1 Name:
The body shall be known as St. Wolstan's Community School Parents' Association, hereinafter called "the Association".
2 Purpose:
2.1 To provide a structure through which the parents and guardians of students of St Wolstan’s Community School can work together for the best possible education for their children.
2.2 To work with the principal, staff and the Board of Management to build effective partnership between home and school.
2.3 To 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.
2.4 To inform parents of developments in education and in the school
3 Membership:
All parents or guardians of pupils currently attending the school shall be deemed to be members of the association and shall be entitled to be nominated and elected to the Association Committee.
4 Objectives:
4.1 The objectives of the Association shall be:
To support and initiate, where appropriate activities which advance the aims and objectives of the School, as outlined in the Mission Statement, ensuring that such activities will not interfere with the process of management of the School.

4.2 To promote and support the role of parents and guardians as the prime educators of their children.

4.3 To provide opportunities for discussion, information and consultation about matters of common and/or topical interest to parents, teachers and pupils of the school

4.4 To encourage parents participation in an advisory and consultative capacity in relation to the school

4.5 The advancement of the Christian, moral, mental, social and cultural well being of the students of the school, embodying the Ethos of the School so that all can advance in a spirit of co-operation and mutual support to the benefit of pupils, parents, guardians, teachers and the Community

4.6 Notwithstanding paragraphs 4.1 to 4.5 above the Association will not involve itself in representation on matters involving individual students of St Wolstan’s Community School.

4.7 To solicit the views of parents of the PA on relevant matters and to reflect those views in actions and activities as appropriate.

4.8 To encourage parents participation in promoting the well being and interests of the students of St Wolstans Community School.

4.9 To foster co-operation between parents, teachers and school

4.10 In co-operation with the School Management to elect Parents/Guardians to the Board of Management

Committee:
The affairs of the Association shall be managed by the Committee who shall elect its own officers, viz.: Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Secretary, Vice-Secretary, Treasurer, and Vice-Treasurer. The School Principal and one member of the teaching staff shall also be members of the Committee.
The Role of the Committee is to manage the business of the Parents Association in accordance with the Constitution. The team shall have shared responsibility for:

• Planning for the future and developing a vision for the Parents Association
• Planning and managing a programme of activities for the year
• Communicating and consulting with and involving as many parents as possible in the activities of the Parents Association
• Communicating and consulting with the School Principal in planning the programme of activities for the year
• Arranging with the Principal and Board of Management a system for ongoing communication
• At the Annual General Meeting the Committee will report to the parents about its work
• Communicating and consulting with other partners in the school community
• Planning agendas and keeping records of meetings
• Looking after finances
• Election of the Committee
• The members of the parents’ association will elect a number of members who will have responsibility for managing the activities of the parents’ association. This team will serve as the committee of the Parents’ Association.
• The members of the committee will be elected each year at the Annual General Meeting of the Parents’ Association.
• The number of the committee will be a maximum of 20 with a minimum of 6.
• The first meeting of the new Committee shall be held on the 2nd Tuesday of October where the officers of the Committee, (the "Executive Committee") shall be elected. Thereafter the Committee shall meet monthly during the school year and on any other occasion as may be deemed necessary.

Honorary Officers
At its first meeting following the Annual General Meeting, the committee shall elect the following honorary officers:
Chairperson
Vice Chairperson
Secretary
Treasurer & any other such officers as the committee may deem necessary to conduct the affairs of the association.

The term of office of the chairperson shall be not longer than two years. A former chairperson may present himself/herself for a further term of office as chairperson but not for two successive two year periods.

The committee shall operate as follows

• The Committee shall hold office from October in each academic year until the election of the new Committee, also to be held in October of each academic year. The term of office of the Committee shall be for one year.
• Each member will be elected for a year. Members may go forward for election for a further year, providing they have a child in the school.
• Parents representatives elected to the Board of Management are invited to attend Committee meetings
• Upon election to the Committee pursuant to election the Committee Member shall hold office until the election of a new Committee
• The first business of the incoming Committee in each year shall be to elect the officers of the Committee as follows: Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Honorary Secretary and Treasurer
• Committee meetings shall be chaired by the Chairperson, or in his or her absence, the Vice Chairperson. In the absence of the both the Chairperson and the Vice Chairperson, those members present shall elect a chairperson for the meeting.
• The quorum for a meeting of the Committee will be 50% plus 1 member of the committee.Committee resolutions shall be passed by simple majority of those members present, all of whom are entitled to vote. The Chairperson will have a casting vote
• The Committee shall usually meet on a monthly basis during the school year, starting in October
• The Honorary Secretary shall keep minutes of all discussions and decisions agreed at the Committee Meetings
• The Principal is invited to attend all Parent Committee meetings
• The Committee may invite such persons as they wish to attend their meetings
• The Committee may co-opt members to the Committee for specific purposes or to carry out specific tasks but may not co-opt persons generally.
• The Committee shall have the power to co-opt members to fill any vacancies which occur on the Committee and enlist the help of non-committee members for such purposes as the Executive Committee deems necessary.
• The Committee may constitute and dissolve sub-committees of the association and working parties as it considers necessary to assist it from time to time, to achieve the objectives of the association. Sub-Committees may consist of members and non-members of the Association. Sub-committees are not decision making bodies, but rather can make recommendations to the committee and are accountable to the committee.
• The association recognizes that matters concerning the School Curriculum and its implementation are the function of the school authorities.

Finance

• All bank accounts shall be kept in the name of St Wolstan’s Parents Association under the supervision of the Honorary Treasurer. All expenses shall be paid by cheque and signed by two of the three named persons
• Signatories of the account will be decided following the election of the officers of the association in October and a bank mandate completed as appropriate
• The Honorary Treasurer will give a statement of the income and expenditure for the month at each committee meeting
• An Income and Expenditure Account for the financial year shall be prepared by the Honorary Treasurer and presented at the AGM
• Fundraising in the name of the school must have the prior consent of the Board of Management. The Parents’ Association should consult with the Board about fundraising for the school or school projects. The approval of the Board is needed before these funds are raised. The expenditure of these funds is by the Board of Management, in consultation with the parents’ association. All monies raised or generated for an agreed project for the school should be lodged to the school account.

7 Affiliations:

• The Association will remain independent, but may affiliate to other bodies and associations, where such affiliation will be deemed to be of benefit to the Parents Association and the School.
• The Association shall be autonomous non-party political and non –denominational.

8. General Meetings:

• The Annual General Meeting shall be held not later than the 1st Tuesday of October each year at which a new Committee shall be formed for the following term.
• Notice shall be given 14 days in advance of an Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting.
• General Meetings shall be chaired by the Chairperson, or in the absence of the Chairperson, by the Vice-Chairperson. Otherwise the Executive Committee shall elect one of its members to chair the meeting.
• A quorum for a General Meeting shall be 20 members.
• Nomination papers must be signed by the nominee to indicate his/her consent to serve on the Committee.
• An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) may be requisitioned at the written request of no less than twenty parents/guardians. At least fourteen days notice in writing should be given to the Committee. The resolution or business proposed for the EGM must be communicated to each member of the Association at lease seven days prior to the EGM.

9. Official Statements and Representations:
No member of the Association other than the Chairperson, Secretary, PRO or other member specifically nominated by the Executive Committee shall make an official or public statement or make representation on behalf of the Association.
10. Liaison with School Authorities:
Liaison with school authorities shall normally be maintained by the attendance of the Principal, Vice-Principal or nominee at monthly committee meetings.
The Executive Committee may should it consider it desirable and appropriate, correspond, in writing, or seek a meeting with the Board of Management.
11. Board of Management Representatives:
The Committee of the Parents Association shall organise a canvas of all parents for nominations for the election of two parent’s representatives to the Board of Management of the school. Elections shall take place every three years.
Parents elected to serve on the Board of Management are automatically entitled to and encouraged to attend the meetings of the Parents Association. Their role at these meetings is to brief the Association on the non-confidential areas of Board of management business which is of relevance to Parents and for the purpose of furnishing Board of Management meetings with a report on the activities of the Parents Association.
In agreeing to serve, parent members of Boards must put aside a representational role and assume a management role with responsibility for overall management in the school.
12. 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 shall be presented to the Board of Management for school purposes.
13. Constitution:
This Constitution shall not be altered in any way except by a two-third majority of those present at the Annual General Meeting or at an Extraordinary General Meeting specifically called for the purpose of changing the Constitution. Any proposed change shall be submitted in writing to the Secretary, fourteen days before the meeting and a copy of the proposed changes shall be circulated to members with the notice of the General Meeting
Passed at the Annual General Meeting held on the 6th day of October 2009.