School Council
School Council News
It’s that time of year again when we begin preparing for the upcoming School Council membership. We have 3 vacancies to fill for the 2026/2027 Council. If you’re interested in joining, please feel free to grab me in the yard for a chat or shoot me an email. Nomination forms can be accessed below, or collected from the office.
Recent updates to Ministerial Order 1280 introduce new eligibility requirements for School Council members. All members must now hold a valid Working With Children (WWC) clearance (or VIT registration for school employees) and must not be subject to any court order that would prevent them from attending the school in person. These changes support student safety and align with the Victorian Child Safe Standards.
The key dates for the 2026/2027 School Council nomination and election process are outlined below.
MPS 2026/2027 SCHOOL COUNCIL | |
EVENT | DATE |
| Notice of election and call for nominations | Friday, 6th February |
| Closing time and date for nominations | 4pm on Friday, 13th February |
| Date by which the list of candidates will be posted | Thursday, 19th February |
| IF AN ELECTION IS REQUIRED: | |
| Date by which ballot papers will be prepared and distributed | On or before Thursday, 19th February |
| Close of ballot | 4pm Wednesday, 4th March |
| Vote count | Thursday, 5th March |
| Declaration of poll | Friday, 6th March via the newsletter |
| First council meeting to elect office bearers | Wednesday, 18th March following Annual General Meeting |
Who is on School Council?
School Council membership may include:
A mandated Elected Parent Category
Parent members make up more than one third of the Council. Department of Education and Early Childhood Development employees may be parent members provided they are not employed at the school.
A Mandated Elected School Employee Category
These members make up no more than one third of the Council. The Principal is automatically a member of this category.
An Optional Community Members Category
Community members are appointed by the Council due to specific skills, interests or experience. Department of Education and Early Childhood Development employees are not eligible for this category.
If the number of nominations exceeds the number of vacancies, a ballot will be conducted.
What Does the School Council Do?
School Council is responsible for the governance of the school, working with the Principal to set strategic direction and oversee school operations. It does not manage the day-to-day running of the school, that's the role of the Principal.
School Council meets eight times per year, with meetings held on Wednesday evenings, in a mix of both face-to-face and online formats.
Responsibilities of School Council members include:
· Attending meetings
· Reading papers prior to meetings
· Maintaining confidentiality
· Acting in the best interests of the School Council· Raising policy-related matters for Council consideration