WHAT IS THE CITIZENS’ ADVISORY COUNCIL?
The Citizens’ Advisory Council is a group of parents and citizens that live within District U-46 who represents the needs, ideas and concerns of our schools and communities and assists the Board of Education in providing the best possible education for all students. The CAC serves as one of the voices for the community at a district level. We represent you, your neighbor, the business owner on the corner, and every student in this district – and active community participation is vital to the progressive success of this district.
The Citizens’ Advisory Council is a unique group in that we have an up-close opportunity to positively impact our district’s future through active citizen involvement. There are few other school systems that welcome such direct involvement by parents and citizens. The council is also a great way to keep up to date on what is happening in the district. As a member, you have the opportunity to interact with members of the Board of Education and U-46 staff, as well as other interested citizens and parents, and learn more about district initiatives and happenings through updates at the monthly General Council Meetings. See What Do Reps Do or How to Become a CAC Representative for more information.
HISTORY & MISSION
“The goal of the Citizens’ Advisory Council is to advise and assist the Board of Education and Administration in the ongoing effort to provide the best possible educational opportunities for the students of the School District U-46.”
An officially constituted advisory body to the Board of Education, the Citizens’ Advisory Council has been assisting the Board for almost a half a century. Each year, the council undertakes various projects and studies aimed at helping the district achieve its objectives, including:
- developing areas for specific study and recommendations
- assisting in identifying means to achieve district objectives
- providing a forum for interested members of U-46 communities to express thoughts and ideas to the Board and administration
While council recommendations and studies are not binding to the Board of Education, our work is well received and the district has adopted many of our recommendations. Some of the council’s work that has been adopted by the Board include: the high school Academy program for gifted students and boundary maps for elementary, middle and high schools.
WHAT DO CAC REPRENSTATIVES DO?
Representatives act as liaisons between the schools they represent and the Citizens’ Advisory Council and the District. Members bring their school’s concerns, needs and opinion to the council, serving as their voice at a district level. Members also bring CAC and District U-46 information back to their schools to keep parents and staff up to date. Reps attend monthly meetings and are strongly encouraged to join committees, since that is where the bulk of our work is accomplished. As a member of the Citizens’ Advisory Council, you have the unique opportunity to positively impact our school district’s future through active citizen involvement!
HOW TO BECOME A REPRESENTATIVE!
The council welcomes all parents and citizens that live within the district to become a representative. School principals, along with input from parent leaders, select up to five representatives, and an additional two can be appointed by the CAC leadership to serve as “at-large” members. The only difference between appointed members and at-large members is that at-large members cannot serve as a committee chairperson; all other opportunities and responsibilities remain the same.
Every effort is made to attract members who represent the socioeconomic, cultural and ethnic background of each school’s attendance area.
If you would like to become a member of Citizens’ Advisory Council, please contact the principal at one of the schools in your school attendance zone. You may also apply for an “at-large membership” by contacting the council chairperson or calling the District’s Community Relations Office at (847) 888-5000 ext. 5040. Additional information is available in this brochure (PDF version).
GENERAL COUNCIL MEETINGS
The General Council Meetings are the best way to stay informed about what is happening on a district level. Meetings generally consist of updates from the Board of Education, Administration and the Executive Committee or other Citizens’ Advisory Council committees; special programs on topics relevant to district improvement or parental interest; and other news or business…oh, and, yes, we have the best cookies around! Council meetings are generally held on the second Thursday of each month at 7pm in the Elgin High School library, located at 1200 Maroon Drive in Elgin. The general public is most definitely encouraged to join us! Our
meeting schedule
is posted on our home page.
The Citizens’ Advisory Council exists to assist the board of education and to be the voice of the community. Open discussions give members a chance to let their concerns and comments be heard. Every member has the right to be heard. Please keep in mind that meetings need to run in a productive manner. Members should conduct themselves with rules of common courtesy. The council is governed by the Open Meetings Act, Robert’s Rules of Order and the CAC By-Laws during meetings. Copies of meeting rules are available at the CAC website. See Participation Guidelines and Voting for more detailed information.
Agendas are posted on this website at least 72 hours in advance of scheduled meetings and are also available before each meeting in the lobby before you enter the library. If there is a subject that you feel needs to be brought up during New Business, please let the Secretary know as soon as possible. While it is acceptable to bring up personal issues that you may have with the district, the council cannot resolve personal issues. If appropriate, the subject may be directed to a specific committee, or you may be asked to work directly with district staff.
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