School Council Effective meetings 1 Planning for effective

School Council Effective meetings 1

Planning for effective meetings • Planning § What do you want from the meeting? § What do you need to achieve? • Notifying people § Who is invited? § Set a date and time • Preparation § Make an agenda § Decide what needs to be decided, what needs to be discussed, what needs to be advise § Allow time for each agenda item 2

Effective meetings (continued) • Meeting processes § Controlling the meeting § Understanding roles • Keeping a record § Keeping notes from the meeting § What to do with action items (decisions) 3

Roles • Chairperson/convenor § Prepares and runs the meeting § Ensures the meeting stays on track and on time • Secretary/recorder § Keeps notes (minutes) during the meeting and writes them up after the meeting • Meeting participants § Have a say, stay involved, listen to each other 4

Quorum • A quorum is the number of people required to be present at a meeting before a valid decision can be made • A quorum is achieved at a school council meeting if not less than one half of the members of the school council currently holding office are present and a majority of the members present are not DET employees • A parent member who is also a DET employee is counted as a DET representative for quorum purposes • In the event of a tied vote, the presiding member has a second or a casting vote. 5

Members’ responsibilities • Be on time or send an apology if you are unable to attend • Listen without interrupting • Listen to understand • Think before you speak • Don’t speak for the sake of it • Be fair in your criticism • Make sure you understand what’s been decided 6

More on the people side • Set and agree on the rules of how the meeting is to work §What behaviour is allowed, what is not allowed §Open or closed meeting • Be clear on roles - especially the chairperson’s role • Manage time 7

The meeting itself • Open the meeting § Welcome everyone § Ensure people have received their papers • Conduct the discussion § See next slide • Summarise the meeting § Point out main discussions and any decisions made • Close the meeting § Thank people for coming 8

Structure of a discussion • State the issue or topic of discussion • Hear the facts • Listen to people’s arguments, experiences, opinions • Reach a conclusion on what’s wanted • Make a decision • Record the decision 9

Minutes of the meeting The minutes of the meeting must record: • date, time, place of meeting, attendees and chairperson and apologies received • agenda items discussed • all decisions including the names of the movers, seconders and if decision carried or rejected • time the meeting ended • date, time and place of next meeting 10

Meeting checklist • People notified - time, date, venue • Agenda set and sent in advance • Discussion papers sent in advance with a recommendation on what is required from the meeting – e. g. § For information § For a decision- that is, a recommendation • Check any actions required following last meeting 11

For more information • http: //www. education. vic. gov. au/school/principals/spag/governance/Pag es/meetings. aspx • (What is a school council and what does it do? ) • http: //www. ourcommunity. com. au for Help Sheets on running a meeting 12