CONSTITUTION
1. Name
The name of the association will be the Eastwood High School Parent Council, hereinafter called the Parent Council.
2. Functions
The Council is established in accordance with the Scottish Schools (Parental Involvement) Act, hereinafter called the Act. Its functions are as described in the Act and are, in brief, to:-
a. support school management to improve the quality of education
which the school provides, and develop to their fullest potential the personality, talents and mental and physical abilities of the pupils attending the school.
b. develop and engage in activities which support the education
and welfare of pupils.
c. promote contact between the school, the Parent Forum,
prospective parents and the community.
d. report on the Council activities to the Parent Forum at least annually,
e. identify and represent the views of the Parent Forum
f. comply with any reasonable request made to it by the head teacher of the school or by the education authority for information relating to its exercise of those functions.
3. Membership
Full membership of the Council will be open to:-
(a) elected members of the parent forum
(b) members co-opted by the current members of the council, one of whom must be a denominational nominee in the case of denominational school
(c) Pending further information from the local Authority, it may be a requirement for all members to be disclosure checked.
(d) If a Parent Council member has habitual non attendance at council meetings then the member will be asked to step down. If a member acts in a way that is considered by other members to undermine the objectives of the Parent Council, their membership of the Parent Council shall be terminated if two thirds of the whole membership of the Parent Council agree. Termination of membership would be confirmed in writing to the member.
In non-denominational schools, co-opted members may represent denominational groups, however, the Council will have due regard to the cultural and religious diversity of the school population in co-opting such members.
Membership will terminate four years from appointment, or when a parent’s youngest child leaves the school, or when a member gives notice of resigning position.
Membership of Parental Council should be no less than 20 and maximum of 25.
4. Officers
a) Only a person who is a member of the school’s Parent Forum may chair the Parental Council.
b) The Chair, Vice Chair, and any other honorary officers will be elected at the inaugural General Meeting and when elected should hold office until the next Annual General Meeting.
5. Committees
The Council may appoint such special or standing committees as it deems necessary and will determine their terms of reference, powers, duration and composition. All proceedings of such special committees will be reported to the Council.
6. Meetings of the Council
a) All meetings of the Council are open to all members of the parent forum and to the public, however, the Council (including the Head Teacher), has the right to meet in private during discussion of any matter which the Council considers should be dealt with on a confidential basis.
b) Individual cases relating to pupils, teachers or parents at the school are not matters for direct Parent Council involvement.
c) The Head Teacher has both a right and a duty to attend Council meetings or to be represented at a Council meeting.
d) There will be an annual general meeting of the Council.
e) Notice of all meetings must be made at least two weeks in advance of the meeting to all members and to the Parent Forum.
f) The quorum will be one quarter of the membership, providing that the number of co-opted members in the quorum does not exceed the number of members of the parent forum.
g) All issues arising at any meeting will be decided by a simple majority of those present who are entitled to vote. Proxy votes will be accepted.
h) The full Parent Council will meet at least once in every school term.
7. Finance
a) The Council may raise funds by any legal means, other than borrowing, and may expend these sums to carry out its functions at its discretion and in line with appropriate legislation.
b) The Council may receive donations (all donations must be noted).
c) The treasurer will ensure that proper accounts are kept and followed.
d) An audited annual statement of accounts shall be presented to the Annual General Meeting and circulated to the Parents Forum.
8. Review Constitution
The Council may review and amend its constitution, but only with the consent of two thirds of the full Parent Council.
9. Dissolution of the Council
Should the Parent Council cease to exist, any funds received from the Education Authority will be passed to the Education Authority to be used for the benefit of the school. Any funds raised by the Council will be passed directly to the school.
MINUTES OF THE 4th MEETING OF EASTWOOD HIGH SCHOOL PARENT COUNCIL HELD ON 31 JANUARY 2008 AT 7.30PM IN EASTWOOD HIGH SCHOOL
PRESENT: PARENTS – Pat Kedslie, Vivienne Christison, Jackie Malloy, Yvonne Chalmers, Susan Clark, Alison Hutchinson, Margo McGibbon, Kalsoom Mohammed, Christine Peberdy, Sanat Mehta, Judith Johnstone, Graham Smith, Diane Dakers, Marii Taylor.
IN ATTENDANCE: Stuart Maxwell (Head Teacher), Clr Charlie Gilbert.
1. INTRODUCTION & APOLOGIES
Pat Kedslie thanked everyone for attending and welcomed them to the meeting.
Apologies were received from; Carol MacNee, Graeme Gardiner, and Linda Sichi.
No changes were required to the previously distributed agenda.
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – 22 November 2007
The minutes of the meeting held on 22 Nov 2007 were unanimously approved by the meeting.
ACTION: Graeme Gardiner to place on school website.
3. MATTERS ARISING FROM MINUTES – 22 Nov 2007
None
4. TREASURER’S REPORT
Alison Hutchinson advised that the current balance of funds in the PTA account is £1,675.21. The school raffle before Christmas succeeded in raising £1,107. £500 was presented to the English dept and library for new books.
5. CORRESPONDENCE
a) School library provision. At the meeting on 22 Nov it was decided that the Council should write to Community & Leisure for clarification on the possible reinstatement of a school librarian for 5 days a week, from the current 4 days. The Chair received a reply from Ken McKinlay, Head of Culture & Sport. He stated that public library opening hours had been reviewed and altered but with no additional funding. There had also been a review on the impact of the change in school librarian provision on teaching and learning – and this showed a lessening of the relationship between pupils and school librarian. “The transfer of the library service in its entirety to Education had been discussed, but it has been decided to stay with the status quo.”
b) Correspondence from East Renfrewshire School Music. A cd was enclosed, which featured pupils from ERC schools who participate in choirs, bands and ensembles at the Williamwood Music School on Saturdays. (This cd is available to any parent member who wishes it. Otherwise it will be passed to the Music dept.)
c) Correspondence from East Renfrewshire Local Attendance Council (LAC). They are looking for parent nominations from the Council to attend non-attendance committees (1 every 6 weeks) and placing requests (1 held in March every year). All those interested in being involved in this should inform Pat Kedslie (Chair).
d) ERC made a press announcement regarding their Capital Programme for the next 5 years for schools. They announced £2M for remodelling & refurbishment of EHS in 2010/11, £4M in 20011/12, and £4M in 1012/13. This programme will run in parallel with discussions and negotiations for a new EHS. Clr. Gilbert stated that there would be a meeting in March with Fiona Morrison and Technical Services to discuss the scope of the work, and when it will happen. ERC’s Finance Director and the Scottish Government remain in discussion on the financing of the new school/s. The decision on a new school may take up to a year to finalise.
6. INFORMATION ITEMS
a) PTA Update – A Precis of Business from the PTA had been circulated to Council members prior to this meeting. The main item under discussion was the recent Guidelines issued by East Renfrewshire Council regarding the financial management of PTA funds. Linda Sichi had reviewed them and the PTA now recommended that they be adopted by the Council. It was felt these should be discussed at the next meeting, when Linda Sichi would be present.
ACTION: Place on Agenda for next meeting. Linda Sichi to discuss.
Vivienne Christison stated that feedback from the recent Careers night in January was very positive, both from the pupils and the organisations represented.
b) Staffing Update – None
c) Building Update – Already discussed, under 5. d).
7. DISCUSSION ITEMS
a) HT Presentation on Behaviour Management
Mr Maxwell circulated National Guidelines on Exclusion policies, and also ERC’s Standard Circular No8 on Indiscipline & Exclusion. The latter is available on the ERC website. The former states “School Boards are strongly advised not to discuss individual cases, not least in the interests of confidentiality. The Board should, however, play a pro-active role in the drawing up, on-going review and monitoring of school behaviour policies, including those aspects related to exclusion”.
Mr Maxwell gave a short presentation to the Council on the school procedures in place.
b) CPD Thematic Review – ERC carried out an internal review recently on staff CPD, and this was found to be highly acceptable.
8. AOB
The current week’s Extra carried a front page report of a fight in the grounds of the school. This was briefly discussed. The article was considered to be not wholly accurate, and poorly portrayed the correct image of the school.
9. DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 27 March 2008 at 7.30pm in Eastwood High School. Please pass on any apologies to the Chair or the School office.
SCHOOL TELEPHONE NUMBER FOR ENQUIRIES 0141-577-2200
MINUTES OF THE 3rd MEETING OF EASTWOOD HIGH SCHOOL PARENT COUNCIL HELD ON 22nd November 2007 AT 7.30PM IN EASTWOOD HIGH SCHOOL
PRESENT: PARENTS – Pat Kedslie, Vivienne Christison, Isobel Lithgow, Yvonne Chalmers, Susan Clark, Alison Hutchinson, Jim Kerrigan, Carol MacNee, Margo McGibbon, Kalsoon Mohammed, Christine Peberdy, Graham Smith and Sanat Mehta.
IN ATTENDANCE: Stuart Maxwell (Head Teacher)
Yvonne Chalmers agreed to take the minutes of the meeting.
Apologises were received from: Judith Johnstone, Mark Taylor, Jackie Malloy, Liz McKelvie, Graeme Gardner and Councillor Charlie Gilbert.
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – 5th September 2007
ACTION: Graeme Gardner to place on school website.
3. MATTERS ARISING FROM MINUTES – 5th September 2007
Alison Hutchinson advised that the current balance of funds in the PTA account is £514.90.
a) Viv Christison had attended the first Parent Council (“PC”) Chairpersons meeting and commented on the fact that there was a large volume of people in attendance. This was mainly due to the fact that all members of PCs are eligible to attend.
The next Chair meetings will be
26th Feb 2008 at 7pm in St Lukes Barrhead
6th May 2008 at 7pm in Mearns Castle High School
b) Correspondence from the Scottish Parent Council Association(previously known as The Scottish School Board Assoc). This is a national body representing all Scottish PCs. It aims to provide assistance and independent advice/training and professional support to councils and members. The PC agreed to subscribe to it, to benefit from independent advice.
c) An email was received from Jim Murphy and Ken McIntosh launching a petition for the building of a new EHS. Parents can sign this if they wish, but the PC formally decided not to, as it is apolitical.
d) Maureen Watt MSP (Minister for Schools & Skills). This is the first communication re parent councils from the new SNP government. She set out her statement on the next steps forward. In summary: to encourage local authorities to work with PCs when developing local education policy, encourage PCs to think how their views might contribute to national policy, and offering local authorities modest funding to help PCs on this and to decide what national body they want. The PC decided that this should be requested to be put on the next Chair meeting agenda.
ACTION: Chair to email Rona Kennedy at ERC
e) Various updates from Clr Charlie Gilbert re new school building. These were concerned with the new government’s financing proposals. He has been urging our new MSPs to carry out what they had publicly stated – to implement the financing of deals with had previously been planned – as money had already been set aside by them for Councils. He urged them to follow this through and to let ERC know this so they could make ready for EHS.
ACTION: Chair to write to Stewart Maxwell (List MSP for constituency) and Fiona Hyslop MSP asking for this to happen and highlighting and 1 year had already passed since the HMI report stated the poor condition of the building.
a) PTA Update – A Precis of Business from the PTA had been circulated to Council members prior to this meeting. The main item under discussion was the recent Guidelines issued by East Renfrewshire Council regarding the financial management of PTA funds. Concerns were raised that the term “illegal” was being used with regard to the bank accounts and name of the fund-raising branch of the PC, and members of the PTA asked for clarification as to whether the Guidelines were mandatory or were purely for guidance. It was agreed that the PC would email the education dept at ERC and request a meeting between them and 3 or so representatives of the PC to clarify this issue, after Linda Sichi had finished reviewing them. It was also suggested that the PC seek independent advice from the Scottish Parent Council Association.
ACTION: Linda Sichi, and Chair to email education dept. (Carol Cross & Rona Kennedy) and letter to SPCA.
Vivienne Christison highlighted the Careers night organised for 21/1/08. Numerous professions/industries have already been contacted, but she asked the PC to review the listings and offer further contacts and suggestions wherever possible.
b) Staffing Update – Stuart Maxwell advised that there is currently
a vacancy for a Spanish/French teacher and that interviews will be taking place in December.
c) Building Update – No further news at present. Stuart Maxwell advised that the huts are serving their purpose well.
a) Pupil Security/Safety
Pat Kedslie expressed concerns that the PC knows little about school policies and procedures regarding pupils safety, or ERC’s policies. In general, parents’ knowledge was limited. It was agreed that the PC needs to be aware of such procedures to assist parents. Stuart Maxwell informed the PC that there are various circulars issued by ERC and it was agreed that the PC should request copies of these, and that Pat Kedslie would raise the issue of having these available on the ERC website at the next Parent Council Chairpersons meeting. It was also noted that School Policies are on the Eastwood High School website. Stuart Maxwell offered to do a short presentation at the next Council meeting on the topic of behaviour management.
ACTION: Chair to email and request this on next Chair agenda.
b) School Library
As the school library comes under the control and budget of Community & Leisure dept (C&L) and not Education it was noted that when C&L made cutbacks (approx 18 months ago) Miss De’Ath’s hours were reduced to only 4 days a week at EHS. Now that the opening hours of public libraries have been increased the PC queried if Miss De’Ath would now have her duties increased to 5 days a week at EHS. Clarification to be sought from C&L dept.
ACTION: Vivienne Christison to write to C&L (and cc John Wilson)
c) Traffic Control
Following a recent car accident in the designated parking bays at the front of the school, a discussion took place as to what action could be taken to ensure the safety of all pupils. It was noted that irresponsible parking by certain individuals (in particular on the roundabout and along the main driveway) was a major hazard, but it was also noted that issue is raised time and time again and still the irresponsible behaviour continues. Stuart Maxwell agreed to raise awareness again regarding this matter in the next newsletter.
ACTION: Stuart Maxwell
It was noted that the recently organized meeting for “Parents
of the 21st Century” was poorly attended by parent. It was
disappointing as it was reported to be an excellent presentation
and of help to parents.
The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 31st January 2008 at 7.30pm in Eastwood High School.
Previous Page
