Scoil Mhuire Parents Association Pallaskenry Constitution

(as ratified at 2010 AGM)

1. Name of Association
   1. The name of the association shall be known as Scoil Mhuire Parents Association Pallaskenry, in accordance with the Education Act of 1998.
2. Aims and Objectives
   1. To foster and facilitate communication on matters of importance between parents and the school.
   2. To encourage and promote clear understanding between home and school and advance the interests of the school.
   3. To arrange a programme of events of interest, social and fundraising.
   4. To provide additional resources for the school.
3. Membership
   1. Membership is automatic for parents with a child at any level in the school.
   2. The committee membership will be a minimum of 5 and gender balanced.
   3. Parents representatives elected to the Board of Management are automatically members of the committee, but will not hold an office post.
4. Affiliation
   1. The Association shall be affiliated to National Parents Council Primary annually.
5. Association Committee
   1. The Association shall have an Executive committee.
   2. The committee will run the Association on behalf of the members and in accordance with the Association’s aims and objectives.
   3. Committee decisions shall be decided by consensus or by majority voting. A quorum shall be no less than one third of committee members.
   4. The committee shall consist of the following:
      • Chairperson
      • Vice Chairperson
      • Secretary
      • Vice Secretary
      • Treasurer
      • Vice Treasurer
      • Special Needs Delegate(s)
      • The Webmaster
      • 0 to 12 other members
   5. The term of office for elected executive committee officers is one academic year.
      1. The committee officers shall be democratically elected at the AGM.
      2. A person shall not hold the same office for more than three years.
   6. A vacancy created by the resignation of a committee officer can be filled by their vice counterpart until the next Annual General Meeting.
   7. The Committee shall endeavor to meet regularly, and shall conduct its affairs where possible by consensus, fixing the date of the following meeting as the last item of business.
   8. Where there is an equality of votes on an issue at a meeting, the Chair shall have a casting vote.
   9. All Committee and Officer positions are honorary in that no salary or fee is paid for the performance of the duties of office.
   10. The Chairperson and either the Secretary or the Treasurer, signing in the presence of each other, only have the power to sign contracts/cheques on behalf of the Association.
6. Duties of the Executive Committee
   1. The Chairperson
      1. The Chairperson shall be the chief officer of the association whose functions include chairing all meetings of the committee and officiating at meetings of the association in accordance with Article 7.
      2. The Chair of any meeting shall have an ordinary vote at committee meetings. In the event of a tie on any matter s/he shall have a casting vote.
      3. The Vice-Chairperson shall assist the Chairperson in all duties.
      4. The Chairperson, or a simple majority of the committee, may call on the Vice-Chairperson to take up position, that is chair any topic, at any meeting at anytime.
      5. Consult beforehand with the Secretary on all the business to be discussed at meeting
      6. Supervise and to prepare, together with the Secretary, the agenda for the meeting.
      7. Check that all reports etc which should accompany the agenda and minutes are sent out to members in sufficient time before the meeting.
      8. Be acquainted with any reports, correspondence, business etc, which is to be presented to the meeting.
      9. Work with the Secretary to ensure that tasks which were to be completed between meetings are completed.
      10. Conduct the business of the meeting and according to the order of the agenda unless it is altered with the consent of the meeting.
      11. Allow free and, if necessary, formal debate.
      12. Give all those wishing to speak an opportunity to do so, to see that their remarks are addressed to the chair and to allow no private discussion or personal matter to be introduced in a negative way.
      13. Say who is to speak, if two people should speak at the same time – the Chairperson’s decision on such points is final.
      14. Make every effort to let any meeting over which s/he presides understand the reasons for and purpose of his/her rulings.
      15. Close the meeting when all matters are attended to.
   2. The Secretary
      1. The Secretary shall conduct the correspondence of the committee and shall keep a file of all relevant data.
      2. Shall keep minutes of all committee meetings, of all general meetings, of the Annual General Meeting or other meetings relating to the business of the Association when requested by the committee.
      3. The Secretary shall give notice to all members of the Association’s meetings, events and functions.
      4. The Secretary shall deal with all correspondence and records of the Association and to give notice to all members of meeting times
      5. The Secretary shall draft or check the Minutes as soon as possible and submit them to the Chair for correction/approval.
      6. The Secretary shall make sure that a copy of the previous Minutes are circulated to all Committee members with notice of the next meeting (date, place, time) and a draft agenda for the coming meeting.
      7. The Secretary shall settle the items of the agenda with the Chairperson and prepare copies for all members.
      8. The Secretary shall write any letters, secure information or take any action on matters decided by the committee.
      9. The Secretary shall send a reminder about the meeting to all members, either through e-mail or SMS.
      10. The Secretary shall keep an attendance register and note apologies.
      11. In addition to the constitution of the Association, the Secretary shall also have a copy ofManaging Together-a guide to working effectively as a Committee (Combat Poverty, 1993) and shall assist the chair in keeping the order and decorum of the meeting.
      12. The Secretary shall report to an AGM in accordance with Article 7.4
   3. The Treasurer
      1. The Treasurer’s function shall be to administer the funds of the Association and to maintain accounts and budgets.
      2. The Treasurer shall report to an AGM in accordance with Article 7.4.
      3. The Treasurer retains a discerning veto over the application of any assets of the Association to protect the integrity of the Association and its funds as the Treasurer is responsible for all transactions.
      4. The Treasurer shall be responsible for the maintenance of accounts subject to the decisions of the committee in compliance with the regulations as set down by the Association.
      5. The Treasurer shall issue receipts.
      6. The Treasurer shall keep full records of income and expenditure. S/he shall keep a record of who authorized the expenditure.
      7. Where the Treasurer is decreed as unavailable, the Chairperson may signs cheques or withdrawal forms.
   4. The Webmaster
      1. The Webmaster shall maintain the Website for the Association and report all feedback from the site at the next available meeting.
      2. The Webmaster shall maintain the e-mail income for the Association and ensure all committee members may view all mail received.
      3. The Webmaster will display any articles on our site which committee members submit in accordance with Article 2.
      4. The Webmaster, as a member of the committee shall have additional duties and responsibilities assigned to them by the Association as required.
   5. The Special Needs Delegate(s)
      1. A Parent/ Advocate shall be appointed to the committee of the Parents Council with special responsibility for the representation of pupils with Special Needs in the school.
      2. The role of the special needs delegate(s) will be to provide a disability perspective on all activities/events and decisions that are enacted by the Parents Council, thus ensuring equality of rights, needs and achievement of the full potential of all students with special needs participating in the school.
      3. It will also be the duty of this delegate(s) to attend any relevant training/conference/seminars and or information briefings on behalf of the Parents Council and to report back to Parents Council on any matters pertaining to students with special needs.
      4. Special needs delegate(s) represented on the Parents Council shall be proportionally consistent to the number of special needs students in the school.
   6. Co-options and sub-committees
      1. The committee shall co-opt people onto the committee to assist in their work as and when required.
      2. Sub-committees can be set up for particular tasks and may also co-opt people to assist in their work.
      3. The sub-committees may not make decisions.
      4. The sub-committiees shall be accountable to the main committee.
7. General Meetings
   1. An AGM shall be held each year.
   2. Elections for the officers of the committee shall take place at this meeting upon completion of three year tenure.
   3. The quorum for General Meetings is 50% + 1 of committee members.
   4. The business of the AGM shall include annual reports given by the outgoing chairperson and treasurer, as well as a report from the Secretary.
   5. An Extraordinary General Meeting will be convened if 10% of total membership of the association lodges a request to the committee in writing.
   6. An EGM may also be called at the discretion of the Committee.
   7. An Extraordinary General Meeting shall discuss only the business for which it is convened and no other business shall be transacted.
   8. The Committee shall decide the timing of general meetings.
   9. Notice of all general meetings will be given to the general membership at least 5 working days prior to the date of the meeting.
   10. At a general meeting any member may propose a resolution relating to the business of the association. The resolution shall be voted on by a show of hands, followed by a declaration by the chairperson that the resolution is carried or failed.
   11. All motions, except those for which express provision is made, shall be passed by a simple majority of those present and entitled to vote.
   12. Motions to alter the Constitution require a two thirds majority of those present and entitled to vote.
   13. There is one vote per member present.
   14. Two main methods of voting at meetings shall be used, (i) by a show of hands or (ii) by secret ballot. On important matters or when a motion concerns a person whether present or not, a secret ballot shall be preferred.
   15. Decisions made at a valid meeting are binding on all members, whether present or not.
   16. A meeting is valid if it is; (i) properly convened, (ii) properly constituted, (iii) properly held and (iv) in accordance with the rules governing the meeting.
8. Dismissal of Executive Committee Officers
   1. No member of the executive committee shall be dismissed from office unless:
      1. Notice of a resolution to seek such dismissal, signed by at least 10% of the active members of the Committee is received 4 working days prior to a General Meeting at which such a resolution shall be debated.
      2. A two-thirds majority at the meeting will pass the resolution.
9. Dismissal of Committee Members
   1. The committee will have power to censor or expel from the Association for a period that it decides, for:
      1. Violation of the Constitution as laid down by the Association.
      2. Violation of the Child Protection Policy as laid down by Scoil Mhuire.
      3. Conduct deemed to be prejudicial to the good name of the Association.
      4. The committee has the power to immediately suspend any member who they believe has or could endanger themselves or others.
      5. The committee will decide on any further action within 2 weeks.
      6. A member penalised may appeal the decision to a General Meeting once only in any committee year of office, where a simple majority vote will be required to overrule the decision of the committee.
10. Interpretation
    1. If, at any time, circumstances arise for which there is no provision in this Constitution, the Committee shall take such action as seems reasonable and necessary.
    2. Such action shall be deemed valid until reviewed at an EGM or AGM.
11. General
    1. A copy of the Constitution shall be placed on the Association’s website and be available to all members.
    2. Notice of a proposal to seek an amendment to this constitution shall be given to members at least four working days prior to the meeting at which such proposal shall be considered. Such a proposal must receive the approval of two thirds of the members present at such a meeting.
12. Official Statements & Representations
    1. No member of the Association other than the Chairperson or member nominated by the Executive Committee shall make any official or public statements or representations on behalf of the Association.
13. Winding Up
    1. Winding up the Association shall only be valid if accepted at a General Meeting convened for this purpose.
    2. 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.
14. Code of Conduct
    1. Scoil Mhuire Parents Association does not tolerate bullying. Bullying is repeated aggression, (verbal, psychological or physical), conducted by an individual or group against another person or persons. Isolated incidents of aggressive behaviour, while to be condemned, should not be described as bullying. Only aggressive behaviour that is systematic and ongoing should be regarded as bullying. Sanctions will be taken against those found to be in breach of the policy. Committee members should/may contact any of the Committee Officers for assistance on this issue,