Sub-Committees/Associations

Our Community is what makes our school special! Our families are dedicated to giving their time and supporting our school by contributing to working bees, helping with fundraisers, supporting our student’s learning in the classroom or being a part of one of our school’s important committees.

Below is a list of our school’s groups/committees and organisations for 2025 with a brief description of their purpose. Please read the description of each sub-committee/association and contact the individual listed to register your interest.

Parent & Friends Association - Community Events & Fundraising
Education Sub-Committee
Buildings and Grounds Sub-Committee
Finance Sub-Committee (School Council Members Only)
OSHC Sub-Committee
Reconciliation Action Plan Group (RAP)
Spanish Sub Committee
School Council

Please read below for more information on each of the committees.

If you are interested in being a member of one of our sub-committees, please complete this form. https://forms.office.com/r/4qBLjpmMbD

Parent & Friends Association - Community Events & Fundraising

The Newlands Primary School Parents and Friends Association is a friendly, social group of parents and guardians who meet regularly and help the school in a variety of ways.

The PFA aims to:

Contribute to the wellbeing of the students, staff and other members of the school community
Promote the development of facilities for education generally to support the school council
Raise funds for the purpose of providing amenities and enhancements for Newlands Primary School for use by the whole school community
Endeavour to stimulate interest in Newlands Primary School and education generally
Promote interaction between all members of the school community

Contact: Adam at adampalmer76@gmail.com & clairejomoore@gmail.com.com

Education Sub-Committee

The Newlands Primary School Education Sub-Committee is a committee that aims to be pro-active in the matters relating to education, particularly those that involve parents and carers at Newlands Primary School. The Education Sub Committee aims to do the following:

Improve school-to-parent communication and vice-versa
Improve parent awareness and understanding of the school's programs
Draft, support, and publicise school education policies
Reviewing whole school data
Ensure school initiatives and programs are beneficial to the students at the school.

Contact: Att: Graeme newlands.ps@education.vic.gov.au

Buildings and Grounds Sub-Committee

The Newlands Primary School Building and Grounds Committee consults on matters relating to maintenance together with immediate and future plans to improve the school’s grounds and buildings.

The scope of Newlands Primary School’s Buildings and Grounds Committee includes the commissioning, coordination and oversight of the following:

General playground maintenance;
Working bees;
Building projects;
Schedule of maintenance;
Playground audit;
Supporting the Principal with major and minor development and improvement projects

The Sub-committee works in consultation with the Principal and Assistant Principal who outsource certain buildings and grounds jobs on an as-needs basis to different contractors. The work of the Sub-committee is undertaken in addition to these outsourced jobs. A key component of the Sub-Committee’s work is its occasional community working bees. These scheduled events are held on either a Saturday or Sunday and a BBQ lunch may be provided for the families attending. Together with maintaining the school building and grounds, these events provide opportunities for informal social gatherings for all those involved.

Contact: Tim at ts@madebybig.com

Finance Sub-Committee

The responsibilities of the Newlands Primary School Finance Committee include:

Consolidation of revenue and expenditure,

Dedicated transfer of fundraising,

Assisting the Principal and School Council with the development of the school’s annual budget;

Ensuring that the annual budget supports the school strategic plan;
Regularly monitoring and reporting to Council on progress against the budget; Ensuring that the school finances are in accordance with DEECD guidelines and that relevant internal control procedures are maintained;
Making recommendations to Council on fundraising activities and liaise with the Community Committee and other school groups concerned with these activities;
Assisting in the completion of school tenders e.g. works contracts, school council building contracts;
Review of parent payment policy;
Assisting the Principal in ensuring that the school operates to a balanced budget and that all liabilities and financial commitments are brought to account in the relevant year.

Please Note: Only members from School Council can be a part of the Finance Sub Committee

OSHC Sub-Committee

The OSHC sub committee’s purpose is to ensure that Newlands Primary School has a high quality program for children who attend the Out of School Hours Care.

The responsibilities of the Newlands Primary School OSHC Committee include:

Creating clear communication between OSHC and school council
Documenting key work by program staff
Supporting the service by researching best practices
Networking with local and state organisations
Ensuring the OSHC service meets standards set by state and national regulators

Contact: Jill at newlandsooshc@gmail.com

Reconciliation Action Plan Group (RAP)

This group is working towards the development of our school RAP.

Please contact Sonya at newlands.ps@education.vic.gov.

Spanish Sub Committee

The Spanish Sub-Committee is a committee that aims to be pro-active in matters relating to Spanish bilingual education and culture, particularly those that involve parents and carers at Newlands Primary School. The Spanish Sub Committee aims to do the following:

Work with teachers and school on the implementation of the Bilingual Action plan.
Organizing events whereby Spanish speaking countries are promoted within the school and the broader community.
Promoting our Bilingual program with the local community, Spanish playgroups, Spanish childcare centres and promote this visually in the schooling community.
Organize Spanish conversation workshops with Newlands parents and carers.
Liaise with teachers to support the bilingual program and parents participation in school activities such as the Reading program, PMP and Builders program.

Contact: Luisa at newlands.ps@education.vic.gov.

School Council

Newlands School Council is a partnership between the school and community to provide oversight into the school’s operations and school’s committees. The school council has three main responsibilities:

Finance: overseeing the development of the school’s annual budget and ensuring proper records are kept of the school’s financial operation
Strategic planning: participating in the development and monitoring of the school strategic plan
Policy development and review: developing, reviewing and updating policies that reflect a school’s values and support the school’s broad direction outlined in its strategic plan.

Contact: Luke at newlands.ps@education.vic.gov.au

School Council Nominations

Newland Primary School’s School Council is looking for four new members from the parent community to join our team in 2025. The School Council consists of 8 meetings throughout the year. School Councils functions 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 to make decisions regarding 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.

If you are interested in nominating to be a member of school council, please fill in the nomination form found at the office by Friday 23rd of February. If we receive than 4 nominations, the school will have an election where our parent community will nominate their preferred applicant. There will be further information provided in the case this happens.

For more information about the School Council and the role of its members, please click on the following link - School Council – Powers and Functions: Policy | education.vic.gov.au.

Talking the Talk - Vanessa Hamilton