The Department of Education recognises that good decision-making often occurs at a local level through direct engagement with the needs and aspirations of the school community.
School Councils are the primary mechanism for ensuring these needs and aspirations are addressed. School Councils contribute to the strategic leadership of the school and act as the bridge between the school and its local community including staff, parents, governments, community groups and local business and industry.
With the freedom to respond to community needs and through the use of local expertise, school councils are well-positioned to embrace innovation to maximise student learning outcomes. School Councils play an important role in reviewing and/or approving school-based innovations.
Council positions are for a 2 year appointment. Elections are held annually.
Functions of school council
The school council has the following functions for guiding the broad strategic direction of the school:
- monitoring the school's strategic direction;
- approving plans and policies of the school of a strategic nature and other documents affecting strategic matters, including the annual estimate of revenue and expenditure for the school;
- monitoring the implementation of the plans, policies and other documents mentioned above; and d) advising the school's principal about strategic matters.
The school council must perform its functions in a way that achieves the best learning outcomes for the school's students.
The school council must have regard to the documents listed in Schedule 1 in performing its functions.
The school council may only perform its functions in relation to the school for which it is established.
The school council may not:
- interfere with the management by the school's principal of the day-to-day operations of the school and its curriculum; or
- make operational decisions about the use of teaching or learning resources at the school; or
- make decisions about the individual teaching style used, or to be used, at the school; or
- make a decision that is contrary to law or a written policy of the department; or
- have control of funds; or
- enter into contracts; or
- acquire, hold, dispose of or deal with property; or School Council – Model Constitution MARCH 2015 Page 5 of 21 h) sue or be sued. 2.6
For the avoidance of doubt, the school council is not part of the department, is not a body corporate and does not have a separate legal identity.
School Council members
The School Principal and President of the P&C are automatic seat-holders on the school council.
As an Independent Public School, we have a School Council comprised of 6 members including:
PRINCIPAL Kimberley Button
P & C PRESIDENT and CHAIR Dave McKellar
SECRETARY and PARENT REPRESENTATIVE Melissa Gooch
PARENT REPRESENTATIVE Kristie Howard
STAFF REPRESENTATIVE Jaci Phillips
STAFF REPRESENTATIVE Rebecca Coplick
To contact our school council, please email: admin@ormeauss.eq.edu.au