Toronto District School Board Title: SCHOLARSHIPS, AWARDS AND TRUST FUNDS Adopted: January 1, 2001 Revised: February 26, 2013 Reviewed: Authorization: Administrative Council Operational Procedure PR685 1.0 OBJECTIVE To establish guidelines for scholarships, awards, and trust funds. 2.0 RESPONSIBILITY Deputy Director 3.0 DEFINITIONS Awards - The term awards in this procedure refers to monetary scholarships/ awards/trust funds and/or prizes for student(s). Trust - Donor - Money which is held in trust by the Toronto District School Board and not for an identified individual student. Individual(s) providing funds and criteria to the Toronto District School Board for the purpose of establishing a scholarship/award/trust for student recipients. 4.0 PROCEDURES From time to time, requests to establish scholarships/awards/trust funds with the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) are received for the purpose of recognizing special achievements of students or to commemorate events. The TDSB recognizes and is willing to assist its students through the provision of scholarships, awards and trust funds which are consistent with the mission and values of the Board. A bursary is a sum of money that is given to a student at any time based upon need and the recommendation of the principal. Bursaries are not included in this procedure. Third Party Awards are not included in this procedure. Refer to section 7.0 for details about Third Party Awards. Subject to the approval by a Central Selection Committee and/or Education Office Selection Committee provision may be made for the contribution of funds from private and corporate donors who wish to establish new scholarships, awards and trust funds. Operational Procedure PR685: Page 1 of 6
Details of the process to acknowledge and address requests are set out in this procedure document. This procedure: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) supports the TDSB s mission and values; assists in the recognition of staff or student achievement/accomplishment and/or accomplishment at the local school level; has a specific purpose to manage and administer new requests only; is needed to assist Business Services in their work regarding the monetary wishes of new donors; is streamlined in order to avoid duplication of work for selection committees and Business Services and, does not duplicate the work of the Awards of Excellence Selection Committee as this procedure is based on monetary donations for students. This procedure is not intended to involve or include existing scholarships, awards or trust funds in existence at local schools. It is also important to note that previous legacy Board awards will not be allocated any central funding. 4.1 AC 211 Application Request to Establish a New Scholarship, Award or Trust Fund [SAP form] (a) Name or Title of Award: Title should describe the unique identity of the award in a manner consistent with the criteria established for the award. Short titles are preferred. (b) School/Board Contact: Give the name and phone number of person at a school/board with whom the donor(s) may have discussed the plan to establish this award. (c) Purpose of the Award: A brief description that identifies the key intentions of the donors; e.g., award for proficiency in English in grade 8 at a specific school, in remembrance of a retired teacher who taught many years at the named school. Specify where the award is to be presented. If the award is for more than one school but not for the complete Board, the specified grouping should be equitable and practical in its fulfillment. (d) Specific Criteria for the Selection of the Recipient(s) of the Award(s): It is important that the award(s) recognize the many layers of diversity within each recipient category. The donor is asked to provide a detailed list of criteria that would help in the selection of recipients. Often awards focus on specifics such as, a certain grade, a particular area of study, demonstrated qualities of citizenship. Operational Procedure PR685: Page 2 of 6
(g) History/Context of the award: Additional information can be provided regarding reasons why the award is being established, as in the case of memorials. (h) Procedures for selection of recipient(s): Depending upon the nature of the award(s), usually officials at the school or board level select the appropriate recipient(s) based on the criteria established. (i) Protocol for the Presentation of the Award: Donors may specify who is to present the award to the recipient; i.e., whether it is the school principal (or his/her designate) or person or persons establishing the award (or representative), if available. (j) When/Where the Award is to be presented: Usually awards are presented at an Awards Assembly or at Commencement Exercises at the school the student attends or attended. NOTE: Where a perpetual or other long term award is established, the donor is requested to extend to the Director of Education or designate the authority to change specific selection criteria only if such criteria are no longer applicable. 4.2 Application (a) Donors have a number of options on how the award will be administered. Yearly: Interest plus a portion of the principal is available to be awarded. Perpetual: A principal amount is donated for investment in the Scholarship and Trust Funds administered by Business Services. Award amount is based only on interest available for disbursement. Other: A set amount is designated for the award each year. Additional provisions: Donor may indicate whether excess undistributed income is to be invested as principal. (b) (c) Donors will specify the amount that will be donated each year towards the award. Donor Name, Address, Phone number and Signature: This information is requested so that upon approval of the request to set up a new award and receipt of the specified donation, a tax receipt will be issued to the donor. In cases where a number of donors may be contributing towards the same award fund, names and addresses are requested so that tax receipts may be issued for $25.00 or more. Operational Procedure PR685: Page 3 of 6
(d) (e) Contact person for matters relating to the award and administration of the fund: Identify whether the donor is the contact person. Where more than one donor is involved, determine who is to receive communications regarding this award. Additional names may be included as a backup. Specify phone number for contact(s) and any other desired means for communication. Notify Business Services if there are any changes to contact information. Approval of Request: The Chair of the Central Selection Committee will sign and date the request form when the Committee approves a request. The form will be sent to Business Services to set up a new Cost Centre to administer this award. 4.3 Disbursement of Funds (a) Approval of Request: The Chair of the Central Selection Committee will sign and date the request form when the Committee approves a request. (b) Form AC210 Scholarship, Award or Trust Fund Payment Student (SAP form): The form is available on the TDSB Intranet. Completed application forms should be returned to the Central Selection Committee. Once the request is approved the Central Selection Committee will send the form to Business Services to administer the award. (c) Form AC210 (a) Scholarship, Award or Trust Fund Payment Post Secondary Institution ( SAP form): The form is available on the TDSB Intranet. Completed application forms should be returned to the Central Selection Committee. Once the request is approved the Central Selection Committee will send the form to Business Services to administer the award. 4.4 Timelines (a) A school year will be defined as commencing on the Monday of the first week of school in September. (b) The first award for a new Scholarship/Award/Trust will be presented in the year following the receipt of the contribution. If an award is to be presented in the current year, provision of this should be made at the time of the contribution. 4.5 Selection Committees In order to review, approve and select deserving student recipients as required in this procedure document, two types of selection committees have been identified. The membership and the roles and responsibilities of the Central Selection Committee and School Selection Committees are described in this section. Operational Procedure PR685: Page 4 of 6
(a) Central Selection Committee Membership: 1 Supervisory Officer from Teaching and Learning and/or Superintendent of Education 1 Central Co-ordinating Principal, Teaching and Learning 1 Guidance Co-ordinator or Instructional Leader Guidance 1 Equitable and Inclusive Schools Representative 1 Special Education Representative 1 Principal/Vice-Principal Secondary 1 Principal/Vice-Principal Elementary 1 Business Services Representative 1 Toronto Schools Administrators Association President or representative 1 Trustee(s) Roles and Responsibilities: The Committee will review and approve requests for the establishment of new awards. The Committee will determine the appropriate committee that will be responsible for the yearly designation of award winner(s). Awards that affect several schools will be managed by the Central Office Selection Committee. The award(s) for an individual school will be managed by the specified school. The Committee will provide information and support to schools about the selection process. The Committee will select the recipient(s) of awards as applicable. The Committee will prepare an information report for the Board twice a year in October and in March. The Committee will submit to the Toronto District School Board the names of recipients. Awards that had been approved by legacy Boards will continue to be presented in school areas. Where no criteria for eligibility is specified by the donor, the Committee will establish criteria for the selection of an appropriate recipient. The Committee will ensure that the donor will receive a letter of acknowledgement from a Board representative. The Committee will correspond with donors upon selection of the recipient of the award. The Committee will confirm its membership by October 1 st of each school year. The Committee will maintain a database of awards, scholarships and trust funds and will distribute this information to schools through the Toronto District School board web site as applicable. Operational Procedure PR685: Page 5 of 6
(b) School Selection Committees Membership: Each school will determine the membership of their committee. Roles and Responsibilities: The Committee will review new awards for students and approve requests for the establishment of those awards for students which are consistent with the Board s mission and values. The Committee will select the recipients for awards applicable to their school and recipients who qualify to compete for Education Office or TDSB awards. The Committee will correspond with donors upon selection of the recipient of the award. The Committee will ensure communication within their school about available Education Office and TDSB awards. 4.6 Third Party Awards (Offered and Managed by Organizations Outside the Toronto District School Board) The Central Selection Committee will receive information on awards that are offered and managed by organizations outside the Board. The Committee will maintain a database of awards, scholarships and trust funds and will distribute this information to schools through the Toronto District School Board Web site as applicable. 5.0 REFERENCE DOCUMENTS Form 685A: Scholarship, Award or Trust Fund Letter AC210 Scholarship, Award or Trust Fund Payment Student (SAP form) AC210(a) Scholarship, Award or Trust Fund Payment Post Secondary Institution (SAP form) AC211 Application to Establish a New Scholarship, Award or Trust Fund (SAP form) Operational Procedure PR685: Page 6 of 6