The School Leadership Council (SLC) of The Newark Public Schools is a microcosm of the school community and provides a common ground where ideas and programs can be developed and strengthened for the good of the students. The district’s Strategic Plan, Priority #3, stipulates that,” Schools are to be safe, welcoming and work collaboratively with parents, families and community partners to support student success.” Nationally recognized organizations have also confirmed the value of collaborations such as the SLC. The National Middle School Association’s “Essential Attributes and Characteristics of Successful Schools,” notes, “Genuine community involvement is a fundamental component of successful schools for young adolescents.”

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction states, in its “Chapter One: What are the Characteristics of Successful Schools?”, “Successful schools have a vision that is developed with representation from a wide variety of public and demographic groups.”  In keeping with the guidelines and by-laws for The Newark Public Schools, each SLC represents a group of individuals who form a school-based body. This group is responsible for advising the school administration on essential instructional, budgeting and personnel issues. Membership includes the school principal, four instructional staff members (one of which must be certificated), three non-instructional support staff members, four parent representatives (one of which must be a member of the home/school organization), three community members and at the high school level, one student representative who is a school government president. Of the three community representatives, the principal shall select one individual and the two additional individuals shall be nominated by a consensus of the SLC.