Since the change of Governance in January 2021 from Parish Primary Schools to a centralised system under the governance of the Archbishop and the Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) Board, all schools as part of their local governance structures must have a School Advisory Council (SAC).
In line with these directives, St Mary MacKillop Catholic Primary School established its inaugural SAC in late 2021.
School Advisory Council Members
The School Advisory Council is made up of ex-officio members, 2 parent representatives, the current Chairperson of the Parents and Friends Association and a parish representative. Below is an introduction to the members of the Inaugural SAC.
Ex-Officio Members
- Fr Joseph – Parish Priest
- Anthony Drill – Principal
- Kylie Stephens – Deputy Principal
Parent Representatives
Tracey Oakes
Hi, I’m Tracey Oakes, and I’m a parent representative on the School Advisory Council. I have two children at school, Ellie in Grade 3, and Jill in Grade 1. I’m hoping to be a part of meaningful change within the school, and I’m excited to bring parent ideas into action. I’m often at school pickup and dropoff at High Street, if you want to chat about anything of concern, don’t hesitate to introduce yourself.
Claire O'Connell
My name is Claire O’Brien and my husband Jeremey and I moved to Bannockburn 2019. I am a mother of four children, including Amelia and Paddy who are currently in grades 3 and 1 at St Mary MacKillop Catholic Primary School. I am also a part of the Mission Team at Sacred Heart College, and now a member of the St Mary MacKillop School Advisory Council. I am passionate about education and religious understanding and hope to contribute to the continued development of St Mary MacKillop Catholic Primary School.
Jacqui Wilcox
Hi, my name is Jacqui Wilcox and I have two children, Coop -Grade 6 and Bailey – Grade 4.
I believe in the saying, “it takes a village to raise a child”, if I can help to create the village, I am also working to support not only my children, but the other children in the wider school community. By being part of the School Advisory Council, I hope to be able to grow the school in a positive way, making our school a place that everyone talks about for only the right reasons. I am also the President of the STMMB P&F. New parents are always welcome to come to meetings and help to fundraise and support us so that we can support the school further.
Stephen Gilligan
Hi, I am Stephen Gilligan. I have been involved with our school since before your children arrived. I have two grand-children here, with two more on their way. I have the potential to be around until 2032.
I have a passion for quality education, that is what we have here and I hope to be able to continue to build on that. I will bring all my experiences, as an educationalist, to the inaugural School Advisory Committee, of which it is an honour to serve on.
We are privileged to have a Catholic Primary School in the Parish of St. Joseph. My Intention is to be a voice for our School Community and to help bring it closer to our Church/Faith Community.
So when you see me around, trying to keep pace with my grandchildren, come and say G’day, because our children are our greatest gifts to the future.Our first meeting was on Tuesday 1st March. I will write more about the role of the SAC in future newsletters.
Melanie Todarao
My name is Melanie Todaro and I am looking forward to joining as a new committee member as one of the parent representatives of the school’s SAC. I have two daughters and both attend STMMB with Ella in Grade 4 and Lola in Grade 1. I have been involved with the STMMB community since the school opened as a visiting Allied Health Practitioner and then the following year when Ella commenced Prep and have seen the school grow in numbers and size over the last six years. I own a local Speech Pathology Private Practice and have previously worked in schools in the DEECD for a number of years and look forward to bringing my experience, knowledge and passion in Education to join the other parent representatives on the committee to represent, support and uphold the parent and community voice and values within the scope of the SAC and Catholic faith.