Site Council
What is the School Site Council?
When the School Improvement Program (SIP) and the School-based Coordinated Program (SBCP) were established in 1972, they were envisioned as ways to increase school wide effectiveness, improve student achievement, and, over time, better prepare students to be productive workers and responsible citizens. One of the principle tenets of these programs was that those individuals closest to the students should be more involved in making significant decisions affecting the instructional program of the school. The School Site Council (SSC) was selected to be the vehicle by which the school community would come together to chart school’s path to improvement.
The SSC is uniquely suited to carry out this function since it is representative of all segments of the school community. Site council is an elected group of representatives consisting of parents, students, teachers, one classified employee, and the Principal. It provides a forum for all of the major stakeholders in the school to come together to identify common goals and establish a plan to achieve these goals. The SSC’s success depends upon both the ability and the willingness of all those involved in the process to work together in a cooperative manner to develop an effective curricular and instructional program in which all students may attain higher levels of academic competence.
As the SSC goes about allocating the available supplemental resources, it strive to keep its focus on establishing and maintaining a comprehensive and ongoing strategy to improve curriculum and instruction. The SSC vision goes beyond using the supplemental resources as merely a source of money to be used to meet the demands of the moment or to purchase a single fixed solution to be used in perpetuity. Instead, it establishes and maintains a vision of the skills and knowledge students will need to be competitive in a modern economy and then use the available supplemental resources, along with the existing base resources of the school, to make this vision possible for all students in the school.
The school’s improvement effort also be coordinated with the district’s effort to upgrade its curriculum offerings and quality of instruction in order that both the school, through the SSC, and the local governing board, through the district office, become part of a single improvement effort.
Finally, as districts in California begin to experiment with new forms of the site decision making and to rethink current governance as part of the movement to restructure their schools, they build on what is already in place. In fact, the basic premise underlying the restructuring movement in California and around the nations is the same as the guiding principle of school improvement; that is, that the individuals closest to the students should be more involved in making decisions which affect the instructional program of the school.
Can I see the Site Plan?
A copy of the Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA) is available in the school office.
When does the Site Council Meet?
The SSC meets the third Tuesday of the month in the Main Office Conference Room. The Rio PTSA Newsletter and calendar contain meeting notices. The agenda is posted in the office a minimum of 24 hours prior to the meeting. Click here to see the SSC agenda and minutes.
How can I get involved?
If you have any questions or are interested in learning about the Rio Americano School Site Council, contact one of the Site Council members, or better yet, attend a meeting!
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