Make up:
There are 8 members of the Board of Management of a National School.
Board of Management 2019-2023:
- Colette Kavanagh, Chairperson and Patron Nominee
- Mary Carron, Patron Nominee
- Rory O’Neill, Parent Nominee
- SJ Schramm, Parent Nominee
- Patrick Flynn, Community Nominee
- Jim O’Leary, Treasurer and Community Nominee
- Paul O’Dwyer, School Principal
- Anne-Marie Cashman, Teacher Nominee
Two are nominees of the Patron body (Educate Together), two are Staff Nominees (the principal and an elected teacher) and two are elected by the parent body to be the Parent Nominees. These six meet and nominate two further members as Community Nominees, often taking into consideration certain skills that may be useful to the Board. Under the Education Act (1998), the Board of Management must undertake to run the school according to the ethos determined by the Patron. Members of the Board of Management participate as volunteers in the school community. Boards of Management generally serve for a four-year term of office. A new Board will be constituted to be in place by December 1st 2023. The election processes are outlined in documents listed below.
The BOM acts professionally, collectively and on the basis of consensus i.e. the board acts as one unit in terms of its function in addressing the business of the school, and the elected parents and teacher, once elected, do not act in a representative or communicative role.
Where a member of the school community wishes to raise a matter formally with the Board of Management, it must be done so in writing to the Principal (principal@ballinteeretns.ie) or the Chairperson at least one week before the next scheduled BOM meeting.
The next planned meeting of the Board of Management will take place on Wednesday, 27th September 2023.
Key activities of the Board of Management:
Essentially, the Board governs the school on behalf of the Patron, Educate Together, and supports the Principal in the management of the school. This includes the following activities:
- Drawing up and reviewing the school plan and ensuring its implementation.
- Drawing up and reviewing school policies.
- Recruitment of the Principal, teachers and other staff and provision of a direct line of support to the Principal.
- Ensuring that the school fulfils its functions as set out in the Education Act, 1998.
- Ensuring communication between the school, the parents and the community and facilitating the formation of a Parent/Parent Teacher Association and supporting/facilitating its activities.
- Responsibility for the school’s finances: the BOM must keep proper accounts which may be audited by the DES or Comptroller and Auditor General. These accounts must be available to the school community and patron. The BOM also ensures comprehensive insurance cover for the school is in place.
- Upholding the ethos of the school e.g. as a school under the patronage of Educate Together decisions are taken with the best interests of the children in mind in line with the Child-centred tenet of the ET Charter
- Trying to ensure appropriate facilities, materials and other resources are in place; ensuring the school buildings and grounds are properly maintained.