2.5 Board of Management Meetings
Quorum for Board Meetings
A meeting of the Board of Management may not proceed unless there is a minimum of five voting members present. Where a quorum ceases to be present arising from the early departure of members, the meeting should be adjourned and re-convened as soon as may be convenient.
Chairperson of the Board of Management
The term of office of the Chairperson of a Community School Board is one year without limit on the number of consecutive terms that may be served. The Chairperson of a Comprehensive School Board serves at the discretion of the religious nominating body.
At the first meeting of a Community School Board of Management in each school year, i.e., the first one after July 31st, the election of the Chairperson should be the first item on the agenda. Until this item is disposed of, the outgoing Chairperson or, in his/her absence, the Secretary presides at the meeting; invites nominations for the position of Chairperson and conducts an election if there is more than one nomination. Once the election is over, the Chairperson assumes the chair. Every member of the Board, with the exception of the Principal, is eligible for election to the chair.
If the Chairperson is absent from a Board meeting, the voting members present shall, before any other business is transacted, elect an Acting Chairperson from among their number to preside at the meeting.
The Role of the Chairperson
The role of the Chairperson is, primarily, to preside at meetings and to facilitate the conduct of business at the meetings. The Chairperson is normally consulted by the Secretary in advance of meetings to agree an agenda and order of business. Although the Board sits in a corporate capacity, it is normal practice, in the case of an emergency or when convening a meeting is impracticable, that the Secretary, in consultation with the Chairperson, acts on behalf of the Board.
Upon exercising power in this manner, it is incumbent on the Secretary and the Chairperson to report fully to the next Board meeting and to ensure that the matter is adequately recorded in the minutes.
Secretary of the Board of Management
In a Community or Comprehensive School the permanent Secretary of a Board of Management is normally the School Principal or the Chief Executive Officer of the local Vocational Education Committee.
In accordance with the Deed of Trust, First Schedule, Instrument of Management, Section 3(c), the Board of a Community School may at any time terminate the appointment of the Secretary on giving not less than one month’s notice in writing. The appointment may also be terminated if the permanent Secretary is absent from more than two consecutive meetings of the Board except for a reason approved by the Board.
When the office of permanent Secretary becomes vacant, or when a casual vacancy arises, the Board shall appoint one of its members to act as Secretary in a temporary capacity.
Under the Deed of Trust, the Secretary is responsible for the issuing of notice and agenda of meetings and the keeping of minutes of meetings.
Apart from assisting in the orderly and efficient discharge of Board business, the Secretary, in practice, also has a role in relation to a range of other issues concerning the government and direction of the school including:
- dealing with Board of Management correspondence
- provision of information concerning Board of Management rights, obligations and powers
- development of school policy
- staff selection and appointments
- transmission of Board of Management decisions to relevant parties and appropriate follow up
- liaising with the Chairperson
- representing the Board of Management where appropriate
- liaising with relevant School/Board of Management personnel and ensuring that, as far as possible, all relevant matters are brought to the attention of the Board of Management in an efficient and timely manner.
- liaising with ACCS on behalf of the Board of Management and appraising Board of Management members of ACCS advice and guidance.
Convening of Board Meetings
Meetings of the Board must be held at least once in every school term, and Boards are required to hold such other meetings as may be necessary for the efficient discharge of their functions. In practice most Boards of Management hold meetings at monthly intervals, with the exception of July and August.
The Secretary of the Board convenes the meetings, giving at least seven days written notice of a meeting and specifying the business proposed to be transacted at the meeting. Where urgent business arises, which must be dealt with quickly, the Secretary, with the agreement of the Chairperson, may give shorter notice provided this procedure has been approved previously by the Board of Management.
In addition, a meeting of the Board may be convened by any five of its voting members all of whom must sign the request for the meeting. [Deed of Trust for Community Schools, First Schedule, Instrument of Management 9(b)and 10(a) ]
Agenda for Meeting of Board of Management
Normally, the Secretary, in consultation with the Chairperson, draws up an agenda for a Board meeting.
The following is a sample agenda for regular Board of Management meetings.
- Minutes of previous meeting.
- Matters arising from minutes.
- Correspondence.
- Financial report.
- Purchases approval.
- ACCS business.
- Personnel matters.
- Principal’s report.
- Scheduling of next meeting.
Minutes of Previous Meeting
In practice it is more efficient to circulate the draft minutes in advance of the meeting. This allows the proposal that they be taken “as read”, and, either adopted “as a true and accurate account of the previous meeting”, or amended and duly adopted as such.
Matters Arising from Minutes
The Chairperson normally invites queries, but only in relation to items which are not recurring on the agenda for the day.
Correspondence
All correspondence addressed to the Board and any other correspondence arriving at the school which relates to the general direction and government of the school must be brought to the notice of the Board. It is open to Board members to request sight of any correspondence, subject to the limitations of confidentiality.
To expedite this item at Board meetings, it is suggested that all correspondence be summarised and that the summary be tabled or circulated in advance. Routine matters for noting only should be marked and grouped for quick disposal, thus allowing more time for consideration of the more important items of correspondence.
Financial Report
The Department of Education and Science has published Administrative and Financial Guidelines for Community and Comprehensive Schools to assist Boards of Management to fulfil their obligations regarding the financial management of their schools. These guidelines became effective as and from 1st January 2003.
The implementation of these guidelines is considered extensively in Chapter 5 of this publication.
ACCS Business
Correspondence and Reports, Info bulletins, Newsletters, Annual Convention arrangements and the Annual Convention Handbook from ACCS should be brought to the notice of the Board.
Personnel Matters
It is advisable to include this as a regular item on the agenda to facilitate Board attention to such matters as the allocation and appointment of teaching staff, requests for career breaks and job sharing, requests for special and personal leave, absenteeism, approval for substitution and appointment of secretarial and maintenance staff. The appointment and management of staff is considered in Chapters 3 and 4 of this publication.
Principal’s Report
The Principal’s Report provides a vehicle for reporting on varied and miscellaneous matters relating to the school. It may range over such items as student and staff attainments, school achievements, disciplinary matters, minor maintenance issues, distinguished visitors to the school and school events. It should not be used to deal with matters of substance which should always appear on the agenda as separate items.
Scheduling of Next Meeting
Before concluding the business of a meeting, the Board normally sets the date of its next meeting. If this is not done, it is a matter for the Secretary to arrange the date.
Minutes of the Board of Management Meeting
Minutes of Board meetings are among the most important of school records. They should be written by the Secretary of the Board of Management as soon as is practicable after each Board meeting. In their draft form, they are circulated to Board members and tabled at the next Board meeting. Once they are adopted “as a true and accurate account” of the proceedings of a meeting and are signed by the Chairperson of the Board, they then form part of the official records of the school.
The minutes are open to inspection by the Minister and the Board is required to forward forthwith a copy of the minutes of every meeting to the Department of Education and Science for inspection. The minutes may also be inspected by the Comptroller and Auditor General.
- are numbered - for easy reference
- are short and concise - contain decisions but without detailed recording of discussions
- record the name of the proposer and seconder of all formal motions. However, a member’s name in association with a contribution to a discussion ought not to be recorded unless the member so requests.
Confidentiality of Board Meetings
The Deed of Trust requires confidentiality in respect of the business of a Board of Management, and no disclosure of the business may be made without the authority of the Board. In this respect, Boards are advised to develop a policy for dealing with matters of a sensitive nature, e.g. complaints by parents or personnel matters.
It is important to note that elected Board members (teachers and parents) are not delegates of their electorates. They have no obligation to either report back to their electors or to take instruction from them on how to vote at Board meetings. This applies equally to trustee nominees. However, it is a matter for each Board to decide what may be reported, and, in this respect, it is advisable that personnel, personal and financial matters should be treated as strictly confidential unless otherwise decided by the Board.
Non-members attending Board Meetings
Other than Board Members, no person has a right to attend Board meetings. However, it is open to a Board of Management to invite whomsoever it wishes to make a presentation to a meeting or to be in attendance and available to give advice and guidance of a technical or specific nature. Such non-members, when invited, may not contribute to debate except at the invitation of the Board. It is also open to a Board to have a recording secretary present to take notes.
Last Updated March 2011