Admit it: You've heard the name-especially in connection with the annual parent survey going on now through March 11-but you're not entirely sure what the Site Council does. That's okay, because we're here to give you the scoop and let you know why the group is so integral to the success of our students at Encinal!

Like every public school in California, Encinal has a Site Council, which is a small committee of parents, teachers, and administrators who address the school's academic program. The focal point of their work is the school's Site Plan, also called a school plan, which outlines goals and directs supplemental funds to support all learners in meeting or exceeding grade-level standards. The Site Council determines what goes in to the school plan by identifying and implementing curriculum and instructional practices that will strengthen academics and ensure that all students have access to and success in that program.

Encinal's current Site Council is made up seven parents, including Site Council President Kelly Perri, and seven teachers and staff members, including Principal Liner. The job they have to do is a big, important one, and the Site Council goes about it in a systematic way, gathering input from parents in the spring to help in formulating the next fall's plan. Right now, the Site Council is seeking your input about the current academic year so that it can take this feedback into account when planning for the 2012-2013 school year.

The Site Council Survey covers the full spectrum of Encinal's academic experience, from evaluating your child's curiosity and competency in math, reading, science, and other curriculum, to providing feedback about your child's classroom environment, school administration, and the Encinal community. Many of the survey's 14 questions are quantitative-asking for a rating-but just as important are the comment fields for each question that solicit detailed feedback. The Site Council especially wants "Feedback in Your Own Words," in which parents are asked to please identify three things that are working well and three areas for improvement.

Explains Kelly, "Essentially, we're looking for ways to improve the school. We want to find out what is working and what isn't." She points out that hearing what is going well is just as important as finding out what needs improvement. "Each year there are specific goals and an emphasis area-last year it was homework-and the survey helps us gauge if we have been successful in the changes we have made."

Once the parent feedback is collected and analyzed-this year the Site Council hopes to hear from at least 500 families-it will be shared with the school community in April. Principal Liner reviews all of the anonymous survey data and shares relevant findings with teachers and staff, as appropriate.

As for the Site Council, armed with the survey's findings, as well as student performance data from current and past years, the group can better pinpoint goals and development areas that are also in alignment with the District's Strategic Plan. For example, the current year 2011-2012 school plan has three primary goals, which cover student achievement, teacher collaboration and development, and school climate. These in turn are supported by detailed action plans, outcomes, and measures.

Even when the school plan is completed and been submitted to the District, the Site Council has plenty of work to do. The group meets monthly and continues to study development areas and monitor and update the plan. Parents are encouraged to provide feedback to the Site Council at any time during the year, not just the winter survey, and are invited to attend its open meetings. For more information, contact Kelly Perri at kellyperri@yahoo.com.

Give School Feedback in this Year's Site Council Survey now through March 18! Click here to take the survey-it takes less than 10 minutes!