Governing Council

Volunteering for Governing Council

Governing Council plays a key role in our school, and being a member can be a rewarding and challenging experience.

Acting as a team, the Council supports and works in partnership with the Principal to help set and monitor the direction of a site, and can also assist in enhancing the educational opportunities for students.

Council members and the Principal have a joint responsibility for the governance of the school.

The Highgate School Governing Council also has responsibility for the School Canteen and OSHC businesses.

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A member’s role on Governing Council is to work with the Principal to:

• set the broad direction and vision of the site, including monitoring and reviewing the school’s improvement plan and strategic direction.
• determine local site policies on particular issues. Good policies are essential to demonstrate that the school is being operated in an efficient manner, ensuring consistency in decisions and in school operations.
• determine the application of the total financial resources available to the school Review, approve and monitor the total financial resources available to the school, including the regular review and monitoring of the budget. Councils oversee the school’s financial performance, through the Finance Advisory Committee.
• present operational plans and reports on its operation to the community and Minister. Reporting to the minister is an annual legislated requirement and the Annual Report provides the community with information about the school’s performance in implementing their improvement strategies and how the school’s resources have been used. Annual reports are made available to the school community at an Annual General Meeting.

In addition to the main functions conferred on a Governing Council under the Act, the Governing Council has other functions as outlined in section (4) of the model constitution.

These include:

• representing and taking into account the views of the whole school community regarding educational, cultural and social diversity needs
• responsibility for the proper care and maintenance of any property owned by the Council
• performing such functions as necessary to establish and conduct, or arrange for the conduct of facilities and services to enhance the education, development, care, safety, health or welfare of children and students (out of school hours)
• raising money for school related purposes
• performing other functions as determined by the Minister
• undertaking other acts or activities that are incidental to the exercise of these roles.

How can you get involved?

Each year in term 1, vacancies are declared to the community and a nomination process is undertaken. The nominees are asked to provide a short piece of information about their backgrounds and a community vote is held. The successful candidates are announced at the Annual General Meeting at the end of Term 1.

You can also join one of the GC Committees at any time during the year. This is a great way to get to know how things work and to support our OSHC, Canteen and Environment groups.

Any of our current members would be happy to speak to you about ways to get involved.

Contact

Email: dl.1063.govcouncil@schools.sa.edu.au