The Board of Management of Firhouse Educate Together National School
Francis Fullen: Chairperson
Thomas Frayne: Treasurer
Collette Dunne: Principal
Rachael Byrne: Teacher Representative
Brian Buckley: Parent Representative re-elected at meeting on November 11th
Gwen Leost Kane: : Parent Representative elected at meeting on November 11th
Rita Lahiff: Community Representative
Board of Management Meeting 30th January 2017
Board of Management Meeting: 30th January 2017:
In attendance: Francis Fullen, Collette Dunne, Rachael Byrne (Recorder of minutes), Rita Lahiff, Brian Buckley. Apologies: Thomas Frayne, Gwen Leost Kane
The Board discussed the Department of Education and Skills’ (DES) instruction for our school not to offer places to children on Criteria 3 of Enrolment Policy i.e. ‘Outside of Catchment Area’ for Junior Infants 2017. This results in families who were given hope by DES queries in December not being offered places and our school having a single stream of Junior Infants in September 2017.
Actions taken:
In attendance: Francis Fullen, Collette Dunne, Rachael Byrne (Recorder of minutes), Rita Lahiff, Brian Buckley. Apologies: Thomas Frayne, Gwen Leost Kane
- Child Protection
- Update on Finances
- Treasurer's Report
- Principal's Report
The Board discussed the Department of Education and Skills’ (DES) instruction for our school not to offer places to children on Criteria 3 of Enrolment Policy i.e. ‘Outside of Catchment Area’ for Junior Infants 2017. This results in families who were given hope by DES queries in December not being offered places and our school having a single stream of Junior Infants in September 2017.
Actions taken:
- Finances: thanks to fundraiser donation of €3k following the very successful Quiz Night and parents’ generous voluntary contributions the school account is currently in credit and cash flow forecast is good up to end of March 2017.
- Cleaning company will finish on February 3rd to reduce costs. Contract to be drawn up with a local cleaner directly to work ten hours per week until one week after the end of the school year in June 2017.
- The Board wishes to thank and congratulate the PGTA on the huge success of quiz fundraiser in St Anne’s GAA on Friday 27th January and particularly to Mary Dunne who put so much work into ensuring the night and fundraising even was so successful. The board also wishes to thank Kamila Wichmann and Derek Pounch on their commitment to organising the event also.
- Collette to ask DES for water & electricity points to be supplied in courtyard & sensory garden of new school building to facilitate the installation of water features at a later date.
- SNA Policy: The Board has ratified additions to the SNA and Child Protection policies- which include the requirement for 2 SNAs to attend all intimate care training sessions together; for two SNAs to be present together during all intimate care procedures with a child; and for all SNAs in the school to be trained to care for all children with special needs.
- School dress code agreed and ratified.
- Board clarified that incident report form is only filled in by class teachers for serious incidents.
- Glass bottles are not acceptable for children to have in school and this is to be included in Healthy eating Policy and Health and Safety Policy.
Board of Management Meeting November 14th 2016
In attendance: Francis Fullen, Thomas Frayne, Collette Dunne, Rachael Byrne (Recorder of minutes), Rita Lahiff, Brian Buckley. Apologies: Gwen Leost Kane
Agenda: Cash Flow Problems and Fundraising Ideas.
Financial Update from this Board of Management was discussed with parents at an open meeting on November 15th 2016 and details were also emailed to all parents explaining the need for more fundraising and the introduction of a voluntary contribution with immediate effect. The Board of Management would also like to thank parents and our wider school community for all their ongoing support.
Agenda: Cash Flow Problems and Fundraising Ideas.
Financial Update from this Board of Management was discussed with parents at an open meeting on November 15th 2016 and details were also emailed to all parents explaining the need for more fundraising and the introduction of a voluntary contribution with immediate effect. The Board of Management would also like to thank parents and our wider school community for all their ongoing support.
Educate Together: Equality Based Celebrations
New School Building Announcement: 29th November 2016
Francis and Collette attended a meeting in Department of Education and Skills' Offices in Tullamore on Monday 28th November and the news is that work on our new school building will commence shortly.
The Department of Education and Skills hopes to appoint a contractor in the coming weeks and the aim is to have our school building ready for 2017-2018 school year. They are aware it is a tight schedule and will keep us informed as the project develops over the coming months.
We have also been given approval to offer places for a second Junior Infants class for September 2017.
The Department of Education and Skills hopes to appoint a contractor in the coming weeks and the aim is to have our school building ready for 2017-2018 school year. They are aware it is a tight schedule and will keep us informed as the project develops over the coming months.
We have also been given approval to offer places for a second Junior Infants class for September 2017.
Board of Management Meeting 14th November 2016
Board meeting minutes: 14th November 2016:
In attendance: Francis Fullen, Collette Dunne, Rachael Byrne, Thomas Frayne, Gwen Leost Kane, Rita Lahiff and Brian Buckley by speaker phone.
Our Board of Management met last night to mainly discuss school finances. While the Board of Management wishes it did not have to make the following tough decisions, the above details of running costs and current debt make them inevitable. Fundraising has to be increased to meet the current €15,000 plus shortfall in the annual running costs of the school.
The Board has agreed to:
1. Introduce an annual voluntary contribution with immediate effect. VC's are a standard and very necessary form of fund raising in the vast majority of schools. The amount payable immediately for 2016-2017 is €125 for one child: €200 for two children; €275 for three children and €325 for four children in a family. (It is worth noting that there are tax benefits if €250 is paid to a charity in one year). This can be paid in one go, or first half now and second half in February 2017.
2. Ask the PGTA to increase fundraising and look at the following suggestions: 'Who Wants to be a Thousandaire?' with Pallas Marketing; Holiday Hampers' Raffle before the Winter Holidays. Cake Sales / Coffee Mornings in places of work outside of our school.
3. Ask all of you parents/guardians to come along and get involved in the fundraising and share any other fundraising ideas you may have.
4. To send an email and payment request for a voluntary contribution, via Aladdin, to all families this week.
The following items were also agreed:
In attendance: Francis Fullen, Collette Dunne, Rachael Byrne, Thomas Frayne, Gwen Leost Kane, Rita Lahiff and Brian Buckley by speaker phone.
Our Board of Management met last night to mainly discuss school finances. While the Board of Management wishes it did not have to make the following tough decisions, the above details of running costs and current debt make them inevitable. Fundraising has to be increased to meet the current €15,000 plus shortfall in the annual running costs of the school.
The Board has agreed to:
1. Introduce an annual voluntary contribution with immediate effect. VC's are a standard and very necessary form of fund raising in the vast majority of schools. The amount payable immediately for 2016-2017 is €125 for one child: €200 for two children; €275 for three children and €325 for four children in a family. (It is worth noting that there are tax benefits if €250 is paid to a charity in one year). This can be paid in one go, or first half now and second half in February 2017.
2. Ask the PGTA to increase fundraising and look at the following suggestions: 'Who Wants to be a Thousandaire?' with Pallas Marketing; Holiday Hampers' Raffle before the Winter Holidays. Cake Sales / Coffee Mornings in places of work outside of our school.
3. Ask all of you parents/guardians to come along and get involved in the fundraising and share any other fundraising ideas you may have.
4. To send an email and payment request for a voluntary contribution, via Aladdin, to all families this week.
The following items were also agreed:
- direct email to individual teachers facility will not be implemented
- non-refundable booklist payment when accepting a place for a child in Firhouse ETNS remains in place as per Enrolment Policy
Board of Management Meeting 27th September 2016
Board meeting minutes: 27th September 2016:
In attendance: Francis Fullen, Collette Dunne, Rachael Byrne, Gwen Leost, Brian Buckley.
Apologies: Thomas Frayne and Rita Lahiff
Actions taken:
•Caretaker: we’ll continue to employ on an as-needs basis.
•School cleaning -ask if reducing price of cleaning is a possibility. Current cost is €1027 per month.
•Families seeking a refund of non-refundable booklist payment when accepting a place for their child in Firhouse ETNS. Highlight their commitment to taking up a place in the school and the school’s commitment to purchasing supplies for the school.
•Attendance report presented to BOM -TUSLA’s new Attendance Strategy to be worked on with parents, BOM and school community during the coming year. Meeting for parents to discuss, and input on, attendance policy to be arranged. (November 23rd).
• ‘Information on common childhood illnesses’ to go on website for parents’ information.
•RSE Policy to be developed with parents, BOM and school community during the coming year. ( BoM agreed to update ICT and Social Media Policy after Attendance and RSE).
•Enrolments: We are currently short 4 children to meet the required number to keep teacher. Enrolment numbers to be submitted to the Department of Education on Friday 30th. Board has agreed we will appeal on Criteria A: Exceptional circumstances.
•Checklists for Child Protection and Anti-Bullying Policies reviewed and signed for email submission to our patron Educate Together.
•Finance: Budget. Essential purchasing only. BoM requests possibility of PGTA contributing to school expenses? BoM stated the importance of keeping the school bank account in credit.
•PGTA donated €2,000.00 to school to purchase books in September 2016. PGTA organising Book Fair in school in October; PGTA AGM on Wednesday 5th October.
In attendance: Francis Fullen, Collette Dunne, Rachael Byrne, Gwen Leost, Brian Buckley.
Apologies: Thomas Frayne and Rita Lahiff
Actions taken:
•Caretaker: we’ll continue to employ on an as-needs basis.
•School cleaning -ask if reducing price of cleaning is a possibility. Current cost is €1027 per month.
•Families seeking a refund of non-refundable booklist payment when accepting a place for their child in Firhouse ETNS. Highlight their commitment to taking up a place in the school and the school’s commitment to purchasing supplies for the school.
•Attendance report presented to BOM -TUSLA’s new Attendance Strategy to be worked on with parents, BOM and school community during the coming year. Meeting for parents to discuss, and input on, attendance policy to be arranged. (November 23rd).
• ‘Information on common childhood illnesses’ to go on website for parents’ information.
•RSE Policy to be developed with parents, BOM and school community during the coming year. ( BoM agreed to update ICT and Social Media Policy after Attendance and RSE).
•Enrolments: We are currently short 4 children to meet the required number to keep teacher. Enrolment numbers to be submitted to the Department of Education on Friday 30th. Board has agreed we will appeal on Criteria A: Exceptional circumstances.
•Checklists for Child Protection and Anti-Bullying Policies reviewed and signed for email submission to our patron Educate Together.
•Finance: Budget. Essential purchasing only. BoM requests possibility of PGTA contributing to school expenses? BoM stated the importance of keeping the school bank account in credit.
•PGTA donated €2,000.00 to school to purchase books in September 2016. PGTA organising Book Fair in school in October; PGTA AGM on Wednesday 5th October.
Board of Management Meetings June 27th and 29th 2016
Present: Francis Fullen, Thomas Frayne, Collette Dunne, Gwen Leost Kane, Brian Buckley.
Apologies: Rita Lahiff, Rachael Byrne.
Decisions made at BoM meeting 27th June 2016:
Apologies: Rita Lahiff, Rachael Byrne.
Decisions made at BoM meeting 27th June 2016:
- 1st Class location in new classroom in Firhouse Community Centre: Board agreed children will line up in school yard every morning and come back to school for both breaks daily. Children will go home from Community Centre initially and we’ll see how this works out. Overhead projectors and laptop purchases agreed for two new classes.
- After School Classes: Board agreed with PGTA that after school classes will commence from 1st class upwards and that rules will be attached to the After School Activities' Policy.
- Board approved an I.T. intern may have administrator access to school website in order to upload a page for After School Activities including a payment facility.
- Board congratulated and thanked PGTA on all their hard work and success of the Fun Day which raised €6k and created the great celebratory atmosphere of our school on the day.
- Board agreed to discuss Attendance Policy requirements for TUSLA at September meeting and results of already agreed Survey Monkey questions enabling parental involvement in policy development.
- Board agreed our school will pay half the costs of signs re CCTV, No Dogs, No Smoking for perimeter fences to Gaelscoil na Giuise.
- Board agreed on No Gift Policy as recommended by PGTA.
- Board approved increased hours for Secretary for September. Caretaker’s contract to be revised in September.
- Board approved appointment of teachers: Rachael Byrne, Lynne McCullagh, Jennifer Bradford, Conor Finnerty and Cillian O'Reilly.
Board of Management Meeting March 8th 2016
Present: Francis Fullen, Thomas Frayne, Collette Dunne, Gwen Leost Kane, Brian Buckley, Rita Lahiff.
Apologies: Rachael Byrne
Ratification of new Enrolment Policy as per DES / ET directive and communication of same to whole school community.
Change of teacher in First Class: BoM is very pleased to announce Bébhinn Nugent will teach First Class to end of June 2016.
Next meeting 26th April 2016: postponed to May 11th.
Board of Management Meeting January 26th 2016
Board of Management Meeting 26th January 2016:
Present: Francis Fullen, Collette Dunne, Rachael Byrne, Brian Buckley, Gwen Leost Kane, Rita Lahiff.
Apologies:Thomas Frayne
Enrolment Policy: no further information has been received / Section 29 Appeal Hearings underway;
2nd Stream for 2016: still awaiting response from DES;
Next Meeting 8th March 2016
Present: Francis Fullen, Collette Dunne, Rachael Byrne, Brian Buckley, Gwen Leost Kane, Rita Lahiff.
Apologies:Thomas Frayne
Enrolment Policy: no further information has been received / Section 29 Appeal Hearings underway;
2nd Stream for 2016: still awaiting response from DES;
Next Meeting 8th March 2016
Board of Management Meeting November 3rd 2015
Board of Management Meeting November 3rd 2015:
Present: Francis Fullen, Thomas Frayne, Collette Dunne, Rachael Byrne, Brian Buckley, Rita Lahiff.
Apologies: Rachel Freeman; Ed Sadlier.
The following actions were taken:
Enrolment policy: Tell school community that we’ve been overruled by Department of Education and Skills (DES) in relation to enrolment policy. Board discussed possibility of Department of Education and Skills providing another prefab on this site which would mean that the majority of siblings would be catered for.
Proceed on first come first served basis, one class only (with possibility of a 2nd class of Junior Infants for September 2016 if we get accommodation) - Collette will email the DES directly and try to negotiate this proposal with E.T.
1st round offers for 2016 to be sent out based on 1st come first served basis with no sibling priority for now.
Email to be sent from Board stating DES has given a directive re: enrolment policy and we will hold information evening to inform parents and allow them to voice their opinions when we know more. Email was drafted at Board meeting 3rd Nov by the Board members. This email will be sent 4th Nov 2015 -before the offers of places are sent out on the 6th November.
Policies on Parental involvement and afterschool classes to be put together and ratified before classes can go ahead.
Educate Together Ethos conference 20th/21st November
Forest School: Rachael Byrne (Education) & Rachel Freeman (Horticulture) to initiate Forest School project by setting up a wigwam made from willow in garden area
School Disabled parking permits to be issued to parents of children with special needs
School Logo: 2 of proposed logos from Dora and Pawio to be put together slightly differently and circulated
Change of BOM:
All school Boards of Management change on the same date every four years and this will happen on December 1st 2015.
A special thank you to our members Rachel, Ed and Triona who are/ will no longer be on the Board. We all send you our thanks and appreciation.
The new Board of Management from December 1st 2015 will be:
Francis Fullen: Chairperson
Thomas Frayne: Treasurer
Collette Dunne: Principal
Rachael Byrne: Teacher Representative
Brian Buckley: Parent Representative re-elected at meeting on November 11th
Gwen Leost Kane: : Parent Representative elected at meeting on November 11th
Rita Lahiff: Community Representative
A second Community Representative will be appointed by the Board following first meeting.
Note: As Principal I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all of our Board of Management members for their help and support in developing our school. I greatly appreciate everything you do. Collette.
Present: Francis Fullen, Thomas Frayne, Collette Dunne, Rachael Byrne, Brian Buckley, Rita Lahiff.
Apologies: Rachel Freeman; Ed Sadlier.
The following actions were taken:
Enrolment policy: Tell school community that we’ve been overruled by Department of Education and Skills (DES) in relation to enrolment policy. Board discussed possibility of Department of Education and Skills providing another prefab on this site which would mean that the majority of siblings would be catered for.
Proceed on first come first served basis, one class only (with possibility of a 2nd class of Junior Infants for September 2016 if we get accommodation) - Collette will email the DES directly and try to negotiate this proposal with E.T.
1st round offers for 2016 to be sent out based on 1st come first served basis with no sibling priority for now.
Email to be sent from Board stating DES has given a directive re: enrolment policy and we will hold information evening to inform parents and allow them to voice their opinions when we know more. Email was drafted at Board meeting 3rd Nov by the Board members. This email will be sent 4th Nov 2015 -before the offers of places are sent out on the 6th November.
Policies on Parental involvement and afterschool classes to be put together and ratified before classes can go ahead.
Educate Together Ethos conference 20th/21st November
Forest School: Rachael Byrne (Education) & Rachel Freeman (Horticulture) to initiate Forest School project by setting up a wigwam made from willow in garden area
School Disabled parking permits to be issued to parents of children with special needs
School Logo: 2 of proposed logos from Dora and Pawio to be put together slightly differently and circulated
Change of BOM:
All school Boards of Management change on the same date every four years and this will happen on December 1st 2015.
A special thank you to our members Rachel, Ed and Triona who are/ will no longer be on the Board. We all send you our thanks and appreciation.
The new Board of Management from December 1st 2015 will be:
Francis Fullen: Chairperson
Thomas Frayne: Treasurer
Collette Dunne: Principal
Rachael Byrne: Teacher Representative
Brian Buckley: Parent Representative re-elected at meeting on November 11th
Gwen Leost Kane: : Parent Representative elected at meeting on November 11th
Rita Lahiff: Community Representative
A second Community Representative will be appointed by the Board following first meeting.
Note: As Principal I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all of our Board of Management members for their help and support in developing our school. I greatly appreciate everything you do. Collette.
Board of Management Meeting March 24th 2015
The Board of Management met briefly on the 13th March and decided to offer places to all remaining children on the pre-enrolment waiting list and agreed to discuss the matter further. At the Board of Management meeting on March 24th the enrolment policy and inclusion of a catchment area, as directed by the Department of Education and Skills, was discussed in depth and a proposal put together to forward to our patron body Educate Together. This proposal takes into account the concerns voiced by our wider school community at February 11th meeting.
Board of Management Meeting February 11th 2015
The Board of Management met at 8pm prior to open meeting at 8.30pm for all current and future parents/guardians of Firhouse ETNS pupils to discuss proposed changes to our school's Enrolment Policy.
The changes discussed at the meeting have been sent to our patron Educate Together who will present them to the Enrolment Policy Board at their next meeting. Educate Together's response to the proposed changes will be notified to everyone. The two changes to the policy may be, as discussed at the meeting: 1. Sibling Priority and 2. Children for future years must be aged 4 years by May 1st of the year they will start school in Junior Infant Classes.
The catchment area, which is assigned by the Department of Education and Skills, was discussed at length at the meeting, as was the proposed lottery system which was not agreed upon.
In addition it was agreed to increase the deposit towards booklist, requested on acceptance of a place in the school, to €100 and to make it non-refundable.
The changes discussed at the meeting have been sent to our patron Educate Together who will present them to the Enrolment Policy Board at their next meeting. Educate Together's response to the proposed changes will be notified to everyone. The two changes to the policy may be, as discussed at the meeting: 1. Sibling Priority and 2. Children for future years must be aged 4 years by May 1st of the year they will start school in Junior Infant Classes.
The catchment area, which is assigned by the Department of Education and Skills, was discussed at length at the meeting, as was the proposed lottery system which was not agreed upon.
In addition it was agreed to increase the deposit towards booklist, requested on acceptance of a place in the school, to €100 and to make it non-refundable.
Board of Management Meeting January 12th 2015
The Board of Management discussed/agreed the following:
- Enrolments for September 2015 are very strong.
- The Board is close to finalising a draft of the school's updated Enrolment Policy with the inclusion of a sibling priority, a catchment area and a lottery system. The draft will then be emailed to all parents/guardians, present and future with a full explanation of the implications, both positive and negative, for the school community. Everyone will be invited to give their feedback.
- The Department of Education and Skills requires parents to fill in a questionnaire for its new P.O.D. (Primary Online Database). The Board of Management noted there has been much debate in the media on the relevance to education of the optional questions regarding children's ethnic or cultural background and religion. Parents/guardians are free to choose not to disclose this information if they wish but should note that the "No consent"box should be ticked if this is their choice.
- The Board praised our former Chairperson, Dr.Declan Fahie, for his extraordinary work, generosity and dedication to our school over the past year. His inspiration for our highly successful coffee-morning with politicians received great praise. He is indeed a great loss and we wish him well in his new role in U.C.D.
- Educate Together is to appoint a new Chairperson this week.
Members of the Board of Management:
Chairperson: Francis Fullen; Patron Representative and Treasurer: Thomas Frayne; Parent Representatives: Rachel Freeman and Brian Buckley; Community Representative: Rita Lahiffe; Community Representative: Ed Sadlier; Teacher Representative: Rachael Byrne; Principal: Collette Dunne.
Chairperson: Francis Fullen; Patron Representative and Treasurer: Thomas Frayne; Parent Representatives: Rachel Freeman and Brian Buckley; Community Representative: Rita Lahiffe; Community Representative: Ed Sadlier; Teacher Representative: Rachael Byrne; Principal: Collette Dunne.