School Council

At our first meeting of the new School Council, we elected the office bearers for 2023.

Parent members
have each taken on a specific role as follows:

School Council President: Andrew Butler
Vice President & Grants, Partnerships and Community Building: Amy Reynolds
Finance Convener: Jen Stephenson
Fundraising: Clelia Dale
Parents & Friends: Rohan Mills
Buildings & Grounds: Kate Hutchison
Policy Reviews: Jenelle Murnane
Promotion and Communication: yet to be appointed
Co-opted community members: yet to be appointed

School Council President
The president of School Council has a strategic role to play in representing the vision, mission and purposes of the school, and ensures school council fulfils its role and functions. As the chair of council meetings, the president ensures relevant matters are discussed, that there is full participation at meetings and that effective decisions are made.

The president duties include:
developing and working with the community towards a shared vision for the school
actively participating in the core review panel in the school’s four-year review cycle
endorsing key school planning and reporting documents on behalf of the council
being an effective spokesperson and advocate
chairing meetings of school council
representing the school in public forums with the principal
promoting the school and its principal to the community.

Finance Sub-Committee is to assist the School Council

To oversee the development and to monitor the school's annual Program budget, system of internal controls to minimise financial risk, review and monitor an appropriate investment policy, assist in the completion of school tenders e.g. cleaning contracts, waste removal contracts, school council building contracts along with other financial matters.

Building and Grounds Sub-Committee is to assist School Council to
Exercise a general oversight of the school buildings and grounds and ensure that they are kept in good order and condition.
Work on the development and progress of the school Master Plan.
Develop an integrated long-term plan for the school grounds to help ensure funds are not wasted on projects that will become redundant or be built over soon afterwards.
Explore any possibilities for expansion of the school grounds.
Optimise the use of available school land while looking for opportunities to integrate student learning activities with improving school amenity.

Fund Raising and Community Building Sub-Committee is to assist School Council in
Identifying activities and events that will bring the school community together and raise funds to improve the school's amenities and resources to ensure students safety, health, wellbeing and to support the teaching and learning program. Fundraising includes all activities that develop financial and in kind support from individuals, organisations or sectors in support of an Essendon Primary School facility, service, equipment, activity or event, where there is no expectation of public acknowledgment.

Policy Reviews
The role of the sub-committee is to assist the School Council in 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. Good policies are essential to demonstrate that the school is being operated in an efficient manner and to ensure there will be consistency in decisions and in school operations. Schools are required to have a range of policies in place to reflect the community's values and to fulfil the Victorian Registration and Quality Authority (VRQA) registration requirements. School Council, subcommittees and working groups have developed and reviewed a number of key policies that were outlined in preparation for our school review.

Parents and Friends
As a result of extended periods of remote learning due to the COVID19 pandemic and the disconnect many families feel from the school community and other families it was decided that School Council form a Parents and Friends sub-committee. The aim of this group is to encourage the participation of all parents in school life and the education of their children as well as tproviding opportunities for parents to get to know each other and to be informed about their child’s school. In 2017 we trialled several parent information sessions which were well received by the parent community. We would like to continue to organize and offer these in 2021.  Another important role for School Council and this Sub-Committee will be to consult with the school community especially during the year of our review.

School Council Promotion & Communication Officer
To assist School Council to raise it's profile in the school community and to communicate its work and activities via the newsletter on a regular basis.  This role may also extend to aspects of promotion and publicity in the wider community that may result in entities working with EPS in partnership on a major project e.g. Essendon Football Club to enable us to continue with the use of Windy Hill at lunch times.

Grants Sub-Committee Leader
The role of the Grants Sub-Committee is to raise funds for the school by researching, identifying and applying for any grants which may be available to primary schools either for specific or general purposes.


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