Parent council at mbo.

Your child goes to mbo: an important step. At primary and secondary school, you had more contact with the schools. Now it changes. Or does it? Research shows that parents' involvement is still important at mbo. In a school participation council, parents discuss school policy. We guide you.

The school participation council at mbo: what and how?

Parents in the school participation council deal with policy matters important to parents and students, and sometimes organize activities. They consult with the mbo school. They can do research, think about educational developments, and give asked and unasked advice to the school. The tasks of the school participation council depend on agreements with the school. These are written in the participation statutes of the mbo school and can be as broad as the school participation council wants.

Is a school participation council at mbo mandatory?

The school participation council is only mandatory for agricultural training centers. For regional training centers, it is not required. By law, mbo must start a school participation council if at least 25 parents want this. Parents can influence whether the council exists. Are there 25 parents who want a council? Then 25 signatures must be given to the school. Note: parents who sign do not have to be in the council themselves. But they can. Otherwise, an election is held.

Other councils within schools

Besides the school participation council, there are two more councils at mbo: the student council and the works council. The student council collects input from students. The works council collects input from staff. They can share their input at the mandatory yearly meeting with the school board. If there is also a school participation council, it joins these meetings too.

The student council

Every school must have a student council. Every student can join. The student council discusses and follows what happens at the school.

The student council has some tasks:

• Advise the school on matters affecting students
• Agree and discuss school policy and budget
• Talk with students about the school

Parent involvement at mbo

Research shows mbo students do better when their parents are involved. What does involvement mean? It differs for each child. Your child sets the line between support and interference. Does your child want help to prepare important talks? Or to work together sometimes? Ask your child what is comfortable and listen. It is also important to build trust with your child’s mentor. This way you know what is going on and can support your child well.