School Council

The Menno Simons School Council consists of parents, our principal, teachers and interested community representatives who work together to support and enhance student learning.  They provide a way for members of the community to consult with and offer advice to the principal and the Palliser School Board.  Our School Council aims to:

• Focus on what is best for all students in the school
• Consider the interests of all school stakeholders
• Develop, maintain and reflect the culture of the school
• Represent the parent voice in the school community

School Council Executive at Menno is set organized into three key positions.

Chairperson - their primary role is to work collaboratively with families and school administration to help organize programs and people. They actively encourage others to become engaged, chair school council meetings, coordinate the agenda with the Principal, and act as the official spokesperson of the school council. The chairperson also helps ensure there is regular communication with the community - much of this works in conjunction with the Society administrator. 

Vice-Chairperson - Their primary role is to be the contact point for the various committees in School council, to share tasks and support the Chairperson in their role, to help the council fulfill their responsibilities, and in the absence of the chair to communicate and preside at meetings in place of the Chairperson.

Secretary - The school council secretary typically acts as the recorder at each meeting, ensures the minutes are prepared accurately, and submit those meetings to administration or society for posting. They also support the chairperson in ensuring that communication is delivered in a timely manner in conjunction with administration and society.

Committees and Parents also play a key role.

Committees - Effective committee work helps make school council meetings brief and effective. Committees also enable the school council to accomplish much more. Committees are formed after initial school council discussion. Items requiring more lengthy discussion or research are assigned to a committee. Committees make decisions or recommendations, according to the mandate provided by school council.

Parents - all parents are a part of school council. They can encourage participation of the community, share their professional knowledge and expertise, volunteer and form committees to pursue areas of passion and support for the community, communicate information of interest to the school council, attend school council meetings while creating an inviting environment, and identify possible topics for agendas.

2022/2023 Meeting Dates

• October 27, 2022 Minutes
• December 8, 2022 Minutes
• February 2, 2023 Minutes
• April 13, 2023
• June 1, 2023

2021/2022 Meeting Minutes

• September 28, 2021 Minutes
• October 28, 2021 Minutes
• November 29, 2021 Minutes
• January 24, 2022 Minutes
• March 10, 2022 Minutes
• May 30, 2022 Minutes

If you have further questions about School Council or how you can become involved, please contact us at MSCSParentSchoolCouncil@gmail.com

Chairperson

• 2 year term (ideally alternating with Vice Chair)
• Must be a parent of a student enrolled in the school unless no parent is willing to be nominated
• Schedule and organize (together with other executive officers of MSCS School Council) the first school council meeting within 30 days of school start date
• Schedule regular MSCS School Council meetings (minimum 4 per year)
• Create and prepare agenda for meetings in consultation with Principal
• Prepare and provide a report for Palliser Board summarizing the activities of MSCS School Council in the previous school year including a financial statement relating to money handled by the MSCS School Council, if any, by Sept 30th of the following year (in consultation with the Society Board)
• Oversee the creation of MSCS School Council by-laws/operating procedures
• Ensure roles and responsibilities are clearly defined
• Ensure compliance with MSCS School Council by-laws/operating procedures and MSCS School Council regulations
• Attend Society Board monthly meetings
• Chair and maintain meeting decorum
• Solicit input from all members
• Stay informed about school board policy that impacts the MSCS School Council
• Strive to ensure the diversity of the school community is represented on the MSCS School Council
• Promote teamwork between the MSCS School Council, Society board, Principal and staff
• Ensure minutes are recorded and maintained
• Regular and ongoing communication with the school principal

Vice Chairperson

• 2 year term (ideally alternating with Chair)
• Must be a parent of a student enrolled in the school unless no parent is willing to be nominated
• Support Chairperson in duties
• Chair meetings, in the event the Chair is unavailable
• Work with and support the chair in agenda preparation
• Liaise with sub-committees to ensure continuity, good communication, necessary resources, processes are documented and succession plans are in place
• MSCS School Council Bulletin Board design
• Promote teamwork and assist the chair in the smooth running of the meetings
• Keep informed of relevant school, society and school board policies
• Prepare to assume the responsibility of Chairperson in the future

Secretary

• 2 year term
• Act as a recorder at each meeting and ensure the minutes accurately reflect the directions agreed to at the MSCS School Council meetings
• Keep minutes, correspondence, records and other MSCS School Council documents (e.g. by-laws and operating procedures) filed in an orderly fashion and publicly accessible, in accordance with FOIP
• Have a working knowledge of the operating procedures of the MSCS School Council
• Ensure notices of meetings and other MSCS School Council events are distributed at least 10 days prior to the meeting or event
• Provide minutes to MSCS School Council Executive, Palliser Trustee, Principal, and meeting attendees
• Arrange for posting of minutes on Menno Simons Website
• Ensure retention of meeting minutes onsite

Lori Kruger, Chair

Lori Kruger is a wife to Richard and mother to three great kids - Lily, Audrey, and Seth. She has been a part of the Menno community since 2008 and has had many volunteer positions during the past 16 years. They include Room Parent, Fundraising Committee, Society Board Member, and Renovation co-planner. She is looking forward to serving on Parent Council this year as she values collaboration, teamwork, and community.

She has lived in Calgary her entire life and completed her Bachelor of Nursing Degree at U of C in 1997. This led to a fulfilling career in Perinatal Nursing which involved snuggling a lot of newborn babies and encouraging new parents. After Audrey’s arrival, she stayed at home full time to focus on her family and volunteer opportunities. In 2019 she completed her certification in Interior Decorating and runs a small home business. She has been a member of Rock Pointe Church for 12 years.

Lori has a labradoodle named Gemma and they can be found wandering Griffith Woods on a daily basis. She has many hobbies, but cooking, gardening, and quilting are top of the list. She is looking forward to the new school year and seeing the Menno community reconnect.

Grant Fong, Vice Chair

Grant has been happily married to Beverly for past 20 years with two girls, Keira and Sidney. Grant worked with the Calgary Police Service for 25 years in general patrol, Tactical Unit as a Bomb Technician, and with the RCMP in National Security as an investigator until he retired to stay home with our girls.
Grant is currently a Househusband, hockey referee, and dance dad. Grant served as a member of the parent council at Our Lady of the Assumption School and Chair in 2017-18.

Grant and his family are extremely happy to have joined the community at Menno Simons and he looks forward to working with the members of the school council, parents, and families in his role as Vice Chair.