Benefits of Membership

• VESS comprises a diverse group of member schools who share commitment and vision for their schools and the System;
• The System is unique in that built into its constitution is the principle of co-operative management. Since foundation, the System has been controlled by its member schools;
• Internal synergy which assists schools to meet Commonwealth and State compliance requirements, both financially and educationally based;
• Opportunities to share educational and financial expertise formally and informally with members;
• Provision of a comfortable environment for sharing of ideas within and outside meeting times;
• Effective means of addressing problems of regional isolation within a structure of collegiality and mutual support;
• Regular contact and collegiality between members alleviates some of the isolation experienced by Principals and Business Managers in rural and regional locations;
• Professional development opportunities are offered through System meetings and the annual conference;
• Strength gained through being part of a System and presenting a collective voice in the political arena;
• Advantage of being a smaller and therefore more cohesive group than some larger networking groups;
• Utilise every aspect of co-operative management has been utilised in order to preserve the integrity and autonomy of the System’s schools, which results in a group of independent and diverse schools which do not lose these qualities of independence or diversity through System membership.