what is viccso?

The Victorian Council of School Organisations Inc - or VICCSO - is an independent, democratic organisation of over 500 affiliated school councils working towards achieving the best possible education and learning outcomes for all students.

Through its affiliates, thousands of individuals participating in the public education partnership are represented - including parents, students, principals and teachers.

This is consistent with the view that real educational improvement is always 'co-owned' in strong partnerships of educators, parents, students and community members.

VICCSO has been working with schools for over 80 years.

Mission statement

VICCSO's mission statement is:

Connecting people, promoting shared decision making and supporting conversations and practical initiatives for the improvement of learning outcomes for all students.

OUR FOCUS

Based on the good practices of schools and their communities, VICCSO focuses on promoting awareness, information and practical initiatives around four key areas:

1. Shared decision making - through effective school councils and committees
2. Powerful learning for all students - through shared values, goals and plans
3. Partnerships for change - through building stronger school-family-community links
4. Resources and facilities - through supporting all efforts to increase resources and improve facilities.

what we do

On a practical level, VICCSO does three things:

1. Shares information and provides advice and support. This includes our website, good practice guidelines and checklists and training and presentations for our members
2. Builds stronger relationships around renewal in public education. VICCSO collaborates with parents’, teachers’ and principals’ associations, the Australian Council of State School Organisations (ACSSO) and the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
3. Promotes the idea of a well-resourced education revolution. This work includes collecting and sharing good practice examples from schools and stakeholders.

information sharing and good practice

VICCSO shares information and profiles good practice examples and guidelines about key issues such as:

• The education revolution - what it is and how it is emerging
• 21st century teaching, learning and curricula
• How school councils can make a difference
• School strategic planning and policy making
• Building strong family-school-community partnerships.

Our website promotes these issues. As well, VICCSO discusses these issues with the Department and other stakeholders.

Testimonials

“VICCSO provides schools and school councils with tremendous support, information, access to networks and ideas about the future of education and learning”. School principal

“I value VICCSO for its information and guidance about how stronger and new kinds of partnerships between the principal, parents, teachers and students can make a real difference to a school community and to students’ learning outcomes”. Parent school council member

“VICCSO has long been a wonderful source of support for school councils and school communities. It helps schools to build stronger governance, stronger partnerships and stronger communities”. Teacher school council member