CNG School Governance and Other Forms of Participation

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

The General Assembly is composed by all CNG parents who have their children enrolled in the School. It meets at least once a year, and its duties are as specified in the School by‐laws.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

During the Annual General Assembly meeting, parents who have children enrolled in the School elect a seven‐member Board of Directors. Each of the Board Members serve a two‐year term. Three members are elected one year, and four the following year. The Board meets at least once a month.

SCHOOL DIRECTOR

The School Director is appointed by the Board of Directors. The School Director’s primary duty is to act as the main legal representative of the CNG Corporation before public and private entities among other things.

DIRECTOR’S COUNCIL

The Director’s Council is an advisory group to the Director. Its members are the School Director, one parent representative, two teacher representatives, a student representative (typically the Vice Personero), one alumni representative, and ex‐officio representatives as determined by the School Director. The Director’s Council meets at designated times during the year, and its duties are outlined in the school by‐laws.

ACADEMIC COUNCIL

The Academic Council is a collaborative team of subject and team leaders and coordinators that advises the Director’s Council and Board of Directors on academic topics. The Academic Council focuses on curriculum development/ renewal as well as implementation of changes to ensure alignment with rigorous standards, Colombian and US education requirements, and continuous improvement to enhance learner performance.

The Academic Council serves CNG’s Vision, Mission, Core Values, and philosophical statements while building leadership capacity among its members. Members include the Learning & Teaching Leadership Team (School Director, Academic Directors, Principals, and Associate Principals), the instructional coaches, and those who serve in a role of subject/grade Position of Responsibility.

The full Academic Council meets a minimum of three times every school year, while focused subject groups meet between two to six times throughout the year, focusing on the tasks at hand for curriculum renewal and implementation.

The Academic Council fulfills Colombia law requirements. As well members participate in the following :

• Lead the development, revision, and evaluation of the subject/team curriculum to ensure appropriate development of students’ bodies, minds, and character.

• Research and make recommendations for program improvements that positively impact learning and teaching.

• Review and align assessment practices to evaluate student learning.

• Lead the review of student learning data and use this data to inform program changes.

• Recommend the purchase of appropriate materials and educational resources taking into consideration the approved budget.

• Make recommendations of professional learning programs to advance the school, taking into consideration the approved budget.

  Secondary Responsibilities include:

• Integrating the CNG annual priorities into the work of the subject/team

• Being open to innovation and integration in order to improve learning & teaching

• Listening to and using feedback from parents, students, faculty/staff and other community members for program improvement

• Reviewing the school’s Institutional Education Plan (PEI) especially related to curriculum and educational programs, as needed

• Working with the Director of Colombian Program, communicating with the Ministry of Education, ICFES and Colombian universities for the improvement of the Bachillerato Program

DIRECTOR’S COMMITTEE

The Director’s Committee advises the School Director on all facets of school operation. It meets regularly throughout the school year. Its members are lead by the School Director. The members include:

Academic Directors and Associates:

Director and Associate Director of Learning and Teaching, Principals, Director of Colombian Program, Learning Center Director and Associate Director, Director of Educational Technologies and Innovation, Director of Athletics and Co- Curricular Programs, and Associate Principals/ Administrative Support Coordinator.

Administrative Directors:

Director of Finance and General Services, Director of Human Resources, Director of Admissions, Director of Development and Community Affairs, Director of Publications and Media Services, and Director of Technology and Information Systems.

STUDENT PERSONERO AND VICE-PERSONERO/CABILDANTE

The Personero is a Senior (12th grade), and the Vice‐Personero is a Junior (11th grade), both are elected by the student body (grade 3 to 12) to represent the students of CNG by Colombian law. Please see ANNEX for the CNG Personero and Cabildante.

STUDENT COUNCIL

The Student Council is a body of students who are elected by their grade level peers. The purpose of the Student Councils is to improve school life in the schools, to help students learn about democratic processes, and to serve the community. There is a Student Council in the Elementary, Middle, and High School.

CNG PARENTS ASSOCIATION

CNG PARENTS ASSOCIATION (PTA) is an active organization whose members join voluntarily to carry out various projects for the improvement of the school.

PARENT COUNCIL

The Parent Council is an active, legal, organization whose members are elected by the parent community during the beginning of the year Open Houses. This Council is required by Colombian law and is designed to provide support to the administration on school development and school improvement related initiatives.

CNG COMITÉ DE CONVIVENCIA ESCOLAR

(Revised May 2019)

The comité de convivencia escolar will have the following functions

1. Identify, document, analyze and solve conflicts that arise among teachers and students, among administrators and students, among students and among teachers.

2. Lead actions that promote community life, development of citizenship, application of human, sexual and reproductive rights, and prevention and mitigation of school violence among members of the educational community.

3. Promote the connection of educational establishments to community life strategies, programs, activities and citizenship development being pursued in the region and which meet the
needs of the educational community.

4. Convene a conciliation space for the resolution of conflicts that affect school community life, at the request of any member of the educational community, when necessary in an attempt to avoid irreparable harm to members of the community. A parent, guardian, or a partner of the educational establishment will accompany students.

5. When facing specific conflicts harassment, high risk conducts of school violence, or the infringement of sexual and reproductive rights, which cannot be solved by this committee in accordance to that which is established in School Handbook, for they transcend the school environment and are in line with the characteristics of punishable behavior, which is the reason why they shall forwarded to other parties or authorities that are part of the National System structure.

6. Lead the development of strategies and tools that are destined to promote and evaluate school favorable school environment, as well as the implementation of human, sexual and reproductive rights.

7. Follow-up on the compliance of the regulations established in the Community Handbook and present reports to the respective bodies which are part of the structure of the Sistema de Convivencia Nacional including training for human rights, sexual education and the prevention and mitigation of school violence, in the cases or situations that the committee has encountered.

8. Propose, analyze and make viable pedagogical strategies that allow greater flexibility of the pedagogic model and the articulation of different areas of study, to determine more and better ways to relate in the construction of citizenship