Parents as Partners in Education Policy
St Colmcille’s BNS, Swords
Introduction
The staff and Board of Management of St Colmcille’s BNS
acknowledge the role of parents as partners in education and as the primary
educators of their children, and it encourages them to be actively involved in
the life of our school. This policy was drafted to inform parents of ways and
means of supporting the school and its pupils, and it outlines the strategies
which are adopted to promote and to foster positive home-school relations.
Rationale
Partnership for parents in education has been a stated policy
aim of the Government since the publication of Circular 24/91. This aim was given legal status with the enactment
of the Education Act, 1998 and the Education
Welfare Act, 2000. Within the
context of the School Self-Evaluation initiative,
it is recommended that schools draft a policy which outlines the manner in which
this sense of partnership can be promoted.
Relating
this Policy to the Characteristic Spirit of St. Colmcille’s B.N.S
St.
Colmcille’s B.N.S. is committed to providing a caring, learning environment
which facilitates the nurturing of each pupil’s full, educational potential.
Communication between home and school is a vital ingredient in this
process. Our school aims to be a welcoming and inclusive environment for all
members of its community. This
community is defined as the pupils, parents, teachers, ancillary staff and
visitors to the school.
Aims
In drafting this policy, it is hoped to:
-
Develop a school community which is committed to supporting all of
its members
-
Provide information on the procedures and means of communication
which are utilised for sharing information
with regard to pupil progress and school events
-
Enhance the
learning environment by extending the educational opportunities which are
provided for our pupils
Guidelines / Ways to
become involved
Parents are invited to become involved in the school in many
ways such as:
-
Serving on school bodies such as the Board of Management and the Parents’
Association
-
Fundraising
activities
-
Policy development e.g. Code of Behaviour, Relationships and
Sexuality Education, Healthy Eating Policy
-
Assisting with coaching and/ or providing transport to sporting
events
-
Organising/ assisting at school events such as Teddy Bears’
Picnic for new Junior Infant pupils
Board of Management (BOM)
The BOM consists of eight members, two of whom are parents
elected by the parents of pupils attending our school.
Parents’ Association
We have an active and supportive Parents’ Association in our
school. A Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer and Committee are elected at the
Annual General Meeting and these officers are in contact with the Principal
regarding issues which are raised informally or at the regular Committee
meetings. The Parents’ Association provides support for events such as the
School Jog, Sports’ Days, Santa’s visit at Christmas, liturgies and other
occasions which are not directly funded by the Department of Education and
Skills.
Policy Consultation
Parents are invited to take part in the review of policies in
the school. Draft policies are published on our website (www.colmcilles.net)
and hard copies of policy documents are provided, if requested. On occasions,
parents may be are invited to form a sub- committee in the formulation/revision
of certain policies e.g. RSE.
Curriculum Plans
Parents are advised at formal Parent/Teacher meetings and
informal meetings of ways in which they can support their child’s learning.
Parents of children who are provided with support by our Resource Teachers are
invited to meet with the Class Teacher and Resource Teacher to assist in the
process of devising of Individual Education Profiles and Learning Profiles
(IEPs/ILPs).
Communication
Communication between parents and teachers should be open,
honest and polite. In the instance of a parent wishing to meet with a teacher,
the homework journal can be used to send a note, and the teacher then has the
opportunity to prepare for the meeting. The vast majority of meetings at this
level will be held outside official school hours because of the disruptive
nature of such meetings during the school day. Similarly, if a teacher wishes to
meet with a parent, the same procedures will apply.
School Booklet
A booklet giving details of school policies, rules and
procedures is given to parents when their children are enrolled for our school.
Homework Journals
A summary of the contents of the school booklet is contained in
the personalised Homework Journals. The journals provide an effective means of
daily communication between parents and teachers, and are available to pupils
from 1st Class to 6th Class. A homework folder is used in
the Infant Classes. On occasions, in conjunction with our Code of Behaviour, a
Daily Report Card is used to communicate with parents regarding positive and
negative aspects of certain children’s behaviour at school. This is part of an
Individual Behaviour Plan that will have been drawn up in consultation with
parents.
Merit Books
The Merit Books are an essential element of the Code of
Behaviour. They are written up on a daily basis by teachers, and sent to parents
for counter-signing on Fridays. The Merit Books contain positive and negative
comments on pupils’ behaviour, and provide a means of informing parents at a
very early stage, if issues are arising with regard to a pupil’s behaviour.
Parent Teacher Meetings
Parents are invited to attend formal parent teacher meetings in
the first term to discuss their child’s progress academically and socially.
The Resource Teachers are also available to meet parents on that day. To meet
the needs of parents who are unavailable to attend on the selected dates, an
arrangement is in place to organise a meeting on a day that suits all parties
involved. Informal meetings are held as frequently as they are needed and
parents are encouraged to (a) write a note in the homework journal if they wish
to meet the teacher or (b) to arrange an appointment with the school secretary.
Newsletters
Newsletters are sent regularly to all members on our school
community. The first newsletter of each school year is in the form of a
“welcome letter”, and it contains a list of important dates for that school
year. Other newsletters provide updates on school events or draw attention to
matters of relevance during that specific time. The Parents’ Association also
issues newsletters when it wishes to publicise particular events.
Circular Letters
The school calendar and details of the school accounts are among
some of the many circulars which are issued during the school year. Parents are
always informed in writing if there are exceptional school closings.
School Reports
Reports on each pupil’s progress are issued twice yearly. The
first report is issued prior to the formal parent/ teacher meetings, and the
second report is issued at the end of the school year. The second report
contains details of a pupil’s performance on the Standardised Tests (1st
- 6th) and guidance notes to explain the significance of the test
scores.
Board of Management’s
Annual Report
The Board of Management’s publishes an Annual Report in which
it gives details of the work of the Board and the initiatives with which it has
been involved during the course of the school year. This report is published on
the school website.
Induction Meeting for
Parents of Junior Infants
An induction meeting is held in May for the parents of children
in the incoming Junior Infant Classes. Parents are presented with a copy of the
School Booklet, and details with regard to school policies and other information
are provided.
Open Day
An Open Day is held each in June of each year for the parents
and pupils of the incoming Junior Infant Classes.
Website (www.colmcilles.net)
The school website is used to disseminate information and school
news, and to celebrate happenings and achievements. School policies are
published on the policy section, and there are links to a range of websites
which contain hints and advice.
Email
The school’s email address is colmcilles@gmail.com.
There is also a facility to make contact with the school through a tab on the
school website.
Textaparent
The school has established a database of mobile phone numbers on
the textaparent.ie website. This facilitates the sending of text messages to all
parents or specific groups of parents. For this service to function efficiently,
it is important that the school is notified in the event of a charge of mobile
phone number.
Notice Board
The notice board at the entrance to the school is updated
regularly.
School Events
The school hosts a range of events during the year to encourage
the participation of parents in the life of the school. Parents are also
encouraged to participate in the preparation of their children for the
Sacraments of Penance, Communion and Confirmation. Members of the school
community and the parish co-operate in the implementation of the Do
this in Memory programme.
Liaison
with other agencies
Parents
are made aware of the contacts which the school maintains with outside agencies
such as the Education Welfare Board, the Health Service Executive, the National
Educational Psychological Service, the Department of Education and Skills, the
principals of various primary / post- primary schools in the area, local clubs
and organisations.
Success criteria
-
the
benefits to pupil learning
-
increased
parental involvement in supporting the school
-
feedback
from parents/ staff
Review and Evaluation Procedures
This
policy was reviewed in November 2013
Responsibility for Review
Ratification and Communication
This
policy was ratified by the Board of Management on 11 November. It was uploaded
to the website on 1 December 2013.
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