Skerries Educate Together

1.  The mission of the Parents’ Association is –

i. To create a positive and active, all-embracing and all-enhancing school community.

ii. To facilitate communication between the school and the parents.

iii. To support the school in its endeavours.

iv. To build a partnership between the school and the parents.

2. The Aims of the Parents’ Association include – 

i. Involving the parents in the education of their child.

ii. Facilitating the school in any way it can.

iii. Enhancing the children’s experience in the school.

3. The role of the Parents’ Association

Skerries Educate Together NS Parents’ Association is a voluntary group, which operates on a not-for-profit basis.

The role of the Parents’ Association is to support the School Community – the students, parents & guardians, teachers, and the Board of Management of the school. All parents and guardians, through the Parents’ Association, get to play their part in making sure the children enjoy the best possible education.

The Parents’ Association achieves this in a number of ways:

i. Creating a programme of events and activities throughout the school year (in the past this has included events such as the school disco, the St. Patrick’s Day parade entry, the graduation ceremony for 6th class students and many other events). The Parents’ Association also fundraises for these events and activities.

ii. Fundraising for school projects (such as the library and outdoor classroom).

iii. Through the Clubs Committee, which is part of the Parents’ Association, providing after-school activities throughout the year, such as Drama, Art, Music, Science, Lego etc.

iv. Working with the school to represent parents – through policy reviews and any other matters that affect the school community.

v. Facilitating communication between the school and the parent community through the Facebook page, Skerries ET Parents’ Association.

vi. Supporting SETNS in their programme of events during the school year.

1. Making financial contributions towards school projects and events from fundraising. (Examples of this would include financial contributions from the Parents’ Association towards the Anti-Bullying Day and for ASD assessment materials)

4. Membership of the Parents’ Association

All parents or guardians of children currently attending Skerries Educate Together National School are members of the Parents’ Association.

5. The Committee

The Committee of Skerries Educate Together National School Parent Association has three elected officials – the Chairperson, the Secretary and the Treasurer. No salary or fees shall be paid to any elected official for their work with the Parents’ Association.

These elected officials and representatives shall be elected at the AGM and shall serve for a period of two years (unless their child ceases to be a student of the school).

Any parent or guardian may put themselves forward for election to these positions and in the event of more than one person putting themselves forward, a vote will be held at the AGM.

Anyone wishing to put themselves forward for election must do so at least one week in advance of the AGM, by contacting the committee at [email protected]

Any vote shall be by secret ballot and the votes shall be counted by the existing Secretary and Treasurer, unless either of those officials is seeking re-election, in which case, the Chairperson of the Committee will nominate two ordinary members of the committee to count the votes.

Other than the elected officials and representatives, any member of the Parents’ Association may volunteer themselves to be members of the committee, and election to the committee shall not be necessary. Any member of the Parents’ Association may choose to attend any committee meeting.

The committee shall also have a representative from the Clubs’ Committee, and a representative of any other such sub-committee as may be formed.

6. Meetings of the Parents’ Association Committee

Meetings of the Parents’ Association Committee shall take place monthly in the Parent room of Skerries Educate Together National School, unless otherwise advised.

A reminder of the meeting or notice of a change in the time/place of the meeting will be posted on the Facebook group page and sent by email to the PA email list.

The Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer shall endeavour to attend meetings of the Parents’ Association Committee.

A member of each of the sub-committees (e.g. Clubs’, Gardening, Library etc.) shall endeavour to attend meetings of the PA Committee and if unable to do so, shall send a short report concerning the ongoing work of the sub-committee.

Any member of the Parents’ Association may attend any meeting of the committee.

7. Communication

The Parents’ Association shall maintain a Facebook group page – Skerries ET Parents’ Association – and would ask that all parents/guardians with a Facebook profile join the group as it is a forum for parents/guardians as well as a good method of communication for the committee to let members of the PA know what is going on or to display photographs of events or activities.

The Committee will maintain a group email to keep active committee members informed of the work of the committee, and any member of the Parents’ Association may volunteer to be on the committee and have their email joined to the group email.

Any parent/guardian who needs to contact the PA Committee may do so by emailing [email protected]

8. The work of the Committee

The Committee represents all the parents/guardians of children in the school, and consults with parents, the school and the Board of Management in relation to issues that affect the student body and the parent body (though not in relation to individual issues or complaints, for which there is a Grievance Procedure and this is set out on the school’s website under the heading Policies and Reports).

Each year, the committee will draw up a programme of events and activities in consultation with parents, the school and the Board of Management, and will report on this at the AGM to the members of the Parents’ Association.

The Committee and its subgroups will hold fundraising events throughout the year to fund PA activities and will manage funds raised and advise the PA as to how those funds have been spent.

The Committee will also fundraise on behalf of the school, with the prior agreement of the Board of Management.

9. Finance

The Treasurer will be responsible for keeping account of monies raised and spent and will give a statement at each committee meeting, and a written statement at the AGM. The annual accounts will also be forwarded to the Board of Management.

The PA will maintain a bank account (which is in the name of the school) each cheque drawn on the account must be signed by one of the elected officials of the PA Committee together with one independent person – either the School Principal or a member of the Board of Management.

The PA Committee shall maintain public liability insurance.

The income and property of the Parents’ Association shall be used only to promote the mission and aims of the Association, as set forth in this Constitution.  No portion of the body’s income and property shall be paid or transferred directly or indirectly by way of dividend, bonus or otherwise by way of profit, to the members of the Association.

If the Parents’ Association ceases to exist at any stage, any monies in the Parents’ Association bank account shall go to SETNS for the benefit of the school community.

10. Membership of the National Parents’ Council Primary

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

11. Changes to the Constitution

Changes to the constitution may be made at the AGM, on written notice of the proposals to change the constitution which will be circulated prior to the AGM and all members of the Parents’ Association will be eligible to vote on the proposals.

Any such proposals must be received at least two weeks prior to the AGM and will be circulated to all members of the Parents’ Association at least one week prior to the AGM.

In the case of an urgent change to the constitution being proposed, an EGM (extraordinary general meeting) may be held, and the proposals will be circulated to all members of the Parents’ Association at least one prior to the EGM.