The Board members give of their time on a voluntary basis for the good of the school community. Members of the Boards take up office for a four year term in the service of SHNS. The Board members give of their time on a voluntary basis for the good of the school community. All Boards of Management of Catholic Primary Schools are members of the Catholic Primary School Management Association (CPSMA).

Chairperson	Fr. James Furlong	051-428227
Secretary	Anne Marie O'Neill	051-428416
Treasurer	Ann Boland	051-428247
Members	Geraldine Davey	051-428416
	Eddie Dillon
	Ben Doyle
	Killian Stafford	Parents' Reps.
	Michael English	Parents' Reps.

CPSMA is organised on a Diocesan basis. Each Board elects a member of attend Deanery Meetings of CPSMA. There is a Diocesan Council of CPSMA in each Diocese which meets at least 4 times a year. The Diocesan Council organises the Annual diocesan Meeting for Chairpersons and Board Representatives, as well as organising the training evenings for Boards of Management.

Boards of Management ­ A framework for good practice as published by the CPSMA

Bearing in mind the challenges when it comes to the el ection and appointment of new boards it is timely to draw attention to a framework of good practice for Boards of Management. CPSMA and IPPN offer some suggestions to achieve this.

1 It is important to outline the functions and responsibilities of a Board of Management, and that each board member has an active part in the management of the school.

2 Board members must know the school, study the schedule for the school as outlined in the Deed of Variation (c.f. CPSMA Handbook p 11).

3 Board members must be willing to uphold and support the ethos, culture and traditions of the school.

4 The workload should be shared fairly between all board members. New board members should be invited to participate in all discussions and work. The new board members should be helped by the more exp erienced board members in learning with the pupils, teachers, staff, patron, Minister for Education & Science, the Department of Education & Science, the INTO, NPC-P, IPPN and the Managerial Bodies who represent the Patron: Jewish Schools, Jewish Education Board; Educate Together Schools, Educate Together Patron Company; Church of Ireland Schools, Church of Ireland Education Board; Irish Schools, Gaelscoilleana and An Foras Patrunach; Catholic Schools, CPSMA and Muslim schools, Muslim Education Board.

5 The agenda for each board meeting (prepared by the chairperson, the secretary to the BoM and the principal) is centred on the issues affecting the school.

6 The decisions reached at each board meeting should be recorded in the minute book.

7 At the end of each meeting the BoM should issue an agreed report to the parents, teachers and the school community.

8 The chairperson's role is one of facilitating the BoM through an agenda of business with a view to achieving responsible collective decisions which, once agreed on, are upheld by all board members as part of collective responsibility. These decisions are recorded in the BoM minute book.

9 Decision making is achieved by consensus ­ voting is used as a last resort. The chairperson has a casting vote.

10 Between meetings, the chairperson, the principal, the BoM secretary and the treasurer should communicate frequently.

11 The chairperson reports back to the next meeti ng on issues and any decisions taken in between meetings by the officers of the board and the principal teacher.

12 The Board of Management is required under the Education Act to assist the parents in the formation of a Parents' Association. The NPC-P Head Office will assist boards in this. Information can be obtained from NPC-P Head Office, 12 Marlborough Court, Dublin 1. Telephone: (01) 887 4034.

13 The board members should have a good working relationship between the parents' association, the teaching staff, the school staff, the patron and the school trustees.

14 The board should arrange from time to time meetings with (1) the school staff, (2) the parents' association (3) the school trustees.

15 Boards should be fair and consistent in making decisions on issues that affect the school staff, the pupils, parents and school trustees.

16 Boards should host an annual celebration of th e schools' success with the staff and parents' association.

17 Boards, under the Education Act, are required to prepare an annual financial report which is made available to parents' association, the patron, the school trustees, the Minister for Education & Science and the officials of the DES.

18 The BoM manages the school as 'a body corporate' on behalf of the patron in accordance with the regulations of the Minister for Education and Science.

A framework of roles within an effective & efficient Boa rd of Management Below is a suggested 'menu' of delegated duties to share the workload of the BoM between all members. Overall responsibility still rests collectively with the BoM as a 'corporate unit'. Specific school circumstances will dictate the exact nature of duties.

Chairperson Responsibilities include:

• Chairing BoM meetings
• Official correspondence on behalf of school
• Liaising with the principal teacher between meetings
• Recruitments & employment related issues for all school staff
• All capital projects ­ with trustees' approval
• Signatures for cheques with treasurer or other member nominated by BoM.

Principal Teacher Responsibilities include:

• The day-to-day management of the school, staff & pupils
• All professional educational (teaching & learning) issues
• Providing leadership to the overall school community
• Preparing & monitoring annual budget with treasurer and chairperson.

Recording Secretary Responsibilities include:

• Recording the decisions of each meeting
• Setting the agenda for meetings in consultation with the chairperson and the principal.

Treasurer Responsibilities include:

• Reporting to each BoM meeting on school finances
• Preparing and annual budget in consultation with the principal teacher & chairperson
• Liaising with principal/school secretary re bill payments and lodgement
• Liaising with book-keeper/accountant re the preparation of accounts for annual returns
• Liaising with the bank re school account.

Maintenance Officer Responsibilities include:

• Managing the cleaning staff, cleaning contractors and caretaking staff
• Organising the cleaning/maintenance, equipment and supplies.

Safety Officer Responsibilities include:

• The BoM's health and safety statement
• Provision of keys and alarm codes to staff of the school and other agreed users of the building
• The maintenance of an appropriate security & fire alarm system.
• Co-ordinating a list of out-of-hours key holders for the school in the event of alarm activation of access requirement for repairs & maintenance
• Hire of school premises to outside groups ­ security, arranging keys etc.