Governance

St Francis Catholic College is a school which operates with the consent of the Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne and is operated and governed by Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools Ltd (MACS).

MACS governs and operates Catholic schools in the Archdiocese to continue the mission of Catholic education to proclaim the Good News and equip our young people with the knowledge, skills, and hope to live meaningful lives and enrich the world around them.

Because the good work of educating the young is a co-responsible task led by every member of the Catholic school community, School Advisory Councils have been established to provide a crucial point of connection between the wider school community and school leaders. This governance model was designed to ease the administrative burden on our schools and parishes, allow parish priests to focus on the mission of education in the parish, enable greater collaboration between schools and ensure greater consistency in school policies and procedures.

More information about MACS is available at www.macs.vic.edu.au.

School Advisory Council

The Board of Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools Ltd (MACS) has responsibility for the strategic direction and oversight of the operation and management of MACS schools, including St Francis Catholic College. 

Clear lines of authority, reporting and delegation from the MACS Board through the MACS Executive Director delegate the day-to-day operational management of St Francis Catholic College to its principal.

In keeping with the objects of the MACS Constitution, the St Francis Catholic College School Advisory Council provides a crucial point of connection between the wider school community and school leaders. 

While the School Advisory Council does not have governance responsibility or decision-making authority, it supports the principal and school leadership and provides an important connection to the parish. It is not a governing body, but its role is to support the overall governance of the system as it “is to give consideration to, and advice on, important school matters in order to support the principal and the strategic interest of the school.” (Working Together in Mission p.18)

The MACS Statement of Mission is available here.

MACS Statement of Mission

The MACS Working Together in Mission - Charter for Parishes and Schools in the Archdiocese of Melbourne is available here.

MACS Working Together in Mission

St Francis Catholic College School Advisory Council

Among the key functions of the School Advisory Council are to:

• Act as an advisory body for the school on matters concerning the development of the school and the education and welfare of the students.
• Provide advice on education matters relating to the school.
• Contribute to the governance of the school by being part of the framework of rules, relationships, systems and processes that make up governance, without being the governing body.
• Support the governing body, MACS, through its delegated representative, the Principal.
• Support the parish priest, as the key evangeliser and educator in faith within the parish and its school communities.
• Provide advice on the development and review of school policies.
• Provide advice on budget planning and finance-related matters.
• Contribute to the selection process for the school principal.

Our School Advisory Council is made up of the following members.

The full Terms of Reference for the School Advisory Council are available here. 

Terms of Reference for St Francis Catholic College School Advisory Council

School Advisory Council Manual

St Francis Catholic College School Advisory Council Annual Report 2022