NAME:
St. Luke Catholic School Advisory Committee (CSAC) shall be established in accord with the Statutes of the Diocese of Stockton and the Parish Norms for Consultative Groups (USCCB).

PURPOSE:
The Committee (CSAC) assists the Pastor in overseeing the ministry of St. Luke Catholic Elementary School in accord with the Code of Canon Law, diocesan policy, and the laws and regulations of the State of California.

MEMBERSHIP
St. Luke School is an educational ministry of the parish. Therefore, it exists for the entire parish- and not just those families enrolled in the school. The School Advisory Committee, then, must reflect the parish in its membership so as to provide the Pastor with the best advice possible.

SIZE:
CSAC is to have no fewer than seven (7) members and no more than fifteen (15) members.

COMPOSITION:
CSAC is to include people with the needed skills to promote the mission of St. Luke School from the following groups: alumni, the business community, school parents and guardians, and non-school parents/guardians.

No dual spouses/guardians can serve as CSAC members at one time or within the same time of term service.

The Pastor is not a member of CSAC since he cannot be a member of a group that advises him. Nevertheless, the Pastor as the President of the Board does preside over the meetings of the School Advisory Committee.

If the parish is served by one or more Parochial Vicars, they may be included on CSAC as members ex officio. The School Principal is a Non-voting member of the Advisory Committee.

SELECTION OF MEMBERS:
At least one-third of the members of CSAC must be elected. The pastor determines exactly how many seats on the committee will be elected and the number appointed. The balance of the seats on the committee is appointed by the Pastor, whether by nomination from current committee members, at the sole discretion of the Pastor, or some combination of the two. 

CSAC will initiate a new membership search each school year at the Catholic Schools Week Open House by providing Interest Selection Forms.

CSAC statutes are to outline how members are elected. There are several methods for electing committee members.

In the event that spouses of employees elect/apply to CSAC during the election, CSAC will determine if this is an appropriate placement and if there is a conflict of interest.

In the event that no applicants apply during the election period, CSAC members will generate a list of names for potential interested/experienced individuals (community members, parishioners, parents and guardians) and contact names based on the chronological names on the list. The Chairperson will initiate contact of the candidate.

General Parish Election: Nominees are placed on a ballot that is mailed to every member of the parish over eighteen years. Ballots are returned and counted by a small committee.

Parish Nomination: Parishioners are invited to propose names for committee membership. This list of nominees is gathered for an evening of reflection and learning about the role of CSAC.

Those gathered then elect the members of the committee. The duly elected members would assume office on the date specified in the committee statutes.

Subtracting the number of elected and ex officio seats from the total number of seats on the committee will give the number of seats available for the Pastor to appoint. The appointment of members to CSAC will normally occur after the election of members. In this way, the Pastor can ensure, through his appointments, that the advisory committee possesses the skills needed and that its membership truly reflects the diversity of the parish.

QUALIFICATIONS:
Members of CSAC should be outstanding members of the parish or school community who support the mission of the Church. More specifically, members must meet the following qualifications:

• Be over the age of eighteen (18) years.
• Not be under any ecclesiastical penalties.
• Lead a life in harmony with the teaching and discipline of the Catholic Church.
• Be members of the parish or school.

Potential candidates, who are not a part of the parish, school or in full communion with the Catholic Church may be appointed by the Pastor at his discretion if he or she possesses a particular expertise that will benefit CSAC.

The Pastor, at his discretion, may appoint a student as an ex-officio member of the board. Likewise, the Pastor, at his discretion, may appoint an individual to fill any position if it is vacant.

TERMS OF OFFICE:
Both elected and appointed members of CSAC are to have terms of office. Terms should be no shorter than one year and no more than three years; however, the ordinary term is three years. The pastor can determine if members can seek re-election or re-appointment, and if so, how many times. 

LOSS OF OFFICE:
Members may lose his or her seat on CSAC. For example, in addition to resignation, one loses committee membership by two unexcused absences and no more than three absences for any reason. At the pastor's discretion, he may appoint an individual to fill any position if it is vacant. All members must uphold the integrity of Christian values.

OFFICERS:
Four officers are to be present on this advisory committee: President, Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, and Secretary.

The Pastor is not only an ex-officio officer of the Board, but also the President.

The Chairperson’s role is to prepare the agenda in consultation with the Pastor or Principal and to run the committee meetings. The chairperson could be elected by the advisory committee members or appointed by the Pastor for a renewable term of office.

The Vice Chairperson takes over for the chairperson should he or she not be able to fulfill any assigned duties. The vice chairperson could be elected by the advisory committee or appointed by the Pastor for a renewable term of office.

The Secretary is generally responsible for keeping track of the attendance of the committee members at meetings as well as taking accurate minutes of all Advisory Committee Meetings. The secretary could be elected or appointed for a renewable term of office.

The terms of office cannot exceed three consecutive years with members having the option to renew in other offices.

MEETINGS:
Frequency: CSAC shall meet monthly except for December, June and July. At the discretion of the Pastor, this is subject to change. Meeting dates are to be published two weeks prior in the News Brief and emailed to members. Provisions can also be made for calling special meetings.

All CSAC meetings are open to parents, guardians and parishioners, unless it is a closed meeting. A closed meeting can be called to discuss sensitive matters (e.g. discussion of various tuition levels and what they mean for the budget, principal evaluation, etc.) Any parent, guardians or parishioner can request an item on the agenda and be present to address that item. All requests for items on the agenda must be presented to the CSAC Chairperson a minimum of two weeks before the regularly scheduled meeting. CSAC members will listen, take notes, and ask questions for clarifications. CSAC shall discuss the matter at the following meeting.

Quorum: A quorum refers to the minimum number of members who attend a meeting in order for the group’s business to be legitimate. Not only must the minimum number is determined but also which members are to be included. Generally, the minimum number of members required for a quorum is one over one half. A legitimate quorum must include the Pastor or the Principal.

Process: CSAC is an advisory- not deliberative body. With the good will and participation of the members, it operates effectively for the good of the parish and its school. Therefore, a consensus model of process would be recommended over one governed exclusively by Roberts’ Rules of Order. Nevertheless, there may be a time when Roberts’ Rules of Order should be used.

Minutes: A record of every meeting of CSAC is kept in the minutes that are taken by the advisory committee secretary. In addition to recording who was present and absent at the meeting, the minutes should provide a synopsis of the discussion of agenda items, summarizing the major points raised and any consensus reached.  Copies of minutes of CSAC are to be kept in the parish archives.

SUBCOMMITTEES:
Subcommittees can be two types: standing or ad hoc. Standing committees which are permanent in nature are generally oriented toward ministry or organization. An executive subcommittee is an example of a standing committee. Ad hoc subcommittees are formed for a specific task and exist only for the duration of the project.

The following standing subcommittees are:

• Catholic Identity
• Finance
• Marketing and Enrollment
• Development 
• Curriculum
• Technology
• Building, Grounds and Safety

AMENDMENT PROCESS
All proposed amendments should be in written form. Whether they must be submitted at an Advisory Committee meeting prior to their discussion is for the statutes to determine. The amendment does not take effect until it is approved in writing by the Pastor.

After the Pastor has approved an amendment to the CSAC statutes, a revised copy of the statutes is to be sent to the diocesan Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the nihil obstat.