Parent Involvement Committee
What is PIC?
In 2009, Ontario’s Ministry of Education required that every school board have an advisory parent involvement committee. At HWDSB, PIC serves an important role by providing parent input on the work, policies and direction of the Board at monthly meetings during the school year. Each year, we have 16 to 38 voting members comprised of parents, community representatives, and members of parent advisory focused on topics that include Home and School, special education and French immersion. Non-voting members include PIC delegates from HWDSB staff and the Board of Trustees.
What we do:
At HWDSB, PIC advises the Board from a parent perspective, champions parental engagement and contributes valuable input at meetings of PIC and other Board subcommittees. We raise common parental issues with Board staff and Trustees, support parents navigating HWDSB and help parents support learning at home and at school. In many ways, we are supporting groups of schools in a way similar to how school councils support individual schools. In addition to its whole-group meetings, PIC works through subcommittee that include Communications, the Focus for Family learning events and Profiling Volunteer Excellence recognition of volunteers. We also offer school council training.
What can PIC do for you?
- Provide guidance on procedural issues
- Provide direction to find answers to questions
- Assist in conflict resolution
- Help you navigate the Board structures
- Share best practices for engaging parents
- Advocate on behalf of parents
- Act as a direct link to Board senior staff & Trustees
- Serve as a sounding board for your ideas, concerns
- Strengthen the parent-school partnership, which improves student achievement & reduces absenteeism.
Talk to us!
PIC can become more effective when you tell us what works, what doesn’t and what you need help with. All of our monthly meetings are open to the public, if you wish to observe what we do. Help us spread the word about PIC by linking your school website to our PIC website, and by using our web posts in your school newsletter.
Contact us!
905-527-5092 ext. 2234