Introducing our Council Members
The Perth Waldorf School Council’s purpose is to ensure the School objectives are carried out – to provide education according to the principles, practices and methods indicated by Rudolf Steiner – The Council oversees and manages:
- Strategic Planning
- Property
- Finance
- School Policies oversight
- Employment, Guidance and Performance Management of the School Administrator
- Ensuring school registration standards and laws are upheld
Who is the School Council?
Members are made up of parents, teachers, community and staff.
Current members:
Office Bearers
- Peter Finlay – Chair (parent)
- Mark Edwards – Vice-Chair (parent)
- Lisa Joy – Treasurer (former parent/teacher and Council member)
- Wim Matthys – Secretary (parent)
Ordinary Members
- Brett Kranz-Little (parent and staff)
- Linda Baldwin (parent)
- Mee Cheng Wong (parent)
- Naomi Chapman (parent)
- Kevin Mazzer (College of Teacher’s representative)
- Mark Phillips (College of Teacher’s representative)
Members’ Commitment
A person who takes on the role of a member of a School Council is assumed, under common law, to understand the duties and obligations they have undertaken. These duties are:
- To act in good faith. All actions must be in the best interest of the school. Sometimes this is called a ‘Fiduciary Duty’,
- To use their power for a proper purpose,
- To retain discretion. Members must not approach discussions with a fixed opinion but be prepared to hear all sides and decide their position at that time,
- To avoid conflicts of interest,
- Members must adhere to the Code of Conduct adopted by the School Council,
- To not misuse information. Members must not gain any benefit from information they obtain as a result of their membership of the School Council,
- To exercise care and skill. Members must make an effort to be familiar with the affairs of the school and the responsibilities of a Councilor and exercise the same care a reasonable person would have exercised.
Meetings
The Council hold an Annual General Meeting once a year, on or before 30 June. They also meet regularly through the year, twice a term.
The College of Teachers
The College of Teachers is a sub-committee of the Council. It is made up of registered teachers with at least one year experience at the school. School staff who meet the criteria must request to join and approval is based on the needs of the College at that time. The School Administrator and the three faculty coordinators attend as a part of their role. The College has limited powers but is vital in its role as a reference group and sounding board for the school leadership.
The College meets regularly during term time for approximately two hours each sitting and as well as doing a study at each meeting it offers guidance and direction with regard to matters that affect the “being” of the school. This may be in relations to:
- Staffing
- Curriculum
- Professional development
- Festivals and other school events
- School facilities and aesthetics
- Student behaviour management matters
- Grievances
- Ways of deepening anthroposophy
- Processes that ensure support for the school ethos
Further Information
For more detailed information about the rules and regulations of the Council, please refer to the PWS Constitution, available on our School Policies, Child Protection and Well Being page.