Twenty four representatives from fourteen schools in the Citadel family met on Feb 8th at the Halifax Forum. It was determined that there was a desire to form a permanent organization to represent our district. A drafting committee was struck, that meet at the end of February, and has drafted proposed Objects and By-Laws, linked to below. The meeting was very positive, and it was extremely productive to have all the parents and concerned residents in the room together!

The Citadel District School Association will be a governed by representatives from every area School Advisory Council, and will work to advocate, educate and enhance the quality of education in the Citadel family, through lobbying, outreach and public consultation.

The proposed objects and bylaws are before the School Advisory Councils and a meeting to ratify them will be held after a month has passed, sometime in early April.

PROPOSED OBJECTS AND BY-LAWS - A summary

This information can be downloaded here, as well as a copy of the proposed Objects and the proposed By-laws.

1. NAME
Citadel District School Association

2. GOALS
a. To be the leading advocate for public education issues and concerns for students, parents and residents served by the Citadel High family of schools,
b. Support the establishment, education, training and operations of School Advisory Councils the Citadel High family of schools,
c. To develop and distribute information, advocacy resources and tools for School Advisory Councils and Parent Teacher Associations & Home and Schools, the school communities, and the public,
d. To keep the public informed about priorities and issues in public education and to provide resources that guide policy development,
e. To study issues with a view to defining common concerns,
f. To report back to, and solicit a response from, School Advisory Councils regarding positions being developed,
g. To advocate to the Halifax Regional School Board, to Halifax Regional Municipality and the Province of Nova Scotia

3. MEMBERSHIP

General membership of the Association will be any parent who has children attending a feeder school in the Citadel High School family of schools, and registers to join the Association, either at the beginning of the school year as facilitated by the area’s SAC or PTA, or by submitting their name to the Board, no less than thirty days prior to a general meeting.

4. BOARD
The Board shall be composed of a representative appointed by each School Advisory Council, a representative who lives in the Citadel family of schools area from both the Inner City Schools Advisory Committee and African Nova Scotian Advisory Committee of HRSB, and two community representatives appointed by the Board.

Board members will serve two year terms, or until that member is no longer a member of their school SAC. In the first year, half the Board shall be elected for a one year term, determined randomly.

If any Board member misses three meetings in total, two of which are consecutive, the Board may remove that member from office.

Employees and elected officials of the Halifax Regional School Board or employees of the Department of Education are not eligible for election to the Board.

5. MEETINGS
The Board shall meet no less than four times a year.

The Association shall have an AGM within three months of the end of fiscal year.

Quorum for a Board meeting 1/3 of its members.

5. EXECUTIVE

The Board shall elect from its own membership a Chair, three Vice Chairs, a Treasurer and a Secretery to act as the Executive.

The Executive will meet no less than four times a year.

Quorum for an Executive meeting is three members.

If any Executive member misses three meetings in total, two of which are consecutive, the Executive may remove that member from office.

6. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE BOARD AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

The Board shall consult with the member School Advisory Councils before enacting any major policy regarding areas schools or education. SACs shall be given a minimum of one month to respond to major policy proposals.

The Board shall strive for consensus where possible.

The Executive may study, propose, and defend, but it does not make policy without Board approval.

7. FINANCES
AGM can set membership fees. At this time membership is without cost.

The financial year shall be from July 1 to June 31 of each year.

8. CHANGES TO THE BYLAWS
The By-Laws will allow for changes and amendments via balloting and AGM.