School Management Committee

It has come to my mind that many among us do not know exactly the meaning of a “community school”, and what the role of the SMC has within a community school.

Many of us may remember our time at school: our parents’ main involvement was when they were called in for a problem, or when they were handed over their child’s report at the end of term! In more recent years, education has changed; there is strong belief that our children’s education is reliant on a positive and active partnership between the school and the home. This is very much in line with the true meaning of a Community School. A Community School acts as the hub of its community by engaging community resources in order to offer a range of on-site programs and services that support the success of students and their families. Community Schools focus not only on the development of the child from the shoulders up, but rather on the development of the child as a whole, developing the academic, social and psychological aspects of each and every child. Each individual child is given the opportunity to excel, not purely through academic learning but through the exposure to different cultures, experiences and interactive learning skills. This is the basis of the ICS in Jordan. Through engaging the community as a whole, there is improved student learning, stronger families and healthier communities. Though every community school looks slightly different, it is developed through mutually beneficial partnerships with students, families, community agencies, businesses, and residents that are unique to that community.

Community schools do need you, parents and teachers, to work hand in hand, in order to turn the children into productive adults who achieve higher standards. One of the components of every Community School is an advisory board that represents the community as broadly as possible. The SMC, which stands for School Managing Committee, acts as a governing body that supports both academic and administrative managements. It guarantees continuity and stability in the school’s principles and objectives.

In ICS, the SMC is made up of 9 members elected by the Society for the International Community in Jordan, for 2 years. The Purpose of the Society is the management and supervision of the ICS in Amman, with the objective of providing the highest quality British-based education for the children of the ICS, and for the advancement of education in Jordan in accordance with the laws and regulations applied in the Kingdom. Anyone is entitled to apply for membership in the Society, provided they are minimum 21 years old, have all their civil rights, are nominated by two active members of the Society, and are residents in Jordan. However, it is recognized that parents of children attending the school are the primary stakeholders, and as such have an implicit right to join the Society. The membership fee is JD 6.00 per year, to be paid annually at the beginning of each school year.