School Council Elections 2019

Information for Parents – What is a school council and what does it do?
All government schools in Victoria have a school council. They are legally constituted bodies that are given powers to set the key directions of a school within state-wide guidelines. In doing this, a school council is able to directly influence the quality of education that the school provides for its students.
Who is on the school council?
For most school councils, there are four possible categories of membership:
 A mandated elected Parent category – more than one-third of the total members must be from this category. Department of Education and Training (DET) employees can be Parent members at their child’s school as long as they are not engaged in work at the school.
 A mandated elected DET employee category – members of this category may make up no more than one-third of the total membership of school council. The Principal of the school is automatically one of these members.
 An optional Community member category – members are co-opted by a decision of the council because of their special skills, interests or experiences. DET employees are not eligible to be Community members.
 A mandated elected Student member category (2 positions) – to be eligible to run in the Student member category, that person must be a student enrolled in Year 7 or above at the school where they are seeking to be on council. There is no minimum age requirement.
Generally, the term of office for all members is two years.
What to do if you would like to stand for election?
Collect a nomination form from the school office and either self-nominate yourself or get someone to nominate you as a candidate (Parent category). This process needs to be completed in the timeframe listed below.
If there are more nominations received than there are vacancies on council, a ballot will be conducted during the two weeks after the call for nominations has closed.
Nomination forms can be obtained from the school office, or upon request can be posted or emailed.
SCHOOL COUNCIL ELECTION PROCESS AND TIMETABLE
1 – Notice of election and call for nominations: Thursday, 21st February 2019
2 – Closing date for nominations: Friday, 1st March 2019
3 – List of candidates and nominators will be posted : Monday, 4th March 2019 – via the website https://leonsec.vic.edu.au & Compass
4 – Ballot papers will be distributed: Thursday, 7th March 2019
5 – Close of ballot: Thursday, 14th March 2019
6 – Vote count: Friday, 15th March 2019
7 – Declaration of poll: Friday, 15th March 2019
8 – Special council meeting to co-opt Community members (the principal will preside): Wednesday, 20th March 2019
9 – First council meeting to elect office bearers (the principal will preside)
Wednesday , 20th March 2019
Notice of Election and Call for Nominations
An election is to be conducted for members of the School Council of Leongatha Secondary College.
Self-Nomination and Nomination forms are available from the school office, or upon request can be posted or emailed and must be lodged by 4.00 pm Friday, 1st March 2019.
The ballot will be declared on Friday, 15th March 2019.
Following the close of nominations a list of the nominations received will be posted on the school’s website and via Compass. The terms of office, membership categories and number of position in each membership category open for election are as follows:
4x Parent member, term of office: From the day after the date of the declaration of the poll in 2019 to and inclusive of the date of the declaration of the poll in 2021.
1 x DET employee members, term of office: From the day after the date of the declaration of the poll in 2019 to and inclusive of the date of the declaration of the poll in 2021.
1 x Student member, term of office: From the day after the date of the declaration of the poll in 2019 to and inclusive of the date of the declaration of the poll in 2021.
If the number of nominations is less than the number of vacancies, a notice to that effect calling for further nominations will be posted on the school’s website https://leonsec.vic.edu.au
If you have any questions regarding the role of school council and/or the processes involved please contact Wayne Chester.
Wayne Chester
Principal