Criteria

The Dassel-Cokato Community Education Advisory Council is a citizen advisory body established to help guide the Community Education program. Its members represent various community sectors and play a crucial role in advising on programs and services.

Membership Composition
The Council is designed to include a diverse range of representatives to ensure broad community input:

Official Representatives:

• One representative from the ISD #466 Dassel-Cokato Board of Education.
• One representative from the Cokato City Council
• One representative from the Dassel City Council.

Community Representatives:
Members from various groups are required, including:

• Service organizations
• Churches
• Public and nonpublic schools
• Local government (including elected officials)
• Public and private nonprofit agencies serving youth and families
• Parents
• Youth (high school students)
• Park, recreation, or forestry services
• Any other groups involved in the community education program.

Term Limits

• City and School Board Representatives: Serve one-year renewable terms, beginning January 1st.
• High School Students: May serve a one-year term, with the option to renew for an additional year.
• Community Representatives: Serve two school-year terms, beginning October 1st of the appointment year. Terms for existing positions being filled mid-year will be for the balance of the original term.

Selection Process

• City and School Board Representatives: Appointed by their respective boards.
• Community Representatives: Follow an application and approval process, with appointments made by the Advisory Council and subject to final approval by the School Board.

Voting Rights

• Each representative on the Council is entitled to vote on recommendations.

Role and Limitations

• The Advisory Council serves only in an advisory capacity.
• It does not make policy, program, or personnel decisions.
• All decisions and actions are recommendations only, subject to approval and adoption by the Community Education Director, Superintendent, or School Board.

Qualifications for Community Representatives To be eligible for a community representative position, individuals should:

• Be a resident of the Dassel-Cokato school district or open enrolled.
• Be willing to commit time to attend Advisory Council meetings.
• Be interested in and actively engaged with ISD466 / DC Community Education.
• Be willing to work collaboratively with fellow Council members and staff.
• Be knowledgeable of community resources, organizations, needs, and concerns.
• Be willing to work on committees and projects.
• Be willing to seek input from neighborhoods, organizations, and individuals.
• Be a participant in community activities.

Responsibilities of Council Members Council members are expected to:

• Attend regularly and actively participate in meetings.
• Review and recommend DC Community Education budget allocations and become knowledgeable about the budget process.
• Seek input from and provide information to community contacts, reporting back to the council and staff.
• Advise DC Community Education staff regarding programs and services.
• Be informed about Community Education programs and services.
• Promote awareness of DC Community Education.
• Advocate for legislative and local support of Community Education programs and services.

Meeting Protocols Council members commit to:

• Be present.
• Treat each other as peers.
• Listen with an open mind.
• Communicate honestly.
• Work towards the common good.
• Contribute to, but not dominate, the conversation.
• Arrive on time and stay for the duration.

Oversight The work of the Advisory Council is reviewed by the:

• Community at large
• DC Board of Education
• Community Education Director

Community Education programs including lifelong learning programs from early childhood through adulthood.

Programs

• Charger Kids Club Child Care & Little Chargers Child Care
• Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE)
• School Readiness Preschool Play and Learn
• Adult Enrichment
• Youth Enrichment
• Aquatics
• Recreation

Facilities

1. Rental to non ISD 466 participant
2. Overseeing and supporting Scheduling of DC Facilities

The purpose of Community Education funding is to allow school districts to “make maximum use of the public schools of Minnesota by the community and to expand utilization by the school of the human resources of the community.” (MN Statute 124D.18).

 

The budget for Community Services is contained in Fund 04. It is completely separate from the General Operating budget for the school district which is Fund 01. As stated in the statute, revenues in Fund 04 cannot be used to fund K-12 programs and must be kept separate from the district’s General Operating Fund 01.

 

Revenues in Fund 04 come from a variety of sources

• State aid and local levy dollars based on a funding formula established by the Minnesota State Legislature
• Participant fees (enrichment, recreation, early childhood family education (ECFE), special events, child care and preschool)
• Grants
• Other local sources