Parents’ Council

Meeting of Preparatory School Parents: 7 September 2010

A meeting of Preparatory School parents was held on 7 September 2010.  Mr Tony McCarthy, School Administrator, gave a talk about the Prepatatory School, concentrating on its Mission Statement:

Christian Brothers College Preparatory School is a Catholic school in the Edmund Rice tradition with the National School Curriculum as its educational programme, modified and extended to better prepare its pupils for entry into Christian Brothers College Secondary School.

This was followed by the formation of a Parents’ Council for the school year 2010/11.  Eight members were elected, comprising one parent from each of the eight classes in the school.  The members of last year’s Committee were all reelected, each moving on to represent the class to which their son moved at the beginning of the new school year.  This left one vacancy: Junior Infants.  Mr Shane FitzPatrick was elected to this position.  The full Committee is listed below.

• Mrs Petronella Love (6th Class)
• Mr Declan Barry (5th Class)
• Mrs Johanna Radley (4th Class)
• Mr Richard Keily (3rd Class)
• Mrs Vicki Casey (2nd Class)
• Mr Joe Joyce (1st Class)
• Mrs Denise Healy (Snr Infants)
• Mr Shane FitzPatrick (Jnr Infants)

The new Parents’ Council met for a short time afterwards and decided that the first meeting of the new Council will be held on Monday 13 September at 7.00pm.

Parents Council Meeting: 3 February 2010

• Mr Michael Cronin of Cronin’s outfitters came to the meeting to discuss the type of sports gear required by the Preparatory School.  He passed round various samples and  the discussion revolved round a plain black tracksuit top with school crest, a plain black tracksuit bottom, a white polo shirt with crest, a short sleeved rugby jersey, plain white shorts, CBC rugby socks; possibly a McWilliams sail bag and possibly a schoolbag.  He listened to the views of the Council and will come to the March meeting to finalise matters.
• French has not been taught this year but it is still on the curriculum.  It will be back in a revitalised format next year, but possibly may be reintroduced before the end of the current school year.
• Chess is proving to be a great success among the Prep School pupils.
• The possibility of providing supervision next year for Senior Infants between 2.00pm, when their classes finish, and 3.00pm when the rest of the school finishes, will be looked into.  If such a service can be arranged, it is likely to involve payment.
• The fundraising dinner was a great success.  Over €2,500 was raised.  This practice is to be continued.
• The school yard project was discussed.  A more elaborate plan is now being considered: the covering of some, or all, of the yard with a rubberised compound to make it safer for running and playing.  This will involve further discussion and planning.
• Swimming will commence in March for pupils from Third to Sixth Class who are interested.  It will cost €40 for six lessons.
• A School Library is to be established during this school year.  Parents will be asked to donate books which their children have outgrown but which are still in good condition.  This Library Project is an important part of the Preparatory School English policy which strongly encourages reading.
• The next meeting will be on Wednesday 3 March.

Parents Council Meeting: 4 November 2009

• A venue for the fund-raising dinner in January will be decided on at the next meeting.
• Swimming lessons will commence in March.  The cost is to be investigated, a decision made on which classes should be facilitated and all the parents informed of the details.
• A standing order facility for the payment of fees should be made available to parents (rather than direct debit which is costly to set up).
• A Preparatory School website has been set up and is updated regularly.
• More satisfactory arrangements are being made for the supply of tracksuits and other sports clothing.
• Ms Ruth O’Shea, Music Teacher, will give classes on Music to all pupils every Monday for the rest of the school year.  Parents interested in arranging piano lessons for their children (starting next year), should contact the school.
• The painting of patterns on the school yard project is being pursued and it is hoped to have the work completed sometime after Christmas.
• It is hoped to get Chess lessons going again in the New Year.

Parents Council Meeting: 7 October 2009

• Among the topics discussed were the following:
• The newsletter has given full information about holidays/days off/halfdays; any changes will be texted to parents.
• Fund raising ideas included renting the Astroturf pitch for parties; a parents’ dinner party.
• A maximum of 25 pupils per class.
• Progress has been made in getting Cronins to stock tracksuits.
• The lost property rail has been set up.
• Extra activities were discussed for both during and after school: swimming, chess, after school music lessons.
• Paired reading to be started again soon.
• Paintig of patterns on the school yard to facilitate various games was discussed: it was decided that funds raised by the dinner party would be used to finance this project.

Parents Council Meeting: 24 September 2009

• The following officers were elected: Chairperson: Petronella Love; Secretary: Johanna Radley; Treasurer: Joe Joyce
• Among the topics discussed were the following:
• One week’s notice should always be given to parents in the event of a change in the normal school schedule, such as a half-day.
• The Council would be willing to involve itself in fund raising to finance school projects.
• It should be possible to buy school tracksuits and other school sports clothing in a shop in town, rather than having to order the items and wait several weeks for delivery.
• A computer curriculum should be drawn up for each class, with an emphasis on the acquisition of skills; each class should have one hour per week in the Computer Room.
• Parents should be encouraged to help out with school events and offer skills if they feel it will benefit the school.
• More time should be given to music, and lessons on musical instruments such as tin whistle, recorder and piano should be introduced.
• Speech and drama should also be given more attention and more classes should be entered in the Feis Maitiu competitions.
• Pupils should wear full school uniform at all times.
• A monthly direct debit option should be introduced for school fees for those who wish to pay in that manner.
• The suggestion for a lost proerty rail for clothing found around the school and in Lansdowne should be implemented.

Meeting of Preparatory School Parents: 8 September 2009

A meeting of Preparatory School parents was held on 8 September 2009 and the following members were elected to the school’s first ever Parents Council:

• Ms Anne McCarthy (6th Class)
• Mrs Petronella Love (5th Class)
• Mr Declan Barry (4th Class)
• Mrs Johanna Radley (3rd Class)
• Mr Richard Keily (2nd Class)
• Mrs Vicki Casey (1st Class)
• Mr Joe Joyce (Sn Infants)
• Mrs Denise Healy (Jn Infants)

The newly formed Parents Council met at the end of the meeting for a short time and decided on the date, time and venue of the first meeting: Tuesday 22 September at 7.30pm in the Lunch Room.