FAQ

The questions we’re asked most regularly are about School Councils; what they actually do, how they work, who serves on them and how NT COGSO fits in. Below are the answers to our top FAQs.

What is a School Council?
What is a School Council constitution?
How are members elected?
What do School Councils do?
Does the School Council employ the teachers?
Who can be on a School Council? And how many people?
What do people do on School Councils?
What is the role of the Principal?
How long can you be a member of a School Council?
How many times does a School Council have to meet?
What happens at an Annual General Meeting (AGM)?
What is a Committee?
What does Conflict of Interest mean?
Who is COGSO and what do they do?

What is a School Council?

A School Council is made up of parents, teachers from the school and members if the wider community. Broadly, its role is to make sure the school is being run properly.

What is a School Council constitution?
The set of rules that governs the operation of the School Council

How are members elected?
By parents and teachers of the school at the Annual General Meeting, held in March each year

What do School Councils do?

  • approve and monitor the school’s annual budget  
  • tell the Principal what parents, families and the community think is important for their children’s education 
  • help to build links between parents, community groups and the school 
  • tell the school about things that might be needed for the school, such as equipment, buildings etc 
  • employ School Council staff, such as cleaners, gardeners and special teachers for things like art and sporting programs 
  • advise the Principal on the content of job descriptions for senior school staff and School Council employees

Does the School Council employ the teachers?
No. Teachers are employed by the Department of Education and Training (DET). They are not School Council employees

Who can be on a School Council? And how many people?

  • School Councils can have between five and 19 members 
  • half of the members must be parents of children who go to the school 
  • one third can be teachers, and the Principal is included in this number 
  • teachers can’t be parent members at their child’s school, and they can’t be the Chairman of the School Council 
  • Middle and Senior School Councils can have up to two student representatives 
  • there must be one Pre-School parent representative if there is a Pre-School attached to the school 
  • School Councils can invite up to five members from the community if they wish (including the local member of Parliament and someone from the local Council)

What do people do on School Councils?

Chairman

  • speaks for the School Council 
  • is the ‘boss’ of meetings and makes sure everyone has a say 
  • makes sure the decisions made are carried out 
  • makes sure all parents know what’s going on at the school 
  • signs all letters from the School Council

Secretary

  • distributes meeting dates and information to School Council members 
  • keeps a record of all School Council correspondence 
  • assists the Chairman in preparing the meeting agenda 
  • takes the meeting minutes (the record of decisions made by the School Council at each meeting)

Treasurer

  • presents the school’s monthly financial report, which details budget activity and expenditure 
  • works with the school’s Business Manager (Registrar) to draft the school’s annual budget 
  • presents the draft budget to the School Council for approval (annually)

Members

  • the members’ job is essentially governance, that is, making sure things are working properly (as opposed to making day-to-day decisions) 
  • contribute to the school’s action plan for school improvement 
  • understand the financial reports they receive 
  • do what they can for the children and the school

What is the role of the Principal?

  • the Principal is an ‘ex officio’ member of the School Council, which means they’re automatically a member because of their position 
  • giving a full and open overview of life in the school to the School Council

 

How long can you be a member of a School Council?

  • members are elected for two-year terms, or one-year terms for pre-school representatives 
  • members can be elected three times, hence they must stand down after serving six years, or three years for pre-school representatives 
  • the Principal is on the School Council for as long as they are Principal

 

How many times does a School Council have to meet?
At least eight times a year, including the AGM

What happens at an Annual General Meeting (AGM)?

  • The AGM elects the School Council members and office bearers (Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer) 
  • The AGM also accepts the school’s audit report and appoints auditors for the coming year 
  • Every School Council must have its Annual General Meeting (AGM) before March 15 each year

What is a Committee?

  • A group of people from the school community who agree to work on something the School Council’s is responsible for, like the canteen, fundraising, finances or the Pre-school 
  • It investigates things and reports back to School Council with its view on what should be done 
  • Committees must be chaired by a member of School Council, and members can be from the School Council or the local community 
  • Committees don’t make decisions – it’s up to the School Council to determine whether they agree with what the committee recommends

What does Conflict of Interest mean?

  • simply put, if a School Council decision means a member, or someone close to them, might make money or get a job, this is a conflict of interest 
  • in this situation, the member must tell the School Council about the conflict of interest at the meeting where the decision is being discussed 
  • If this is discussed at the meeting and recorded in the minutes, the person may still be given the job if this is what the majority votes for 
  • The person with the conflict of interest should not vote on the decision

Who is COGSO and what do they do?

  • COGSO is the short name for the Council of Government School Organisations 
  • it works for parents and School Councils in NT Government schools, helping them get organised, training people and representing them in dealings with the government 
  • Regional COGSO representatives (in Darwin, Palmerston and Rural, East Arnhem, Katherine, Barkly and Southern Region) meet four times a year to talk about their main concerns at COGSO Executive meetings 
  • The COGSO President and other Executive members meet with the Minister for Education and the Department of Education quarterly 
  • Each School Council should elect a COGSO representative to meet with other COGSO representatives in their region