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Working on any council will involve some sort of commitment of your time. How much time depends on a few things, including if you choose to:
- be on a council committee, like a finance advisory committee
- take on extra duties, like a chairperson, treasurer, or secretary.
Most councils meet twice a term. You will be expected to attend all of these meetings and do pre-reading before the day (your ‘homework’).
The amount of time needed can also vary because of what’s needed locally. You might get invited to special events, be asked to provide feedback, or represent the school at community events, like at the annual general meeting.
How long you’ll need to be on the council
The time you volunteer on the council is sometimes called a ‘term in office’. There are standard terms, but it is different depending on what type of member you are.
| Who | Time on council | How selected |
|---|---|---|
| Site leader (principal/director) | No time limit while they are the site leader | Status as an ex-officio member (site leader) |
| Parents | Up to 2 years | Elected by school parent community |
| Community members | Up to 2 years | Appointed by council |
| Affiliated committee members | Up to 2 years | Appointed by affiliated committee |
| Staff | Up to 1 year | Nominated by the staff of the site |
| Students | Up to 1 year | Nominated |
If your personal circumstances change you can always withdraw from an election or stop being on the council.
There are different rules for terms of office when setting up a new council. More details about this can be seen in the standard council constitution templates.
After your two years is up, you can be re-elected, re-nominated or re-appointed – as long as you’re eligible to run again.
When your term has run out, you stay a member until your position on the council is declared vacant through the annual general meeting.
Payments
You will not be paid for your time. The work you do on a council is as a volunteer. Some out-of-pocket expenses might be covered by the site, but this will depend on the site’s policy.
