Parents Association
St Mary's has an active Parents Association. All parents are automatically members, and are encouraged to support and become involved in the P.A.'s work for the benefit of the school. The P.A. holds a number of fund raising events during the year, and provides a liaison with the parents, teachers and Board of Management on all aspects of school life.
The P.A. has an elected committee. You are welcome to contact the P.A. committee by e-mail: pa@stmarysnsbagenalstown.ie.
Any member of the committee may be contacted on any matter that concerns parent/school liaison. The current members are:
Chairperson: Danella Walsh
Secretary: Samantha Smyth
Treasurer: Madeline Murray
Board of Management Representatives:
Robin Scanlon
Cathy Stevenson
Other members:
Claire Cantlon
Alan Walsh
Aoife Whitford
Elinor Kavanagh
All parents are automatically members of the P.A. and are encouraged to support and become involved in the P.A.'s work for the benefit of the school.
This section explains more about how the P.A. functions, what the current plans and priorities are, and how the money raised has been used.
The P.A. Constitution is available to download here.
National Parents Council
The P.A. is a member of the National Parents Council Primary (N.P.C.), and looks to that body for advice and guidance on how to operate.
This is the N.P.C. definition of the P.A.'s function: "The parent association is the structure through which parents in a school can work together for the best possible education for their children. The parent association works with the principal, staff and the board of management to build effective partnership between the home and school. Partnership between the home and school is important because with positive and active partnership the child gets the best that primary education can offer." More advice from the NPC can be found here.
How the P.A. Works
Most of the week-to-week running of the P.A. is carried out by the P.A. Committee, which meets regularly throughout the year. The work of the Committee is essentially:
• looking after the funds
• organising and running fundraising events (events are run with the help of other P.A. volunteers)
• deciding how the money should be spent, in response to suggestions and requests from the school
• assisting in parent-school liaison
• representing parents' interests to outside bodies.
The Committee is elected by the P.A. membership at the AGM. You are welcome to talk to any member of the P.A. committee.
You can also e-mail: pa@stmarysnsbagenalstown.ie.
It has been agreed that each family pay a School Contribution (currently €160 per year) towards school funds. The parents' School Contribution and other funds raised by the P.A. are used purely for the benefit of the school. The School Contribution is passed directly to the Board of Management, and is used to help with the basic running costs of the school.
The AGM 
The P.A. AGM, held early in the school year, is the parents' opportunity to hear the Committee Chair and Treasurer report on the activities of the previous year, the money raised and the money spent.
It is also the parents' opportunity to stand for, and vote for, the new Committee for the current year - and raise any matters of concern for discussion.
The School Contribution is discussed at the AGM.
The latest AGM was held in November 2017.