Local School Council

History:

Local School Councils were created under the 1988 School Reform Act to get Chicago’s communities involved in their schools. Councils are at the very heart of school reform and are responsible for many positive changes taking place. Input and decision-making by the Local School Councils are meaningful and positive partners in the education process.

Structure:

The Local School Council (LSC) members are elected every two years and the LSC is composed of the principal, 6 elected parent representatives, 2 elected community representatives, 2 appointed teacher representatives, and 1 appointed school staff representative.

The LSC is responsible for:

• Principal evaluation and contracts
• Approval of Continuous Improvement Work Plan (CIWP)
  Download 2018-2020 CIWP »
• Approval of how school funds and resources are allocated
• Engaging parents and community members through various committees

Meetings:

The LSC meets monthly at 6:15 p.m. in the Middle School Building Cafeteria (1601 S Dearborn). Parents, community members, teachers, and staff are invited to attend this open forum and meeting minutes are posted on this site once approved by the LSC.

Much of the LSC’s responsibilities, as defined in the bylaws, are worked on in committee. These standing committees are charged with a specific function and include:

• Bylaws – Volunteers maintain, review and update the council’s bylaws to ensure that they meet the changing needs of the council and our school.
• Communications – Volunteers manage communication to the school community via email and social media.
• Family Involvement Group (FIG) – Volunteers foster family involvement in SLES, organize/oversee family nights, fundraisers, and other social events during the school year.
• Finance – Volunteers oversee fundraising initiatives for the school.
• Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) – Chaired by an LSC faculty member, this committee monitors special education programs, including compliance with the requirements of LRE.
• Principal Evaluation – Committee chair is responsible for providing recommendations and leading the process of the LSC’s evaluation of the current principal, or candidates for principal if the position is vacant. 
• Open Meetings Act/Freedom of Information Act (OMA/FOIA) – Committee chair is responsible for understanding the OMA, informing the LSC of requirements of the OMA, and fielding FOIA requests for the LSC. 
• School Re-Opening Safety Committee (ad hoc) – This committee was created when students began to return to school for hybrid learning in Spring 2021. Volunteers assess COVID-19 related safety in the SLES buildings, and make recommendations for the school buildings and protocols. 

Like the LSC meetings, committee meetings are open meetings, and parents and community members are encouraged to participate as members or to attend the open meetings. View the school calendar for committee meeting dates or contact the committee chair.

To become involved in any committee, please contact the South Loop School Volunteer Coordinators at slsvolunteers@gmail.com or visit the school’s website to find meeting dates.

If you have questions for the LSC, please send questions to SLELSC1212@gmail.com.