The Parents’ Committee is an advisory committee to the school board. Each school within the board’s territory has a representative on the committee chosen from the parent members sitting on each governing board. A representative from the Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) also sits on the committee.

Mandate

The Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) on services for handicapped students and students with social maladjustments or learning disabilities has four functions:

• to advise the school board on a policy for the organization of educational services to handicapped students and students with social maladjustments or learning disabilities;
• to advise the resource allocation committee and the school board on the allocation of financial resources to the services intended for those students;
• to advise the school board on its commitment-to-success plan;
• to advise the school board on the implementation of an individualized education plan for a handicapped student or a student with social maladjustments or learning disabilities.

Its primary role consists of representing parents’ interests within the school board. The main responsibilities are:

• to promote the participation of parents in school board activities and committees;
• to advise the school board on any matter the latter is required to submit to it;
• to advise the school board on any matter conducive to the most efficient operation possible and;
• to inform the school board as to the needs identified by the parent representatives.

Four Parent Commissioners, one for Elementary, one for Secondary, one for Kindergarten to 11 (K-11), and one from SEAC are elected from this committee to sit on the Council of Commissioners. One Parent Commissioner is also elected to sit on other committees of the school board, such as Executive, Transportation, SEAC, Governance & Ethics, Audit, and Human Resources. Representation at the standing committee level is very important. It is at this level that many issues are raised, policies worked out and decisions taken for recommendation to the Council of Commissioners.

• Learn more about Parents’ Committees throughout the province

The Parents’ Committee is also to be consulted on the following matters:

• the division, annexation or amalgamation of the territory of the school board;
• the school board’s strategic plan;
• the three-year plan of allocation and destination of the immovables of the school board, the list of schools, and the deeds of establishment;
• the policy in respect to the “continued operation or closing of schools”;
• the financial contribution policy;
• the distribution of educational services among the schools;
• the criteria referred to in section 239 for the enrolment of students in schools;
• the dedication of a school to a special project pursuant to section 240 and the criteria for the enrollment of students in that school;
• the school calendar;
• the rules governing promotion from elementary school to secondary school or from the first cycle to the second cycle of the secondary level;
• the objectives and principles governing the allocation of subsidies, school taxation proceeds and other revenues among educational institutions as well as the criteria pertaining thereto, and the objectives, principles and criteria used to determine the amount to be withheld by the school board for its need and those of its committees;
• the learning activities established by the school board and intended for parents.

The Special Education Advisory Committee, as mandated by the Education Act (s. 185) is an advisory committee on services for special needs and students with social maladjustments or learning disabilities.  More detailed information on the mandate is available at the following link: (https://westernquebec.ca/about/governance/#seac).

Who can be a member?

1. Any parent/guardian of a student who has an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), can put their name forward for consideration.

How do I submit my interest?

2. You must submit your name at the General Assembly of your child’s school (held before the end of September) OR
3. via an online Form, no later than midnight September 30th.  

Members will then be designated at the first Parents’ Committee of the school year. 

If you were unable to attend the AGA at your child’s school and would still like to be considered, please complete this short form.

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Voting Members

• 16 parents of the students concerned (students with an IEP), designated by the Parents’ Committee
• 1 teacher representative, designated by their Association
• 1 non-teaching professional staff representative, designated by their Association
• 1 support staff representative, designated by their Association
• 1 school principal, designated by the Director General
• Up to 2 representatives of organizations which provide services to students with special needs, designated by Council, after consulting with those bodies

Non-Voting Member

• The Director General or a designate