Pay OnlineCoiste na dTuismitheoirí (Parents Committee/Association)
The Coiste na dTuismitheoirí is the Parents Committee/Association at Gaelscoil an Ghoirt Álainn. Membership is open to parents, teachers and staff of Gaelscoil an Ghoirt Álainn working together to create the best possible learning environment for all children attending the school.
Guided by its Constitution, the Coiste has around 20-30 members including the following roles: Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Secretary, Vice-Secretary, Treasurer, Vice-Treasurer, Class Rep Co-ordinator, 14 Class Reps, the School Secretary, Nominated Teacher, and others in supporting roles.
How to join the Coiste
An Annual General Meeting (AGM) is held every Sept/Oct to which all parents are invited. Parents interested in joining the Coiste are asked to attend this meeting and volunteer their names and contact details. The first meeting of the Coiste is held soon afterwards at which the committee for the forthcoming year is elected.
How often does the Coiste meet?
Meetings are held at the school once a month throughout the year (usually on Thursdays).
The Coiste always enourages the use of Irish but meetings are held through the medium of English to include all parents.
How else could I be involved?
You do not need to join the Coiste to be involved as a parent. We run two main events during the year, the School Disco and Christmas Market (Margadh Geimhridh). If you have any skills that could be used for these events, we would really welcome your help! Examples include:
- Event planning and organising
- Graphic design for making flyers or banners
- DJ skills or access to DJ equipment for Disco
- Irish writing/translating (for Coiste website/flyers)
- Baking, cooking, arts and crafts or musical talent for Margadh Geimhridh
- Face painting, nail art or animal balloon making
- and of course new fundraising ideas are always welcome!
This is just an example. If you have any other skills or access to resources or equipment that we could use for fundraising events we would love to know about it.
Responsibilities of the Coiste include the following:
- Planning and managing the annual programme of activities for the Coiste in partnership with the school (e.g. Margadh Geimhridh, School Disco and Uniform Sale)
- Communicating and consulting with the Principal and the Board of Management (usually directly to the principal or through elected parents reps on the board)
- Communicating and involving parents – both members and non-members of the Coiste ( via AGM, Coiste monthly meetings and minutes, Class Reps texts and WhatsApp messages, print flyers, facebook and Coiste section of www.gortalainn.ie website)
- Collecting and managing the Airgead don Scoil (annual voluntary contribution of €100 per family) on behalf of the Board of Management (e.g. purchasing of learning resources and equipment for the children or saving for the new school)
- Fundraising for the school (e.g. raffles and events such as the School Disco)
- Working with the Board of Management to maintain the values An Foras Pátrúnachta (the school patron) and Educate Together
- Adhering as closely as possible to National Parents Council (NPC) guidelines to which we are affiliated
- Supporting the school activities in any way we can (e.g. Ceolchoirm, Enrolment Night, SVP Appeal, Science Week, Siúlóid Marten and 6th Class School Tour)
Roles currently held are as follows:
Chairperson: Louise Crockett
Vice Chairperson: Lorraine O’Neill
Secretary: Deirdre de Barra
Vice Secretary: Ger Coughlan
Treasurer: Niall Walsh
Vice Treasurer: Ronan Leech
Class Rep Co-ordinator: Deirdre de Barra
School Secretary: Lisa McCarthy
Teachers’ Rep: Múinteoir Eilís
BOM Parent’s Reps: Greg Hayes & Nicola Wallace
Click here to contact the Coiste.
