start-up and operation
Parent Participation Organization (PPO)
WHY AND HOW
The Parent Participation Organization (PPO) is an optional entity, which exists according to the will of a school’s parents to create it. The OPP is governed by the Education Act (EA). Its role is defined by articles 96.2 and 96.3 :
- Promote the collaboration of parents in the development, implementation and periodic evaluation of the school’s educational project;
- Promoting parental involvement in their child’s educational success;
- Advise Governing Board (GB) parents on any matter that concerns parents or on which Governing Board parents consult the GB.
The law stipulates that the OPP receives logistical (premises and equipment) and administrative support from the school (LIP 96.4).
Your school’s PPO sets its own objectives for the year, but it’s a good idea for its members to be parents who are keenly aware of the comments, concerns and recommendations of other parents in the school.
the educational project
The educational project is a strategic tool for defining the orientations, priorities for action and expected results to ensure the educational success of all students in an educational establishment.
One PPO per building
While a school with more than one building can have only one Governing Board (GB), parents can decide to create several Parent Participation Organizations (PPOs), one for each building. (LIP article 96.1)
GENERAL MEETING
The chairmanship of the PPO is appointed by its members; there is no need for a general meeting. Legally, the General Meeting is simply required to decide whether or not to form a PPO (LIP 96).
At your school’s Annual General Meeting, the PPO Chair presents its annual report and plans for the coming school year. It’s also a time to get the assembly’s assent to proposed changes to its composition and operating rules, and to recruit new parents in order to consolidate the organization.
If a PPO is created at an assembly that did not exist the previous year, parents who wish to get involved will work with the Chair of the GB and the school principal to put in place the elements needed to get it off the ground. At the very least, they must produce a list of its members, a definition of its objectives, and summary rules for its operation, enabling the PPO to hold meetings and improve its definition and operation.
OPERATION
There are no legal requirements governing the composition or operation of the PPO. The organization defines its own operating rules. We suggest including the following items:
- The number of members
- Procedure for appointing the Chairman
- Executive positions (e.g. treasurer, secretary)
- Defining logistical and administrative requirements with the school
- Distribution or sharing of project responsibilities
- What to do if other parents want to join the PPO during the year
- How to manage the participation of third parties, experts and consultants, if applicable.
- Meeting procedures
- The calendar
- The budget
- The various reports and minutes to be produced.
- Procedures for communicating with parents, the school and the ESC.
It is important that the objectives and actions of the PPO are always in line with the priorities and objectives defined in the school’s educational project.
Budget
The OPP has no budget predefined by the LIP. The Board of Directors and the school administration determine the procedures and resources available to the PPO, both for its own operations and for specific projects.
Fund raising
All fundraising activities carried out by the PPO must be approved by a resolution of the Board of Directors. This resolution must contain the following information:
- Description of financing activity;
- Who will be approached and how;
- Permits and authorizations required (if any);
- The purpose of the money collected (essential information).
Contributions will be paid into the school’s special purpose fund, administered exclusively by the CÉ. Disbursements must also be the subject of a resolution adopted by the Board of Directors, and must respect the fundraising objective.
COLLABORATION
In order to maintain a healthy and transparent working relationship, it is desirable for the Board to be periodically informed of what is happening within the PPO. For this purpose, we suggest you use the highlights template (link below). at your PPO meetings. This document could be used to inform both the GB and all parents at the school. From time to time, the ESC could also set aside time on the agenda for the PPO to present some of its issues.
As one of the roles of the PPO is to give its opinion to the parents on the governing board on any subject that concerns parents or on which Governing Board parents consult the Board, it’s important to provide a forum for exchange outside the meetings of the GB, only half of whose members are parents. Inviting parent members of the GB to a PPO meeting could be a good practice for fulfilling this role.
PPO Highlights template
To quickly communicate your PPO’s information and decisions with the parents in your school.