Month: June 2022

Parent council

The parent council values

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At its January 2022 meeting, the parent council adopted these values. We discussed them again at the AGM last night. They will continue to guide and shape our work over the 2022-23 session.

BA Parent Council 2021/2

It is the obligation of all members and office holders to ensure that everyone’s voice is heard.

Ways of working

The BA Parent Council want to agree a code of conduct or set of values to help us work most effectively and constructively for all.

The code should help us ensure we deliver our role effectively and do so in the best possible way. And it should help ensure we act in the most collaborative and positive way we can and everyone’s voice is heard. The code of conduct is an assurance, that members will be acting in an appropriate manner and with the best intentions.

The key principles of the code will build on and reflect the school values:

Belonging, Believing…  Aspiring, Achieving

Belonging

  • Everyone attending the BA Parent Council will be respected.
  • We have a strong voice in our school and all views are listened to. Members and office holders all have an obligation to ensure everyone’s voice is heard.

Believing

  • We believe in our school, and its learners, everything we do has them at its heart
  • We want to help build resilience for our school and pupils and support the school and pupils in developing
  • We take pride in our school community, our parent council and want members of the BA parent council, pupils and staff to be happy

Aspiring

  • We work in partnership with the school and other bodies to challenge and stretch ourselves and others.
  • We know that success requires hard work and we persevere when the going gets tough, but do this by working together.
  • We challenge and support in a positive manner

Achieving

  • We are proud of our school’s history of achievement and want to be part of this as a parent council, supporting all pupils to achieve, especially those most in need

Parent Council members and post holders obligations

  • Always act in a way which maintains and protects the ethos of the school
  • Ensure all voices are heard and given representation
  • Behave appropriately at meetings and events towards other members or members of the public.
  • Listen to one another, and respect different opinions. Don’t interrupt, or seek to undermine one another
  • Respect and adhere to the decisions taken by BA Parent Council
  • Respect the decisions taken by the school

Restrictions

1. Not to abuse their position for personal advantage or gain
2. Personal issues relating to individual pupils, or staff at school, will not be discussed at meetings
3. Confidential issues will not be discussed out with the Parent Council meetings
4. Not to accept bribes for the influencing of any decisions.
5. Use of social media to post content that is negative, defamatory or abusive towards the school and its members.
6. Not to discuss issues with the press without prior agreement.

  • This code will help the Parent Council fulfil the aims and objectives of the Scottish Schools (Parental Involvement) Act 2006.
  • The Parent Council will ensure that new members has access to a copy of the Code of Conduct and Constitution.
  • The Parent Council chair will reference the code of conduct at the start of each meeting as a reminder to all attendees.

Meetings, Parent council

Chair’s report 2021-22

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At the parent council AGM June 15, 2022, our chair of the last two years, Jason O’Flynn, ended his term of office. We thank Jason for all his hard work, particularly during lockdown, when the parent council had to adapt very rapidly to operating remotely. Here is Jason’s chair’s report for the school year just past.

Chair Report Breadalbane Academy June 2022 – Jason O’Flynn

As we approach the end of the academic year, on behalf of the parent council I want to express thanks to all the staff at the school. We sincerely appreciate your hard work during this challenging year of transition. From unimaginable restrictions to relative normality at Breadalbane Academy – the journey has been a difficult one. We should never forget those who worked on the front line during the pandemic in such difficult circumstances. I’d like to give special mention to our head teacher John Devine and depute Karen Gatehouse who worked to engage and support the parent council and lead the school.

Secondly, I wish to thank the parent council team: Karl Wright, Vice Chair; Gill Steele, Secretary; El Laurie, Social Media and comms; Jane Carmichael, ASN; Shannon Mulholland, treasurer, and the many parents who regularly share perspectives on school matters. You have all helped to create a space which is a pleasure to work in.

We meet every month and do our best to address and represent parental concerns. The issues arising are many and varied – the primary school playground; behaviour on school buses; transgender guidance; smoking, vaping and energy drinks; school meals; exams post pandemic; the welcome of Ukraninian families and their children.

The team take time out to discuss all these issues and more. It’s worth reviewing the minutes of meetings throughout the year to see the good work of our volunteer parents – http://www.breadalbaneparents.com/meeting-minutes/ For all our differences, we strive to the same goal – namely,  a school environment where our children can meet their potential academically but also study in a place that is sensitive to their wellbeing.

To this end the parent council has worked with the school to give an enhanced spotlight on mental health, wellbeing and bullying with parent sub-groups addressing these areas. These are perennial issues at all schools but we should never be complacent.  Perhaps one of our greatest priorities is to safeguard our children’s wellbeing, especially given the levels of disruption they have experienced in recent years.

The parent council’s finances are in great shape and the PC has been successful in fundraising and supporting projects in many areas, for example:

  • £2500 raised for the school biodiversity project
  • £80,000 raised for the primary school playground
  • £3000 raised for the school hardship/travel fund
  • £250 paid to support from the PC’s ‘fundraising and opportunities group’ to the English Dept for ‘Room2Dream’ cross school work producing spoken work pieces around the theme of home
  • ASN £1000 grant received from Arnold Clark

I wish the new team all the best and encourage all parents to get involved. Any parent wanting to join the team please get in touch by email – chairperson@breadalbaneparents.com

Meetings, Parent council

2022 AGM agenda

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Breadalbane Academy Parent Council 2022 AGM

Wednesday 15 June 2022

6.30pm – 8.30pm

Agenda

The meeting will take place in the school. 

We’ll also provide online access for those who want it, using the Zoom platform. Please enter the URL below into your browser:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83321597256

You don’t need a password.

  1. Welcome, introductions & apologies
  2. Matters arising from the 2021 AGM
  3. Approve the minutes of the 2021 AGM
  4. Chair’s report
  5. Treasurer’s report
  6. Reports from any of the sub group:
    • ASN Parents Support Group
    • Anti-bullying Group
    • Mental Health & Wellbeing
    • Playground renovation
  7. Election of office bearers 
  8. Confirmation of values and rules
  9. Headteacher’s report
  10. Confirm dates for the 2022-23 meetings  
  11. AOB
  12. Date and time of next meeting


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