WESE COMMITTEE INFORMATION
The restructuring of our Board Committees is an evolving and unfolding
project. We are looking forward to continuing this shaping work together
when we re-convene as a new Board after the AGM. As such, some of these
Committees may be subject to change.
It is aliveness that must be the guiding principle.
Joy and happiness in living, a love of all existence,
a power and energy for work …
The need for imagination, a sense of truth
and a feeling for responsibility—
these are the three forces which are the very nerve
of education.
– Rudolf Steiner
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Open Committees
These are the Committees that need and welcome parent involvement! Each
will be led by a Director on the Board. Finding a place on one of these
Committees is an excellent way to get involved and contribute meaningfully to
the development of the school. Each of these Committees contains many subcommittees and opportunities to lead and serve. Even if you have put your
name forward in the past, if you would like to be an integral part of one of
these growing Committees we would love to hear from you!
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Fairs Committee
Fundraising Committee
Site Development Committee
WISE Growth & Development Committee
WESE Community Development Committee
Board Development Committee
Communications Committee
Parent Partnership Committee
Internal Committees
These Committees are handled within the Board and in conjunction with the
College of Teachers, unless specific members are otherwise recruited to meet
the mandates.
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Policy Committee
Hiring Committee
Finance Committee
Enrolment Committee
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Committee Descriptions
Fundraising
Objective: To ensure the financial health and wide-spread support of the
WISE through Community and Corporate fundraising and friend-raising
Areas of Responsibility:
• Work closely with Treasurer to identify annual financial fundraising goals.
• Conduct research to identify appropriate funding opportunities.
• Develop a fundraising strategy to achieve the financial goals of WESE. This
strategy should include; special events, on-going fundraisers, grants, corporate
sponsorship, gifts-in-kind, annual campaign and individual solicitations.
• Engage in the execution of all aspects of the annual fundraising activities,
including the marketing and personal solicitation and acknowledgement
• Manage all communications, queries and reporting requirements associated
with grants and corporate sponsorship in a timely manner.
• Recruit members for and Chair the Fundraising Sub-Committee ensuring that
vision and direction set by the Board is implemented.
• Coordinate volunteers to support fundraising efforts.
• Develop, administer, and review policies and procedures related to
fundraising, ensuring that they reflect the overall values of WESE and the
WISE School.
• Report monthly on Fundraising Sub-Committee activities to the WESE
Board of Directors.
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Board Development and Governance
Objective: To cultivate the long term health and development of the Board
internally and in relation to the College & Parent Circle.
Responsibilities:
• To conduct independent research and work with the College of Teachers
towards an optimal picture of governance for the WISE
• To chair the Board Nomination Committee for the recruitment of new Board
Members and work to actively recruit and attract candidates leading up to the
Annual General Meeting
• To assist with the planning and preparation of the Annual General Meeting
• To conduct the new Board Member orientation, post AGM
• To present monthly Board Study topics for the ongoing learning and
development of the Board
• To conduct ongoing and annual self review process for the Board and its
Members
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WISE Growth & Development
Objective: To strategically work out the long and short term Vision
Statements of the WISE, implementing growth strategies and empowering the
relevant sub-committees.
Areas of Responsibility:
• To work with the College of Teachers on the development of the Middle
School Committee
• To plan PR opportunities, advertising campaigns, Open House, and other
means of introducing families to the WISE
• To help develop policies on managing growth, working with the Enrolment
Committee to ensure fairness in Registration
• To hold this developmental energy and be aware of the spiritual impulse
guiding the growth and expansion of the WISE
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WESE Community Development
Objective: To cultivate the long-term Vision and short term strategy of
WESE pertaining to Outreach, Public Relations, Friend-raising, and promoting
the value of Waldorf Education beyond the WISE.
Areas of Responsibility:
• To develop strategies for the promotion of Waldorf Education within
Edmonton
• To develop relationships and connections with stakeholders beyond the
WISE community
• To develop and maintain relations with other Waldorf schools
• To work in consort with the Faculty-led AWSNA Committee to pursue full
AWSNA certification for the WISE
• To assist with the planning and execution of the Open House, as it extends
beyond the WISE community
• To hold this developmental energy and be aware of the spiritual impulse
guiding the work of WESE
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Site Committee
Objective: Stewardship for the ongoing care and maintenance of the school
campus. The Site Committee oversees, empowers, and liaisons with the
appropriate Sub-Committees, including the Playground Committee, Garden
Committee, New Build Committee, and Maintenance Committee.
Responsibilities:
• Plans and organizes the ongoing maintenance of the buildings, grounds, and
equipment.
• Responds to maintenance concerns identified by the Board, Head of School,
Faculty, Parent Association, Administration, or parent body.
• Alerts the Finance Committee of any care or maintenance problems arising at
the school that may require an adjustment to the maintenance budget.
• Identifies significant maintenance items requiring a capital budget for
immediate or future replacement.
• Creates plans, with input from the Head of School, Faculty and parents, for
the aesthetic aspects of the campus, including gardening and landscaping
projects, painting, signage, etc.
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Communications Committee
Objective: To develop and coordinate a unified communications strategy for
WESE and the WISE
Areas of Responsibility:
• Manage and recruit the necessary volunteers to help execute timely
communications
• Assess the efficiency of internal communications between the governing
bodies of the WISE and to the Parent Body
• Manage and recruit volunteers to update and maintain the WISE.ca and
WESE.ca websites, WISE Newsletter, Social Media, Outdoor Billboard,
posters, and other forms of communication
• Assist other Committees with communication & promotion of events and
activities
• Review WESE and WISE publications, brochures, and other materials as
needed.
• Develop, administer, and review policies and procedures which guide
communications and marketing of WESE and the WISE programs, and reflect
the overall values of WESE and the WISE School.
• Report monthly on Communications Sub-Committee activities to the WESE
Board of Directors
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Fairs Committee
Objective: To maintain the flourishing traditional WESE/WISE Fairs and
Festivals, by collaborating with and providing support to the Faculty-led
Festivals Committee.
Areas of Responsibility:
 Develop
and carry through the annual festival plan for WESE festivals.
 Recruit
members for and Chair the Festivals Sub- Committee ensuring
that vision and direction set by the Board is implemented.
 Manage
and recruit volunteers, with the support of the Parent
Partnership Committee, to plan and produce the annual Pumpkin
Walk, Winter Fair and Mayfair.
 Work
closely with WESE Treasurer to develop a budget for festivals and
manage the budget according to WESE Finance Policy. This includes
setting revenue targets and overseeing and managing festival
expenses.
 Work
with the WESE Community Development Director to meet goals
around broader community outreach and promotion of Fairs beyond
the WISE.
 Work
with the Communications Committee to effectively promote
festivals and events.
 Review
and recommend alternative festival and events strategies to build
community and promote the goals of WESE.
 Develop,
administer, and review policies and procedures which guide the
delivery of wise festivals and events, and reflect the overall values of
WESE and the WISE School.
 Report
monthly on Festivals Sub-Committee activities to the WESE
Board of Directors
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Parent Partnership Committee
Objective: To develop a strong sense of partnership with the parents, to
empower their involvement, and to field their concerns back to the Board.
Areas of Responsibility:
• To serve as the liaison to the Parent Partnership Circle
• To work towards the establishment of healthy parent involvement in the
school
• To be an ambassador of transparency, encouraging communication of
appropriate materials from the Board to the Parents
• To develop Volunteerism strategies and policies
• To energize, motivate, connect, and inspire WISE parents to become
'carrying members of the community.'
• To manage the "Comments" Box and respond to parents as appropriate
• To oversee the work of the Welcome and Gratitude Committee
• To work with the Board Development Committee to continue to optimize
the Committee Structure for parent involvement
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Hiring/Human Resources
Objective: To represent the Board in all matters pertaining to the hiring and
termination of WESE employees; and to be the final authority in these matters.
Areas of Responsibility:
• To liaison with the Faculty-led Hiring Committee in reviewing candidates for
all teaching positions
• To hire the Administrative, janitorial, and other staff as required
• To provide Human Resources support to all staff as required
• To work to ensure best working conditions for WESE employees and resolve
conflicts
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Policy Committee
Objective: Takes responsibility for managing the WISE Policies and
Procedures Manual and for incorporating new or revised school policies
resulting from the work of the committee and also policies and procedures
from the work of other school committees.
Responsibilities:
• Assess the effectiveness of the school’s governance and communication
processes (in terms of how they actually perform, not how they are supposed
to perform).
• Receive requests or suggestions to review specific components of the Policy
Manual.
• Review the Policy Manual (whether in response to a request or
recommendation or in response to the Committee’s own assessment), draft
revisions, make those revisions available for consideration and feedback, and
forward to the Board for approval.
• Once revisions have been approved and accepted as required, to recompile
the Policy Manual and issue a revised and numbered edition to all bodies to
ensure everyone is working from the current version.
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Finance Committee
Objective: To act in an advisory capacity to the Board of Directors, Faculty
and Administration in regard to all financial matters so as to safeguard assets
and maximize revenues within the framework of the school’s overall mission
statement.
Responsibilities:
• Develop financial policies as necessary and as requested and submit them to
the Board for approval.
• Assess and communicate the financial impacts of board, faculty, and
administrative decisions
• Make salaries, benefits and tuition recommendations.
• Address requests for new capital expenditures and make recommendations
for approval, and monitor the capital budgets.
Review all financial statements as necessary.
• Review enrolment and attrition statistics on a regular basis.
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Enrolment Committee
Objective: To support the Administration and the Faculty in the areas of
enrolment, registration, retention, and exit interviews when necessary.
Responsibilities:
• To provide ideas, direction, and support to the Administration and assist in
carrying out enrolment work.
• To help review materials and handouts for Registration, PR, admission info
packages and orientation.
• To provide Board support to the Administration, Pedagogical Director, and
Faculty in difficult cases of enrolment or expulsion
• To help develop policies that maintain fair and equitable registration
procedures
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