St. Beacon’s N.S. Parents Association is an integral and vital element of the school community.  Our PA is affiliated to the National Parents Council (NPC) which provides training for its members and acts as an advisory service for Parent Associations throughout the country.

Our PA meets throughout the year and has contributed greatly over the years through its fundraising.  All funds raised are used to provide our pupils with classroom resources which ensures an optimum learning environment is sustained in St. Beacon’s NS.

The PA have generously given of their time to help promote many school initiatives including the funding for much of school I.T equipment, the purchase of a large number of books for our school library and in support of our STEM, Sports and Drama initiatives.

We work closely with the Principal and the Board of Management to ensure that we all fundraising is targeted for the current requirements of the school.

The PA also assist in areas of school organisation such as supervision on trips, classroom assistance and event planning and organisation.

Each year , we plan to have suitable guest speakers for our school community . We have had excellent speakers on Internet Safety, SPHE and  workshops on transitions from primary to post primary with the senior classes and parents.

Heather Kenneally (Chairperson), Barry Kelly (Secretary) are the current officers and are ably supported by a committee of parents as volunteers. We are always keen to have extra help and invite parents/guardians to become suitably Garda vetted and be available to assist with school initiatives from time to time.

The PA may be contacted by emailing stbeaconsns@gmail.com or ringing directly the Chairperson or Secretary of the Parents Association.

The official functions of a Parents Association are:

Role of the PA

• The Parent Association can engage in consultation with the principal and the Board of Management to develop and or review areas of policy e.g. health and safety, homework, behaviour.
• The PA can suggest and or organise extra-curricular activities.
• The PA is a support for parents in the school.
• The PA can invite speakers to address parents on issues which are topical.
• The PA is the fundraising body of the school. The chairperson consults with the Principal to draw up a list of equipment or resources for which extra funds are required. The PA carries out extra funds are required.  The PA carries out various fundraising activities throughout the year to raise funds for a specified purpose.
• The PA is not a forum for complaints against an individual teacher or parent nor against school organisation or management. The complaints procedure is the mechanism for this.