School Advisory Committee Training
Educational Advisory Committees and Councils
DoD Instruction 1342.15
Instruction serves to :
• establish objectives
• set forth policies
• outline responsibilities
• institute procedures
DoD Policy
Encourages committee formation to...
• foster participation in school affairs
• provide a coordinated process to address and resolve
issues at lowest possible level
• promote communication and problem solving among
school administrators, military leaders and local
advisory committees
Responsibilities
• “Every parent, teacher, sponsor, student, DoDDS
administrator, and military commander shall share the
responsibility to work collectively in supporting the schools, in
enhancing programs, and improving not only the delivery of
educational programs and support services to DoDDS
students, but also the overall quality of life shared by all
personnel in the American overseas communities, of which the
schools are an integral part.”
School Advisory Committee...
Advises the school principal
on educational matters
What does “to advise” mean?
• suggestions and recommendations
to the principal and/or installation commander for the
improvement of educational programs and general quality
of education and school programs
– are welcomed
– perceived as essential
– expected to be acted upon
What are “educational matters?”
• School policies affecting students and parents
• Administrative procedures affecting students
• Instructional programs and educational resources within the school
• Allocation of resources within the school to achieve educational
goals
• Pupil services (health, special ed., testing, evaluation)
• Student standards of conduct and discipline
• Policies and standards of the dependents’ education system related
to the above
Issues NOT addressed by advisory committees
• Personnel practices or policies
• Compensation
• Grievances of school employees
• Internal management of DoDDS or
DoDDS programs
Advisory committees do not
• Raise money
• Grant student scholarships
• Financially support school events
• Engage in any monetary projects traditionally
associated with PTSA, boosters or other support
groups
Composition of the SAC
 parents

of students
enrolled in school
 educators

 senior
full-time professional
employees of school
Other VIPs
PTA
Liaison Members
hs student

enrolled in school,
elected by student body,
is additional voting
member optional
Association Rep
Military
ELECTED
MEMBERS
Student
Principal
Booster Club
SIT Chair
Spouse Club
School’s Officer
Committee Size of the SAC
Student Enrollment = Committee Size
1- 150
151- 300
300- 500
501- 800
over 800
2 or 4
4
6
8
10
SAC Leaders
Elected Officers:
serve two-year terms; half membership elected each year
newly elected members must take office NLT October 15
• Chairperson
• Secretary
• Vice Chairperson
• Representatives to IAC
Possible Roles...
• Chairperson
To preside over meetings; be the
direct link between SAC and principal
To coordinate agenda
To encourage open and honest
discussion
To make members feel welcome
To set the tone for the meeting
To remain neutral while leading
discussions during meetings
Possible Roles...
• Vice Chairperson
(Facilitator)
To support the chairperson in
meeting preparations and
proceedings
To aid the chairperson in staying
on schedule
To help ensure that everyone
participates
To make members feel welcome
Possible Roles...
•
Secretary
(Recorder/Timekeeper)
To publish agenda prior to
meetings
To record minutes of the
meetings
About Committee Member Roles...
• Additional
Committee Members
To attend all meetings
To actively participate in
discussions
To frequently seek input from
constituents
To keep constituents informed
To remember they represent
school and community groups
About an Agenda Committee...
Agenda Committee
•
made up of Chairperson, Principal, vice-chairperson or other
designated person (if chair is teacher, vice-chair should be a parent
and vice-versa)
Meet
•
within 2 weeks of last meeting
Approve Minutes
•
to be sure they are accurate
Publicize
•
both minutes and agenda
About Holding Committee Meetings...
Announcement
•
time, date, location decided by
committee members
Frequency
•
at least 4 times per year
Agenda
•
chairperson prepares proposed agenda
and publishes one week in advance
Minutes
•
secretary keeps minutes and publishes
approved minutes within two weeks
About Committee Procedures...
Conduct of Meetings
•
establish bylaws and adopt set of parliamentary rules
Goals and Objectives
•
determine goals and objectives for year
Subcommittees
•
formulate regular standing or ad hoc committees
subcommittees to address specific goals and objectives as
needed
Communications
•
establish links to ensure all stakeholders are informed
Installation Advisory Committee (IAC)
Advises
the installation commander
on issues within the
control and jurisdiction
of the commander
and
applicable component command
What are issues “within the control and
jurisdiction of the commander?”...
•
physical school environment
•
transportation of students
•
school meal programs
•
medical services
•
administrative and logistical support services
•
policies and standards of the installation
command
Composition of the IAC
• One school per installation,
members of SAC make up
membership of IAC
• Two or more schools,
IAC comprises two reps.from each
of the SACs
(one parent and one professional
school employee)
School’s Officer...
•
Serves as the primary avenue of communication between school
principal and community commander
•
Attends SAC and IAC meetings and advises community
commanders of logistic and administrative support required by SAC
and IAC
•
Refers sponsors with problems concerning academics to the school
principal
•
Advises the community commander of misconduct by school-age
family members
Under Secretary of Defense,
Personnel and Readiness
Advisory Council on
Dependents’ Education
(ACDE)
Deputy Assistant
Secretary of Defense
(Military Community and
Family Policy)
Director, DoDEA
Director, DoDDS Europe
District Superintendent
School Principal
School Advisory Committee
SAC
Chain of Command
School Advisory Committee
Advisory Council on Dependents’ Education (ACDE)
Defense Authorization Act 1986 (P.L. 99-145)
•
recommends policies for operation of Department of Defense
Education Activity (DoDEA)
•
recommends utilization of effective educational programs and
practices
•
provides advisement to Director DoDEA
•
receives taskings from Assistant Secretary of Defense
Under Secretary of
Defense
Personnel and
Readiness
Dependents
Education
Council
(DEC)
Deputy Assistant
Secretary
of
Defense
*Theater Command
(PTEC)
Director, DoDEA
Component Command
Installation
Commander
Installation
Advisory Committee
Chain of Command
Installation Advisory Council
Today’s Goals
•
Become more knowledgeable about the
DoDDS and SAC process
•
Understand the channels of
communication for resolving issues
•
Look at the connections between the
DoDEA Strategic Plan, school
improvement process, and SAC
•
Share successes and failures in an effort
to learn from one another
Community Strategic Plan
Goal 1: Highest Student Achievement
Goal 2: Performance-Driven, Efficient Management
Systems
Goal 3: Motivated, High Performing, Diverse Workforce
Goal 4: Network of Partnerships Promoting Achievement
District Focus
• High levels of student achievement
– DoDEA Reads
– No Child Left Behind
•
•
•
•
•
Standards-based curriculum and instruction
Assessment and accountability
Professional development
Communications
Partnerships
End-of-Year Summary Reports
Summaries should:
•
contain goals and objectives
•
identify areas of special interest
•
assess achievements and concerns
•
make recommendations
End-of-Year Summary Reports
Copies go to:
• SAC Report
•
•
•
•
• IAC Report
principal
district superintendent
deputy director
installation commander
•
•
•
•
installation commander
principal/s
superintendent
regional director
Reports, signed by chairperson, due to all of the above by 15 June
Model Agenda
School Advisory Committee Meeting
Thursday, November 7, 2012, 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Building 1, Conference Room
Meeting called by. . . . . . . . SAC Chairperson
Type of meeting. . . . . . . . Routine
Facilitator. . . . . . . . . . . . . Vice-Chairperson
Recorder/Timekeeper. . . . . Secretary
Attendees:
Please read. . . . . . . . . . . . .Bylaws
Please bring. . . . . . . . . . . . Input and recommendations re: Bylaws
Model Agenda
Agenda Topics
7:00-7:15 PM
By-laws Review/Revision…………....SAC Chairperson
7:15-7:25 PM
Parent attendance at
SAC meetings……………………………...SAC Member
7:25-7:35 PM
Traffic congestion at
primary school……………………………...Parent
7:35-7:45 PM
Status of Language Arts program...Curriculum
Coordinator
Model Agenda
7:00-7:15 PM: Bylaws Review/Revision
Presenter: SAC Chairperson
Discussion:
Area Addressed: Action taken for Internal Development of the Committee
Goal Addressed: Goal 2. Performance Driven, Efficient Management Systems
Conclusions:
Action items:
Person responsible:
Deadline:
Guidelines for Successful Meetings...
Establish Procedures
• plan in advance; allow for agenda items to be
thoroughly discussed
• have a plan for how/when to address non-agenda
items which surface during the meeting
• select rules of order to follow during the meeting
• set time schedules (ex: maximum 1.5 hours) and
date for meetings (ex: first Wednesday each
month) and publish in advance
Guidelines for Successful Meetings...
Establish Norms
Participation desired
Everyone participates; all ideas are good ideas
Nonnegotiable items
Start on time and end on time
Role assignments
Chairperson ‘presides’ over the meeting,
Vice-Chairperson provides support
Secretary takes notes
Confidentiality
Appropriate information shared with constituents
Decision-Making procedure
Consensus; Unanimity
Behavior
One person talks at a time; No interruptions, no
whispering or sidebar conversations
Basic Housekeeping
Bathrooms, food & drinks, smoking
Quarterly SAC check point....
•
Is your SAC doing all it can-and should-- to help improve
education in your community?
•
Does your SAC devote most of
its time and energy to education
and educational outcomes?
•
Does your SAC believe that
advocacy for all students is your
primary responsibility?