School Council.

School councils comprise parents, the principal, staff and often community members. School council elections are held in February or March each year. All parents or guardians of students enrolled at the school are eligible to vote for parent members, and staff vote for staff members. Community members are co-opted by the school council.

Three of the critical roles of school councils are:

Developing the strategic plan

Approving the annual budget

Setting and reviewing policies

Other roles include:

School maintenance

Sub-contracting

Fundraising

Developing, reviewing and monitoring the Student Code of Conduct and the School Dress Code

School community engagement

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1. Do I need special experience to be on the school council?

No! What you need is an interest in the school and the ability to work cooperatively with others to help shape its future.

2. Why is parent membership so important?

Parents on councils provide important viewpoints and have valuable skills that can help shape the direction of the school. 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.

3. How can I become involved?

The most obvious way to become involved is to vote in the elections that are held in February or March each year. Since ballots are only held if more people nominate as candidates than there are positions vacant, you might seriously consider standing for election as a member of the school council, or suggest to another person that they stand for election

4. What do I need to do to stand for election?

The principal arranges and conducts the elections. Ask at the school for help if you would like to stand for election and are not sure what to do. The principal will issue a notice and call for nominations in the second half of February or early in March. For parents, this notice will probably be given to your child so you may need to check with them whether it has been sent home.

Further information from the Department of Education and Training (DET) will provide additional information regarding the role and responsibilities of the School Council.