School Council
It’s with great pleasure that we welcome the following parent and staff representatives onto The Patch School Council for 2024:
President: Angela Ellis
Vice President: Kate Hutchings
Treasurer: Linda Lee
Secretary: Mikhaela Bourke
Parent representatives: Angela Ellis, Kathryn James, Linda Lee, Amanda St Leger, Kate Hutchings & Mikhaela Bourke.
Staff representatives: Jim Burnside (Principal), Michelle Rayner (Assistant Principal), Alesha Sangster & Karen Robinson.
Community representatives: TRY Australia - Jo Rouse
Council Subcommittees: Community, Finance, Buildings & Grounds, Policies.
School Council welcomes contact from parents. Feel free to email the school at the.patch.ps@education.vic.gov.au or a letter sent to the school made Attention to School Council, or see contact details for President below.
Currently, School Council meet monthly on a Tuesday night at 6.00pm. All parents from the school community are welcome to attend meetings - just contact Jim or Kim prior to the meeting on 9756 7463.
What is the function of school council?
- Establish the broad direction and vision of the school within the school's community
- Participate in the development and monitoring of the school strategic plan
- Develop, review and update school policies
- Develop, review and monitor the Student Engagement Policy and the School Dress Code
- Raise funds for school-related purposes
- Approve the annual budget and monitor expenditure
- Maintain the school’s grounds and facilities
- Enter into contracts (e.g. cleaning, construction work)
- Report annually to the school community and to DEECD
- Generally stimulate interest in the school in the wider community
School Council Standing Orders
School Council does not...
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Manage the school
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Employ ongoing teaching staff with no fixed date for termination
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Represent sectional interests
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Renew the principal's contract or hire and fire the school principal
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Determine class allocations
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Discuss individual issues between teachers and students and/or parents
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Purchase land or buildings
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Enter into hire purchase agreements or obtain credit or loan facilities, unless authorised by the Minister
If you wish to know more about the operations of School Council, please visit: http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/principals/management/Pages/schoolcouncil.aspx
Parent payments
Under the Department of Education Parent Payments Policy, Victorian government schools are required to provide transparent information to their school community on voluntary parent/carer contributions.
The following documents outline the voluntary parent/carer contributions at our school:
2024 Parent Payment Contributions Letter