[Start screen displays Victoria State Government – Education and Training Logo.]

[On-screen text starts: School Council Improving School Governance

[Animated images of school students and school council members are displayed.]

Governance

Strategic Planning

Finance

Policy and Review

School Council President

Imagine…the possibilities of leveraging the power of 18,000+ school council members.

To provide them with the knowledge, understanding and skills in key school council responsibilities:

• Governance (background focus video screen of school council members)
• Finance (background focus video screen of council member and whiteboard graph)
• Strategic planning (background focus video of school council member)
• Policy (background focus video of students)
• Community engagement (background focus video of parents)

So that they can fulfil their important governance responsibilities

For 1,500+ Victorian government schools (background focus video of school settings)

To provide the best possible outcomes for 630, 000+ students (background focus video of students)

Just imagine [video of student work]

On-screen text ends]

[Close up of glass door reads: Chris Thompson Assistant Deputy Secretary Schools and Regional Services]

[Video of Chris Thompson entering meeting with DET employees: Penelope Daley, Elizabeth Turnbull and Russell Polson]

[On-screen text: Chris Thompson, Assistant Deputy Secretary, Schools and Regional Services]

Russell Polson: Hi, Chris.

Penelope Daley: Hi, Chris.

Chris Thompson: Hi. Good to see everybody.

[On-screen text: Penelope Daley, Senior Project Officer, School Operations and Governance Unit]

Penelope: Thank you. Chris, we all understand and appreciate the importance for school councillors to understand their governance responsibilities.

Chris: Yeah, school councils have a really significant role within Victorian government schools. Collectively, each year, they oversee over 1.6 billion dollars of states’ funds. They also share oversight with the Department of Education over one of the largest state-owned asset portfolios. Online training provides councils and members the convenience and flexibility to learn at a time and place that suits them best. High‐performing school councils help schools to perform efficiently and effectively. They respond to strategic challenges our schools and communities are facing. They can have a real impact on the students in the wider community.

Penelope: Also, Victorian school councils operate under quite a unique governance framework.

Chris: Yes, Victorian public school councils have greater powers than school councils in other territories and states. However, their powers are different to public and private boards. That’s why it’s so important that school council members understand their governance responsibilities.

Penelope: Liz, I’m wondering how we can best support school councils to fulfil their objectives and to operate efficiently.

[On-screen text: Elizabeth Turnbull, Manager, School Operations and Governance Unit]

Elizabeth Turnball: To achieve that, Penny, school councils need to understand their roles and responsibilities, and their performance expectations. This clarity helps minimise the confusion that often occurs between the operational role of the principals’ day-to-day management of the school and the governing role of school councils. If we clear up this confusion, there’s less chance of conflict and chance for misunderstandings to occur. Council members need access to timely information. This is very important, because it provides, obviously, a clarity on their roles and responsibilities, but also because there’s quite a high turnover of school councillors each year. The Department’s Improving School Governance package addresses this issue and the need for training. Training is available face to face and online; it’s provided free of cost for school councils; and it provides an understanding of how school councils should function and how they should govern. So, the training package is something, online and face to face, that we encourage all school councillors to go to every year. Russell, can you tell us a little bit more about the online training?

[On-screen text: Russell Polson, Project Manager, School Operations and Governance Unit]

Russell: Sure, there’s 5 online modules: There’s Governance; there’s Strategic Planning; Finance; Policy and Review; and School Council President. There’s also an induction video. Online content includes video and interactive training modules, and it covers the key functions of school councils. And there’s an additional resource, which is an outside school hours care training module and video. So, training content is modular, it’s engaging and easy to understand. It includes personalised stories and anecdotes from school councillors across a variety of schools. It also includes scenarios, ‘how-to’ videos and interactive content with practical examples to clarify complex concepts.

[Example screens of the online training modules are displayed].

Russell: Councillors can access the online training at their own time and do it at their own pace, picking up where they left off because it’s all bookmarked.

[An example of bookmarking is displayed]

Russell: They can access training individually, or in groups.

[Video of school council meeting is displayed]

Russell: They can select a module or a topic of interest.

[An example of module selection is displayed]

Russell: Simple assessments check understanding of content.

[An example of knowledge checks is displayed]

Russell: And councillors receive certificates of completion for each module.

[An example of completion certificates is displayed]

Russell: An online chat and email support also provides easily accessed and timely support for council members.

[An example of the live support chat screen is displayed]

Russell: So, you see, it’s quite comprehensive and easily accessible. My question, Penny, is how can we maximise the benefits for everyone?

Penelope: Principals and school council presidents should inform councillors about the Improving School Governance training and it’s important that they encourage them to look at the induction video before or at their first school council meeting. It’s actually really good practice for school council members to complete the Governance module, and certainly for school council presidents to complete the School Council President module. It’s also recommended that school councils complete the Strategic Planning module to support their schools’ strategic planning activities, particularly at a time of self-evaluation and review. Council members can also complete other modules, certainly, particularly if they’re involved in subcommittees, for example, finance, and it will also assist them to refresh their knowledge every couple of years.

Russell: Thanks, Penny. I think that’s really good practice.

Elizabeth: So, where can they access the training?

Penelope: Councillors can visit the Department’s school council website to access the Improving School Governance training. They can then sign up for face-to-face training, or self-register for the online training modules. Also, any member of a school council or even a school community can contact the School Operations and Governance Unit if they have any further enquiries.

[On-screen text starts

Imagine the possibilities

of building the capability and capacity of 18, 000+ school council members [background focus video of school council members across various schools]

to make a real difference to 1,500+ Victorian government schools [background focus video of various school settings]

and 630, 000+ students [background focus video of various students] by improving School Governance [background focus video of handwritten work]

School Council Improving School Governance

On-screen text ends]

[End screen displays Victoria State Government – Education and Training Logo.]

[End of transcript]