School Council
All government schools in Victoria have a legally formed School Council. The Council has powers to set the key directions of a school within centrally provided guidelines. 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?
There are three categories of membership:
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 employed at the school.
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.
Community Member Category – Community members may be co-opted to the council because of their special skills, interests or experiences. DET employees are not eligible to be Community members.
The term of office for all members is two years. Half the members must retire each year, creating vacancies for the annual school council elections.
President
Gael Evans-Barr
Treasurer
Bec Hamilton
Executive Officer
Patricia Broom – Principal
Parent Members
Jacqui Way
Paul McInerney
Scott Saunders
Feona Roscouet
Andrew Doyle
Student Council Members
Hunter Bogg
Isobel Noble
Community Member
Gael Evans-Barr
Lexi Bussell
DET Employee Members
Luke Wakefield
Minute Secretary
Liz Wilkinson
There are a number of sub-committees of the School Council which have a specific brief. They include:
- Education Committee (Curriculum)
- Building & Grounds Committee
- Finance Sub-committee
- Uniform Sub-committee
- Learning Technology Committee (IT)
- Recreation Centre Committee
- MAP Sub-committee
Gael Evans-Barr : School Council President
Gael Evans-Barr lives in Beechworth and has been on the Beechworth Secondary College School Council as a community member since 2017.
Gael wanted to join the School Council as an advocate for our community, a curiosity in our strategic direction and her belief in accessible quality education for all.
Her professional life has spanned many sectors, most recently state government, but also tertiary, health, not-for-profit and sport. Gael is looking forward to her children attending Beechworth Secondary School in the years that come and continuing to be actively involved in our community.
