THE CONSTITUTION OF THE PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION OF

SCOIL NÁISÚINTA MHUIRE LOURDES (Scoil Mhuire Lourdes)

The Purpose of the Parents’ Association

The purpose of the Parents’ Association is to provide a structure through which the parents/guardians of children attending Scoil Mhuire Lourdes can work together for the best possible education for their children. The Parents’ Association will work with the Principal, Staff and Board of Management to build effective partnership between home and school.

Under the Education Act, 1998

Section 26. –

(1) The parents of students of a recognised school may establish, and maintain from among their number, a parents’ association for that school and membership of that association shall be open to all parents of students of that school.

(2) A parents’ association shall promote the interests of the students in a school in co-operation with the board, Principal, teachers and students of the school and for that purpose may

(a) advise the Principal or the board on any matter relating to the school and the Principal or board, as the case may be, who shall have regard to any such advice, and

(b) adopt a programme of activities which will promote the involvement of parents, in consultation with the Principal, in the operation of the school.

(4)(a) A parents’ association shall, following consultation with its members, make rules

governing its meetings and the business and conduct of its affairs.

(b) Where a parents’ association is affiliated to a national association of parents, the rules referred to in paragraph (a) shall be in accordance with guidelines issued by that national association of parents with the concurrence of the Minister.

The Aim of the Parents’ Association

The aim of the Parents’ Association is to enable parents and guardians to play their part in ensuring provision of the best possible education for their children and that this is achieved through the Association’s programme of activities. The Parents’ Association will promote the interests of the students in co-operation with the Board of Management, Principal, teachers and students, in accordance with the provisions of the Education Act, 1998.

The Work of the Parents’ Association

The Parents’ Association will undertake a programme of activities which will promote the involvement of parents and guardians and which will support pupils, parents, guardians and school staff. In planning its activities, the Parents’ Association will consult with the school Principal.

The Membership of the Parents’ Association

All parents or guardians of children attending Scoil Mhuire Lourdes will be deemed to be members of the Parents’ Association.

The committee of the Parents’ Association

The members of the Parents’ Association will elect a committee. This committee will have responsibility for representing the parents and guardians of Scoil Mhuire Lourdes and managing the activities of the Parents’ Association.

Subcommittees

Subcommittees can be set up for particular tasks. The subcommittees may also co-opt people to assist in their work. The subcommittees may not make decisions; they remain at all times accountable to the main committee.

The Election of the Parents’ Association committee

The members of the committee will be elected each year at the AGM of the Parents’ Association.

Each member will be elected for one year. At the AGM all committee members step down, but they can be re-elected as long as they continue to be eligible to serve, that is as long as they continue to be a parent or guardian of a child in the school.

The committee will ensure places are available for new members each year.

Parents’ representatives elected to the Board of Management are automatically members of the committee but will not hold an officer position on the Parents’ Association committee.

The Work of the committee of the Parents’ Association

The Parents’ Association committee will be responsible for ensuring that all parents and guardians are consulted on issues which are pertinent to the entire parent body. The Parents’ Association committee may advise the Principal and Board of Management on any matters relating to the school in accordance with the Education Act, 1998, 26.- (2)(a).

The committee is the team that will manage the tasks of the association on behalf of the parent body (the members).

The committee will draw up a plan for the activities of the association, in consultation with parents/guardians and in accordance with their wishes.

The committee will be responsible for seeing that activities are run in an efficient and effective way.

The committee will consult with the school Principal and/or Board of Management when planning the programme of activities for any particular year.

The committee will arrange with the Principal and/or Board of Management a system for ongoing communication.

At the annual general meeting (AGM) the committee will report to the parent body (the members) about its work.

The committee will manage and account for any funds collected or expended by the Parents’ Association.

Finance

The Parents’ Association committee will finance the activities of the Parents’ Association through fundraising.

A Treasurer will be appointed from among the committee members and will be responsible for keeping account of the income and expenditure of the Parents’ Association finances. The Treasurer will give a statement of income and expenditure at each committee meeting.

A written statement of income and expenditure will be given at the AGM and a copy will be forwarded to the Board of Management for their information.

The Parents’ Association will keep a bank account in its name. Each cheque issued requires two signatures. The Treasurer and at least one other assigned member of the committee must sign all cheques drawn on the account.

Fundraising for the School

Fundraising for the school by the Parents’ Association will be done with the prior agreement of the Board of Management. The Parents’ Association committee will agree with the Board of Management as to the specific purposes for which funds are to be raised by the Parents’ Association.

Membership of National Parents’ Council Primary

The Parents’ Association will maintain membership of National Parents’ Council Primary by annual subscription.

Changing the Constitution

Changes to the constitution can be made at the AGM or, if for an urgent reason, an EGM can be called for that specific purpose.

Proposals to change the constitution must be submitted in writing to the Parents’ Association committee. The Parents’ Association committee will then circulate these proposals to all parents and guardians before the AGM/EGM. All parents and guardians of children in the school at the meeting are eligible to vote on the proposals.

The constitution shall be reviewed in advance of the AGM each year, any changes will be circulated to all parents and guardians in advance of the AGM.