All parents are encouraged to attend Alpha II’s monthly Parent Community Council (PCC) meeting. The PCC functions as the School Council for the Toronto District School Board and is led by a parent Chair or Co-Chairs. It is a forum to discuss the school, share resources, propose changes or suggestions about the school’s direction, and problem-solve challenges that may be coming up within the Alpha II community. Sometimes we discuss school policies and procedures. Other times we brainstorm resources, propose field trips, talk about enrollment goals, or address other topics of interest. Parents, Mentees, Mentors, and admin staff are all welcome to attend.

We make decisions through a consensus-based process. Meetings are held in a circle format: a topic and proposed solution are brought forward, and we go around the circle, giving each participant time and space to share their perspective—or to pass. There’s no interrupting or jumping in until the circle comes back around to you. We continue the circle until everyone feels heard and we’ve had a chance to understand each other’s viewpoints. This process can take time and patience, but it reflects our commitment to honouring all voices in the room.

PCC meetings take place monthly, usually on a Tuesday or Wednesday evening, and last around two hours. Sometimes the meetings are in person, sometimes virtual—we try to vary this to give all parents the opportunity to attend.

Agenda items can be sent to the parent Chair before the meeting, or brought up as new business during the meeting. An agenda is usually finalized and shared in advance. If time runs out, some items may be postponed to the next meeting or moved to email or WhatsApp discussion.

Mentees also hold a weekly Friday Meeting, where they explore some of the same issues, but with a more granular focus on day-to-day matters and individual concerns.