Our MFG Newsletter

From School Council

School Council 

What is a school council and what does it do?

All government schools in Victoria have a school council. They are legally formed bodies that are given powers to set the key directions of a school within centrally provided guidelines. In doing this, a school council is able to directly influence the quality of education that the school provides for its students.

 

Who is on the school council?

There are three possible categories of membership:

  • A mandated elected Parent category. More than one third of the total members must be from this category. Department of Education and Training (DET) employees can be Parent members at their child’s school as long as they are not employed at the school.
  • A mandated elected DET employee category. Members of this category may make up no more than one third of the total membership of school council. The principal of the school is automatically one of these members.
  • An optional Community member category. Its members are appointed by a decision of the council because of their special skills, interests or experiences. DET employees are not eligible to be Community members.

The term of office for all members is two years. Half the members must retire each year, creating vacancies for the annual school council elections.

 

Why is Parent membership so important?

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

Those 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.

 

How can you become involved?

The most obvious way is to vote in the elections, which are held in Term 1 each year. However, ballots are only held if more people nominate as candidates than there are positions vacant.

In view of this, you might seriously consider

  • standing for election as a member of the school council
  • encouraging another person to stand for election.

Do I need special experience to be on school council?

No. What you do need is an interest in your child’s school and the desire to work in partnership with others to help shape the school’s future.

What do you need to do to stand for election?

The principal will issue a notice and call for nominations following the commencement of Term 1 each year. All school council elections must be completed by the end of March.

If you decide to stand for election, you can arrange for someone to nominate you as a candidate or you can nominate yourself in the Parent category.

DET employees whose child is enrolled in a school in which they are not employed are eligible to nominate as parents for the school council where their child is enrolled

Once the nomination form is completed, return it to the principal within the time stated on the notice of election. You will receive a Nomination Form Receipt in the mail following the receipt of your completed nomination.

If there are more nominations received than there are vacancies on council, a ballot will be conducted during the two weeks after the call for nominations has closed.

2018 School Council Elections

An election is to be conducted for members of the School Council of Matthew Flinders Girls.

Information about school council and school council nomination forms, are available on Compass in the section titled School Documentation/School Council/School Council Elections.

You can also email: mfgsc@edumail.vic.gov.au or phone the school on 03 4243 0500 and we can send you the information.

Nominations must be lodged by 4.00 pm on Monday, 12 February 2018.

Following the closing of nominations a list of the nominations received will be posted as a news item on Compass. If an election is required, parents/carers will be notified on Wednesday, 14 February 2018 and the ballot will close at 4.00 pm on Monday, 5 March 2018.

 

The terms of office, membership categories and number of positions in each membership category open for election are as follows:

 

 

If the number of nominations is less than the number of vacancies, a notice to that effect and further nominations will be called for via a Compass Notice.

Buildings Update

The tenders for the building are now complete and we are waiting for the Department of Education to select an appropriate builder.

 

We have moved students and staff around to clear the Embling and Administration areas for refurbishment. The key things parents and carers need to know are:

  • The Office is on Helen Fraser until further notice
  • The House Leaders are in the same offices on the Main Campus
  • The new Hub is on the Main Campus
  • The Tech Office is in the same space on the Main Campus

We anticipate building to start in March.