Mt St Michael Secondary Schools Parent Association
Constitution.
1. NAME: The association shall be known as the” Mount St Michael Secondary
School Parents Association”
2. OBJECTIVES: The Objectives of the Association/Council shall be:
(i) The advancement of the moral, mental, social and cultural well being of the
students of the Mt St Michael Secondary school (Vocational & Community
Colleges , Catholic, Christian Brother, Community & Comprehensive, Co-op of
Minority Religion & Protestant, and of the community generally.
(ii) The fostering of good relations between parents, teachers, students and the
school authorities.
(iii) The election of two parents’ nominees to the Board of Management.
3. MEMBERSHIP: All parents or legal guardians of students attending the school
shall be automatic members of the Association/Council
4. AFFILIATIONS: This Association/Council is affiliated to The National Parents
Council Post Primary
5. GENERAL MEETINGS:
(i) The Annual General meeting shall be held during September or October of
each year.
(ii) The executive committee shall call extraordinary General Meetings when the
executive committee deems it desirable or when a written request to call an
Extraordinary General Meeting is received by the Executive Committee, signed
by at least 50 parents.
(iii) Public Notice shall be given fourteen days in advance of a General Meeting.
(iv) General Meetings shall be chaired by the elected 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.
(v) A quorum for a General Meeting shall be 20 parents.
6. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE:
(a) An Executive Committee shall administer the affairs of the
Association/Council from the members of the Association/Council. The
Committee shall consist of at least twelve members who shall be elected each
year at the Annual General Meeting. The Parents’ nominees to the School Board
of Management shall be ex officio members of the committee
(b) The committee shall appoint from among its elected members the officers of
the Association/Council: Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Hon. Secretary, and
Hon. Treasurer.
(c) The committee shall have power to co-opt members to fill any vacancies
which occur on the committee.
(d) The Executive Committee shall meet each month from September to June
(inclusive) and on such other occasions as it is deemed necessary by the
Executive Committee. The quorum for such meetings shall be 50% of the
members of the Executive Committee.
(e) The Executive Committee may invite to General meetings or to committee
meetings such persons as the Committee decides.
(f) Minutes of all meetings shall be kept by the Hon. Secretary who shall present
the minutes to the Committee for approval at a subsequent Committee meeting.
(g) The Executive Committee shall have the power to appoint sub-committees to
assist it from time to time. Sub-Committees may consist of members or nonmembers of the Association/Council and shall report to the Executive Committee.
7. ELECTION OF PARENTS’ REPRESENTATIVES TO THE BOARD OF
MANAGEMENT:
(a) In accordance with the rules governing nomination of Parents’
Representatives to the School Board of Management, the Association/Council
shall conduct an election to nominate the Parents’ Representatives to the Board
of Management.
(b) Notice of election shall be given to all parents one month in advance of the
date of the election.
(c) Nominations of Candidates shall be submitted to the Executive Committee at
a Special General Meeting of the Association/Council.
8. This Constitution may be amended from time to time at a General Meeting of
the Association/Council. A two-thirds majority of the members present shall be
required to carry an amendment to the Constitution.
9. OFFICIAL STATEMENTS AND REPRESENTATIONS:
No member of the Association/Council other than the Chairperson or member
nominated either by the Chairperson or by the Executive Committee shall make
any official or public statement or representation on behalf of the
Association/Council.
10. LIAISON WITH SCHOOL AUTHORITIES:
Liaison with School shall normally be maintained through correspondence by the
Secretary, or by deputation nominated by the Chairperson or Executive
Committee, with the Principal or the school and/or his nominees.
The Executive committee may, however, should it consider it desirable and
appropriate, correspond, in writing, or seek a meeting with the Board of
Management.
11. The Association/Council in discharging its functions recognise that the
examination and resolution of problems relating to individual pupils or parents will
be for determination between the individual pupil and/or his parents and the
School Authorities.
The Association/Council also recognises that matters concerning the School
Curriculum and its implementation are the function of the School Authorities.
12. The Executive Committee shall present a report of its activities during the
preceding year, including a financial statement to the Annual General Meeting.
13. The Association/Council recommends the invite of member/members of the
student Council and the teacher representative for the student Council to attend
one meeting per year.
14. THE COMMITTEE OF THE PARENTS ASSOCIATION;
(a) The association should endeavor to ensure that each year group have a
representative on the committee.
(b) In the event of a member of the committee resigning, the association may coopt a parent/guardian to the vacancy until the next AGM.
(c) If a member does not attend three consecutive meetings, without apologies,
he/she will be deemed to have resigned from the committee.
(1)) If a member can not attend a meeting they are to notify the Chairperson by
e-mail, txt or telephone phone call.
(d) The executive committee shall meet at least six times each year and
additional meetings shall be held as required.
(e) At it first meeting the executive shall elect a Chairperson, Vice Chairperson,
Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer and PRO. Candidates for these
posts shall be proposed and seconded by members of the committee. If there is
more than one candidate for any post on the executive, a secret ballot shall be
held. The candidate receiving the greatest member of votes shall be declared the
winner. In the event of a tie the matter shall be decided by drawing of lots.
(1) The chairman, Vice Chairperson, Honorary Secretary, The Honorary
Treasurer and PRO shall be the “Honorary Officers”.
(2) The executive committee shall have the power to appoint sub committees for
specific purposes.
(3) All decisions of the executive committee shall be decided by a simple majority
of members voting an in the event of a tied vote the chairperson has a second
and casting vote.
(4) A quorum at a meeting of the executive committee shall consist of four
ordinary members and any two of the following …chairperson, hon. Secretary,
hon. treasurer.
15. WINDING UP:
Winding up of the Association/Council shall only be valid if accepted at a General
Meeting convened for this purpose. In the event of the winding up of the
Association/Council any assets on hand shall be presented to the Board of
Management for school purposes.