The ISHR Parent Council

 

The aim of the Parent Council (PC) is to foster the exchange of information between the parent body and the school administration/school board in both directions.

 

The forum of the PC gives elected parent representatives the opportunity to address whole school issues with the school administration/board. Likewise it gives the school administration/board the opportunity to solicit parent opinion on whole school issues and/or policies in the making.

 

The PC is not a decision making body.

 

The forum of the PC does not replace written information published by the school administration on policies, curriculum, rules, events, which is available in the various handbooks, the website or the Friday Newsletter.

 

Composition of the Parent Council

 

The PC is made up of an elected parent representative from each class in the school. The chairman of the PC is elected from among the parent representatives by the parent representatives for a one year period of office. There is no limit to the number of times a person is re-elected as chairman.

 

The director, an elected parent member of the school board and the heads of each school section, while not members of the PC, are expected to attend all meetings.

 

Other members of the school body may be invited to attend meetings in order to provide information and/or advice.

 

Visitors from the school body are welcome to attend meetings, but must do so as an audience and may not take part in discussions.

 

Parent Council Meetings

 

Two PC meetings, one in the autumn and one in late spring, will be scheduled into the school calendar at the start of the school year by the school administration.  Further meetings may be called by either the PC chairman or the director. Three weeks notice of such meetings must be given to all members of the PC. 

 

A secretary for minute taking will be chosen from the members of the PC at the start of each meeting.

 

The Chairman of the PC will e-mail the class representatives three weeks before a meeting to remind them to collect agenda items.

 

The Chairman of the PC, together with the director, will draw up an agenda which is e-mailed to the parent representatives by the chairman one week in advance of a meeting.

 

Minutes of a PC meeting will be posted in the PC mailbox on the school website.  Queries regarding the minutes should be made to the PC chairman and dealt with at the next meeting.

 

The ISHR, as an academic institution, is obliged to protect the rights of confidentiality of all its members - parents, students and staff. The name of any individual member of the school body may not be raised at a PC meeting unless specifically requested by that individual, or without first gaining permission of the individual concerned.

 

 

 

 

The ISHR Parent Representatives

 

 

The role of the Parent Representative (PR) is to foster the exchange of information between the class parents and the school administration/school board in both directions.

 

Elections

 

One PR from each class must be elected by the parents in that class at the first class meeting of the school year.

 

The first class meeting is organised by the school administration and the class teacher will initiate the elections.

 

Classes may, but do not have to, elect a vice PR. The vice PR may replace the PR at Parent Council meetings if he/she is unable to attend a meeting. The vice PR takes over as PR if the PR leaves the school during the course of a school year or is otherwise hindered from continuing his/her duties.

                                         

Parents who are employed by the school may not stand for election as a PR.

 

Responsibilities of the Parent Representative

 

The PR (or vice PR) is expected to attend all meetings of the Parent Council.

 

The PR is to inform him/herself of the contents of the ISHR Parent Council document, passed by the School board on 20th March 2003.

 

The PR is to inform him/herself of the ISHR grievance procedure, passed by the School Board on 20th March 2003.

 

The PR is to request agenda items from the class parents for Parent Council meetings and fields issues of a whole school nature which class parents would like raised at a Parent Council meeting.

 

The PR e-mails agenda items to the PC Chairman at least two weeks prior to a meeting.

 

The PR informs class parents of the content of PC meetings.

 

The PR may raise issues of a whole class nature with the class teacher, relevant subject teacher or head of section.

 

The PR may find him/herself fielding individual parental concerns, in which case the PR should advise the parent of how to deal with the matter using the ISHR grievance procedure and if necessary accompany the parent through the procedure.  The PR may need to seek further advice on how to deal with an issue with the relevant head of school and/or the director.