Parents Association

Email: stgerardsparentsassociation@hotmail.com

The St. Gerard’s School Parents’ Association was established on the 10th day of November 2005 to provide a forum for the third branch of the school community – the Parents. Our Association is one of the very few of its kind that represent parents at Junior and Senior level.

Among the aims of the Association was the desire to increase the flow of communication between the school management and the parents and also between the parents themselves. It was also felt that the Association should strive to give some practical help and guidance to parents in the school and also to support the great work being done by the teaching staff.

In order to meet these aims, several initiatives have been undertaken to date. They include the issuing of a monthly newsletter during school terms and the setting up of this web-link on the new school website in an effort to reach as many parents as possible and be a forum for their ideas and suggestions.

Secondly, a series of lectures has commenced on subjects of particular interest to parents regarding parenting skills and social problems that might affect our children.

In support of a “Wider World” view for the students, the Association has spearheaded the development of a Social Awareness Programme with links to National and International charities such as the Society of the St. Vincent De Paul and the UNICEF Nelson Mandela Foundation for Schools in Africa. Over time the benefits of involvement in these projects will spread school wide and allow our children an insight into the lives of others less fortunate.

We are arranging a Social Ball in the autumn with the main aim of getting parents together for some fun but also to raise money for our Social Awareness Programme.

The Association is affiliated to the National Parents’ Council (Primary School) and the Catholic Schools Parents’ Association both of which are national umbrella organisations.