The Score

School Council

School Council Elections 2019

Information for Parents

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.

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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
  4. A new Student category. Two students will be elected to serve as full members of Council.

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 at Scoresby Secondary College?

 

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. Any 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 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.

 

Remember

Ask for help if you would like further information or wish to stand for election and are not sure what to do.

 

I would encourage all parents, including parents new to the College, to consider standing for election to council this year. Be sure to vote if an election is necessary.

 

Contact the Principal, Gail Major for more information.

 

The 2019 School Council Election Process and Timeline Nomination Forms may now be obtained from Reception at the College and must be lodged at the School no later than 4pm February 2019. Following the close of nominations, a list of nominations received will be posted at the college. An election will then be conducted (if the number of nominations exceeds the number of vacancies).

 

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

  • Parent Member Number of Positions: 4  Term of Office: From the day after the declaration of the poll in 2019 to, and inclusive of, the date of the declaration of the poll in 2021.
  • DET Employee Member Number of Positions:2Term of Office: From the day after the declaration of the poll in 2019 to, and inclusive of, the date of the declaration of the poll in 2021.
  • Student Member Number of Positions:2
  • Community Member Positions: 2

Community members are co-opted by school council.

 

If you decide to stand for election you will need to arrange to be nominated and seconded by persons who are eligible for the same category as you will stand for.

 

Continuing Council Members

The following Members will continue to serve on School Council throughout 2019:

  • Principal/ Executive Officer - Gail Major     
  • Parent Members -  Leanne Powell & Michelle Kueh 
  • DET Members - Chris Knight & Murray Cronin