Insurance Coverage for School Councils
As of January 1, 2022, School Councils no longer need to purchase “School Council Insurance”. All School Councils, including their Executive Committee and Representative members are covered under the TDSB commercial general liability insurance program for all roles and responsibilities directly related to their respective School Council position. Volunteers are also covered when participating in a TDSB school “sanctioned” School Council activity or event.
Commercial general liability insurance does not include coverage for losses that would be covered under other types of insurance policies such as property, cyber, drone, automobile, or crime insurance. Further, School Council members, representative and volunteers are not covered for personal property loss or injury to themselves related to a School Council activity of event.
For further information related to the School Council Insurance, please download the School Council Insurance Program Summary. Feel free to share this with your School Council members.
If you have any insurance and risk management questions, including those related to planning an event, notification of a claim, and reporting an incident, please email risk.management@tdsb.on.ca.
To request an Insurance Certificate, please complete the School Council Certificate-Evidence of Insurance Request Form and email it to risk.management@tdsb.on.ca. Note, your respective school Principal approval is required.
School Council Volunteer Forms
School Council Events and Volunteers
School Council Volunteer Waiver, Release and Indemnity Agreement
Volunteer Record Tracking Sheet
Volunteer Supervisor Record Tracking Sheet
FAQ’s Related to School Council Insurance
Description of a School Council
An organization in the school which provides “a forum through which parents and other members of the school community can contribute to improving student achievement and school performance”.
School Councils are required to meet, and, in some cases, School Councils will carry out fundraising activities or events.
Role of Principal and Insurance
In addition to meetings, in order to ensure insurance coverage is in place for activities and events, such as fundraising, the activities and events must be “sanctioned” by the Principal.
The principal is the key source of information for the school council and the link between School Council and Ministry, Board and School Receiving. The Principal receives recommendations made by the School Council, ensures that recommendations are in accordance with TDSB Policy and Procedures and is the ultimate “decider”, for example, for special events, fundraising and school policies regarding school excursions.
Reference:
School Council Basics presented at PIAC Parent Conference, 2014
Principals may consult with TDSB departments, for example, Insurance and Enterprise Risk, Finance, and Business Services.
Role and Responsibilities of School Council
Reference:
School Council Roles and Responsibilities
Role of the Principal in Fundraising
The role of the Principal in fundraising includes:
- during development of a fundraising plan
- to pre-approve and provide final approval/sanction to the fundraising activities
- for in-person activities and events, ensure all School Council participants complete and sign a TDSB School Council Volunteer Form.
- for in-person activities and events involving direct interaction with TDSB students, ensure an individual police check/declaration on an annual basis is requested and provided.
- to sign off on school permits, only if the activity or event is approved/sanctioned by the Principal. If not approved/sanctioned, School Council would be deemed not covered by the TDSB insurance and would need to take out the permit on their own as well as purchase the Facility Insurance available at the time of obtaining the permit.
- to ensure all approvals and pre-approvals are recorded in the School Council meeting minutes.
- during an onsite activity/event, to receive reports of any and all incidents and to record these in the TDSB online incident form.
Reference:
School Council Basics presented at PIAC Parent Conference, 2014
School Council Information – School Council Fundraising
Role of the School Council in Fundraising
The role of the School Council in fundraising includes:
- engage the Principal in the development of a fundraising plan
- to secure pre-approve and final approval/sanction to the fundraising activities from the Principal
- for in-person activities and events, ensure all participants complete and sign a TDSB School Council Volunteer Form.
- for in-person activities and events involving direct interaction with TDSB students, ensure an individual police check/declaration on an annual basis is provided.
- to request a school permit, only if the activity or event is approved/sanctioned by the Principal. If not approved/sanctioned, the School Council would be deemed not covered by the TDSB insurance and would need to take out the permit on their own as well as purchase the Facility Insurance available at the time of obtaining the permit.
- to ensure all approvals and pre-approvals are recorded in the School Council meeting minutes.
- during an onsite activity/event, to report any and all incidents to the Principal
- if approved by the Principal, to contact any TDSB department for assistance
Reference:
School Council Basics presented at PIAC Parent Conference, 2014
School Council Information – School Council Fundraising