School Council
All government schools in Victoria have a school council. They are legally formed bodies that are given powers to set the key directions of a school within centrally provided guidelines. In doing this, a school council is able to directly influence the quality of education that the school provides for its students. Two of School Council's major areas of responsibility are Finance and Policies.
Who is on the school council?
At Old Orchard there are three categories of membership:
- A mandated elected parent category (8 members)
- A mandated elected Department of Education and Training (DET) employee (school staff) category (4 members)
- A community member category (1 member)
The Principal is the Executive Officer of School Council.
The term of office for members is two years. Half the members must retire each year and this creates vacancies for the annual school council elections. Elections are generally held in February each year - information will be available on the website and in the newsletter.
Why is parent membership so important?
Parents on school councils provide important viewpoints and have valuable skills that can help shape the direction of the school. Those parents who become active on a school council find their involvement satisfying in itself and may also find that their children feel a greater sense of belonging.
How can you become involved?
The most obvious way is to vote in the elections, which are held early each year. However, ballots are only held if more people nominate as candidates than there are positions vacant.
In view of this, you might seriously consider standing for election as a member of the school council or encouraging another person to stand for election.
Parents are also welcome to serve on sub-committees which meet separately and prepare reports and recommendations for Council. At Old Orchard, our Council is made up of the following sub-committees:
- Education
- Facilities
- Finance
- Communication and Marketing
School Council also has a key link to other programs / groups including:
- PFA (Parents and Friends Association)
- Fundraising
Do I need special experience to be on school council?
No. What you do need is an interest in our school and the desire to work in partnership with others to help shape the school's future.
More information on School Councils is available on the following website:
http://www.sofweb.vic.edu.au/scln/council/index.htm