College Council Members 2023

College Council

The school council has a  important role to play in the organisation of a school. It is a  legally formed body given powers to set the key directions of a school within centrally provided guidelines. A school council is able to directly influence the quality of education a school provides for its students.

Upper Yarra Secondary College School Council meets in the Conference room at UYSC on the third Wednesday of each month, at 6.00pm.  It consists of the Principal (as Executive Officer), elected President, elected Parent Representatives, elected Staff Representatives and several Student Representatives.  The term of office for all members is two years. Elections for School Council are held in Term 1 each year and information is made available in the first newsletter of each year.

Parent membership on school councils is important. Parents are encouraged to participate in school council by either nominating or voting in the elections.

The responsibilities of a school council include:

• developing the strategic plan (the document that tells people what the school wants to achieve in the future and how it plans to get there);
• approving the annual budget (the financial plan for the calendar year that tells people how the school is going to provide money so it can implement its strategic plan in that year);
• setting and reviewing policies (guiding principles designed to influence decisions, actions that the school makes);
• developing, reviewing and monitoring both the Student Code of Conduct, (how the school expects students to behave, how bullying will be managed and the school’s approach to managing student behaviour) and the School Dress Code (this includes how students are expected to dress during school hours including travelling to and from school, if the school has a uniform and what that looks like, and any arrangement with clothing suppliers that the school might enter into);
• raising money;
• informing itself and taking into account the views of the school community when making decisions regarding the school and the students;
• making sure the school’s grounds and buildings are maintained;
• entering into contracts for things like cleaning the school or a school council building project regulating and facilitating the after-hours use of the school premises and grounds;
• creating interest in the school within the community;
• making a recommendation to the Secretary regarding principal selection.

Find out more about school councils:
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/principals/management/Pages/schoolcouncil.aspx