School Council

Message from the School Council President

Excellence

Balwyn High School has an outstanding reputation as one of Victoria’s leading schools. This reputation is founded on a long history of excellence which we continue to celebrate.

The best educational outcomes are achieved through an active partnership between all members of the school community - staff, students and parents. The partnership with parents is vital in supporting the progress, growth and learning of your child.

Opportunities for parent involvement

Parents have many opportunities to contribute to the life of Balwyn High School, including:

• involvement in parent bodies, such as Friends of Music, Friends of Sport, Friends of Theatre Arts, and the Parents Association
• participation in School Council and its sub-committees
• volunteer assistance in literacy and numeracy
• attending working bees (usually one each term)
• attending parent-teacher interviews
• offering assistance to the library
• assisting students in the school’s integration, ESL or special reading programs
• sports coaching or acting as an official at sports events
• accompanying groups on excursions or tours as a teachers’ aide
• making financial contributions

Financial support from parents

Through strategic planning, the school is building on the foundations of the past with the aim of providing a learning environment and programs which will equip students for the challenges of the twenty-first century.

The school relies upon locally raised funds to support its curriculum and extensive co-curricular programs, and to meet the expectations that parents have of an education at Balwyn High School.

Financial contributions are sought for the tax deductible Balwyn High School Aim High Building Fund and the Balwyn High School Library Fund. These contributions are a significant way in which the school-parent partnership is activated.

The School Council

The Balwyn High School Council is responsible, within the framework of Victorian Government policy guidelines, for the education policies and plans of the school. Council’s responsibilities also include use of school buildings, employment of ancillary staff, and use of school funds. The powers and duties of the School Council derive from the decision of the Minister for Education and Training to give the school community of parents, teachers and students much of the authority and responsibility formerly in the hands of the state Ministry for Education and Training.

While teachers retain responsibility for deciding how to implement the details of school policy, the School Council formulates policies on matters such as curriculum objectives, and defines the school’s aims and values. Council decides in broad terms the methods for implementing policies.

A close working relationship between Council, teaching and support staff assists in promoting collaborative decision making and solving problems. The School Council is constituted by:

• seven parent representatives
• four teacher representatives
• the Principal
• three other members coopted for the special contributions they can make to the Council (including student representatives)

The Council meets on the fourth Wednesday of the month, and any member of the school community is invited to attend. Special sub-committees of the School Council include:

• Finance
• Education Policy and Programs
• Facilities
• Development

School-Parent Partnership

I encourage all parents who select Balwyn High School for their child to commit to the School-Parent Partnership, which will ensure that the school provides for the current generation of students just as it has done so proudly in the past.

Mr Tim McMahon

School Council President