The School Board is governed by the School Education Act and Regulations and its terms of reference. School Board members are required to comply with the Board Code of Conduct and the Terms of Reference and have a criminal record clearance. Board members are expected to complete school board training with the Department of Education.
The Richmond PS Board meets six to eight times per year.
Tenure of Richmond PS School Board membership is one year. At the end of each year all positions are declared vacant and early the following year the principal calls for nominations. In the event that there are more nominations than positions, the principal will conduct an election. All parents of students enrolled at Richmond PS in that year are eligible to vote. The positions of chair and secretary are self-nominated and elected by board members.
The Richmond PS School Board currently has provision for nine members: Seven parent reps who represent our 600 parents, and one staff rep who represents our 45 staff, plus the principal.
We call for new members at the beginning of each new school year.
Roles and responsibilities of School Board
The functions of councils/boards are prescribed by the School Education Act 1999 and the School Education Regulations 2000 as follows:
Approve:
- a charge or contribution determined by the principal for the provision of materials, services and facilities;
- the costs determined by the principal to be paid for participation in an extra cost optional component of the school’s educational program;
- the items determined by the principal to be supplied by a student for the student’s personal use in the school’s educational program;
- an agreement or arrangement for advertising or sponsorship in relation to a government school.
A school’s Funding Agreement (with Schedules) is noted by the school board chair.
Determine:
- in consultation with students, their parents and staff of the school, determine a dress code for students when they are attending or representing the school.
- Provide advice to the principal of the school: on the use in school activities of prayers, songs and material based on religious, spiritual or moral values being used in a school activity as part of religious education; and on allowing time for the special religious education of students in the school, up to a total of 40 hours in a year.
Promote:
- the school in the community.
Take part in:
- establishing and reviewing from time to time, the school’s objectives, priorities and general policy directions;
- planning financial arrangements necessary to fund those objectives, priorities and directions;
- evaluating the school’s performance in achieving those objectives, priorities and directions;
- formulating codes of conduct for students at the school;
- the selection of, but not the appointment of, the school principal or any other member of the teaching staff if prior approval is given by the Regional Executive Director.
The responsibilities of a board are to:
- comply with the board’s terms of reference (constitution for incorporated bodies), the Department of Education’s Councils and Boards in Public Schools policy and procedures, the
School Education Act 1999 and the School Education Regulations 2000; - liaise with other groups/committees associated with the school e.g. the Parents and Citizens’ Association;
- hold an annual public meeting at least once in every calendar year that is open to the public. An annual report will be presented at the meeting to advise the school community of the
performance of the board in the last year; - hold at least two (2) ordinary meetings per year;
- hold meetings that are generally open to the public.
The School Education Act specifically prevents the School Board from getting involved in the day to day management and/or control of the school. The School Board has an advisory/strategic role.
Examples of things that the School Board cannot do:
- manage the day to day running of the school (for example, staff management, and student
assignment to classes); - discuss individual issues relating to teachers, staff, students or parents;
- represent specific interest groups, or permit special interests to dominate the agenda of the board;
- intervene in the control or management of the school – either directly or indirectly;
- intervene in the educational instruction of students;
- borrow money or obtain credit
- purchase property;
- exercise authority over teaching staff or other persons employed at the school; or performance manage the principal or any other Department of Education employee.
The School Board is different from the P&C. The remit of the P&C is community building and fundraising.
2024 School Board Representatives
CHAIR Person
Matthew Rose
Parent Representatives
Sian Rosser, Jane Tandy, Madeleine Cox, Toby Swingler, Sophie Godkin and Niamh Sheahan
Staff Representatives
Rebecca Button
Principal
Erika Holst-Marsh