Monday 29th March 2010
Dear Parents and Carers,
Parent Governor Election
I am writing to encourage you to put your name forward for election as parent governor of St Gregory’s Catholic Primary School. Becoming a parent governor offers you the opportunity to make a real contribution to the life and work of our school.
We now have a vacancy for a Parent Governor as Mrs Anne Heath has chosen to take the opportunity of becoming a foundation parent governor from March this year. This is due to Mrs Maria Bailey stepping down from her position as Foundation Governor and because of this we have been able to take the opportunity to create the Parent Governor Vacancy.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank both Mr Richard Ellis (previously foundation Governor) and Mrs Maria Bailey (foundation parent governor) for their valued contributions to the school during their time as a governor.
School governors play a key role in the leadership of the school and work co-operatively together with each other and the staff to make sure that our school provides a challenging, supportive and safe environment for its pupils.
As a parent governor one does not represent the parents and their views but is an elected parent who is given the right to act as governor on the governing body. Being a governor can be very rewarding and will provide you with an opportunity to meet new people and gain new skills. Full induction, training and support are available from the LA and your colleagues on the governing body.
You will want to know how much time it takes.
Governors act as a team and, as such, the amount of time that each of them can give to the role will vary. Some people will be able and willing to give a lot throughout their time as a governor. Others will find that the amount of time they can give increases or reduces during that period. But if you are serious about helping our school to help children, then you do need to:
• be willing to prepare for meetings: there can be a lot of papers to read;
• attend meetings: the Governing Body must meet at least once a term, but you probably will be asked to serve on at least one committee. How often this meets will vary, but it is usual for most committees to meet each term;
• be able to get to meetings. Full Governing body meetings will usually be during the evening but committee meetings may be during the day;
• participate. You need to prepare for, and attend, meetings if you are to be able to help the school effectively.
In order to be eligible to stand for election your child/children must be on the roll of the school
and you must be proposed and seconded by parents of other children at school. Neither the
proposer nor seconder should be your spouse or related to each other. Every parent is entitled to
be nominated as a parent governor and to vote in a parental governor election. If more than one
nomination is received, an election will be held and ballot papers for this will be sent to all
parents.
The usual term of office is four years from the date of appointment. If you choose to, you can
complete your term of office even if your child leaves the school.
If, as a parent, you are interested in becoming a parent governor nomination forms can be down loaded from the documents section of the school website and are available from the school office.
Completed nomination forms to be returned to the school office by: Wednesday 21st April 2010, elections will take place on our return to school after the Easter break.
On behalf of the Governing Body I would like to thank you for your continued support of our School and to wish you all a happy and holy Easter.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely
Anne H Thompson
Chair of Governors
St Gregory’s Catholic Primary School
