Parents Association

The Association is a group parents/guardians that are interested in the life, learning and future of students currently in PCS. Email us at pcsparentsassoc@gmail.com if you would like to participate. We meet about 8 times a year to discuss how we can:

• support the school and students in their extra-curricular activities,
• organise social and fundraising events to support these activities,
• reflect on the impact of policy changes.

VSWARE

We recommend you install the VSWARE app on your mobile phone to stay informed of major events in your children’s life in school. We will use it to communicate important information from the Association to you.

Mark in your Calendar:

• October 3^rd, in Assembly Hall, Guest Speaker David Creed from Planet Youth and Association’s AGM, at 19:00. Free entry. More details at https://ndublinrdtf.ie/planet-youth/the-planet-youth-team/
• Colleges and Careers Expo – November XX, is an evening where students of 5^th and 6^th class are invited to meet professionals in the school to discuss careers, study paths, and expand their horizons on careers and passions.

Useful Resources:

• www.commonsensemedia.org >> Check the ‘Parents need to know’ section for advice on device settings, social media rules…
• www.dailymotion.com/video/x7x842m >> Panorama documentary on TikTok safety
• https://www.ispcc.ie/ispcc-digital-ready-hub/ >> Complete a survey to check if you are a ‘Digital Ready’ parent/guardian, and get all the information you need to be

Contact email: pcsparentsassoc@gmail.com

(Any queries to the Parents’ Association can be made via the email address above.)

You are invited to the AGM of the PCS Parents Association on Tuesday, October 4th 2022 @ 7.30pm in the school. All support is greatly appreciated. Come and meet fellow parents and join the school community

The Principal’s Report to the Parents’ association from January 2022 is here.

Our children are exposed to the dangers of Cyberbullying and abuse on Social Media. We are all doing our best to explain the negative of online communication; the school is allocating time and resources to keep them informed.

As a parent, I often find it challenging to keep up with the latest streamer, newest trend and understand what’s going on. With the Parents’ Association, we are curating sources of information to keep up with these rapidly evolving trends and stay informed so we can have meaningful conversations with our kids. Let’s face it, we will never be ‘cool’.

We recommend that you visit:

• www.commonsensemedia.org >> Check the ‘Parents need to know’ section for advice on device settings, social media rules…
• www.dailymotion.com/video/x7x842m >> Panorama documentary on TikTok safety
• https://www.ispcc.ie/ispcc-digital-ready-hub/ >> Complete a survey to check if you are a ‘Digital Ready’ parent/guardian, and get all the information you need to be

Portmarnock Community School – Board of Management

Principal’s Updates to the Parents’ Association

Academic Year 2020 – 2021

Presented to Parents’ Association AGM on Tuesday 12th  October 2021

Update PCS Leaving Cert 2021 candidates received outstanding results 11 students receiving 600 points or higher; 30% achieving 500 points or higher; significant achievement across the cohort relative to ability.

Since the last Principal’s Report there have been:

Subject Inspection (Science & Biology) from which the feedback was extremely positive 27/11/2019

https://www.gov.ie/en/school-reports/?school_roll_number=91324P&report_title=&report_date_from_day=&report_date_from_month=&report_date_from_year=&report_date_to_day=&report_date_to_month=&report_date_to_year=

SPSS Inspection, May 2020

All inspections now contain a Child Protection element

Trustee Responsibilities: The school has maintained participation in activities and events linked to CPD in subject ‘core competencies’ throughout the pandemic including ongoing Learning and Teaching workshops and cluster meetings in relation to JCT.

Middle Leadership and Senior Leadership training for staff, and Student Voice/ Student Leadership development has been online since March 2020 but we are hopeful of a resumption of in person provision in the coming months. 

All new and existing staff completed the annual Child Protection and Safeguarding training in August 2021 or immediately following appointment. Tusla training and Legal Island e-learning 2021.

‘School Code of Behaviour and Regulations’ policy was reviewed and shared with students during Tutor time August – September 2021For all policies visit school website  www.portmarnockcommunityschool.ie 

The Adult Education programme recommenced October 2021 and there is an impressive catalogue of courses and classes on offer. The BOM extends thanks to Adult Education Director, Mr. Michael McNeive for his work throughout the Covid-19 pandemic and in preparation for the resumption of in person courses. 

Extra-Curricular/ Supra- Curricular Activities

Mapping Project: Erasmus Plus programme that was operating in 2018-19 resulted in the award to PCS of a grant to support the continuation of the Lesotho Mapping project and Young Social Innovator activities for the new academic year. AIT ‘Hub Schools’ programme is thriving at present and will involve TY students during the planned April 2022 project.

European Parliament Ambassador School status- achieved by TY students 2020-21 in recognition of their work during the Remote Learning and Teaching periods. Congratulations to the students for their perseverance and commitment to continuing their TY activities despite the radically different context. Many thanks also to Ms Coleman and the TY teacher team for their innovative adaptation of the offer last year. The Career’s fair was replaced by an impressive online event hosted by IBEC in May 2021. TYs completed e-portfolios and this is an aspect of practice that proved very successful

Problem Solving Workshops A group of students participated in workshops with a PhD candidate working with Maynooth University Teacher Education department. Investigation into different approaches to problem solving by ‘very able’ Senior Cycle students

The Parents’ Association:

The PA meets once a month during the year. It reviews draft policies which
this year included Special Education Needs Policy and the Suspensions and Exclusion Policy. Members of the Association organised fund raising events as well as a very successful Careers Fair for Leaving Certificate and Transition Year students. Many thanks to the Parents’ Association for helping with the hospitality at the reception after the Sixth Year Graduation Mass and TY Evening of Celebration. The Parents’ Association is regularly updated on school events at meetings. The Board of Management is deeply appreciative to the members of the Parents’ Association for their partnership and support.

Key Targets Areas for Development – Academic Year 2021/2022
Continue work on the School’s Strategic Plan with 5-6 Key Operating Themes

1. Management and Leadership
2. Teaching and Learning
3. Partnership with Parents and Others
4. Wellbeing
5. Student Voice
6. School Buildings and Infrastructure

1. Management and Leadership

• Review of Post of Responsibilities – last reviewed October 2020
• Embedding DES Looking at our School 2016 Document – A Quality
  Framework for Post Primary Schools
• ACCS Training in Leadership and Management; Cohorts 1 and 2 resuming this term. Cohort 3 is delayed until 2022-23
• Extensive Staff CPD on leading Learning in the classroom and in relation to the Digital Strategy.
• monitoring student progress and targeting interventions to support student achievement; Helping Hands Anti Bullying programme;
• Zeeko training for students, staff and parents in supporting and promoting safe, positive behaviour online and when using social media.

2. Teaching and Learning – Looking at our School

The aim of developments within this key area is to develop and support the following:

• Digital Strategy Framework (Year 3) – see website for school’s Digital Learning Plan www.portmarnockcommunityschool.ie 
• Complete standardised testing to gain baseline data for student support and academic tracking.
• Resuming the SSE focus on AFL- use of Learning Intentions
•  3. Partnership with Parents and Others:
  We continue to work with parents and other organisations to promote PCS as a school for the whole community.
  We will do this through our association with the following groups:

• The Parents’ Association
• Adult Education Programme
• Action Ireland Trust & Fingal County Council
• Local Sports and Athletics Clubs
• The Arch Club
• The Musical Society
• Prosper Fingal
• North Dublin Regional Drug & Alcohol Task Force & Crosscare talks
• 4. Wellbeing
• Wellbeing activities on offer for all staff throughout the year
• Connect programme- Restorative Practice and the Ubuntu Team
• 5. Student Voice
• Ms Molamphy and Ms Moran ‘Restorative Practice’ and Ms O’Toole and Ms Molamphy Student Voice’
• Student Council
• 28 students in new Prefect Team

4th, 5th and 6th Year Leadership and Mentoring Team has started this year.

We meet on the first Tuesday of every month at 7.45 pm, to discuss issues and projects of importance to the school. We also organise vital fundraising activities throughout the year. Any parent is welcome to be on the committee and election of new members takes place at the AGM, which is held every October. Minutes of our meetings are emailed to the committee members before the next meeting, so that issues can be dealt with and discussed more efficiently.

The Parents’ Association is affiliated to PACCS, which is the Parents’ Association body for all Community and Comprehensive schools. Our Parent Representatives attend their meetings, including their AGM, during the year.

Through PACCS, the Parents’ Association is also linked with the National Parents’ Council for Post-Primary schools (the NPCpp) and our representatives attend their workshops and conferences on behalf of the parents of PCS.