Gorey Educate Together National School

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Online Parent Survey: Results

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Updated 12th October 2015:

Social, Personal & Health Education Survey 2015 Results Part 1

Many thanks to all parents & guardians who participated in last term’s online survey on this school’s Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) work.  Over 100 responses were received.

The responses will help shape the school’s approach to this curriculum area over the coming years, (as was the case in  previous surveys/consultations:  Code of Behaviour, Relationships & Sexuality Education policy, Educate Together ethos review, etc.)

SPHE includes lessons and activities for the children in areas such as:

self-confidence                                making decisions                             health & wellbeing

bullying                                             feelings & emotions                         personal safety

relating to others                            conflict resolution                             new life

A number of results are outlined above.  School staff and the Board of Management will further consider all results and comments later this term, before agreeing a set of priorities.  An action plan/improvement plan will be presented early next term.

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Online survey for parents & guardians on this school’s Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) work.

Your response will help shape the school’s approach to this curriculum area over the coming years, (as was the case in previous surveys/consultations:  Code of Behaviour, Relationships & Sexuality Education policy, Educate Together ethos review, etc.)

SPHE includes lessons and activities for the children in areas such as:

self-confidence, making decisions, health & wellbeing, bullying, feelings & emotions, personal safety, relating to others, conflict resolution, new life.

The survey is available at www.surveymonkey.com/s/gorey

The survey was piloted amongst a sample group of families.  Thanks for the feedback! 

All families are now asked to complete the improved survey at www.surveymonkey.com/s/gorey 

Please base your responses on your eldest current pupil of this school.      

No internet access? – paper version is available from the school office. 

Please do not name other children/families/staff when completing the survey.

Some parents suggested an ‘incentive’ to encourage as many families as possible to participate.  Thus, if there’s a good response rate, the children will be given the opportunity to vote on an exciting additional activity for Sports Day!

 

 

surveymonkey

Board Meetings 2012 2013

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Board of Management news: A report on each Board meeting can be found on the school website or on the Board mailbox, (inside the main school entrance.) These reports are published one meeting in arrears.

BoM 29th May 2013 Agreed Report

BoM 15th April 2013 Agreed Report

BoM 11th March 2013 Agreed Report

BoM 23rd January 2013 Agreed Report

BoM 3rd December 2012 Agreed Report

BoM 6th November 2012 Agreed Report

BoM 27th September 2012 Agreed Report

Board Meetings 2011 2012

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This was a handover meeting: outgoing Board of Management/incoming BoM.

Attendees: Colm O’Gorman, Angie Dooley, Allen Holman, Tracy Smith, Raymond Swan, Sarah Anderson

1.    Minutes of previous meeting were agreed.

Report to families and staff was agreed.

2.    Families and staff will be updated on membership of the new Board through the school newsletter.  Aideen O’Donnell elected as teacher nominee.  Community nominees: see below.    

3.    Treasurer’s Report (summary of account balances) was presented to the meeting by Raymond. 

4.    Enrolment Report was presented to the meeting by Raymond, (including numbers on school pre-enrolment lists.)

5.    Principal’s report: see various school newsletters.  The following were highlighted: Town Council visit; Intel mini-scientist event; green schools energy workshops; participation in Futsal competition. 

6.    Board of Management online training programme, (via Educate Together, our Patron.)  Details of this training course were circulated.

7.    Declaration of Acceptance of Membership of the School Board of Management.  This was held over until the next meeting. 

8.    Community Representatives: 4 possible candidates were suggested.  These are to be approached by the incoming Chairperson.

9.    Outgoing Board members were thanked for all their work over the past 4 years.  Incoming Board members were wished well in all future endeavours.  

Next meeting: to be confirmed. 

Board of Management news

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8th November 2011

Dear Parents & Guardians,

I wish to draw your attention to the following school matters:

Board of Management Response to Last Year’s Ethos Self-Evaluation Process

As you may recall, our participation in Educate Together’s Ethos Self-Evaluation Process involved pupil, parent and staff questionnaires as well as discussion groups and workshops.  The Board of Management wishes to thank everyone for their input – in particular, the members of this school’s Ethos Evaluation Team.       

The Board has agreed the following set of actions in response to the process:

Objective Rationale (from ethos review)  Action Timeline
Develop Mission Statement and Vision Statement for Gorey Educate Together National School Connect this school community’s expectations and aspirations with core principles of Educate Together Charter Consultation/engagement:

  • Evening event linked to BoM elections & PTA AGM. (November 2011)
  • Joint meeting of BoM & PTA committee
  • Coffee morning event
  • Staff Meeting 
  • School Council work
  • Questionnaire/survey
  • Other 

 

 By October 2012
Consolidate our position as an inclusive school community Emphasise one of our agreed core strengths Work towards Yellow Flag School statusExtend this school’s Diversity Week to include greater parental and/or community involvement  Programme funding not available 2011-2012.  Re-apply September 2012.May/June 2012. 
Maintain cohesion as our school community continues to growMaintain cohesion as our school community continues to grow Maintain cohesion as our school community continues to growBoost the efficacy of home-school communication

Boost the efficacy of home-school communication

 Restore whole-school Open Classroom event to a weekday during Term 1Arrange joint meeting of BoM and PTA committee.

Arrange get together of staff, BoM and PTA committee

Revisions to School Guide for Parents & Guardians

Regularise the issuing of newsletter and notes

Incorporate more day-to-day news from the classrooms (including Learn Together news) into school newsletters

 September 2011 (& annually thereafter)Annually

Annually

Parent & staff survey, June 2011.  Revised guide, September 2011. 

From September 2011, (Tuesdays)

From September 2011 (monthly)
Broaden the experience of the children on our School Council Broaden the experience of the children on our School Council Local government: visit Town Council chambersNational government: visit Houses of the Oireachtas (School Council + 5th or 6th class) November 2011 (& annually thereafter)Biennially 
Develop an outdoor teaching space Develop an outdoor teaching space Minor landscaping to an area at the rear of the school building.  Provide suitable benches/tables for 30+ children  Spring/summer 2012
Consolidate teacher preparedness for implementation of the Learn Together curriculum Consolidate teacher preparedness for implementation of the Learn Together curriculum Board to increase subsidy for completing training courses offered by Educate Together to 75% of course fee (subject to annual limits) From October 2011

ELECTION OF PARENT NOMINEES TO THE BOARD OF MANAGEMENT

The current term of the school’s Board of Management will expire on 30/11/2011 and a new Board will take up office on 01/12/2011.  Two parents of children enrolled in the school (one being a mother and the other a father) must be elected by the general body of parents of children enrolled in the school.

A meeting will be held at the school at 8pm on Wednesday 23rd November 2011. 

At this meeting:- 

  1. Nominations will be sought from parents for persons to stand for election as parent nominees on the Board.
  2. A ballot will be held at the meeting to elect the nominees.  If there is only one nominee for either panel, the nominees shall be deemed to be elected.  If more than one nomination is received for either of the panels, a secret ballot shall be held at the meeting.

A panel will also be established from which vacancies arising during the term of the Board may be filled. 

See www.education.ie (search ‘Board of Management’) for further information on roles and responsibilities.  See also next week’s school newsletter.

Parent-Teacher Association Annual General Meeting

This meeting will also take place on Wednesday 23rd November 2011.  A report on the work of the Association over the past year will be presented. 

A number of volunteers are needed to join the Organising Committee for 2011-2012, and parents are asked to consider putting themselves forward during this meeting.  See next week’s school newsletter for additional information.   

Parent-Teacher Meetings

These meetings will take place during the week beginning November 21st.  Appointment letters will be sent home next week.

Kind regards,

_______________

Raymond Swan

Principal

Board Meetings 2011

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Report to staff and families 18th November 2010

Minutes of BoM meeting 18th November 2010

Acknowledgement of co-option of Angie Dooley as Parent Representative on the Board.

Acknowledgement of co-option of Karen Loughran as Community Representative on the Board.

With regret, the resignation of Laura Hempenstall, parent representative was accepted by the Board. The Board would like to thank Laura for her work on the Board for the past three years.

With regret, the resignation of Lee Richardson, community representative was accepted by the Board. Lee was on the working group that was involved in the setting up of our school. Lee has been the treasurer of the Board for the past five years. The Board would like to thank Lee for his work over the past six years.

Educate Together has been notified of the above changes to the Board.

Declarations of Acceptance were signed by Karen and Angie.

Suggestion of highlighting again to parents of how to contact the Board – through the BoM letterbox in the front hallway.

Treasurer’s Report: 

Certified account for the years 2008/2009 are now available. These will be posted shortly.  

Last month the school received an IT grant for 10,000 euro. It is suggested that 5,000 will be kept to set up the new classroom that will be needed next year. The rest will go on software, a number of new computers, visualizers.

Voluntary contributions: The board would like to thank all parents who are paying the school voluntary contributions. Direct debits bring in 802 euro per month, and 1,073 euro was received in once off donations. 38 families are contributing voluntarily to the school. 

SEN purchase of suspended equipment totalled 11,824 euro. The school was advised by the occupational therapist to purchase this equipment.  4,000 euro raised by the PTA with the sponsored walk will go towards paying for this equipment and the rest will come from general funds. 

The enrolment at the moment is 266 pupils. All classes from 1st to 6th are full, vacancies in Junior and Senior infant classes only. 

Raymond brought the School Development Planning programme to date and the plan for this school year to the attention of the Board.

The updated Guide for Parents was reviewed.

Code of Behaviour:

The Board will review the NEWB guidelines for schools (esp. chapters 10-12) for the December meeting.  

Physical interventions: as a last resort- nonviolent crisis intervention strategies and techniques to be employed (CPI training course attended by all staff August 2010)