Parent committees play more of a hands-on role compared to school councils. They are elected at an annual general assembly, usually in September. Most parent committees are incorporated as a society, thus enabling them to organize fund-raising activities and have their own bank account.
Parent committees in francophone schools are held in French, although typically, many parents with limited French help out participate in the school activities. Talk to your parent committee president or school principal to find out how you can actively participate! Here are some examples of the functions a parent committee may want to take on:
- fund-raising for school activities and material (i.e. park, computers, lab materials);
- find volunteers to help out in the class (i.e. hot lunches);
- organize activities for the school community (i.e. year-end BBQ, Halloween dance);
- suggest and support school projects (i.e. recycling programs, bake sales).