SJN Newsletter

SCHOOL ADVISORY COUNCIL

School Advisory Council update

The School Advisory Council has got off to a flying start this year with new governance changes and council members, projects for our future and social club events aplenty! 

Our former School Board has been rebranded as the School Advisory Council following the adoption of new Terms of Reference that were required by the Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS).  Fundamentally, our role has not changed as we provides a crucial point of connection between the wider school community and school leaders. 

 

While the School Advisory Council does not have governance responsibility or decision-making authority, it supports the Principal and school leadership and provides an important connection to the parish. The Council provides a forum for discussion and discernment, where the parent/guardian voice and perspective are available to inform and support the decisions made by the Principal and parish priest for the good of school and parish where the wellbeing and outcomes for students is paramount.

 

Our Council members this year include:

Candice Becroft -Chair

Christina Scibilia - Deputy Chair

Jody Uren - Secretary

Mary Kearney – School Principal

Fiona Ehmer Staff Rep - Deputy Principal

Jo Hadjistamatis - Social Club Representative

Jodie Toohey - General Member

Louise Amad - General Member

Madeleine Sukkar - General Member

Vanessa Lania - General Member

Sarah Whyte - General Member

 

The Council are working on a number of key projects that are our primary focus for the year and we will provide updates as the year goes by:

  • Review of the afterschool program
  • Social club activities and fundraising that are bringing our school back together after the pandemic – Mother’s Day lunch, sausage sizzles for elections, Quiz night
  • Development of a masterplan for the future of the school
  • Communication and marketing activities that increase the profile of our school eg social platforms
  • Development of a fundraising strategy that focuses our fundraising dollars on a specific project
  • Review of key policies and procedures to ensure alignment with MACS 

 

Our Social Club has been hard at it with our class representatives working on a number of different events and fundraising activities to bring our school “physically” back together again a long 2 years! So far this year we have had the beautiful Mother’s Day lunch at Matteos, the Mother’s Day stall with all those wonderful gifts, a gathering at All Nations park at the end of Term one and the Federal Election Day sausage sizzle that was a fabulous fundraiser for our community.

 

If you have any ideas that you would like the Council to consider, please do not hesitate to reach out to myself or any members of the Council.

 

Candice Barlow

Chairperson