School Improvement Advisory Committee

ROLE OF MEMBERS

Picture of a busineswoman smiling broadly while working in her office cubicle

School Improvement Advisory Council (SIAC) members provide recommendations to the board and school authorities in the following areas:

  • Major educational needs
  • Student learning goals
  • Long-range and annual improvement goals
  • Desired levels of student performance
  • Harassment or bullying prevention goals, programs, training, and other initiatives

MEMBERSHIP

As much as possible, membership on the School Improvement Advisory Committee (SIAC) should be a cross-section of the community and reflect its diversity in terms of socio-economic status, racial and ethnic groups, gender, disability status, age, local businesses, and agencies (clubs, organizations, the faith community, local government, etc.). In order to gain diverse community input on specific topics of interest, the school district and/or School Improvement Advisory Committee may use ad hoc groups to explore separate initiatives.

In order to ensure the effective functioning of the committee, the following qualities will be sought when selecting members for the SIAC: collaboration; open-mindedness; a willingness to express diverse points of view; respecting the opinions of others; the ability to work to reach consensus; a willingness to support group decisions; being a good listener; the ability to offer constructive solutions; staying focused on the tasks at hand; and supporting the direction of the school district and the Board of Education.

PROCESS FOR MEMBER RECRUITMENT AND TERMS OF SERVICE

The ICSD School Board will appoint members to the SIAC based on recommendations from the superintendent each school year. Committee members will serve for a two-year term and are eligible to serve a second two-year term if recommended by the superintendent and appointed by the board. After two consecutive two-year terms, another community representative will fill the open position in order to increase the number of stakeholders having a voice in the educational direction of the district. If a member resigns prior to the end of their two-year term, the same procedures outlined above will be used to fill the vacancy. The district will strive to have fifteen parents or community members serving two-year terms.  A minimum of three teachers (Elem, MS, HS), and up to four students will be appointed each year. Whenever possible, the students selected will not have parents employed in the district or on the school board. The Superintendent, Director of Teaching and Learning, and Principals will serve on a continuing basis.

NON-MEMBER PARTICIPATION

As a board-appointed advisory committee, meetings of the SIAC are open to the public. Members of the community are welcome as interested observers. Anyone present who is not a committee member is an observer, not a participant, at the meeting. Any communication about topics addressed at the meeting can be arranged with one of the administrators at a later time or may be brought up at the public comment time at a regular school board meeting.