The Constitution of Screen N.S Parents’ Association

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 Screen National School 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 numbers, 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 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 which will support pupils, parents 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 Screen National School will be deemed to be members of the Parents’ Association.

The Committee of the Parents’ Association
The members of the Parent’s Association will elect a committee with a maximum of 10. This committee will have responsibility for representing the parents of Screen National School 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. A subcommittee must include at least one member from the Parents’ Association committee for the purposes of reporting back to the 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. Persons willing to go forward for election will be identified prior to or at the AGM and shall be proposed and seconded by parents attending the AGM. The elected members shall then assign the officer positions of the committee which should include Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary, Vice Secretary, Treasurer, Vice Treasurer and Public Relations Officer. 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 2 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 Parent’s Association committee. These members of the committee are in addition to the elected members of the Parent’s Association committee.

No member of the committee will hold the same officer position for more than three consecutive years.

The Work of the committee of the Parent’s Association
The Parent’s Association committee will be responsible for ensuring that all parents are consulted on issues which are pertinent to the entire parent body. The Parent’s 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 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 Board of Management when planning the programme of activities for any particular year.
The committee will arrange with the Principal and 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 Parent’s Association.

Finance
The Parent’s Association committee will finance the activities of the Parent’s 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 Parent’s 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 Parent’s 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 Parent Association will be done with the prior agreement of the Board of Management. The Parent’s Association Committee will agree with the Board of Management as to the specific purposes for which funds are to be raised by the Parent’s Association.

Membership of National Parents Council Primary
The Parent’s 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 Parent’s Association Committee. The Parent’s Association Committee will then circulate these proposals to all parents before the AGM/EGM. All parents of children in the school at the meeting are eligible to vote on the proposals.