Significant milestones 1925 – 2023

2023

• Annual Conference returns to face-to-face format. Theme: “The Road Ahead”. Conference panel includes representatives of principals. teachers, youth, rural education and students with disability. 
• Developed campaign supporting teachers: “Value Education, Value those who provide it“.
• Continuing advocacy on behalf of parents in the media. We responded to 74 media enquiries and were quoted in the media on issues ranging from the teacher shortage to school zones and resolving parent/school conflicts.

2022

• Developed Think, Wait, Communicate campaign for parents
• Developed PV School Lunch Order for the November 2022 Victoria State Election and for future State Budgets
• PV e-Conference: “Life is Relational – Relationship based Education”
• Parent consultation sessions on ‘One VCE’ and Sexuality Education Resources (co-hosted with DET)
• Advocacy to State Government over the introduction of School Community Safety Orders.

2021

• Adoption of new PV Constitution. The new Constitution opens up PV membership to all Victoria government  schools and parents without charge.
• Launch of Relationship based Education resources, a collaboration with John Hendry OAM.
• Launch of new PV website on WordPress platform, bringing the site into line with modern responsive-design guidelines.
• Online Conference: ‘Recipes for Great Schools’. The conference examined the “Vitamin C’s” – Community, Connection, Caring, Culture and Consent.

2020

• Annual Conference goes online due to COVID-19 pandemic. Theme: “Brave New World: Changes, challenges and opportunities for families and schools”
• PV Chair and Immediate Past President Sharron Healy elected President of ACSSO.

2019

• Annual Conference theme: “Everyone’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Matters”

2018

• Annual Conference theme: “Shedding Light on Family Engagement”, with keynote speaker Debbie Pushor from University of Saskatchewan, Canada.

2017

• State Government established the Independent Office for School Dispute Resolution, after 14 years of PV lobbying for an independent umpire for complaints resolution.
• Annual Conference theme: “Relationships Matter”.

2016

• Annual Conference theme: “What’s Great in the Education State”.

2015

• Celebrating 90 years of parent action

2012

• Parent Club Toolkit moves to online version
• Parents Victoria: Our Children, Our Concern (history of PV) published.

2010

• Celebrating 85 years of Parent Action
• Annual Conference – “Celebrating Relationships”
• First life memberships awarded
• Website upgraded to Content Management System.

2009

• Annual Conference – “If you care, be aware”
• ‘Communication is the Key’ Forums continue throughout the State

2008

• Annual Conference – “Families and School – Partnerships Rule”

2007

• Inaugural online conference
• PC Information Kit updated with the PC Tool Kit in CD format
• Project – Complaint Procedures & Discipline Procedures in Victorian Government  Schools
• IOSP (Investing in Our Schools) State Assessment Advisory Panel (SAAP)

2006

• Participated in the review of the Education and Training Reform Act
• Co-hosted ACSSO Annual Conference with VICCSO

2005

• Celebrated 80 years of Parent Action at a function at Parliament House
• IOSP (Investing in Our Schools) State Assessment Advisory Panel (SAAP)

2004

• Conference – ‘Communication – Building Better Relations’
• Relocated office to Brunswick South Primary Sschool

2003

• Parents Victoria participated in the Department of Education and Training consultation process as part of its LOTE Analysis. Parents Victoria ran a discussion group attended by 20 representatives from school communities and produced a LOTE Analysis Report
• PV campaigns for more equitable Federal Government funding for schools. Campaign includes a mail-in postcard.
• State Government announces introduction of 40km/hr speed zones outside schools – PV welcomes the announcement as we have been advocating for the zones for several years.
• Annual Conference “Preparing Our Kids for the Future”

2002

• PV participated in public debate on the issue of school ‘league tables’ – reporting of VCE and other testing results in a way that purports to rank schools from best to worst. PV supported ACCSO in the view expressed in its media release Lazy Governments Love League Tables .
• PV and DET jointly release the brochure  Together We Can Work It Out – a resource for parents and schools on resolving difficult situations and disputes related to schooling.
• Annual Conference: “Creating Parent Friendly Schools”

2001

• Public Education: the Next Generation. State Government consultative process to form a vision for state education in the coming decades. PV is represented on the consultative committee
• PV runs “Lollypop Week” in March to celebrate the contribution of school crossing supervisors.
• Assessment and Reporting: Parents Victoria hosted special consultation meetings for parents throughout Victoria.
• PV made a submission to DET “Better Services, Better Outcomes” consultation paper on students with disabilities and impairments.
• Annual Conference “Public Education: Creating a System for Everyone”

2000

• Launch of Parents Victoria  – new name but same commitment to children in State Schools. (Formerly Victorian Federation of State Schools Parents Clubs.)
• Parents Victoria obtained a service and government funding agreement
• Parents Victoria hosts Fifth Annual Conference
• Parents Victoria celebrates 75 years
• The Parents Victoria website is upgraded and re-launched
• Parents Victoria conducted a series of parent forums across Victoria to gather information on community attitudes to schools’ reporting and homework policies. The resulting report  Reporting and Homework in Victorian Government Schools was presented to the Department of Education, Employment and Training.

1990s

• Strong Federation support for VCE
• Increasing parent activity in area of National Curriculum guidelines
• Drastic education cuts in State and Federal budgets
• In 1993 VFSSPC lost all government support
• Major school closures and teacher redundancies
• Most State and regional committees discontinued
• VFSSPC continued to oppose increasing demands for parents to pay for ‘free’ education
• Numerous media interviews on voluntary levies’
• Opposition to compulsory testing programs such as LAP
• Parents ‘Club Information Kit launched and distributed to affiliates, very warmly received
• Federation joined in successful campaign ‘Save Our School Nurse’
• Strong campaign for 40 kmph speed zones around schools
• Rallies in support of Public Education
• Action to ensure rights of parents’ clubs to continue to make own decisions are maintained.

1980s

• Federation policy on confinement leave for teachers adopted
• School Improvement Plan established -State Board of Education with parent membership
• In line with VFSSPC policy corporal punishment in schools abolished, new disciplinary procedures set up
• School Council selection of principals, a long standing Federation policy
• Integration of disabled children into normal schools introduced, another Federation policy
• Strong parent/teacher action to improve staffing of schools
• VFSSPC opposed some aspects of school re organisation and restructure of the Ministry of education
• Federation membership of new Curriculum and Assessment Board to plan and deliver VCE
• Membership of numerous State and regional committees
• Campaigns against school fees and increasing costs to parents
• Concern at abolition of Schools Commission.

1970s

• System of annual grants to schools introduced
• Federation’s president represented parents on new Australian Schools Commission
• Federal funding for capital and recurrent expenditure in State schools and special programs
• VFSSMC received its first government grant
• Federation deputation and submission called for improvements in special education
• Committee of Enquiry set up
• First school crossing supervisors employed
• Libraries to be provided for all schools above 225 students
• mobile libraries for small country schools
• VFSSPC ran first government funded parent in service program
• First School Councils established with elected parents and teachers
• Regional building and other committees including parent members.

1960s

• First Mothers’ Club Regulations finally gazetted
• Much activity regarding safety of children on school crossings
• National Conferences of parents and teachers in Melbourne and Sydney called for Federal funds for Stale Schools
• VFSSMC stressed the need for improved buildings
• Provision of libraries in all schools
• Smaller classes
• More specialist teachers
• Clerical assistance in schools
• Improvements in School Medical and Dental Services
• Better and safer bus services for children
• Direct grants to schools to replace subsidies.

1950s

• Severe shortages of classrooms and teachers
• VFMC gave support to sex education with ‘mother and daughter evenings’ throughout the suburbs
• VFMC called for better opportunities for migrant children
• Demands for Federal funds for State education
• Great pressures on Mothers’ Clubs to raise money.

1940s

• VFMC stressed need for Child Endowment
• Mothers’ Clubs very active in war work
• Immunisation again an issue
• VFMC President appalled at conditions at Kew Cottages
• Much concern about slum housing
• VFMC part of a large delegation to the Minister demanding that more money be spent on education

1944

• A ‘Great Education Rally’ in Town Hall was organised,  which became the first Education Week

1946

• At the conference the Premier congratulated the mothers of Victoria on their magnificent work for the younger generation
• Clubs gave great support to ‘Food for Britain’ Appeal
• Many prominent women speakers at VFMC conferences.

1930s

• VFMC undertook to furnish a dormitory at Travancore, a residential school for children with intellectual handicaps.
• 200 conference delegates formed a deputation to the Minister to ask for more control over funds , raised by Mothers’ Clubs.
• VFMC invited to join in formation of a Children’s Cinema Council
• Calls for better School Dental services.
• Mothers’ Clubs very active in provision of school lunches and clothing for needy children in Depression years.
• Raised concerns regarding:
  • Dilapidated school buildings
  • Huge classes
  • School fees
  • Excessive homework
  • Examination stress

1935

• Adoption of first VFMC Platform
• Many country clubs joined VFMC and first Regional Networks were formed
• First interstate conference of State School organisations.

1920s

1925

• Members from 19 Mothers’ Clubs adopted a constitution and formed VFMC (Victoria Federation of Mothers Clubs) in November.

• Concerns about:
  • Immunisation against diphtheria,
  • The need for sex education in schools,
  • Excessive weight of children’s book loads

• Support for alteration in Public Service Act to provide equal pay for equal work.