GISPC is the parent council for Gjøvikregionen International School (GIS), and an independent organisation in its own right, registered with its own organisation number (916 330 588). Every parent with a child at GIS is automatically a member of the school's parent body (foreldreråd); GISPC is the group that acts on your behalf, meets with the school monthly, and follows up on what families raise.
Who we are / what we do
- Meet with school leadership usually once a month, plus joint sessions with the school board in September and January
- Raise parent questions and concerns with the school in writing, and follow them through to an answer
- Represent parents at the school board (non-voting)
- Raise funds and organise events that support school activities and community life, such as school plays and other events, plus 17 May
- Support the Student Council and other school initiatives when asked
- Keep a record of what's been raised with the school and where it stands
How GISPC is set up
GISPC has a constitution, adopted by parents, that sets out how the council works: officers, meetings, class representation, and how decisions get made. Read the GISPC Guidelines for the full detail.
| Role | What they do |
|---|---|
| President | Chairs meetings, is the main point of contact with the school and the school board, and represents the council at board meetings. |
| Vice-President | Supports the President, steps in when needed. |
| Treasurer | Handles council funds.Not a parent-facing contact — listed here for transparency only. |
| Tracker Keeper Trial role · 2026 | Keeps a simple log of requests going back and forth — between the council and the school, and from parents — so nothing is lost when officers change each year.Not yet part of the constitution. |
| Class representatives | Up to two per class, with equal voting rights. Collect input from their class and bring it to meetings. |
Elected each year at the AGM (årsmøte).
How this fits into Norwegian school law
A short note for families who are new to Norway or new to GIS — simplified, not a legal reference.
GIS is a friskole, an independent school approved and partly funded by the state, not a municipal public school. The law that governs friskoler, including how parents are involved, is friskoleloven (also called privatskolelova, the Private Education Act), not the general Education Act most people mean when they talk about "Norwegian school rules".
Under friskoleloven:
- A parent council (foreldreråd) is required by law: every parent at the school is automatically a member.
- A working committee (what GISPC actually is) is left to the foreldreråd's own choice to set up. GIS parents made that choice years ago when GISPC's constitution was adopted.
- The school must ensure parents are represented in the school's bodies.
GIS also follows the International Baccalaureate (IB) framework, currently the PYP and MYP, which is a separate, international accreditation system that shapes curriculum and assessment, not school governance.
This is a simplified summary for parents, not legal advice. GIS being a friskole (also called privatskole) means friskoleloven governs things like the parent council; other topics, such as pupil wellbeing, admissions or funding, may still run through Norway's general Education Act (opplæringsloven) in ways specific to each topic. This note only covers how the parent council itself fits in.
Sources: friskoleloven (privatskolelova) §5A-5, Udir ↗ §5A-3, cooperation with parents ↗
Other useful information for parents
Glossary
- Foreldreråd
- Every parent at GIS is automatically a member of this. GISPC is the working committee that the foreldreråd set up to act on its behalf.
- FAU / Arbeidsutvalg
- The Norwegian term for a parents' working committee, which is what GISPC is.
- Klassekontakt
- Class representative.
- Styret
- The school board.
- AGM / Årsmøte
- The annual general meeting, where GISPC's officers are elected each year.
- SLT
- School Leadership Team.
- PC
- Parent Council, GISPC's own shorthand for itself.
How to raise something with the school
There isn't one single path here. It depends on what kind of matter it is.
Your own child or family: this goes directly through the school, not through GISPC. Raise it with the teacher first, then the Homeroom/HR teacher, then school leadership if it's still unresolved.
Affects your whole class or several families:
- Raise it with your class representative.
- Your class rep brings it to the next GISPC meeting.
- If GISPC takes it on, the President raises it with school leadership in writing, with a date for a reply.
- The school's answer gets logged and shared with parents, and stays open until it's resolved.
A wider, school-wide matter, such as a policy question: GISPC's President can raise it directly with school leadership or the school board, without it needing to start with one class.
Frequently asked questions
Is GISPC required to exist?
Yes. A parent council (foreldreråd) is required by law, and GISPC, the working committee, exists because parents chose to set one up years ago in our constitution.
What's the difference between GISPC and the School Board?
The School Board (styret) governs the school itself and includes a non-voting parent representative, the GISPC President. GISPC is separate: it represents parents and works alongside the school.
Key dates
The council meets regularly through the school year, holds its AGM (årsmøte) each year, and takes part in the 17 May event. This year's specific dates will be added here once the schedule is confirmed.
Contact
Reach GISPC at the address below.
admin@gispc.no