The next Annual General Meeting of the Belgrave Heights Christian School Parents & Friends Association will be held in the Restaurant at BHCS on Monday, 3 August 2026 at 3.45 pm.

This meeting is an important part of how the School is governed. At the meeting, members of the Parents & Friends Association will elect four parent nominees for consideration for appointment to the School Board.

What does the School Board do?

The School Board is the group responsible for the overall governance of Belgrave Heights Christian School. This means the Board looks at the bigger picture and helps guide the future of the School.

The Board does not run the School day-by-day. Day-to-day leadership and management are the responsibility of the Principal and staff.

In simple terms, School Board members help to:

Set the School’s direction and support its Christian mission
Oversee the long-term wellbeing and sustainability of the School
Oversee finance, risk, compliance and major decisions
Support good governance in areas such as child safety, workplace safety and organisational wellbeing
Make decisions in the best interests of the whole School community

Parent role and Board role:

We know that those within our community care deeply about their children’s experiences at school, which is a valuable and important aspect of school. Serving on the School Board, however, requires a different way of thinking.

A Board member must act as a governor, not as a representative for individual children, class, dynamics or year levels. Board members are expected to act in good faith, use care and good judgement, keep appropriate matters confidential, and declare any conflicts of interest.

This means Board members are expected to:

Attend ten monthly Board meetings during the school year
Contribute to collective governance discussions and decisions
Undertake governance training arranged by the School
Maintain appropriate confidentiality
Declare and manage actual or perceived conflicts of interest
Serve on subcommittees where appropriate
Think about what is best for the whole School community
Understand that governance is strategic oversight, not day-to-day management

How School Board nominations work:

Belgrave Heights Christian School is operated by an Incorporated Association. Under the School’s Constitution, the Association has eleven members. These members make up the governing body referred to in the Constitution as the School Council (Board). In this letter, this governing body is referred to as the School Board.

Of the eleven positions:

Seven are nominated through the Presbyterian Church of Victoria
Four are nominated by the Parents & Friends Association

The purpose of this AGM is to elect those four nominees.

Please note that being elected as a nominee at the AGM does not mean automatic appointment to the School Board. The names of the successful nominees are sent forward for consideration and appointment through the Presbyterian Church of Victoria, in line with the Constitution.

Who can be involved?

The Parents & Friends Association welcomes participation from parents of students at the School and other interested people in the School community.

However, membership of the Parents & Friends Association is open to committed Christians who accept the objects of the Association and the School. Membership is important because members take part in the nomination process.

The School especially encourages committed Christian parents and carers who are willing to serve with humility, wisdom and a whole-of-school perspective to consider becoming members and participating in this process.

Why Christian commitment matters:

Belgrave Heights Christian School exists to provide education in accordance with Christian beliefs and values. For that reason, Christian commitment is not a small detail in governance. It is part of how the School seeks to remain faithful to its mission.

The School wants governance to be shaped by people who understand, support and uphold the Christian purpose of BHCS. This helps protect the School from mission drift and supports faithful decision-making for the future.

What we look for in Board nominees:

We value nominees who are able to serve the whole School community and who can contribute thoughtfully to governance.

This may include experience, understanding or strength in areas such as:

Finance
Education
Corporate governance
Risk management
Interpersonal skills
Christian service and commitment

Membership and nominations:

A membership form for those who wish to become members of the Parents & Friends

Association can be accessed here: Membership Form

Completed membership forms should be returned to jkrens@bhcs.vic.edu.au

Those interested in nomination can access the nomination form here:

Nomination Form

All nominations must:

Be submitted on the official nomination form
Meet the required criteria set out on the form
Be received by the Secretary, Mr Ian Byles, care of Juliette Krens, EA to the Principal, seven days prior to the meeting, no later than Monday, 27th July 2026, being seven days before the AGM

A simple reminder

A parent voice often focuses on the experience of one child or one family.
A governance voice focuses on the mission, wellbeing, stewardship and future of the whole School.

The School warmly encourages nominations from people who are willing to serve prayerfully, thoughtfully and with a whole-of-school perspective.

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