1.
Name
The body shall be called
“St. Wolstan’s Community School Parents’ Association, hereafter referred to as
“the Association”.
2.
Objectives
The objectives of the
Association are:
2.1
To provide a structure through which parents/guardians can
support the school authorities and staff in providing a happy and secure learning environment in
which all students of St. Wolstan’s Community School can attain their full
potential, educationally, emotionally, morally and physically in accordance
with the school’s mission statement.
2.2
To support the role of parents/guardians as the primary
educators of their children, and to promote an effective partnership between home and school.
2.3
To support the interests and welfare of St. Wolstan’s
Community School students.
2.4
To provide a forum for discussion and consultation on matters
of common and/or topical interest to
the parents/students/staff of the school.
2.5
To act as an advisory body, representing the views of
parents/guardians on school policies and activities.
2.6
To assist the school management in the election of parents’
nominees to the Board of Management.
3.
Membership
All parents/guardians of
students attending the school are deemed to be members of the Association.
4.
Parents’ Association
Committee
4.1
The affairs of the Association shall be managed, in
accordance with this Constitution by the Parents’ Association
Committee, hereafter referred to as the Committee.
4.2
The Committee shall consist of members of the Association who
are nominated and elected each October,
at the Association’s Annual General Meeting. The term of office for each Committee
is therefore
one year.
4.3
A minimum of 12 Association members is necessary to
constitute a Committee.
4.4
The School Principal, one other member of the teaching staff and
both Parents’ Representatives on the
Board of Management shall also be members of the Committee.
4.5
The Committee will appoint from amongst its members the
following Officers –
Chairperson
& Vice Chairperson
Secretary
& Vice Secretary
Treasurer
& Vice Treasurer, and any other Officer deemed necessary by the Committee.
(See
Appendix A)
4.6
Each elected Committee Officer shall hold that position for
one year. An individual may be eligible for re-election to the same or to a different Officer post
but no individual shall hold the same office for longer than 3 consecutive
years.
4.7 The Committee may invite to General meetings or to Committee
meetings such persons as the Committee decides.
4.8
The Committee will not involve itself in representation on
matters relating to individual students of St. Wolstan’s Community School. The
Committee shall also recognise that matters concerning the School Curriculum
and its implementation are the function of the School Authorities.
5. Committee Meetings
5.1 The inaugural Committee meeting of each academic year will take place on the first
Tuesday after the Annual General Meeting. Committee Officers shall be elected at the
first Committee meeting of each school year.
5.2
There will be 6 scheduled Committee meetings during each
school year. Additional meetings will be convened by the Chairperson when
deemed necessary.
5.3 The quorum for a Committee meeting shall be 50% +1 of
Committee members to a maximum of 10.
5.4
All Committee meetings will be chaired by the Chairperson or,
in their absence, Vice Chairperson. In the absence of both, the Committee shall
elect one of its members to chair the meeting.
5.5
Committee resolutions shall be passed by majority vote of
those members present. The Chairperson of the meeting will have the casting
vote.
6. General
Meetings
6.1 The Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held no later than
the 31st of October each year.
6.2 Notice shall be given to all Association members 10 working days
in advance of the AGM.
6.3 The
Chairperson will report to the Association members on the work of the Committee
over the previous school year at the AGM. The Treasurer will present a
financial report for the same period.
6.4 Nominations
from Association members to serve on the Committee for the new school year will
be requested, and accepted at the AGM. Nomination papers must be signed by the
nominee to indicate their consent to join the Committee.
6.5 Extraordinary
General Meetings (EGM) may be called by the Committee when deemed desirable by
the Committee. An EGM may also be called when a written request, signed by a
minimum of 20 Association members are received by the Committee.
6.6 Notice
shall be given to all members of the Association 10 working days in advance of
an EGM. The resolution or business proposed for the EGM must be communicated to
each member of the Association at least 7 days prior to the date of the
meeting.
6.7 The quorum for a General Meeting (AGM or EGM) shall be 15 Association
members.
6.8 A General Meeting shall be chaired as is a Committee meeting (see
5.5)
7. Election
of Parents’ Representatives to the Board of Management
The Committee shall
organise a canvas of the Association for nominations for the election of
two Parents’ Representatives to the Board of Management. The role of the
Parents’ Representatives is to brief the Committee on the non-confidential
areas of Board business relevant to parents/guardians, and also to provide the
Board with a report on Association activities. Representatives are thus
entitled to, and should wherever possible, attend Committee meetings. Elections
will take place every 3 years and individuals elected to serve as Parents’
Representatives should remain members of the Association for the term of office
of that Board i.e. they must be the parent/guardian of a student attending St.
Wolstan’s Community School for a minimum of two of the three year term of
office.
No individual should hold
the position of Parent Representative on two consecutive Boards.
8. Affiliations
The Association will remain independent but may affiliate to
other bodies and organisations where this is deemed to be of benefit to the
Association and St. Wolstan’s Community School.
9. Fundraising
The Committee may only fundraise with the prior consent of
the Board of Management. Any monies raised by the Committee, on behalf of the
Association, should be lodged to the school account. Expenditure of such monies
is by the Board of Management, in consultation with the Committee.
10. Liaison
with School Authorities
Liaison with the school
authorities shall normally be maintained by the attendance of the Principal or
Principal’s nominee, at the Committee meetings. The Committee may, however,
should it consider it desirable and appropriate, correspond in writing or seek
a meeting with the Board of Management.
11. Official statements and Representations
No member of the
Association other than the Chairperson, or other Committee member specifically
nominated for this purpose, shall make any public statement or representation
on behalf of the Association.
12. Amendments
to the Constitution
The Constitution of St.
Wolstan’s Community School Parents Association should be reviewed by the Committee
every 4 years. Amendments may be
presented at an AGM. A two-thirds majority of the Association members present at
the AGM shall be required to carry an amendment to the Constitution.
13. Winding Up
Winding up of the
Association shall only be valid if accepted at a General Meeting convened for
this purpose. In the event of the winding up of the Association any assets on
hand will be presented to the Board of Management for school purposes.
Appendix A
Parents’ Association Committee: Officer Roles & Duties
1.
Chairperson/Vice Chairperson
Calls meetings, prepares
Agenda, chairs/manages meetings, organise action to follow decisions taken at
meetings, signs minutes, liaise with school authorities on behalf of Committee.
Represents Committee as required.
2.
Secretary/Vice Secretary
Record main discussion
points at each meeting and prepare as Minutes for subsequent meeting. Notify
members of meetings and send out Minutes in advance of each meeting. Record
attendance and read out any absentee apologies. Read out any correspondence
received and liaise with Chairperson relating to correspondence required by
meeting decisions.
3.
Treasurer/Vice Treasurer
Responsible for all bank
accounts kept in the name of St. Wolstan’s Parent Association.
Organise bank mandate with
Chairperson, Treasurer and Vice-Treasurer as signatories, each October, after
Officer elections. Pays any expenses arising on behalf of the Committee by
cheque and ensures cheques are signed by two signatories. Records of all income
and expenditure. Gives a financial statement at each Committee meeting and
presents annual accounts at AGM.
CONSTITUTION ADOPTED AT PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION AGM 1st
OCTOBER 2013
