The Effectiveness of a Parents and Friends Association

To ensure its effectiveness, the Association should:

• Adhere to the aims and objectives of the State Federation as laid down by the Constitution
• Strive to develop at the school a real community of parents, teachers and students
• Work closely with the School Authorities, in particular the school Principal, who is the leader of the school community, to achieve common goals;
• Ensure that a high level of social and educational interaction exists between home and school, parents and teachers;
• Endeavour to have all parents enjoy the exciting experience of their children's formal school years by active participation and personal involvement in the school programs;
• Provide a healthy forum for ideas and discussion on any relevant issue that will benefit the education of the children;
• In particular, concern itself with further education for the parents of the school in their faith development and ensure that a clear understanding of the school's religious education program exists;
• Assist in planning and organising functions associated with the social, sporting, cultural and educational life of the school community;
• Work to provide additional resources which are considered necessary for the children or to assist the teachers in their professional work. Whilst this role has been and will continue to be very important in Independent schools, it should not be the only function of the Parents and Friends' Association, which should ensure that its activities extend into the above areas as well.
• To ensure the proper running of the Association, the Parents and Friend's Association Executive should:
  • Be responsible for the planning, management and organisation of the Association's affairs;
  • Hold regular (preferably monthly) general meetings, to which should be invited all parents, the principal, teachers and other interested persons;
  • Conduct meetings in a fitting and proper manner with respect for accepted meeting procedures;
  • Use known and successful organisational tools, such as sub-committees, task forces, seminars and discussion groups, to encourage wider participation, develop increased responsibility and achieve more effective results;
  • Appoint a person or form a sub-committee to be responsible for various activities and dissemination of information pertaining to the Association's areas of responsibility to the school community, eg., education policy issues, adult education, religious education, the QLD Independent Schools Parents Council, the Australian Parents' Council, social, cultural and sporting activities, the parent-teacher partnership, etc;
  • Nominate an Association representative on the School Board;
  • Nominate delegates for election to the Queensland Independent Schools Parents Council ;
  • Be responsible for all financial and administrative matters pertaining to the Association's activities, including the payment of affiliation fees and the supply of Office-Bearers' details to the Queensland Independent Schools Parents Council.