President's Message

Presidents Welcome

Dear Parents and Carers,

On behalf of the School Council, I would like to warmly welcome you to the Lara Primary School community for 2025.

The School Council is made up of a wonderful group of parents and staff members who volunteer their time to help guide and support our school. Together, we contribute to strategic planning, policy development, and financial decisions, all with the goal of creating the best possible experience for our students.

School Councils play a vital role in all Victorian government schools, meeting eight times a year to ensure the school’s direction aligns with the needs of our students and community.

School Councils main responsibilities are:

• Finance – overseeing the development of the school’s annual budget and ensuring proper records are kept of the school’s financial operation.

• Strategic Planning – participating in the development and monitoring of the school annual implementation plan.

• Policy Development and Review – developing, reviewing, and updating policies that reflect the school’s visions and values and support the school’s broad direction outlined in its annual implementation plan.

• Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) service – responsibility for the oversight and decision making regarding the operating an OSHC service.

Other key functions of School Councils include:

• entering into contracts and agreements (such as for cleaning or other contracted services)

• forming sub-committees and working parties, on an as needs basis

•   reporting annually to the Minister of Education and the school community

•   regulating and facilitating after-hours use of school premises and grounds

Our main priority is to support the passionate and dedicated teaching staff at Lara Primary School. We do this by collaborating closely with the principal to provide an environment where every child has the opportunity to thrive and succeed.

Finally, the Lara School Council aims to support engagement with the school community, including encouraging discussions around key issues and challenges in education, and promoting meaningful parent and community participation at the school.

Thank you for being part of our school community. We look forward to working together to make this a wonderful year for all of our students.

Our Current School Council Members and Office Bearers are: 

    President & Chair: Amy Whitworth (Parent)

    Vice-President: Casey Osborne (Parent) 

    Executive Officer: Toni Scott (Principal)

    Treasurer: Bryan Candy

    Parent Members: Bryan Candy, Carmen Marlow, Samantha Mence, Casey Osborne, Tracey Tosh, Corrine White, Amy Whitworth 

    Community Member: Lauren Lynch 

    Staff Members: Andrew Maslen, Jordan Moran

    Attendee: Judy-Anne Gillett (Business Manager)

    Finance sub-committee: Bryan Candy (Treasurer), Corrine White, Judy-Anne Gillett (Business Manager), Toni Scott (Principal) 

Kindest Regards,
Amy Whitworth

The Education and Training Reform Act 2006 defines the objectives and functions of school councils. For more information, please visit:

 https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/school-council-overview/overview

 https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/in-force/acts/education-and-training-reform-act-2006/096