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Office of the Superintendent » Parent Advisory Council

Parent Advisory Council

Superintendent's Parent Advisory Council (PAC)

The Parent Advisory Council was formed to facilitate communication between The WASD Administration and parents. With the knowledge that parent involvement and collaboration can only enhance the education of our children. This council's philosophy is that 2-way communication is necessary for quality and excellence in education to occur. In the interest of developing communication between the WASD Administration and parents, a council consisting of 10-15 parents will meet on a monthly basis. This group is endorsed by the School Board and meetings will be held in the WASD Boardroom.  

The PAC’s main objective

Our main objective is to work collaboratively to present parents’ concerns, opinions, questions, and perspectives in an open forum directly to school administrators. With parental feedback, the administration can then make more informed decisions about issues pertinent to all our children’s education. WASD school policy is not decided by the PAC, the council only discusses the concerns. PAC makes recommendations to the WASD School Board. 

General meeting information: 

Meetings dates will be determined by the PAC at the beginning of the year. All meetings will occur during the school day. The Superintendent and the PAC chairperson will arrange the agenda with feedback from the entire parent group.  These topics may include but are not limited to technology planning, internet safety, enrichment opportunities, field trips, curriculum feedback, and program feedback to name a few.

Organization 

The parent advisory council will comprise 10-15 parent delegates in the Windber Area School District.  All delegates will be on a voluntary first come first serve basis except for the PTO President and Vice-President.  These two positions will automatically be placed on the council. The delegates will meet on a consistent basis with the WASD administration. 

The Parent Advisory Council will provide a system that allows the concerns, questions, and opinions of parents to be brought directly to the WASD School Board and administration. Meetings will be held in the WASD Boardroom on the first Wednesday of each month at noon. A light lunch will be served at these meetings. 

At the first meeting of each year, officers will be elected by majority vote. Officers will include the chairperson, vice chairperson, and secretary. Each parent representative’s term will be for one year and will need to be board approved.  There is no limit to the number of terms a parent may serve.  

Agenda items will be added and approved by the Superintendent in collaboration with the parent chairperson and distributed by the administration office via email. Agenda items may be suggested by any parent representative. These items should be brought to the attention of the Superintendent and chairperson at least ten days prior to the meeting.

At each meeting, the agenda shall include a time for items to be brought directly for discussion. The critical criteria for determining the appropriateness of such items will be the degree to which the item has program-wide implications and a review of the Board agenda items for that month. 

Discussions regarding school personnel issues or specific student items will not be allowed.

Roles OF A PAC MEMBER 

  • Help improve communication between WASD parents and school administration. 
  • Attend regular committee meetings. 
  • Serve as a contact for other parents by assisting them in accessing information and introducing them to individuals who can answer their questions. 
  • Form a support group or informal network to assist other parents in accessing information about the program and options for their children. 
  • Find ways to recognize staff and students who have done an outstanding job. 
  • Encourage other parents to attend and/or join the PAC. 
 

Suggested Ground Rules for PAC Meetings 

  • Problems and issues discussed in PAC meetings should reflect the need for clarification of school policies and procedures, concentrating, when possible, on the problem or issue itself, rather than who is having it. 
  • Individual problems should be referred to your teachers and/or building principal. 
  • Try to avoid sharing personal information, but if someone does, please respect the confidentiality of others. 
  • Everyone should have a chance to comment without interruption or judgment by others committee members. Try to limit the comments you make to a few minutes at a time.
 

Parent Advisory Ground Rules and Common Behavior Expectations

  • Members trust each other Goals are clear and are determined by the members
  • Members feel as if they belong 
  • Members identify with each other's experiences 
  • Conflict is recognized and discussed with the intent to resolve 
  • Members accept responsibility for group functions 
  • Communication between members is clear and direct 
  • Members use each other as a resource and as support 
  • Members feel empowered Individual differences are respected 

 

(adapted from the Eau Claire Area School District)

Philosophy (2-way communication)

We believe that 2-way communication is necessary for quality and excellence in education to occur. In the interest of developing communication between school administration and parents, a council consisting of representatives will be formed to meet with the Windber Area School District administration on a regular basis. 


Objectives (collaboration)

To provide a system that allows the concerns, questions, and opinions of parents to be brought directly to WASD administration. To provide a system that allows WASD administrators an opportunity to share plans, ideas, and concerns directly with parents. To increase awareness of our programs, collaborate with administration, and to help shape the strategic direction of the organization