School councils play a vital role in the educational opportunity and outcomes of all students at the school. In essence, the role of school council is one of setting the long term future for the school and maintaining oversight (not management) of the school's operation. It is not about running the school – that is the job of the principal.
Three of the critical roles of school councils are; developing the strategic plan, approving the annual budget, and setting and reviewing policies.
Other roles include:
The roles and responsibilities of school councils are outlined in the following materials:
To carry out its role effectively, the school council needs to be able to work cooperatively with the parents and staff at the school. School and community consultation is an integral part of the effective running of school councils. Examples of good practice are:
It is important for school councillors to be aware of their roles and responsibilities.
For school councils to operate effectively, school council members need to be able to work as a team, respect the different skills, knowledge and experience that each member brings to council, and share the workload and responsibility. The council president and principal need to work cooperatively and, where necessary, be prepared to acknowledge any personal differences so as to be able to work in partnership for the good of the school. Similarly the school council president and the convenors of the sub-committees need to maintain respectful and cooperative relationships.
School councillors also need to be able to listen and ask the school community, and sometimes the wider community, about their views on topics that council might be considering.
To effectively carry out their role, school councillors need to be familiar with the following documents:
* Powerpoint presentations contain explanatory notes, which may be viewed once the document is downloaded.
Sub-committees are advisory bodies to the school council and assist council in all the work that needs to be done. They report regularly at school council meetings and provide advice and make recommendations to the school council, which has the final responsibility for decisions. Sub-committees are open to non school council members and therefore provide opportunities to involve many people in the school who are not members of school council.
The following provides information and examples regarding the effective use of sub-committees:
While a range of sub-committees may be formed, it is recommended that all school councils have a finance sub-committee that oversees the school council annual budget and financial management.
For more information, see: