Parent Involvement


With parents being the most powerful educational influence in the life of the child, much of the child’s value system is derived from this influence.

  • We believe it a great advantage that faith development and prayer life can be fostered both at home and at school.  The child who sees that faith is important in its family life will see the school as supporting what its parents hold as important.  Religious education at school is most effective when supported by a positive attitude to faith in the home.
  • We therefore see the need to involve parents in our school, so that home and school may be truly complimentary influences in the child’s development.
  • We encourage parents in our curricular activities. We inform them of the need we see for changes and new directions, explain proposed changes, ask for their reactions and inform them of our progress.
  • By sending home children’s work, we let parents see the day to day activities of their child and see how he/she is coping.  We enlist their aid if the child requires extra assistance; we give oral reports during the year, and conduct formal interviews and present written reports at both mid year and December.
  • We value the work done for the school by parents and take care of the amenities and resources that they provide.
  • If difficulties, misunderstandings or differences arise we endeavour to work these out between parent/teacher/student and parent/Principal/student.
  • We respect the child’s home environment and we expect in return, that the school environment and rules will also be respected and upheld.

Parental Involvement By the very nature of our school, community and parent involvement is implicit in its existence.  Catholic schools in rural areas grew historically, from the expressed needs and involvement of parents. Parent involvement is a distinctive feature of St. Joseph’s School and we encourage your involvement. There are numerous ways in which parents can become a vital part of life at St. Joseph’s:

SCHOOL ADVISORY COUNCIL: 2009 saw the introduction of the St Joseph’s School Council. This group is a merger between what was previously the School Board and Parents & Friends Association. In this model, the Council still takes on the advisory role to the Canonical Administrator and School Principal (as the School Board did). The Council also has a treasurer to oversee and manage the financial side of things e.g. fundraising, paying bills associated with catering etc The Advisory Council meets the third Tuesday of every month
 
WORKING GROUPS: Working groups from the school community are then set up when needed. For example, a working group may be set up to run a fundraising event. The working group plans and conducts this event and when it is over that particular working group has finished their job. Another working group might be set up to run a working bee, for example. Again, when the working bee is over, the group is disbanded. Each working group needs to liaise with the School Council Liaison person to ensure the Council is kept informed of the progress of the working group.

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES:
Parents are welcome at all times to become part of the day to day running of the classroom via reading, writing, Mass, Liturgies, swimming, camps and excursions.

CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE
Parents are encouraged to participate in these vital parts of maintaining the school grounds and buildings.

CECV Guidelines for Engaging Volunteers