Board of directors of a school service centre

Québec’s school governance model has opened the way for the creation of boards of directors of school service centres. Parents, individuals working with the students every day, and members of the community are invited to run for seats on these boards. All citizens have their role to play and can make a real difference in education!

The collaboration of all members of a board of directors, who bring together their areas of expertise and knowledge, strengthens the governance of the school system. This variety of backgrounds enables various points of view to be heard and results in the best strategic decisions.

Participate!

In doing so, you will be rewarded with: 

• the ability to help determine the broad orientations of the school service centre 
• the satisfaction gained in helping to ensure that proper support is provided to educational institutions and that quality educational services are offered to all students  
• the opportunity to contribute to the effective and efficient management of the resources made available to the school service centre 
• the chance to develop and become part of an enriching group known for its expert knowledge of the school 
• high-level training on the guiding principles of good governance and on the role and responsibilities of a member of a board of directors 
• an attendance allowance and reimbursement of certain expenses associated with your functions

For more information on how to become a member of a governing board, please consult the website of the school service centre in question (available in French only).

What is involved?

• A minimum of four meetings per school year. You should, however, expect more, depending on the school service centre and participation in certain committees. 
• Some extra hours related to board meetings (reading documents, research and analysis). 

Eligibility 

• Be at least 18 years old and not under curatorship 
• Hold Canadian citizenship

There are other eligibility conditions that must be met. You can find out about them by consulting this document (PDF 433 Kb), available in French only, or by contacting the school service centre with which you would like to become involved. 

Qualities sought:

• Sense of public service and the desire to act in the students’ best interests 
• Objectivity, integrity and sense of ethics 
• Strong abilities to analyze and synthesize 
• Great capacity for collaboration 

You are: 

• the parent of a student attending an educational institution that is under the school service centre concerned 

Submit your candidacy: 

• You must first be elected to the governing board and the parents’ committee. 

To become a member of the governing board of their school and a member of the parents’ committee of the school service centre, a parent must first propose their candidacy at the parents’ general meeting in September. During this same meeting, a parent who is elected to the governing board may propose their candidacy for election as a representative of their school on the school service centre’s parents’ committee. 

• Consult the designation notice sent to you as a member of a parents’ committee. 
• Propose your candidacy to your parents’ committee to represent the district in which the governing board on which you sit is located. Your school service centre has five districts, and one parent is elected to the board of directors in each of the five districts.  

Selection of candidacies received  

Representatives are selected in accordance with the terms and conditions set by your parents’ committee. 

You are:

• a school staff member in the school service centre for which you are proposing your candidacy 

Submit your candidacy: 

• Contact your school service centre to find out the conditions that must be met. 
• Submit your candidacy for the board of directors, demonstrating that you are in one of the following school staff categories: teacher, non-teaching professional, support staff, school administrative staff or management staff.  

Selection of candidacies received  

Contact the director general of your school service centre to find out the designation procedure that applies to your school staff category. 

You: 

• are domiciled in the territory of the school service centre concerned  
• match one of these five expertise profiles: 
  • someone with expertise in governance, ethics, risk management or human resources management 
  • someone with expertise in finance or accounting, or in financial or material resources management 
  • someone from the community, sports or culture sectors 
  • someone with expertise in the municipal, health, social services or business fields 
  • someone aged 18 to 35 years old  

Submit your candidacy: 

• Consult your school service centre’s website to find out the conditions to be met. 
• Submit your candidacy for a seat on the board of directors, demonstrating that you match one of the five established expertise profiles. 

Selection of candidacies received 

The five designated parents on the board of directors and the five school staff members will designate the five members from the community.