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:
|
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:-
- Nominations will be sought from parents for persons to stand for election as parent nominees on the Board.
- 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