School District 8 (Kootenay Lake)Principal/Vice-Principal Orientation

2008

SCHOOL BASED ADMINISTRATOR ORIENTATION: CONTEXT

The Ministry of Education with specified duties and powers under the School Act is responsible for overseeing the provincial K-12 school system plus new duties related to early learning and adults

The Ministry, through a framework of legislation, policies and regulations, allocates funds, sets educational standards, monitors student performance and reports to the public

The School Act delegates certain duties, powers and responsibilities to boards of education to oversee the management of school districts and schools within its jurisdiction in accordance with specified powers. School Based Administrators are the officers of the Board In accordance with specified powers, a school board develops unique intentions and a distinctive character expressed through a mission statement, values, school board goals, supporting policies, and priorities. School Based Administrators implement the Board’s priorities.

THE POLITICAL SIDE: Mindset

CURRENT MINDSETS AFFECTING EDUCATIONAL GOVERNANCE:

Public education should be responsive, effective and efficient

Public education should document, in terms of student outcomes, value for money spent

Public education should embrace and model governance, leadership and management practices that ensure that the needs, characteristics and requirements of learners come first

Public education should model governance and management practices that incorporate inclusion and transparency in policy making

Public education should be sensitive to, and address, the affordability issue

Public education governance is driven by the widespread appeal of market fundamentals (alternatives, choice and specialization)

SIGNIFICANT PROVINCIAL [P] AND

LOCAL [SD]DOCUMENTS FOR SCHOOLS

The School Act, and related legislation, orders and regulations [P]

Kindergarten to Grade 12 Education Plan [P] School District Policies and Administrative Regulations [SD] The Provincial Accountability Framework : Achievement Contract,District Review, School Planning Councils [P] The School District Performance Plan (Achievement Contract) [SD] The School District Strategic Directions Framework [SD] School District Enrolments and Staffing Report [SD] School District Financial Accountability: Reporting Timelines, FinancialStatement Reporting, School District Budget Reporting, Statement of Financial Information (SOFI), GAAP Implementation [P] [SD] The K to 12 Funding Allocation System [P] School District Operating Budget [SD] Policies and Practices: School Board Operations [SD]

SIGNIFICANT SECTIONS/EXCERPTS OF SCHOOL ACT

Definition of an Educational Program (section 1) Access to Educational Program (section 2) Entry to an Educational Program (section 3) Parents’ Entitlements and Responsibilities (sections 7-14) School Boards: Corporate Status and Meetings (sections 65 72) School Board: Powers and Duties (sections 73-87) Provincial Funding (sections 106.1–106.4) School Board Budgets (sections 110-113)

SIGNIFICANT SECTIONS/EXCERPTS OF SCHOOL ACT RELATED

LEGISLATION

School Act Regulations and Orders in Council

254/02: Class Size Regulation 114/02: School Calendar Regulation 265/89: School Regulation (sets out duties of teachers; powers and duties of principals, vice principals; duties of superintendent of schools and secretary-treasurer)

School Act Ministerial Orders Graduation Program and Requirements Orders Required Areas of Study Order School Board Fees Order Special Needs Students Order Student Progress Report Order

CURRENT PROVINCIAL PRIORITIES IN CURRICULUM AND

INSTRUCTIONLiteracy: early learning, early identification/intervention, lifelong learning School community partnerships Social Responsibility and citizenship The Quality of Teaching Addressing Diversity: special education programs/services, ESL Job Training, Apprenticeships Safe and Caring Schools: codes of conduct, violence prevention, anti-bullying Improving Aboriginal student success Applications of information technology New graduation requirements Health promoting schools

SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICIES AND ADMINISTRATIVE

PROCEDURES (REGULATIONS)

Bylaws

Section One: Board of Trustees Section Two: General Section Three: Pupils Section Four: Instruction and School Organization Section Five: Personnel Section Six: Finance Section Seven: Operations and Transportation

SCHOOL BOARD OPERATIONS

Transportation Operations

Maintenance Operations

Safety Operations

Custodial Operations

Payroll

Finance

Student Services

Curriculum

Administration

CONTRACTS

Collective Agreement with KLTF

Collective Agreement with CUPE

Grievances and dealing with them

SO WHAT IS A SCHOOL BASED ADMINISTRATOR TO DO?

You have a request from a teacher to take a day off work to care for an ailing parent

You have a request from a TA to take a day off work to care for an ailing parent

What comes into play? School Act? Policy? Contract?

What do you do?

SO WHAT IS A SCHOOL BASED ADMINISTRATOR TO DO?

You arrive at school in time to deal with two girls who were fighting, a fight which a teacher broke up.

What comes into play? School Act? Policy? Contract?

What do you do?

SO WHAT IS A SCHOOL BASED ADMINISTRATOR TO DO?

A teacher would like to take his/her class on a field trip.

What comes into play? School Act? Policy? Contract?

What do you do?

SO WHAT IS A SCHOOL BASED ADMINISTRATOR TO DO?

Two teachers get into an argument in the staff room, embarrassing everyone within hearing

What comes into play? School Act? Policy? Contract?

What do you do?

SO WHAT IS A SCHOOL BASED ADMINISTRATOR TO DO?

A parent starts to swear at you when you refuse to change a child’s marks and threatens to go to a lawyer

What comes into play? School Act? Policy? Contract?

What do you do?

SO WHAT IS A SCHOOL BASED ADMINISTRATOR TO DO?

The class trip is about to leave and you go through procedures in your mind before they leave.

What comes into play? School Act? Policy? Contract?

What do you do?

SO WHAT IS A SCHOOL BASED ADMINISTRATOR TO DO?

The union president calls and wants to talk to you about a grievance.

What comes into play? School Act? Policy? Contract?

What do you do?

SO WHAT IS A SCHOOL BASED ADMINISTRATOR TO DO?

The local trustee wants to meet with you about parental complaints

What comes into play? School Act? Policy? Contract?

What do you do?

SO WHAT IS A SCHOOL BASED ADMINISTRATOR TO DO?

For every problem, refer yourself to the Act, Policy, and the Contracts to see if any apply. If unsure, phone the Board Office

For every problem, listen, listen, listen and then take some time if you can

Don’t get backed into a corner

Picture yourself on a witness stand

The processes the District has in place take some time to learn, but have stood the test of time.