Carlton North Primary School

School Council and Subcommittees

School Council and Subcommittees

The first meeting for the 2024 School Council was held on Wednesday 27 March. Below is a list of the 2024 School Council members. 

 

2024 School Council: 

President - Rebecca Slater (Charlie 34B and Thomas 12T)

Vice President - Rebecca Kelly (Cassius 34L and Domino FMM)

Treasurer - Henry Tinsley (Freddie 34L and Sunday 12S)

Executive Officer - Rachel Corben 

School Employee Member - Jane Bilby

School Employee Member - Millie Holden

School Employee Member - Sam Guerra

School Employee Member - Trish Harrington

Parent Member - Andrew Schnaider (Magnus 34J and Otto 12S)

Parent Member - Alison Knott (Martha 34S)

Parent Member - Briony O’Keeffe (Vivian 34J)

Parent Member - Warwick Mihaly (Oscar 56CB and Beatrix 34B)

Community Member - Hazel Opoz (Mikhail 12S)

Community Member - Marcus Lau (Abigail 56CB and Annabel 12K

 

Thank you!

School Council would like to acknowledge Kylie Hansen for her tenure and School Council and in particular as Co - School Council President in 2023. Over her tenure on School Council Kylie has contributed significantly to school improvement as CNPS.

 

School Council would also like to thank and acknowledge Jess Adam and Ben May for their tenure on School Council and the amazing amount of contributions to School Council and school improvement at CNPS.

 

Functions of School Council

The key functions of school council with regard to the school are:

  • to establish the broad direction and vision of the school within the school's community
  • to arrange for the supply of:
    • goods
    • services
    • facilities
    • materials
    • equipment
    • other things or matters required for the conduct of the school, including the provision of preschool programs
  • to raise funds for school related purposes
  • to regulate and facilitate the after-hours use of the school premises and grounds
  • to exercise a general oversight of the school buildings and grounds and ensure they are kept in good order and condition
  • to provide for the cleaning and sanitary services that are necessary for the school
  • to ensure that all money coming into the hands of the council is expended for proper purposes relating to the school
  • to provide meals and refreshments for the staff and students of the school and make charges for those meals or refreshments
  • to inform itself and take into account any views of the school community for the purpose of making decisions in regard to the school and the students at the school
  • to generally stimulate interest in the school in the wider community
  • to prepare the School Strategic Plan and review the Annual Implementation Plan — to be signed by the president and the principal
  • to report annually (the Annual Report) to the school community and to the department on:
    • the school’s financial activities
    • the School Strategic Plan, and
    • any other matters that are determined by the Minister
  • to manage the hire, licence and shared use of school facilities
  • to determine the dates for the school’s student-free days:
    • in accordance with the number of student-free days each calendar year specified by the Secretary of the department
  • to perform any other function or duty, or to exercise any power conferred or imposed on the council by or under:
    • the Education and Training Reform Act 2006, or
    • any regulations made under that Act
    • a Ministerial Order made, or direction issued, by the Minister under the Education and Training Reform Act.

Information on the role and responsibilities of the various school council officer bearers (such as the principal as Executive Officer and the school council president) is available on School Councils – Composition and Officer Bearers.

 

Powers of School Council

For the purpose of meeting its functions and objectives, and in accordance with any conditions or limitations set out in the Education and Training Reform Act, the Education and Training Reform Regulations, Ministerial Order or the school council’s constituting Order, school councils may:

  • enter into contracts, agreements or arrangements
  • form sub-committees
  • sell property acquired for use in the school
  • for primary schools, provide preschool programs
  • use any funding provided to the school, for any purpose related to the school, provided the funding was not provided for a specified purpose
  • establish trusts and act as trustee of them
  • employ staff (noting the exception in relation to the employment of teachers)
  • charge fees to parents for goods, services or other things provided by the school to a child of the parent:
    • subject to section 2.2.4 of the Education and Training Reform Act, and
    • in accordance with any Ministerial Order made under that Act
  • conduct programs in or use, or allow any other person or body to conduct programs in or use, any of the school’s buildings or grounds for the purpose of educational, recreational, sporting or cultural activities for students, the local community or young persons, but only when the buildings or grounds are not required for ordinary school purposes
  • with the applicable approval from the Minister, construct or carry out any improvements to any school building structure or school grounds
  • do any other thing that is necessary or convenient to be done for, or in connection with, meeting its objectives or performing its functions or duties
  • do anything else conferred on it by or under the Education and Training Reform Act, or any regulations or a Ministerial Order made under that Act.

Important: A school council does not have the power to:

  • employ a teacher for longer than twelve months or with no date fixed for the termination of that employment;
  • purchase or acquire for consideration any land or building; or
  • unless authorised by or under the Education and Training Reform Act or any regulations or a Ministerial Order made under that Act:
    • licence or grant any interest in land, including school lands or buildings;
    • enter into hire purchase agreements;
    • obtain loan or credit facilities;
    • form or become a member of a corporation;
    • provide for any matter or thing outside Victoria unless it is related to an excursion by students from the school or the professional development of staff of the school;
    • purchase a motor vehicle, boat or plane.

Subcommittees

School Council is currently seeking further community membership in the following subcommittees:

  • Finance
  • Fundraising
  • Policy and Education
  • Buildings and Grounds

Any parents, carers or CNPS family members interested in joining any of these subcommittees please contact Rachel at rachel.corben@education.vic.gov.au

 

 

Summary

Subcommittees are advisory bodies to the School Council, they assist council with performing their duties and functions, and are established to support School Council in specific areas. Subcommittee membership is open to non-school-council members and provides the opportunity for our school community to be involved in School Council matters. The 2024 School Council Subcommittees include:

  • Finance - this subcommittee is responsible for many of School Council’s routine financial responsibilities each month. The Finance subcommittee also assists in the development of the annual budget, providing school finance information and recommendations to School Council.
  • Policy and Education - this subcommittee is responsible for overseeing school policy and to ensure that Carlton North Primary School is providing a guaranteed and viable curriculum in line with the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority requirements.
  • Fundraising - the key purpose of this subcommittee is to coordinate the raising of funds for school related purposes.
  • Buildings and Grounds - the purpose of this subcommittee is to plan and prioritise the maintenance, restoration and development of the school's facilities; organise working bees; assist with grant applications to maintain or improve the appearance of the school buildings and/or grounds; provide advice to school council on external groups who may be using the school’s facilities; and coordinate any other activities that may arise with respect to the school’s buildings and grounds.