Governance and Management

Hills Grammar is a not-for-profit registered Australian public company limited by guarantee. School Council, empowered by the School’s Constitution and accountable under Corporations Law, acts as the 'Board of Trustees' ensuring responsible financial management and governance. Council’s focus is on sustainability, ensuring Hills Grammar remains relevant to current students and those to come, long into the future. Read more 

From the Chair of School Council

2017 represented a new era in leadership at Hills Grammar with the permanent appointment of our  fourth Principal, Mr Michael Smith. With any change of this nature comes opportunity and as such the School Council set a challenging and demanding agenda for the new Principal and staff in addition to establishing new directions and governing and monitoring the School’s performance to ensure Hills Grammar remains relevant to our students, and is sustainable today and in the future. On behalf of the School Council I would like to thank Michael and his team for the leadership and commitment to good governance across the school and the implementation of the strategic plan.

Apart from the range of regular monitoring, performance review and compliance activities, Council’s focus over 2017 was on the following:

• Strategic Planning. The Strategic Framework, established in 2015 again informed priorities for 2017. During 2017 Council assisted the Executive in refining the strategies and then monitored progress toward their achievement in regular quarterly reports and updates. This framework and the outcomes of 2017 are recorded elsewhere  in this report
• Principal’s Performance  - Council Policy (CPR 3.4.2) defines the approach and process to be followed in undertaking and documenting the annual performance appraisal of the Principal and includes:

-  A summative appraisal which specifically address KPIs, legal and regulatory compliance and self-assessed development needs;

-  A 360 degree appraisal report based on the survey responses of the Principal, Councillors and staff;

-  A range of other matters including annual surveying results and interactions with the Council and its Committees

This material is used to set key performance indicators  for the ensuing year, and against which the Principal’s performance will be measured during the next appraisal cycle.

• Recruitment of Governor’s – a major focus in 2017 was to attract suitable candidates willing to serve on the School Council. Council has adopted a very open and transparent approach to achieve this and expressions of interest from both our internal community and independents in the wider community are welcome throughout the year. The School website council pages contain information about the process and facilitate receipt of these expressions of interest.
• Engagement with School Management – regular discussion with the School’s Executive has now been established and it is now our practice to invite members to present on topics of interest at the monthly meetings of Council. In 2017 we heard about the School’s performance in state and nationwide external examinations, student wellbeing and behaviour management policies and practices, annual surveying results,  the outcomes and recommendations of the Sports Review, the development of the Staff Development Framework and Appraisal system and the new and exciting directions the School is planning on travelling in the Design and Innovation space. In these ways School Council  remains connected with developments and make decisions which will enable management  to achieve the desired outcomes. 
• Engagement with the School Community  - School Council remained committed to being more visible and accessible to members of the school community. This is achieved by their attendance at school events which provide an opportunity to meet and engage with staff, student and parents, through contact with the Parents and Friends Association on a few occasions each year and by ensuring that the makeup and work of the School Council is more known and transparent,  allowing mutual trust and respect between key stakeholders as we collectively work toward implementing our Mission and achieving our Vision.
• School campus and facility works. Works to enhance student amenity and the quality of the teaching and learning environment continue in 2017 and through prudent financial management 1.5 million dollar was reinvested into the campus to ensure our facilities and grounds remain servants of our core learning and teaching functions.
• Council Governance. During 2017 School Council continued to revise its approach to governance and decision making. Through its own Committees: Finance, Governance and Development the Council monitors the heath and direction of the School to ensure its decisions and practices are both prudent and aligned with our Vision and Mission.
• Financial Management – a key and very important function of the School Council is to ensure that the School business is well managed. Through its Finance Committee, which meets monthly, forensic examination of the School’s accounts is undertaken, along with rigorous discussion to inform decisions and policy which furthers the schools work on behalf of its students and the programs they are inspired by.

It takes sustained determination, energy and commitment to build and maintain the strong momentum which is essential for the School and its students to succeed. I also want to acknowledge and thank our Council members for the valuable contribution they make in their role as trustees and governors. It has been an honour and privilege to have had their support as Chairman.

Craig Tegel | Chair of School Council