Parents' Association News:
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13 May 2012: 6th Class Graduation Barbeque on
June 22nd - details here.
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4 May 2012: Vacancy for female parent nominee
to Board of Management.
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2 Mar 2012: School Bus daily at 2:30pm
Do you want to avoid the 2:30pm traffic?
The Parent's Association arrange for a school bus to bring boys
from 1st-6th class home. The service operates daily at 2:30pm at
a cost of only €65/pupil per month for the first child and
€40/pupil per month if you have 2 boys using the service. At the
moment the bus route includes O'Donovans Rd, College Rd, Model
Farm Road, Ballincollig (Kenny's shop), Link Road, Curraheen Rd,
Sarsfield Rd and Wilton. The bus serves several estates along
this route and new estates may be added if there is sufficient
interest. For further details please contact Alice at 0874106965
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27 Feb 2012: Updated
ICT Timetable for
2nd to 6th classes.
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2 Feb 2012: This is a link to a short
explanatory leaflet which the Department of Education and Skills
has made available to parents regarding the new Literacy and
Numeracy Plan. It is a very brief summary of the aims and
objectives of the plan:
http://www.education.ie/servlet/blobservlet/lit_num_strat_summary.pdf
-
1 Feb 2012: Link to DES departmental document
(ref:Circular 0056/2011) outlining what is expected from schools
in terms of the implementation of the new Literacy and Numeracy
Plan:
http://www.education.ie/admin/servlet/blobservlet/cl0056_2011.pdf
-
1 Feb 2012: New plan introduced by DES: "Literacy
and Numeracy for Learning and Life 2011-2020."
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Overview of Parents Association
The Parents Association
(PA) works to promote the interests of the students in the school in
co-operation with the board, principal, teachers and students. The
PA is the structure through which parents in the school can work
together for the best possible education of their children.
It has two main tasks:
1. To advise the
Principal or the Board on matters relating to the school and
2. To adopt a programme
of activities that will promote the involvement of parents in the
school, in consultation with the principal.
To do these tasks well
it is important that parents use the PA to express their views on
school policy, matters relating to the school, and on the kinds of
activities that encourage parental involvement and partnership for
the benefit of the students.
In St Josephs the PA
has a committee of between 8-14 parents. The committee is elected
annually at the AGM and the PA selects a chair, vice- chair,
treasurer and a secretary. Two parent representatives are on the
Board of Management. All parents are invited to attend the AGM of
the PA, which is held early in the new school year.
Minutes of PA meetings are
displayed on the Notice board in the school. The PA Newsletter is
circulated to parents twice a year. The PA lets parents know about
educational courses and training programmes offered by organisations
such as the NPC. The PA arranges educational talks in the school on
topics of interest to parents.
The PA plays an active role
in lobbying public bodies on matters relating to road safety. A
number of subcommittee of the PA works with representatives of the
Board of Management and school principal on matters relating to the
school environment, school policies, the new sports hall, a sporting
hall of fame, and a display of school photographs.
A subcommittee of the PA
organise the school bus service.
The PA raises money to
support its activities largely through Rainbow days. On Rainbow
days, children wear their own clothes and bring 2 euro, which goes
to PA funds. Other fundraising events include Quiz Nights and Golf
classics. Funds generated through these activities go back to fund
a number of projects in the school.
Fundraising is one of the roles of the PA, but it
is not the main function. The PA has a very important role in
celebrating special events for the boys and their families as they
move through their school years.
At Christmas time the
PA organises Santa’s visit to St Josephs for the junior classes and
decorate the school.
Every year the PA is involved in organising
social events where parents have an opportunity to meet. The Junior
Infants Induction day, the 6th class confirmation, the First
Communion and 6th class end of year mass are important
events in every school year. Parents who are not on the committee
play a key role in running all these social events.
We all have a contribution to make, it is
important that parents join, or get involved with or link with the
PA if they have suggestions they wish to make or queries they want
answers on. Our parents have tremendous skills and talents and there
are plenty of activities that parents can get involved in to promote
the boys education in the school.
