School Council
What is the function of School Council?
- Establish the broad direction and vision of the school within the school's community
- Participage in the development and monitoring of the school strategic plan
- Develop, review and update school policies
- Develop, review and monitor the Student Engagement Policy and the School Dress Code
- Raise funds for school-related purposes
- Approve the annual budget and monitor expenditure
- Maintain the school's grounds and facilities
- Enter into contracts (e.g. cleaning, construction work)
- Report annually to the school community and to DEECD
- Generally stimulate interest in the school in the wider community
School council does not...
- Manage the school
- Employ ongoing teaching staff with no fixed date for termination
- Represent sectional interests
- Renew the principal's contract or hire and fire the school principal
- Determine class allocations
- Discuss individual issues between teachers and students and/or parents
- Purchase land or buildings
- Enter into hire purchase agreements or obtain credit or loan facilities, unless authorised by the Minister
Who is on School Council?
- There are 3 categories of membership:
- Parent members
- DEECD employee members
- Community (co-opted) members (optional)
- School councillors are elected for a two-year term
- Terms, rights and responsibilities of community members are the same as those of elected councillors
School council subcommittees
- School councillors would normally sit on at least one subcommittee
- Subcommittees might include:
- Finance
- Environment/grounds/facilities/buildings
- Educational policy
- Community liason/community building/community relations
- Other - e.g. outside school hours care, canteen