ST MICHAEL'S SCHOOL PARENTS' ASSOCIATION

CONSTITUTION

1. NAME

The name of the Association shall be the St Michael's Parents' Association (hereinafter called "the Association").

2. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The aims and objectives of the Association shall be:-

2.1 To act as a forum for parents' views and a medium for liaison and discussion between parents and the Headmaster, Trustees and staff of St Michael's Preparatory School, Jersey (hereinafter call "the School");

2.2 To provide and/or co-ordinate practical support for the School's activities;

2.3 To arrange or assist in arranging functions and fund-raising events;

2.4 To arrange and/or co-ordinate social events;

2.5 To promote and foster good relations between parents; parents and staff; and parents and the School;

2.6 To do all such other things as are incidental to the above aims and objectives which enhance the good image and reputation of the School.

PROVIDED that:-

(i) the Association shall not in any way interfere with the running of the School, which is acknowledged to be the remit of the Trustees, Headmaster and staff, PROVIDED HOWEVER THAT the making of recommendations to the Headmaster shall not constitute interference;

(ii) the Association shall not engage in trading activities or any commercial enterprise (save with the endorsement of, and under the supervision of, the School);

(iii) the Association shall not be a receptacle for money or assets nor shall it incur financial obligations or engage in any activities for which any liability might be incurred (save with the endorsement of, and under the supervision of, the School).

3. MEMBERSHIP

3.1 Every parent and guardian (as recorded in the School records) of all pupils attending the School (including the Nursery) shall automatically be deemed to be Members of the Association (hereinafter called "Members"), unless the parent or guardian shall give written notice to the Headmaster that they do not wish to become or to remain Members of the Association.

3.2 It is hereby acknowledged that Membership of the Association shall impose no compulsory duties or liabilities on the Members. Neither shall there be any membership fee or other subscription payable by Members.

3.3 Members shall be entitled to inspect the books and records of the Association during normal school hours on giving seven days notice to the School Secretary.

3.4 Members shall at all times respect and observe the integrity of information of a private or confidential nature received by them through their membership of the Association.

3.5 No Member shall hold himself out as representing the views of the Committee or the Association without the prior authorisation of either the Committee or the Association.

4. THE COMMITTEE

4.1 The affairs of the Association shall be managed by a Committee (hereinafter referred to as "the Committee") which may exercise all the powers of the Association and do, on behalf of the Association, all such things as are not, by this Constitution, required to be done by the Association in general meeting, subject nevertheless to any resolution of the Association in general meeting. The Committee may delegate any of its powers to a Sub-Committee (as provided hereunder).

4.2 The Members shall elect two Members to serve respectively as Chairman and Secretary of the Association. Elections shall take place in accordance with the procedure set out in Clause 4.5 hereof.

4.3 Each year of the School (including the Nursery) shall as far as possible be represented on the Committee by a Member (hereinafter called "the Year Representative"). In order to be eligible for nomination as a Year Representative, a Member must have a child in the year in respect of which the Member is being nominated. In the event of there being more than one nomination for Year Representative (for any one year of the School) an election shall take place as provided in Clause 4.5 hereof.

4.4 The Committee shall comprise the Chairman, Secretary and a maximum of ten Year Representatives plus the Headmaster (or his alternate) who shall be an ex-officio member.

4.5 Nominations for the offices of Chairman, Secretary and Year Representatives shall be notified to the Secretary, in writing, at least seven school days prior to the date upon which the Annual General Meeting is due to take place. Nomination papers shall be signed by a proposing and seconding Member and, in the case of a Year Representative, the proposer and seconder shall be the parent or guardian of a child in the year in question or shall be a member of the Committee. The nomination papers shall be countersigned by the Member nominated, confirming that he qualifies to hold the position for which he has been nominated, that is to say that he meets the criteria set out in Clause 4.6 hereof and, in the case of nomination as a Year Representative, that he also qualifies under Clause 4.3 hereof; and that he is willing to serve the Association in the capacity for which he has been nominated. Should the position of Chairman, Secretary or any Year Representative remain vacant, a candidate may be elected onto the Committee by a majority vote of those present at the Annual General Meeting. Contested elections shall be held by secret ballot at the Annual General Meeting.

4.6 Elected Year Representatives shall be allowed to remain on the Committee if they so choose, without completing a nomination form, unless the position is contested, for a period not exceeding three consecutive years and Clause 4.3 would still apply. The Chairman and Secretary can serve on the Committee for a maximum of four years, with one year at least serving as a Year Representative

4.7 The Committee shall have the power to co-opt additional Members to the Committee to fill any vacancy on the Committee and, if willing to serve, that Member shall serve on the Committee until the next Annual General Meeting. In the case of Year Representatives, preference shall be given to Members with a child in the same year as the child of the Year Representative whose place on the Committee is vacant.

4.8 The Committee may establish Sub-Committees. Any such Sub-Committee shall be chaired by a Committee Member who may co-opt such persons (who need not be Members) as he shall deem fit to serve with him on the Sub-Committee.

4.9 Once established, a Sub-Committee shall continue in existence until the termination of business at the next Annual General Meeting or until such earlier date as the Committee shall determine.

4.10A Committee Member wishing to resign shall give written notice thereof to the Secretary

who shall include the resignation on the agenda for the next Committee Meeting.

4.11A Member of the Committee may be removed from office upon a resolution to that effect

passed by a majority of two-thirds of the full Committee (that is to say, not two-thirds of

those present at the relevant Committee Meeting).

5. MEETINGS

5.1 The Committee shall meet at least once a term on dates agreed between the Headmaster, the Chairman and the Secretary, on seven days' notice given by the Secretary to all Committee Members or such shorter notice as the majority of the Committee present at the meeting shall agree.

5.2 The quorum for a Meeting of the Committee shall be five Committee Members and the Headmaster, or his alternate.

5.3 No person other than a Committee Member shall be entitled, as of right, to attend meetings of the Committee. Teachers at the School with an interest in the subject matter to be discussed at a Committee Meeting may attend by invitation of the Headmaster. Persons other than teachers may attend Committee Meetings by invitation of the Chairman. Invitees may speak, with the consent of the Chairman, but may not vote.

5.4 The Secretary shall keep an attendance record and minutes of the general meetings of the Association and of the Committee. The minutes of each meeting, if approved by the Members present at the subsequent (corresponding) meeting, shall be signed by the Chairman (or acting Chairman). The minutes shall be made available to relevant Members (that is to say minutes of Committee Meetings to Committee Members and minutes of General Meetings to all Members) at or prior to the subsequent meeting.

5.5 Decisions of the Committee shall be by simple majority of those Committee Members present at the Meeting. The Headmaster (or his alternate) shall have no vote but shall have a power of veto. The Chairman of the Meeting will have a second or casting vote in the event of an equality of votes.

5.6 All members shall be notified not less than four weeks in advance of the date fixed by the Committee for the Annual General Meeting of the Association which shall be held during Michaelmas term each year. Members wishing to have matters included in the Agenda shall give written notice thereof to the Secretary not less than fifteen days in advance of the date fixed for the Meeting. In the event of the notice being received out of time, it shall be in the discretion of the Chairman and Secretary whether the matter shall be included on the Agenda for the Meeting. The agenda shall be made available to Members at least seven days prior to the date fixed for the Meeting.

5.7 An Extraordinary General Meeting (being any General Meeting of the Association other than the Annual General Meeting) may be convened by the Committee or by a requisition in writing, signed by not less than fifteen Members, addressed to the Secretary, such requisition to specify the matters which the signatories thereto require to be discussed at the Extraordinary General Meeting. The Secretary shall convene an Extraordinary General Meeting not less than two weeks and not more than four weeks from the date of receipt of such requisition PROVIDED HOWEVER that all such Meetings shall take place during the School term (and not during half-term); and the Secretary shall give immediate notice of the date fixed and of the agenda, to all members.

5.8 The quorum for an Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting shall be sixteen plus the Headmaster, or his alternate. If after twenty minutes a quorum is not present, the meeting shall be postponed for no less than seven and no more than fourteen days. Notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to Members and those present at the re-convened meeting shall constitute a quorum regardless of the number. The issues to be discussed at such re-convened meeting shall be limited to those on the agenda of the original meeting.

5.9 Meetings of the Association shall be chaired by the Chairman. In the absence of the

Chairman, the Members present shall appoint a Chairman for that Meeting from amongst

themselves.

5.10 Resolutions at an Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting shall be

approved by simple majority of those present, each Member present being entitled to one

vote. Proxy votes shall not be permissible. The Chairman shall have a second or casting

vote in the event of an equality of votes.

5.11 No resolution shall be put to a vote at a General Meeting unless included on the agenda

for that meeting.

6 PROCEDURE

6.1 Subject to any specific provisions of this Constitution, the procedure at and the agenda of

General Meetings of the Association shall be determined by the Chairman and the procedure at and the agenda of Committee Meetings shall be determined by the majority of the Committee members present.

6.2 Where any doubt arises in the interpretation of this Constitution, the Committee's decision

shall prevail subject to the decision of a General Meeting of the Association.

6.3 Neither a General Meeting of the Association nor a meeting of the Committee shall be invalidated by reason only of a Member not having received notice thereof PROVIDED THAT there is a quorum.

7. CHANGE OF CONSTITUTION AND WINDING UP

7.1 This Constitution may be amended by resolution passed in General Meeting by a majority

of not less than two-thirds of those present and eligible to vote thereon.

7.2 The Association may be wound up by resolution passed in a General Meeting by a majority

of not less than two-thirds of those present and eligible to vote thereon.

8. DISCLAIMER

8.1 The Association shall not be held responsible or liable to any Member, or any co-opted

person, in any manner whatsoever whether for negligence, breach of contract or other

wise, brought in respect of any damage or loss, whether physical, mental, economic or

otherwise, caused by the Association (whether by its full membership or Committee or

Sub-Committee thereof), its servants, agents or officers.

This Constitution was approved by the Inaugural Meeting of the Association held at St Michael's Preparatory School. La Rue de la Houguette, St Saviour, Jersey on 30 January 1996. Clauses 4.5 and 4.6 were amended by the Annual General Meeting held at St Michael's Preparatory School, La Rue de la Houguette, St Saviour Jersey on 19 October 2000. Clause 4.6 was further amended at the Annual General Meeting on 16 October 2003.