Norwich - More than 50 parents, teachers, principals and residents gathered Monday to learn how the new school governance councils are expected to help city schools improve both test scores and the learning atmosphere.

Norwich Superintendent Abby Dolliver called for all 10 city public schools to form governance councils, even though a state education reform law would require Norwich to establish councils in just six schools that failed to make "adequate yearly progress" on test scores.

By state law, each school governance council would have seven parents, five teachers from that school, two community members and a designee of the principal as a nonvoting member.

Several parents in the audience said they have already put their names into the parent election for representation in their schools.

"I'm impressed with what they want," said Andrea Kaiser, a parent of five children in the public school system. She put in for a parent position at Kelly Middle School. "It's having a voice in the school."

Lee Luciano brought a different perspective to the situation. Luciano, legal guardian of a 3-year-old special-needs child, said she hopes to be selected for one of the community member positions. While her child might be enrolled in specialized programs and not attend his home district school, Veterans' Memorial School, Luciano wants to make sure he has the chance to interact with his peers.

Lynmarie Thompson, director of professional development at LEARN, the southeastern Connecticut regional educational center, started Monday's meeting with an overview of what the state hopes to accomplish with school governance councils. Thompson is a member of the state accountability initiative.

School governance councils can advise school administrators on a host of issues ranging from student performance to school policies and the so-called school climate - whether students feel safe and able to learn, and whether parents feel welcome.

The councils can review school test data and the school improvement plan and make recommendations. A council might also be able to offer advice on the hiring of a principal by recommending certain desired qualities, Thompson said.

But the councils cannot review individual student data, supervise school staff or discuss individual student issues. The councils cannot raise money and won't have budgets.

State law calls for forming the councils by Nov. 1. Schools are now forming their parent ballots. All parents get to vote on the seven parent representatives for the school. Teachers have selected their representatives, Dolliver said.The groups are expected to start meeting by mid-November.

c.bessette@theday.com