What is the School Advisory Council and it's Mission? As the consultative governing body of Saint John the Baptist Catholic School, the School Advisory Council's mission, in response to God's call to be responsible stewards of our Catholic Faith, is to: (a) Promote Catholic education and the concept of lay ministry, (b) Advise the Pastor and Principal on matters relating to the school, (c) Develop strategic plans and policy for the school, and (d) Serve as a conduit for communications between the Pastor, Principal, parents and Parish. The School Advisory Council's responsibilities are advisory to the Principal and Pastor and include strategic planning, development and formulation of policy, financial oversight, public relations, principal evalution and principal recruitment. Catholic School Advisory Council members are asked to serve not only because they bring a particular expertise(s) to the deliberations of the group, but because they bring their life of faith, their values and a prayer life that permeates all that they do. Each member has been given gifts which they want to use for the building of the body of Christ.

How many people are part of the School Advisory Council? The School Advisory Council consists of 12 members including the Pastor, Principal, Assistant Principal, Diocesan School Superintendent, the Diocese School Advisory Council Representative, and the St. John's PTO Representative. The six remaining members include the Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, and three At-Large Members. These six members normally serve single 3-year terms and serve on the committees of the School Advisory Council.

What Committes make up the School Advisory Council? The School Advisory Council has 5 committees: (1) Executive, (2)Planning, (3) Development, (4)Public Relations, and (5)Finance.
1.The Executive Committee membership includes the Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary and the Principal. The Executive Committee responsibilities include setting the agenda for Board meetings and running the Board meetings. The remaining committees have similar membership compositions that include both a board member (serving as committee chair) and any number of other non-Board members who wish to give their time and talent to serve the school. These committees' responsibilities are listed below.
2.The Strategic Planning Committee is concerned with (1) Long-term Catholicity, financial and physical planning, (2) Accreditation activities and improvement goals related to school programs, and (3) Determining the overall needs of the school community and developing a long-range plan to achieve these needs.
3. The Development Committee (1) Develops school advancement goals, (2) Performs St. John’s Educational Foundation management and fundraising activities and (3)Doe grant writing to promote new programs and technology improvements.
4. The Public Relations Committee is responsibile for (1) Positive promotion of the school within our own parish and to the surrounding communities, (2) On-going student recruitment and retention, and (3) Development and execution of a comprehensive public relations program for community and school promotional events.
5. The Finance Committee is tasked with (1) Fiscal responsibility for the school budget, tuition and fees, (2) Working with the Parish community to communicate fundraising and capital improvement needs, and (3) Financial oversight and stewardship.

Who is elegible to be a member? To be eligible to serve on the School Advisory Council, one must be a practicing Catholic and and active member of St. John's Parish. Members typically serve a single 3-year term. Those who are ineligible include school employees and their spouses, officers of the Pastoral Council, and officers of the PTO. Two members of the same household may not serve simultaneously. How do you become a member? Those considering applying for a School Advisory Council position must attend the March meeting, typically the first Monday in March. At this meeting, the School Advisory Council Chair gives an informational presentation about the School Advisory Council. The Chair also describes the application process which consists of a letter that outlines a candidate's strengths weaknesses, and motivation for serving on the School Advisory Council. Within one week of the March meeting, potential candidates must confirm their intent by submitting their letters to the School Advisory Council Selection Committee. The Selection Committee forwards the letters to the Pastor for his review. The Pastor consults the Principal and Selection Committee regarding the candidates. Prior to the April meeting, the Selection Committee holds a a discernment session to determine the best candidates At the April meeting, the slate of candidates is presented to the School Advisory Council for consideration and approval. Newly appointed members will attend the May meeting as a transition and assume their positions at the June Meeting.

How are topics chosen for a School Advisory Council Meeting? The Executive Committee meets one week prior to the School Advisory Council meeting to set the agenda. Some agenda items are pre-set based on upcoming events and School Advisory Council activities. Other topics are brought to the attention of the Executive Committee by stakeholders. Proposed topics must pertain to strategic planning, development, public relations, or finance of the school.

What types of topics are/are not within the School Advisory Council responsibilities? The School Advisory Council will discuss issues that pertain to the strategic planning, development, public relations, and finance of the school. Curriculum, faculty, discipline, and grades are not within the School Advisory Council’s responsibilities – These topics should be brought to the attention of the teacher, assistant principal, or principal.

Who do I contact if I would like to have something discussed at a School Advisory Council meeting? Any member of the Executive Committee.

Will I be notified if a topic I presented is placed (or not placed) on the School Advisory Council Meeting Agenda? Yes. If the topic is accepted, an Executive Committee member will contact you with a School Advisory Council Meeting date for the proposed agenda item. If the topic is not accepted, an Executive Committee member will contact you and offer a more appropriate venue to answer your question or address your concern.

Why didn't a topic I presented to the Executive Committee get put on the School Advisory Council Meeting Agenda? All topics presented for a School Advisory Council Meeting are reviewed by the Executive Committee to determine if they are part of the School Advisory Council’s purview. The School Advisory Council will discuss issues that pertain to the strategic planning, development, public relations, and finance of the school. If a proposed topic is not represented on the School Advisory Council agenda, the Executive Committee determined that the topic was outside the scope of the School Advisory Council’s responsibilities.