School councils play a key role in Victorian government schools. Participating as a school council member is a rewarding and challenging experience. The school council supports the principal to provide the best possible educational outcomes for students.
Our school council consists of 12 members and comprises three categories of membership:
- 6 mandated elected parent category
- 4 mandated elected Department employee category (the principal is automatically one of these members)
- 2 optional community member category. Members of this category are appointed by a decision of school council because of their capacity to assist the work of the council. They may have special skills, interests or experiences or they may provide the perspective of the parent club and/or the student body.
A school council operates within the legal framework of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006, the Education and Training Reform Regulations 2007 and the individual school council’s constituting order. The constituting order is an order of the Minister for Education, which specifies the membership size and configuration of the particular school council, its objectives, powers, functions and accountabilities, and the role of the executive officer.
Objectives, functions and powers of school councils The Education and Training Reform Act 2006 defines the objectives, functions and powers of school councils.
Objectives
A school council’s objectives are to:
- assist in the efficient governance of the school
- ensure that its decisions affecting students of the school are made having regard, as a primary consideration, to the best interests of the students
- enhance the educational opportunities of the students
- ensuring all money coming into the school is properly expended for purposes related to the school
- informing itself of, and taking into account, any views of the school community for the purpose of making decisions in regard to the school and its students
- ensuring that an annual report relating to financial activities and the school’s strategic plan is published and made available to the school community
- stimulating interest in the school in the wider community.
Functions
A school council’s functions include:
- establishing the broad direction and vision of the school
- developing, reviewing and updating the policies of the school
- arranging for the supply of goods, services, facilities, materials and equipment that are required for the conduct of the school, including the provision of preschool programs
- raising funds for school related purposes
- regulating and facilitating the after-hours use of school premises and grounds
- exercising a general oversight of the buildings and grounds and ensuring that they are kept in good order and condition
- providing for cleaning and sanitary services necessary for the school.
The School Council meets at least twice each term on the third Tuesday of each month. Meetings commence at 6.00pm and finish no later than 8.30pm unless agreed by the School Council.
Public Reporting (Annual) Meeting
The School Council calls a public meeting in March each year and at that meeting reports the proceedings of the Council for the period since the date of the previous public meeting, presents the Annual Report to the Community, and if the accounts of the School Council have been audited, presents a copy of the audited accounts.
The School Council will have the following subcommittees:
- Buildings and Grounds
- Finance and Fundraising
- Out of School Hours Care
- Working Party