Participation council (MR)
Every school, including De Groote Aard, is legally obliged to have a Participation Council: MR (Medezeggenschapsraad).
What does the MR do?
Participation councils, management and staff stand for the same interest: high-quality education in a safe environment for staff and children.
To ensure that a school functions well, plans are made, decisions are taken and changes are made on a daily basis. Responsibility for school policy lies with the school board. But because policies directly or indirectly affect pupils, parents and staff, the school board must consult with the participation council. Important decisions cannot be taken without the consent or advice of the participation council.
At De Groote Aard, the participation council also wants to be a partner and share responsibility for education. The goal of all - management, staff and MR - is better education.
What does the MR talk about?
At the MR meetings, for example, the following topics are discussed:
- establishing new or amended policies;
- school plan;
- course plan;
- school budget;
- formation plan;
- holiday schedule;
- safety.
In addition, an MR can put any other matters it considers important on the agenda and discuss them.
At the meetings, the school management is almost always present at the request of the MR. If the management wants to know the opinion of parents and/or staff about an action, policy change or intention, it will consult the MR.
Why is it important to be a member of the MR ?
Membership of the MR is important and responsible work. It is not for nothing that the powers of an MR are laid down by law. More and more policy is being left decentralised to the schools themselves. More responsibility at school and administration means more intensive involvement of the participation council. For parents involved in the school, membership of the MR is a good way to get informed about school policy, and often even at an early stage.
The MR can nominate members for the Joint Participation Council (GMR) of KempenKind. The joint MRs choose these members through elections.
Composition of the MR: the MR consists of three staff representatives (staff section) and four representatives of parents/caregivers of pupils (parent section).
The members of the MR of SO-VSO De Groote Aard currently are:
Parent section:
- Vera van Aken
- Susan van Beers
- Nienke van der Aa
- René Smulders
Staff delegation:
- Lisa Castelijns
- Tanita Spooren
- Wendy Roefs, voorzitter
Contact: wroefs@kempenkind.nl
