Parent Involvement Advisory Committee (PIAC)

PIAC Annual Report 2011/2012

The 2011/2012 school year was a busy yet successful one for PIAC. It commenced with adherence to PIAC’s new by-laws which were drafted in accordance with Regulation 330 of the Education Act and ratified by October 31, 2011. This marked the beginning of PIACs first year under the new by-laws.

Read the full report (1441K 1/30/2013)

What is the
TDSB Parent Involvement Advisory Committee?

Purpose of Parent Involvement Committees (PICS)

In 2010 the Ministry of Education amended the Ontario Regulation 612/00, by Ontario Regulation 330/10. This resulted in the creation of Parent Involvement Committees (PICS). For further information on the Regulation please click the above Regulation.

PIAC Mission Statement

PIAC’s purpose is to support, encourage and enhance parent engagement at the Board level in order to improve student achievement and well being. In working towards this purpose, members of PIAC shall foster open, positive, inclusive and effective communication at all levels of parent involvement, and shall respect the Committee’s accountability to its constituent groups and its responsibility to the Board.

Guiding Principles

In addition to following PIAC’s mission statement, all members shall:

(a) Work together in a manner that fosters co-operation;

(b) Demonstrate respect for the opinions, concerns, and ideas of others;

(c) Strive to understand each other’s values and perspectives without pre-judgment or biases;

(d) Value the principles and practices of equity and inclusion in PIAC’s operations and deliberations;

For further guiding principles and PIAC by-laws, click here.

What does PIAC do?

PIAC's role is to:

• Consult and work with parents, staff, and community to identify issues related to parent engagement for discussion and information
• Discuss and respond to items referred to PIAC by the Board
• Make recommendation or provide recommendations or comments to the baord on any parent/education related matter
• Work and support school councils across the board

How can parents GET INVOLVED with PIAC?

• Get elected as a PIAC representative or alternate at your ward metting or contact your Trustee
• Get involved with TDSBs Community Liaison Groups. Visit www.tdsb.on.ca/parents/parent_community
• Join one of PIACs Working Groups. Working group members are volunteers and are open to all TDSB parents/guardians
• Attend PIAC meetings. TDSB parents/guardians are welcome to attend meetings as observers. For a meeting schedule see the meetings page.

How does PIAC work for parents?

PIAC supports parents/school councils in the following ways:

• Facilitation of Working Groups on an array of issues. To view PIAC working groups, click here.
• Participation on a number of TDSB committees such as: School Calendar; Caring and Safe Committee; TDSB Consultation Committee;
• Organize the annual School Council Appreciation Event
• Collaborate with TDSB to organize the annual Parent Involvement Make a Difference Conference
• Ongoing outreach and support for School Councils

Who is PIAC?

PIAC membership is made up of the following: 

Voting Members

• 1 parent delegate and 1 parent alternate representing each of the 22 Wards, for a total of 22 parent delegates and 22 parent alternates, to be elected at Ward level
• 1 additional parent delegate representing any TDSB Community Liaison Group (CLG) that desires to eb represented (one parent per CLG). Any such member shall be elected ro appointed at CLG level
• Parent or CLG members elected may be employees of the TDSB, but must inform PIAC of the employment at the first meeting they attend and may be asked to excuse themselves from a vote if there is deemed to be a conflict of interest, and
• A maximum of three members representing up to three community agencies chosen by PIAC (one member per community agency, to be put forward by the agency. For clarity, community agency representatives (i) are not required to be parents, and (ii) cannot be members or employees of the TDSB

Non Voting Members

• (e)  The two PIAC Co-Chairs;
• (f)   The Director of Education of the TDSB or his/her designate;
• (g)  A member of the Board of Trustees;
• (h)  A member of the Parent and Community Involvement Office (PCIO), who shall have a term of one year; and
• (i)   A member representing each union and/or professional organization having employees at the TDSB {ETFO (Elementary School Federation of Ontario) OSSTF (Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation), TSAA (Toronto School Administrators' Association), & CUPE (Canadian Union of Public Employees)}, if such bodies choose to be represented.

Participatory Budget Consultation Meeting
November, 22nd 2012 - Webcast

PIAC Contacts:

TDSB Board and Standing Committee

To view the Board and Standing Committees of the Board meeting schedules, agendas, minutes and summary of Board decisions, please click here.