The General Assembly requires that all public school systems in Georgia have school councils in place for the purposes of bringing communities and schools closer together in a spirit of cooperation to solve difficult education problems, improve academic achievement, provide support for teachers and administrators, and bring parents into the school-based decision-making process.

All Effingham County schools will hold elections for the upcoming year. Elections will be held to fill expiring terms, new terms and vacancies in unexpired terms.

Each school council will consist of seven members. Members of the council include: four parents or guardians of students enrolled in the school (two of whom must be business associations), excluding employees who are parents or guardians of such students, two of whom must be business persons;two certificated teachers, excluding any personnel employed in administrative positions, who are employed at least four of the six school segments at the school; and the school principal. School council members will serve two-year terms, and will attend four meetings during the school year.

While the school council is designed to serve as an advisory group, members will have a broad range of responsibilities and will receive specific information to assist them in executing their duties.

The selection of the teacher and parent members occurs through an election process. Each school is preparing for the election of the teacher and parent members. School administrators will work with their certified staff to elect two teacher representatives. Each school will have a meeting for parents to nominate and vote for the two parent representatives.

Parents also may be nominated on the written form that will be sent home with students. The parent election meetings will be held at the individual schools according to the following schedule:

Aug. 25 Blandford Elementary 8 a.m.

Aug. 24 Ebenezer Elementary 8 a.m.

Aug. 27 Guyton Elementary 8 a.m.

Aug. 24 Marlow Elementary 7 p.m.

Aug. 18 Rincon Elementary 8 a.m.

Aug. 26 Sand Hill Elementary 9 a.m.

Aug. 25 South Effingham Elementary 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 24 Springfield Elementary 6 p.m.

Aug. 20 Ebenezer Middle 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 25 Efingham County Middle 5:30 p.m.

Aug. 25 South Effingham Middle 3 p.m.

Aug. 26 Effingham County High 8:30 a.m.

Aug. 12 South Effingham High 5 p.m.

Voting for the school’s parent representatives will occur only at the school’s scheduled parent election meeting. Parents who have children enrolled at the school for the 2015-16 school year are eligible to nominate, vote for, and be elected as the school’s parent representatives. Parent representatives must be at least 18 years of age.

Schools will send meeting/election notices home to parents at the open house or with the students on the first day of school. The schools request that parents ask their children for the notices. Parent participation in this election process is encouraged. Parents should contact the school’s principal if they have questions about the school councils or the election process prior to the election meeting.

If you have any questions, contact the school’s principal.