Purpose of the School Advisory Board

The primary function of the advisory board is to provide advice and assistance to the principal.

It is the responsibility of parents, teachers, the local school advisory board, and administration to recognize parents as the primary educators of their children. The local school advisory board assists the school in achieving its goals to provide quality Catholic education. It shall be the goal of parents, teachers, the local school advisory board, and administration, through Gospel teaching and an excellent program of academics, to direct students toward a conscious choice of living a responsible Catholic life.

The Code of Ethics for School Advisory Board Members delineates the expectations inherent in the purpose of the board. Members, by accepting the position to serve on the school advisory board, ascribe to this code. Periodic review of the code reminds members that they are working together for the common goal: to promote the mission and purpose of Catholic education. The Code of Ethics addresses the following: conflict of interest, confidentiality, objectivity, justice, fairness, and maintenance of unity.

Conflict of Interest

School advisory board members shall avoid situations that present actual, perceived, or potential conflict between their interest and the interest of the school.

Confidentiality

Members of the school advisory board are responsible to keep matters discussed in executive/closed sessions in confidence. Official information/business discussed in such sessions cannot be shared with non-board members, even with one's spouse.

Objectivity

Since total objectivity is impossible for anyone to achieve, members are asked to identify and manage their own personal biases. It is important that members see situations from multiple points of view rather than solely from their own perceptions, assumptions and feelings.

Justice and Fairness

Decisions made by the school advisory board and approved by the pastor should be the result of honest and open discussion by all members: pastor, principal and parent/parishioner membership. Consideration of the good of the total parish/school community should be integral to the decision-making process. Every member shall uphold decisions. When decisions will affect various constituencies, those constituencies should be informed at the same time through an agreed upon vehicle of communication.

Maintenance of Unity

In achieving its objectives within the faith community of the parish/school, the school advisory board is to do all it can to avoid creating factions, sides or other divisive grouping in the parish and school community. Members should function within the framework of the total leadership of the parish and strive to cooperate with other leadership groups in the local faith community.