Muckross Park College

Parents’ Association

Constitution

1. TITLE

The name and address of the Association shall be the Muckross Park Parents’ Association, Muckross Park College, Donnybrook, Dublin 4, hereafter referred to as the “Association”. Muckross Park College will hereafter be referred to as “the school”. Except where the context otherwise requires, all references to a parent or to parents in this Constitution shall be deemed to include references to a guardian or guardians.

2. AIMS

The aims of the association are as follows:

2.1          To provide a forum for the views of parents.

2.2          To represent these views to the Principal, the Board of Management of the school, and any other relevant persons or bodies as appropriate.

2.3          To ensure that parents are kept informed of the developments in the school and in education.

2.4          To support the role of the parents’ elected representatives on the Board of Management.

2.5          To help give parents an effective voice through affiliation to regional and/or national councils of school parents’ associations as appropriate.

2.6          To organise or assist with activities to improve the educational and financial resources of the school as required, subject to the sanction of the Board of Management.

3. MEMBERSHIP

Membership of the Association shall be open to all parents and guardians of the pupils attending Muckross Park College.

4. GENERAL MEETINGS

4.1          An Annual General Meeting of the association (hereafter referred to as AGM) shall be held before the end of October each year.

4.2          At least three weeks’ notice of the AGM shall be given to the members.

4.3          The minutes of the previous AGM shall be read and proposed for adoption at each AGM.

4.4          A report on the activities of the Association shall be presented at each AGM.

4.5          A detailed financial report shall be presented at each AGM.

4.6          A report will be given at each AGM by the parents’ elected representatives on the school Board of Management.

4.7          Notice of motions for inclusion on the AGM agenda shall be submitted to the Secretary not later than one week before the meeting date.

4.8          If necessary, a ballot shall be held at the AGM to fill vacancies on the Parents’ Association Committee in accordance with the procedures outlined in Section 5 below.

4.9 Ordinary General Meetings may be held as often as required.

4.10        An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) of all members may be called by the Committee, or by written request signed by at least twenty members of the Association, stating the purpose of the proposed meeting.

4.11        At least three weeks’ notice of the EGM shall be given to all members.

5. COMMITTEE

5.1          The Parents’ Association Committee (PAC), hereafter referred to as “the Committee”, shall be responsible for managing the business of the Association.

5.2          The Committee shall include at least eight and not more than twelve parent representatives.

5.3 Each member of the Committee elected at the AGM of the Association (referred to in this Constitution as an Elected Member) shall be deemed to have been elected for a period commencing on the date of the AGM at which he or she was so elected and concluding on the earlier of:

(a) The date of the AGM held on or about a date two years after the date on which he or she was so elected, and

(b) The date on which he or she ceased to be a parent or guardian of a pupil in the school.

No person may be elected to the committee for an aggregate period of more than two years.

5.4          In addition to the elected members, the following shall be ex-officio members of the Committee.

(a) The School Principal

(b) A representative of the teaching staff

(c) The parents’ elected representatives on the Board of Management

(d) One person elected as an officer of the Committee pursuant to paragraph 6.1 in the immediately previous year. That person shall be the first appearing in the following list of officers so elected in the immediately preceding year who is not eligible to continue as an Elected Member and who is available to serve as an ex-officio member of the Committee: the Chairperson, the Secretary, the vice-Chairperson and the Treasurer.

5.5          In the event that the number of members of the Committee eligible and willing to continue as members of the Committee following the next AGM is less than 12 at the time that the notice of the AGM is to be given pursuant to paragraph 4.2 of the Constitution, that notice shall contain a request for nominations to fill vacancies on the Committee.

5.6          This notice shall indicate if there are any year groups which have no parent representative among the Committee members who are continuing in the office. Each parent or guardian of a pupil in the school at the date of an AGM, except persons who are Elected Members immediately prior to that AGM, shall be eligible to be elected to the Committee at that AGM.

5.7          Completed nomination forms should be signed by the proposer and seconder and returned to the Association Secretary not later than one week prior to the AGM.

5.8          Nominees must indicate their acceptance of the nomination on the form.

5.9          The nomination form should indicate the class(es) of the nominee’s daughter(s).

5.10        One or more candidates for election to the Committee may be nominated by a proposer and a seconder at the AGM if:

(a) the number of nominations received added to the number of members eligible and willing to continue as members of the Committee following the AGM totals less than 12 and no nomination has been received of a parent or guardian of a pupil in an unrepresented year group, provided that no additional candidate may be nominated pursuant to this provision unless that candidate has a daughter in an unrepresented year group. For the purposes of this provision an unrepresented year group is a year group containing no daughter of a Committee member eligible and willing to continue as a member of the Committee following the AGM, or:

(b) The number of nominations received added to the number of members eligible and willing to continue as members of the Committee following the AGM totals less than eight.

No candidate nominated at the AGM may be elected to the Committee unless that candidate has indicated his or her acceptance of the nomination.

5.11        If the number of candidates nominated and eligible for election to the Committee in accordance with the foregoing provisions added to the number of members of the Committee eligible and willing to continue as members of the Committee following the AGM is not more than 12, all such candidates shall be deemed elected to the Committee. Otherwise a ballot will be held at the AGM in a manner to be determined by the Chairperson of the Committee or, in the absence of the Chairperson, the person acting as chairperson of the AGM. Only members of the Association present at the AGM may vote in the ballot.

5.12        The Committee shall, when required, elect from its parent members, delegates to represent the Association on any regional or national committee of school parents’ associations to which the Association is affiliated. Any delegate so elected shall remain a member of the Committee for the duration of his/her term of office as a delegate, notwithstanding Rule 5.3 above.

5.13        The Committee may appoint sub-committee, which will report to and be accountable to the Committee. Such sub-committees may co-opt Association members who are not members of the Committee as appropriate.

5.14        Such sub-committees shall exist for the time necessary to complete any project assigned to them or as otherwise determined by the Committee

6. OFFICERS

6.1          The Committee shall, at its first meeting following each AGM, elect from among it elected parent members, the following officers:

(a) Chairperson

(b) Vice-Chairperson

(c) Secretary

(d) Treasurer

6.2          Other officers may be elected as deemed necessary.

6.3          Officers may stand for re-election for a second or third year.

7.  COMMITTEE MEETINGS

7.1          Committee meetings shall be held at least twice a term.

7.2          The quorum for Committee meetings shall be one-third of its elected members.

 

8. FINANCE

8.1          The Treasurer shall have the authority to open and operate accounts with financial institutions as required.

8.2          Two signatories from among the officers of the Association, as may be arranged with the financial institution concerned, shall be required to sign cheques on behalf of the Association.

8.3          Each year parents will be invited to make a voluntary contribution towards the administrative expenses of the Association, the amount of which will be recommended by the Committee.

 

9.  AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION

9.1          Only an AGM of the Association shall have the power to amend this Constitution.

9.2          Notice of any proposed constitutional amendments should be submitted in writing to the Secretary not later than two weeks before such meeting.

9.3          The text of any proposed amendments shall be circulated to all parents at least one week prior to the AGM.

9.4          For any amendment to have effect it must be carried by at least two-thirds majority vote at the meeting.

 

10. IMPLEMENTATION

This Constitution, and any amendments duly carried shall, where practicable have immediate effect upon adoption by an AGM, unless two-thirds of those present at the meeting decide otherwise.

 

11. CIRCULATION OF CONSTITUTION

11.1        The Committee shall ensure that a copy of this Constitution is made available to each family with a child attending the school via the school website.

11.2        Parents of First Year pupils will be notified that a copy of this Constitution is available on the school website at the start of the academic year.

 

Constitution adopted by AGM held on November 10th, 1998

Constitution amended by AGM held on September 21st, 2005

Constitution amended by AGM held on September 27th, 2011

 

Constitution amended by AGM held on September 24th, 2014