Please click here for minutes from the School Council meetings.
2021-2022 Memorial School Council Members:
Robin Welch, Interim Principal
Teachers:
Lauren Desautels
Christina Ingham
Alexandra Loer
Cathy Reilly
Parents:
Jenn Braman-Parikh
Ashley Kiefer
Catherine Maloy
Alex Prothero
Garima Thakur
Community Member:
Michele Marotta
2020-2021 School Council Minutes
2019-20 Meeting Minutes
School Councils are one of the primary provisions mandated by the Education Reform Law of 1993. Designed around the concepts of collaboration and involvement of the entire school community, councils provide the opportunity for these communities to assist in shaping the educational direction of their local school. By placing the school at the center of educational planning and decision-making, teachers and administrators have the opportunity to be more responsive to the special needs of a community. Even prior to this legislation, the Natick Public Schools supported School Improvement Councils (the predecessors of the School Council) to improve the educational experiences of students at Memorial School. By law, School Councils are responsible for assisting the principal in (but not limited to):
• Enhancing the educational goals of the school
• Assessing students’ educational needs
• Reviewing the annual school budget
• Formulating a school improvement plan
The Natick Elementary School Councils consist of the principal, staff members, parents of children in the school, and a community representative. Teachers and parents are elected to two-year terms on the council by ballot system overseen by the PTO. One of the primary responsibilities of the School Council is the development of a School Improvement Plan. Based on the vision and philosophy of the school, this plan sets short- and long-term goals for the school. Potential features of the annual school improvement plan include the assessment of the impact of class size on learning, support for professional development of the school’s staff, methods for parental involvement in the school, addressing school safety issues, developing appropriate methods for meeting the diverse learning needs of as many children as possible, and any other issues that the principal, and the School Council may find appropriate.
School improvement plans for each school in the state are submitted for approval to the local school committees. School Councils are required to meet at least once a month and more often if necessary. Regularly scheduled meetings are held monthly and open to the public. Parents are welcome to raise issues they would like discussed by their School Council.