School Council – Meetings

Special and first school council meeting after the poll

There are several items of business required to conclude the election process that may occur at a special meeting of school council called by the principal. Generally, schools hold this special meeting on the same evening as the first school council meeting.

At the special meeting, the principal must:

1. formally declare the candidates elected to the council
2. report on the number of votes cast by each electorate of the school (if a ballot was held).

The results must be recorded in the minutes.

At the special meeting school council can also vote to co-opt community members to any vacant community member positions.

If a co-option vote is taking place at the special meeting, the quorum is constituted if not less than half of the members of school council currently holding office are present.

If co-option of community members cannot be completed at this meeting, the item can be adjourned to a subsequent meeting and the school council can proceed to the first meeting to elect office bearers.

The process that must be followed when co-opting members to a school council is covered in the School council composition, eligibility and office bearers policy.

Election of office bearers

Office bearers are elected by school council members at the first ordinary school council meeting following the election. They hold office until they resign as an office bearer or until they cease to hold office as a school council member or until the next election of office bearers, whichever occurs first.

Office bearers serve a one-year term of office, meaning office bearer elections are required at the first school council meeting, every year. Student members are ineligible to hold an office bearer position.

School councils must elect a president at the first meeting. The president cannot be a department employee in any category or a student member.

Other positions may include:

1. Vice president: parent member (non-department employee) or community member.
2. Treasurer: elected from school council members, preferably a parent member or community member. The business manager/bursar cannot hold this position. The treasurer may also be appointed as the convenor of the finance sub-committee.
3. Minute taker/Secretary: the school council member undertaking this role records the actions and discussion in school council meetings. This role can be filled by any member of school council (other than a student member) or a non-council member. If this role is filled by a non-council member, the person is required to be a silent observer and has no voting rights.

The principal is automatically the executive officer of school council and presides at (chairs) the first meeting until a president is elected.

The school council decides the election voting process, for example by a show of hands or a paper voting ballot.

In the election of an office bearer, if the votes are tied, the school council may:

• decide to hold a new election for the office bearer position
• decide the election by drawing lots.

If a new election for the office bearer position is held and is tied again, the school council may:

• decide to conduct further elections until the election of the office bearers is decided
• decide the election by drawing lots.