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To Do list
Do you love to tick boxes? Print off our P&C To Do List to make sure you don't miss any essential tasks this year. Some are a legal requirement for your association. If you have questions, come along to our info session (see next item).
Here's what is on the list for this time of year:
Before your AGM
After your AGM
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Got AGM or Term 1 questions?
 Drop into our online member Q&A session!
Drop in anytime between 1:30 & 2:30pm, Friday March 4 (Week 5) to ask your questions, hear how to make your AGM work, or simply eavesdrop! Our knowledgable staff will be there with some answers.
Register online and you'll be emailed the Zoom link to join in.
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Holding your 2022 AGM... online?
In-person meetings
P&Cs can hold in-person meetings, but these must be held off school sites due to COVID restrictions which may prevent your principal (or their representative) attending.
But our constitution may not allow an online AGM!
Associations, such as P&Cs, can currently host their meetings by videoconference or teleconference, even if this is not permitted under your constitution - thanks to a temporary amendment of the Associations Incorporation Act. The amendment, due to the pandemic, will remain in force until 12 months after the pandemic ends.
Running AGM elections online
An online AGM runs very much the same as an in-person meeting, though election of office bearers is one part you may have to adapt. You still need a 'Returning Officer' to conduct the election of the new committee. Your outgoing (or possibly continuing 😉) president should not run this themselves. Usually this will be the principal or someone appointed by the participants at the AGM, or it may be specified in your constitution.
If there is only one nomination for a role, they are considered 'elected unopposed'. A ballot is only needed if more than one person nominates for a particular position. If so, read on...
 Voting online
There are a few options for voting online. A simple show of hands on camera, typing into a chatbox, or a verbal yes or no will be enough for most votes. Only secret ballots or hotly contested issues will need a formal voting mechanism.
To hold an electronic secret ballot, it is best to be prepared ahead of time, but there are several free online tools available. Try a free account at www.sli.do, or create a Google Form. You can set up a generic ballot ahead of the meeting with placeholder names (person 1, person 2, etc) to save time during your meeting.
Should we update our constitution for online meetings?
It's probably not worth updating your constitution if this is the only change your P&C would like to make. However, we encourage those P&Cs already updating their constitution to ensure that all meetings can be conducted by videoconference or teleconference. We have a number of online resources to help including; this article, our template constitution, and P&Cs can book into our constitution workshop for step by step guidance.
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Relationships, consent and sexuality education
 Educating our children and young people about consent and relationships is important, and questions have been raised about how sex education is currently presented in our schools.
This article from our ParentACTion magazine looks at what Council is asking for in this area, as a member of the RSEA - Relationships and Sexuality Education Alliance - which was launched late last year to advocate for comprehensive relationships and sexuality education. All parents are invited to be involved.
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General Meeting: tonight
Our first General Meeting for 2022 is online tonight (Tuesday 22 Feb) at 7pm. The agenda includes:
- Council lobbying - what are your top priorities for our schools and your P&C?
- Online meetings - your experiences and possible group solutions for members.
- Parent engagement despite COVID restrictions.
It's not too late to register. We hope to see you there!
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Parent voice: in the media
We've continued to have a busy start to the year with members of the media seeking our comment on a range of issues, from consent education to COVID concerns. We've been using the large amount of feedback we collected in January to inform what we say about COVID and schools. We released media statements - and did a number of followup interviews - about the return to school, plus the recent announcement of the extension to the provision of Rapid Antigen Tests via schools.
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Child wellbeing and COVID: National survey
Are you aged between nine and seventeen, or do you care for a child of that age?
Australia’s National Children’s Commissioner wants to hear from you and how living through the past two years of COVID-19 has affected your mental health and wellbeing – your story is important!
This survey will help build greater understanding of your experiences, and the support that children, young people and families need, so that support services can be improved.
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