final examination is an earned privilege and not a guaranteed right.

To regulate and control the operation of school-owned or rented student council vehicles. To provide guidelines for the transportation of students by parents/volunteers.

To provide for the development, maintenance, and training of school and district emergency response (crisis intervention) teams.

To establish and regulate the placement of students in neighbourhood schools.

To prevent the exploitation or use of pupils and schools for purely commercial purposes or gain.

To monitor co-curricular events.