School Council
All school councils in Victoria operate under the Education and Training Reform Act 2006. Each school council is established by an Order of the Minister for Education, which specifies the council’s membership, size and configuration, its objectives, powers, functions and accountabilities and the role of its executive officer who is the principal. The school council has particular functions in setting and monitoring the school’s direction.
School councils have three main responsibilities:
- Finance – overseeing the development of the school’s annual budget and ensuring proper records are kept of the school’s financial operation.
- Strategic Planning – participating in the development and monitoring of the school strategic plan.
- Policy Development and Review – developing, reviewing and updating policies that reflect a school’s values and support the school’s broad direction outlined in its strategic plan.
Other key functions of school councils include:
- raising funds for school-related purposes
- maintaining school grounds and facilities
- entering into contracts
- reporting annually to the school community and the Department
- representing and taking the views of the community into account
- regulating and facilitating after-hours use of school premises and grounds
- operating a children’s service at the school.
School councils comprise of 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 coopted by the school council.
Koroit and District Primary School Council consists of the following members:
Sophie Fisk – President
Jac Monk – Treasurer
Gabrielle Davies – Parent member
Jacqui McMahon – Parent member
Sally O’Keefe – Parent member
Michelle Fawcett – Parent Member
Susan Hand – Community member
Chloe Brown – Community member
Tanya McPherson – Principal
Hayley Hoy – DET member
Melanie Vesey – DET member
Nicole Farrelly – DET member
SUBCOMMITTEES:
Finance Sub-Committee
This committee assists the School Council by:
- Managing the school’s global budget. This includes ensuring all incoming money is properly accounted for and expended and that an annual budget of income and expenditure is prepared and audited.
School Grounds Sub-Committee
Planning and maintenance of all school grounds and improvements.