School Council comprises 12 members:

• 7 elected parents
• 3 elected staff
• 1 Principal (Executive Officer)
• 1 community member (appointed)

Council Members 2021:

DET Representative – Bec Heery

DET Representative – Sally Meadham

DET Representative – Susan Williamson

Executive Officer – Megan Smith

President – Brian Bird

Brian is a parent of two children at the school, and works in the renewable energy industry. This is Brian’s fourth year on School Council and third year as President. He’s particularly excited to see construction of the new school building underway.

Vice-President – James Fletcher

James Fletcher’s children are in Grade 1 and 3 at CHPS. James has worked in finance in Melbourne, London and Tokyo for over 20 years, with a brief hiatus to study history. The succulent plants in the playground planter boxes are mainly his doing.

Treasurer – Victoria Trainor

Victoria’s three children are at CHPS in Grades 1, 4 and 6. Victoria is a chartered accountant with 20 years’ experience, and has held senior roles across Finance, Risk and Corporate Governance in a number of large organisations, mainly within the financial services industry.

Secretary – Deborah Lawson

Deborah Lawson’s son is in Grade 1 at CHPS. Deborah is a public servant, with a PhD in child protection law, and a keen interest in sustainability, gender equality and children’s participation in decision-making. Deborah’s expertise lies in legal policy and research, and she has previously worked in many NGO peak bodies focused on health, disability, children and young people, and access to justice.

Secretary – Lisa Clausen

Lisa is a journalist and author with extensive media experience across Australia and the region, including 11 years at TIME Magazine. She has been involved with committees at both kindergarten and secondary school level, and has volunteered at CHPS in a number of ways. Lisa’s daughter is in Grade 4 at the school and her two sons are past students.

General Member – Therese Probyn

Therese has proudly served on Council for the past six years, leading key initiatives such as the school uniform refresh, the annual Bush Dance, and the recent review of the out of school hours care program. Her daughter is in Grade 6 at CHPS.

General Member – Gabrielle Procter

Gabrielle recently returned to Australia after spending the past six years in Copenhagen with her Danish husband and children. She teaches at Melbourne University in the education faculty and her eldest son is in Grade 2 at CHPS.

Community Member – Patricia Villella

Patricia’s son is in Grade 6 at CHPS. She has been involved since 2015 in the school’s fundraising efforts, running the daiquiri stall at the annual fair. Patricia is a barrister specialising in criminal and family law, with a special interest in child welfare cases.

Council meets monthly on the following dates from 7-9pm. Parents/carers are welcome to attend.

Dates for 2021:

June 16

July 21

August 18

September 15

October 20

November 17

CHPS sub-committees advise and assist School Council. If you have a particular expertise or interest and you’d like to be involved in any of these groups, please get in touch.

Sub-Committees 2021:

Finance

Approves the annual school budget and monitors school expenditure. The Finance sub-committee also presents financial reports to Council meetings, approves requests to families for voluntary school contributions and ensures appropriate internal controls are in place.

Building & Grounds

Identifies maintenance needs and minor works around the school, such as removing tree roots or recarpeting. This group is also responsible for entering into contracts for building and grounds improvements, and organising working bees for families throughout the year.  

Fundraising

Fundraising at CHPS raises much-needed funds every year for our school’s resources and facilities. This sub-committee organises fundraising activities and is always keen to hear from those wishing to get involved.  

Community Connections

This sub-committee is new in 2021 and has been set up to focus on community-building, including events and strategies which strengthen connections within our school community and the wider Clifton Hill community.

Contact:

To contact School Council please email:

chps_schoolcouncil@cliftonhillps.vic.edu.au or

brian.bird@education.vic.gov.au