How To Join A Committee

The Sugar Maple Nature School is a tuition-free public charter school authorized by the Northern Ozaukee School District (NOSD). By law, charter Governance Councils (GC)are held accountable by the authorizer, the state, and the public to ensure that the school is operating in accordance with its original purpose and doing so in a responsible manner. More specifically, the Governance Council focuses on student achievement, acts strategically, recruits exceptional educators, utilizes resources wisely, and ensures the school is maintaining their mission and reaching their goals.

To support these efforts SMNS Governance Council, per bylaws Section 3.16(a), has established the following advisory committees:

  • This committee is pivotal for the school's finances. They work under the direction of the GC Treasurer and Director of Education to create the budget, monitor its implementation, and recommend changes. They also advise on asset management, pursue grants, and work closely with the PAC to organize fundraising events to support the school's mission and programs. If you have a financial background, grant writing experience, or a passion for fundraising, this committee may be the perfect fit for you.

  • This committee's primary goal is to enhance communication between SNMS administration and parents. Additionally, the mission includes raising non-grant funds to further support the organization's mission, empowering parents by providing training and support to actively engage in their child(ren)'s education and the school community, and cultivating collaborative partnerships to ensure an exceptional school experience for our students and their families.

    Learn more >>> SMNS Parent Advisory Committee Group Charge

  • This committee assumes the primary responsibility for working with the Director of Education to define academic excellence, ensure that all GC members know the charter promises that were made to the community and the authorizer and to devise clear and consistent measures to monitor these goals. If you are great at digesting data and asking good questions and want to contribute to our ensuring fidelity of our vision and charter, we encourage your participation.

  • This committee addresses the maintenance and operation of all land, buildings, facilities, and equipment owned or leased by the School. This participatory Governance Council (GC) committee is responsible for providing guidance, oversight, and, when appropriate, specialized expertise to the institutional administration. If you have experience in facilities management, project management, design or construction or are enthusiastic about creating a safe, inspiring learning environment, your input is invaluable.

FAQs

  • As a SMNS Committee member, you are responsible for advising the Governance Council to help ensure that the academic program of SMNS is successful; that the organization's program and operation are faithful to the terms of its charter; and that the school is a viable organization.

    • Understand the mission and purpose of the school and keep it clearly in focus.

    • Ensure effective organizational planning.

    • Manage resources effectively

    • Determine, monitor and strengthen the programs and services

    • Enhance the School’s public standing

    • Ensure legal and ethical integrity and maintain accountability

    • Recruit and orient new Committee members and assess Committee performance

    • Each Committee member is responsible for actively participating in the work of the Committee.

    • Committee members are volunteers, and no compensation is paid for their time and effort in fulfilling their duties as Committee Members.

    • Attend committee meetings, regularly, in accordance with council’s attendance/absenteeism policy.

  • Each Committee is responsible for actively participating in the work of the Advisory Committee. Each member is expected to affirm and strive to fulfill the performance expectations and the Governance Council (or GC President) will nominate a candidate only after s/he has agreed to fulfill these expectations. In addition to the responsibilities below, individual Committee Members are expected to help each other fulfill the tasks outlined in the collective job description and GC Norms.

    1. Believe in and be an active advocate and ambassador for the values, mission, and vision of the school.

    2. Work with fellow Council members to fulfill the obligations of committee membership.

    3. Behave in ways that clearly contribute to the effective operations of the committee:

      • Focus on the good of the organization and group, not on a personal agenda

      • Support council and committee decisions once they are made

      • Participate in an honest appraisal of one's own performance and that of the committee

      • Build awareness of and vigilance towards governance matters rather than management.

    4. Regularly attend committee meetings. Prepare for these meetings by reviewing materials and bringing the materials to meetings. If unable to attend, notify the committee chair. Be aware of, and abide by, the council’s attendance policy.

    5. Be prepared to contribute approximately 8-10 hours per month toward committee service.

    6. Remain informed about the organization and its issues by reviewing materials, participating in committee discussions, staying informed of GC actions, and asking strategic questions.

    7. Actively participate in one or more fundraising event(s) annually.

    8. Use personal and professional contacts and expertise for the benefit of the school.

    9. Give an annual financial contribution and support capital campaigns at a level that is personally meaningful.

    10. Inform the Council of any potential conflicts of interest, whether real or perceived, and abide by the decision of the Council related to the situation.

  • No. At Sugar Maple Nature School, we have advisory committees in place to carefully consider important matters and provide valuable insights. These committees, authorized by the Governance Council or the President, consist of dedicated individuals, some of whom may be Council members. Their role is to offer advice, make reports to the President and/or Governance Council, and perform other advisory functions as needed. It's important to note that while advisory committees play a crucial role in shaping our decisions and recommendations, they do NOT have the authority to conduct official school business or represent Sugar Maple Nature School publicly on behalf of the Governance Council or SMNS.

    For matters that involve the management of the school's affairs, we have executive committees. These committees, elected by the Governance Council, may exercise certain powers of the Council when it is not in session. However, it's essential to clarify that their authority does not extend to actions such as the election of officers, filling vacancies in the Governance Council, or forming and filling vacancies in committees with limited Governance Council authority.

    We believe in transparency and accountability, and the establishment of committees is carefully recorded in the minutes of the Governance Council to ensure openness and clear communication within our community.

  • Be prepared to contribute approximately 8-10 hours per month toward Council service which includes:

    • Attending Committee meetings (1-3 hours)

    • Reading materials, preparing for meetings (1-2 hour)

    • Conducting assigned committee tasks, attending events, assisting with fundraising and other school ambassador tasks as needed (2-4 hours)

  • Council Members shall be elected by an action of the Governance Council. Applications forms are reviewed by the Governance Council members who are charged with reviewing the applicants to determine which, if any, candidates meet the role criteria and best fit the school’s current leadership needs. Upon nomination from Council members, candidates will be put forth for a majority vote or appointment by the GC President.

    Please note: That neither applications or nominations guarantee a seat on a committee, and the Council may suggest other leadership opportunities to interested candidates as appropriate.

  • Committee member slates will be appointed during the Annual Meeting. For vacant seats throughout the school year, individual applications will be reviewed promptly as received, on an as-needed basis.

  • Interested parties are asked to complete the GC Committee Expression of Interest form found linked on this page. If you are having trouble with the embedded form, you can also access it here: https://forms.gle/4G2doFFJLncXVFRD9

  • While we understand it may seem like an extra step, completing the application form greatly assists us in effectively placing applicants in suitable positions, ensuring a diverse range of skills, and optimizing the committee selection process. Additionally, having a standardized application process helps the Governance Council conduct a fair and thorough review of each applicant, ensuring that everyone is given equal consideration. Your cooperation in this matter is genuinely appreciated and will contribute to the overall success of the GC Committee. Thank you for your understanding and support.

Actions to take before applying

Prior to completion of the Committee Expression of Interest form linked below, we recommend that, at a minimum, all prospective members attend at least one Governance Council and/or Committee meeting and familiarize themselves with the following resources: