Board of Management

Introduction

This brief note has been written to give parents of children attending our school an overview of the role of the Board of Management.

The Role of the Board of Management

Role of the Board A board of management for an ETB school has a clear remit to manage that school on behalf of the ETB (and the Trustee Partner in the case of a designated community college), in accordance with legislation; Department of Education and Skills (DES) circulars, guidelines and procedures; and any policies or strategies that the ETB may establish regarding the operation of its schools. The primary role of a board of management is one of governance. Governance is about providing direction and oversight for a school while ensuring that the rights of all members of the school community are upheld and that the school is accountable for its work. The functions of a board may, in the main, be categorised under three different headings:

  • Policy setting and strategic planning
  • Monitoring the implementation of policy, strategy and plans
  • Supporting the principal and his/her staff

In carrying out its functions the Board of Management shall:

5 Key duties of the Board

Two key duties underpin the work of school board members.

  • The duty to act, at all times, in the best interests of the whole school and the ETB and Trustee Partner (where applicable) which means avoiding any perception that they are promoting personal or particular sectional interests.
  • The duty to exercise due care, skill and diligence, which means board members:
  • Attend board meetings regularly and come prepared to meetings,
  • Make reasonable efforts to inform themselves about matters relevant to their work on the board,
  • Avail of the training provided for board members, and • set aside time each year to get to know the staff and the facilities

General Responsibilities of Boards of Management The Education Act (1998) requires schools to provide all students with an education appropriate to their abilities and needs and, in doing so, to have regard to the efficient use of available resources to ensure that:

  • The school promotes the moral, spiritual, social, and personal development of students and provides health education for them, in consultation with their parents, having regard to the characteristic spirit of the school;
  • Those with special educational needs are identified and provided for;
  • The school complies with the education policies, regulations and curriculum prescribed by the Minister;
  • Students have access to appropriate guidance to assist them in their educational and career choices;
  • The school maintains systems whereby its performance can be assessed – the effectiveness of teaching and the attainment of academic standards;
  • The school establishes and maintains an admissions and participation policy that provides for maximum accessibility to the school;
  • The school promotes equality of opportunity for both male and female students and staff of the school;
  • The school promotes the development of the Irish language and traditions, Irish literature, the arts and other cultural matters;
  • Parents of a student, or in the case of a student who has reached the age of 18 years, the student, have access in the prescribed manner to records kept by that school relating to the progress of that student in his or her education;
  • The school, in the case of a school located in the Gaeltacht area, contributes to the maintenance of Irish as the primary community language;
  • The needs of personnel involved in management functions and staff development needs generally in the school are identified and provided for;
  • The school promotes, insofar as is reasonably practicable, educational opportunities for persons living in the area in keeping with national policies on lifelong learning;
  • The school establishes and maintains contact with other schools and colleges and at other appropriate levels throughout the community served by the school/college. The board of management should work collaboratively with the school principal, who is secretary to the board, and the staff to facilitate the school/college in the exercise of these functions. Also, in all its work, the board should have regard for the public interest in the affairs of the school, and be accountable to students, their parents, the ETB and, where applicable, the Trustee Partner.

Enfield Community College Board of Management:

School Roll No. 76595N
Enfield Community College, Co. Meath

School Enfield Date Ratified
Secretary to the BOM
Mr. Shane Foley
Approved
Content
Chairperson
Cllr. Nick Killian
LMETB Nominee
24 September 2020
Other Members
Cllr Aisling Dempsey
LMETB Nominee
24 September 2020
Cllr. Niamh Souhan
LMETB Nominee
24 September 2020
Ms. Laura Walsh
Staff Nominee
26 November 20
Mr. Padraig Keenan
Male Teacher Rep
September 2021
Mr. Thomas Cooney
Parent Nominee
26 November 20
Ms. Tara Cassidy
Parent Nominee
26 November 20
Ms. Vera Kelly
Community Nominee
September 2021
Tom Curran
Community Nominee
September 2021