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- School Council Manuals & Handbooks
- Role Of Chairperson
- Role Of Member
- Role Of Secretary
- Role Of Treasurer
- You're On A School Council Now What ?
Role Of Chairperson
Chairman or Chairperson?
Use of the word Chairman instead of Chairperson is the recognised legal term. It does not reflect the male/female role as leader of the governing body. Each Council should make its own decision on this matter. At any meeting the Chairperson is the most important person in terms of the way the meeting operates. The Chairperson uses this position to initiate, facilitate and motivate ideas and people to accomplish the goals of the meeting. Important aspects of a good Chairperson include impartiality, firmness, tact, common sense and a good sense of humor. Other useful qualities are courtesy, patience, fairness, self-control, tolerance, and an orderly mind.
Roles & Responsibilities
The following is a summary of the more important powers and duties that are expected from a Chairperson:
• To act as spokesperson for the Council, in accordance with the Constitution
• To act as Chair at all meetings and to assist the Secretary in preparing the Agenda
• To ensure that meetings are properly convened and to act on Council resolutions
• Keep the school community informed of Council decisions and activities
• To understand Council’s Standing Orders and meeting procedures
• To be familiar with correspondence, reports and other materials that will be discussed at the meeting
• To strive to continually improve the organisation’s policy, activities and administration. This requires full cooperation with all office bearers
• To oversee the correct functioning of office bearers and sub-committees, ensuring members are adequately informed for meaningful discussion and decision making
• To act, subject to any expressed or implied instructions, on behalf of the organisation and its committee in the interval between meetings
• To perform the customary courtesies such as thanking guest speakers, office bearers etc.
• To act on valid requests from members
• As appropriate, to seek suitable people to stand for office, or act in other capacities i.e. subcommittees etc
• To sign, for identification purposes, any document requiring this e.g. a new Constitution
Role Of Chairperson - Full Documentation
Role Of Member
Roles & Responsibilities
A School Council Member must:
(according to the Education Act and Education (College and School Councils)
Regulations)
• disclose his or her interest at the first meeting of the council at which a contract or arrangement is first taken into consideration if the member is financially interested in the contract or arrangement made or proposed to be made between the council and an outside contractor (Appendix 3, Ministerial Guidelines)
• familiarise themselves with the School Council constitution
• act with discretion when dealing with issues of a confidential nature (Appendix 3, Ministerial Guidelines)
Role Of Member - Full Documentation
Role Of Secretary
Roles & Responsibilities
The Secretary is required to:
• Give notice of meetings and closing dates for receiving nominations for office bearers and committee members
• Manage Inward and Outward correspondence
• Assist the Chairperson in preparation of agendas and at the meetings
• Write up the Minutes of each meeting and distribute them
• Keep a record of members terms of office including casual vacancies and give each member an updated copy
There are certain books and records which the Secretary is responsible for. These are:
• Copy of the Constitution
• Minutes
• Reports from committees, annual meetings etc.
• Correspondence files
The Constitution, Minutes and relevant correspondence should be brought to every meeting.
Role Of Secretary - Full Documentation
Role Of Treasurer
Roles & Responsibilities
The Treasurer’s duties include:
• Preparation of a monthly financial statement, which includes receipts, expenditure and variations to the budget, as well as the balance of all accounts. (This may be done in conjunction with the School Registrar or bookkeeper.)
• Preparation of the school’s draft budget in conjunction with the School Registrar and for the School Council Finance sub Committee for Council approval
Under the N.T. Education Act Regulation 15 (1) of the Education (College and School Councils) Regulations states:
• A School Council may request the Principal of the Government school for which it is established to direct the Secretary or Registrar of the Government school to act as either Secretary or Treasurer, or as both the Secretary and Treasurer, to the School Council.
Role Of Treasurer - Full Documentation
Your On A School Council Now What?
Welcome to your School Council
The Council of Government Schools Organisations (COGSO) welcomes your participation in the education process of not only your child but all of the children at your school in particular and all government schools in the NT in general.
This book draws heavily on Section 7 of the School Management Handbook (Department of Employment Education and Training, January 1998). [Quotations from the School Management Handbook have their location within the SMH acknowledged.] The School Management Handbook explains in simple language many of the questions you may have, and information you need to know as a School Council member. In addition it contains information that COGSO feels you may find interesting and useful.
Other documents you should have copies of are:
• School’s Annual Report
• School Council Constitution
• School Action Plan
Your On A School Council Now What? - Full Documentation
