Parent Group as an Affiliated Committee of Governing
Council
The role of a parent group as an Affiliated Committee of
a Governing Council is seen as being an essential
element of the partnership principle. It will
provide a forum for consultation with the school and its
community to assist and advise the Governing Council in
fulfilling this requirement in its responsibilities.
Existing parent groups already provide the opportunity for
this to occur. Where no Affiliated Committee currently
exists, the setting up of a similar group, or strengthening
existing less formal ones, would be advantageous.
The Affiliated Committee will nominate a member to act as
its nominee to the Governing Council, and representatives to
the Finance Advisory Committee and such other school or
SAASPC and Area meetings as required. This nominee and other
representatives will be required to report to and from
meetings of the Group.
As set out in the model constitution, the object of an
Affiliated Committee is ‘to support the involvement of the
school community in the school’.
As listed as options in the Model Constitution, part 5,
and used in SAASPC's draft constitution (dowloadable in pdf
or text
formats), an Affiliated Committee may:
5.1.1 Provide a means of contact between home
and school
The Parent Club, and other less formal parents’ groups,
traditionally have been a means of providing this contact in
a number of ways which are inclusive of parents who
otherwise may feel diffident about participating in school
activities.
5.1.2 Assist parents to gain skills to
participate in the decision making of the school
Recent studies have shown that parents need to feel
comfortable with the level of their participation in
school activities. The less formal atmosphere of a parent
group can encourage participation and act as a base for
nurturing skills and providing information about policies
and procedures, which can lead to their readiness to serve
confidently on the Council.
5.1.3 To develop and maintain interest in the
welfare of children at school
Again, the Parent Group is the forum for providing
information about matters affecting children’s welfare and
learning, and the opportunity to provide input.
5.1.4 Support the Principal and the school staff
to enhance student learning
This is achieved by providing another avenue for the
Principal and staff to inform, discuss and ‘sound out’
parent opinion on issues affecting students and their
learning.
The Affiliated Committee provides the means to extend
parents’ understanding of school policy and programs.
It can also act as a conduit for forming a liaison between
parents, teachers and students.
5.3 The Affiliated Committee may raise funds for
school related purposes
Experience has shown that willingness and enthusiasm to hold
fundraising activities is enhanced when there is opportunity
to have input into how these funds are spent.
It is good practice
- for the Governing Council to provide a list of
spending priorities from which the Affiliated
Committee may choose a project to support
- for the contribution of the Affiliated Committee to be
recognised, eg with appropriate ‘badge-ing’
- that there is recognition that representation of the
Affiliated Committee on the Finance Advisory Committee
is essential.
Affiliated Committees are entitled to maintain their own
bank account, and it is their decision whether to do so or
to seek to become part of an existing Consolidated Account.
Where an Affiliated Committee is part of a Consolidated
Account it must be provided with a copy of its financial
record for each meeting.The budget should also reflect the
needs of the Affiliated Committee’s financial requirements
such as affiliation fees, parent participation
activities (conferences, seminars etc) and the like.
The Affiliated Committee will act as an independent body
covered by the liability indemnity insurance available to
Councils. To protect this cover, activities it
organises must be approved in advance by the Principal.
Council meeting agendas should include a report from the
Affiliated Committee.
As part of its responsibility to report to the school
community generally, the Governing Council should also
report regularly to the Affiliated Committee to enhance
communication and cooperation between the two bodies.
As stated above, the Affiliated Committee will work in
partnership to support the Governing Council in fulfilling
its obligations under 5.1.1 of its constitution and in
achieving the best outcomes for the students in the school.
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