The High School  Zion Road  Rathgar  Dublin 6   Tel: 01-4922611   Fax: 01-4924427  office@highschooldublin.com

                           Parents' Association


 

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Your Committee for 2011-12

The following Committee was elected at the AGM in 2011:

Ronan Doyle (President), Iain Power (Treasurer), Iain Cosgrove (Secretary), Anna Devlin, Linda Evans, Brigid Hebblethwaite, Peter Manly, Mary McDonnell, Hugh O'Neill, Peter Smyth, and Statia Somers.  The representatives for each year group are as follows:

1st Year                 Mary McDonnell

2nd Year                Hugh O’Neill

3rd Year                 Iain Power

4th Year                 Linda Evans

5th Year                 Peter Manly

6th Year                 Statia Somers

You can contact the Association by telephoning (4922611) or e-mailing.  Please note that the Association does not deal with specific individual matters, which should be brought to the attention of the school in the normal manner, nor does it represent individual parents or pupils in their dealings with the school.

68 years representing parents!

The Association is 68 years old making it one of the oldest parents' associations in the country.  Its primary aim is to represent the interests of parents of children at The High School and to promote good relationships between parents and the school.  The Association makes representations to the school on issues of policy but does not represent individual parents in their dealings with the school.  Individual complaints or problems should be dealt with through the normal channels, by contacting the Subject Teacher, Form Teacher, Subject Co-ordinator, or Year Head of the pupil (and if strictly necessary, the Deputy Principal or Principal).

The Association is represented at every level in the management of The High School, with two representatives on the Board of Governors and the Management Committee of the school.  We also have one representative on each of the Board sub-committees, namely, Finance, Education, Grounds and Property, and Sport.  We are consulted on the development of all major new policies in the school.

Support for the school

In addition, we contribute to the wellbeing of the school in many ways. Among these are:

  • Organising the practical arrangements for the parent-teacher meetings

  • Assisting with the Guidance Department's mock interview evening for senior pupils

  • Providing various prizes and financial support for foreign exchange students (in deserving cases)

  • Supporting various fundraising projects for clubs and sports

  • Facilitating the arrangements for a non-alcoholic party for Junior Certificate students on the night they receive their results

  • Facilitating the arrangements for a party for 6th form after the graduation ceremony which is held in the school

  • Organising the annual parent-teacher cricket match

Parents' Association sponsorship scheme

This Scheme is run by the Parents’ Association with the objective of recognising and rewarding achievements by High School students in areas such as sport, the arts, or other fields of endeavour.  Students are rewarded by means of financial contributions towards the costs incurred directly in reaching their achievements and, optionally, may have their award recognised by publication in the School Newsletter or on the HSD website.

The Scheme is open to individuals or teams, whether representing the High School or participating in a personal capacity in their respective endeavours.

Nominations for awards under the Scheme are accepted by the Parents’ Association from a wide variety of sources, typically, coaches, teachers, parents, students, Board members, Parents’ Association Committee members, and outside organisations.  Nominations must be made on the Nomination Form available in the school office and nominations may be made in retrospect.  Nominations for a given student (unless part of a team nomination) cannot be accepted where that student has already been awarded sponsorship under this Scheme twice in his/her tenure at the School.

The assessment of the nominations and the awarding of the sponsorship are at the sole discretion of the Parents' Association Committee.  The decision to award the sponsorship or otherwise is guided by the following general considerations:

1. The extent to which the achievement raises the profile of the School in the area of endeavour concerned

2. The extent to which the achievement contributes to the betterment of society in general or of a specific disadvantaged group

3. The extent to which the achievement represents the overcoming by the student(s) of particular personal disabilities or difficulties

The monetary value of the award may be set to match specific costs incurred (or to be incurred) or it may be a flat rate contribution to cover general expenses related to the endeavour.  In general, while awarded amounts will vary from case to case, the amounts should not be grossly disproportionate.  The Committee may award as many sponsorships as it sees fit during the year, consistent with prudent financial management of its affairs.  Students who receive sponsorship are expected to provide feedback to the Committee by way of a short written report on their experience.

The decision to award the sponsorship or otherwise is made using the normal voting rules of the Committee except in cases where the nominated student(s) is a son/daughter of a Parents’ Association Committee member in which cases the member(s) must abstain.

Following the decision of the Parents’ Association Committee, the President of the Parents' Association will communicate the result to the Nominator, and in the event that the Nominee is successful, payment of the award is made directly to the nominee.

COMPASS is the organisation which represents the Parents' Associations of schools under Protestant management nationally.  Its website is at www.compasspa.ie