What is the role of the PAC?
The PAC meets to get informed and give feedback about school plans, activities and events. The goals is for parents and staff to communicate and plan together for the best interests of the school and the community. Members help provide a voice for parents to help plan for the school. Members also play different roles on the PAC to help meetings and any organizational efforts run smoothly. Southwood PAC members work together and involve other parents in organized fundraisers, special lunches for students, staff appreciation activities or events, family activities like a movie night in the winter at the school, and a barbecue lunch at the school picnic in June. Simply put, the PAC creates opportunities to help the school, playgrounds and environment be the best they can be for the students, staff and community!
Joining the PAC
Joining the PAC is a GREAT way of being involved and participating in your child's school life! Any parent or guardian of a student at Southwood can join the PAC! Parents can nominiate themselves as nominees or nominate other parents to be on the PAC. Nominees should expect to meet as a group once a month after school during the school year. The principal and PAC members are usually looking for candidates in the early Fall. If you are nominating someone else as a candidate, keep in mind that candidates should be asked in advance if they would allow themselves to be nominated. In mid-September, nominations are made at a public meeting in the gym on Meet the Teacher night. No public speaking is required. A vote is held, if there are more candidates than positions. Sometimes candidates join the committee by acclamation (no vote required).
Roles of Committee Members
Chairperson:
- prepare and present the agenda at each meeting
- official spokesperson for the Southwood School PAC
- to take action or make sure others take action to achieve the missions and objectives of the Southwood PAC
Vice Chair:
- help ensure meetings stay focussed, positive and productive
- assume responsibilities of the Chairperson if the Chairperson is absent
Treasurer:
- maintain financial records and prepare financial reports for PAC meetings
- with input from the PAC, draft the annual budget and tentative plan for spending.
Secretary:
- record, prepare and distribute minutes of all PAC meetings in a timely manner
- keep track of records and documents about PAC meetings in a binder and on a memory stick
- accept additional duties as required
Volunteer Coordinator:
- act as a liaison between the PAC, Southwood School and parent volunteers and delivery personnel
- coordinate and assign volunteer duties for the hot lunch program, and any other PAC activity where volunteers are involved
- leads the volunteer team on monthly Hot Lunch delivery days
Member/s At Large:
- attend meetings and provide input into agendas, decisions, plans and activities where possible
- liaison between community, parents and school staff