Parent-Teacher Association (PTA)

Reigate Grammar School Vietnam offers a warm and nurturing environment where parents, students and teachers work as a strong team. Parents are invited to assist in the classrooms, if needed, and further contribute to RGSV life by helping add to our range of innovative extra-curricular activities. Parents may also be asked to add to the academic curriculum, by engaging the students in debates and acting as guest speakers on their specialist subjects.

Reigate Grammar School Vietnam appreciates that parents want to be involved in their children’s education and sees parents as partners. We welcome assistance in the classrooms and actively encourage parents to be involved in the Units of Inquiry as parent educators.

The Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) is a group of parents who assist the school with welcoming new parents and students and who cheerfully volunteer to organise gatherings such as school fairs, parent excursions and cultural talks. The PTA, together with the Head of School, will meet each month to brainstorm activities that will benefit the students as well as the wider school community.

The PTA can be contacted via their dedicated email address (rgsvpta@gmail.com) and they have a Facebook group called RGSV Parent.

PTA Constitution

OBJECTIVES

To developing effective relationships between the staff, parents and others associated with the school
To study and discuss matters of mutual interest relating to the education and welfare of pupils
To engage in activities which support and advance the education of pupils attending the school
To support and advance the education of the pupils
To support the school through fundraising to improve facilities and create opportunities to advance education
To support the school in providing for the students’ educational, social, cultural and sporting activities
To encourage new families to integrate into the schools’ culture and ethos

POWERS

The Committee members have the following powers, which may be exercised only in promoting the Objectives:

To provide advice
To publish or distribute information
To co-operate with other bodies
To raise funds (but not by means of permanent trading
To set aside funds for special purposes or as reserves against future expenditure
To pay the costs of forming and running the Association
To obtain and pay for goods and services as are necessary for carrying out the work of the PTA
To do anything else within the law that promotes the Objects, but the Committee shall not undertake any activity in the school premises without the consent of the Principal
In PTA meetings the Committee will prevent discussion of individual students, parents, staff or academic subjects.

GENERAL MEETINGS

The Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall be held in September each year. The notice calling the meeting shall be sent to the members of the PTA at least two weeks in advance.
The business shall include:

the work of the PTA
approval of the accounts
appointment of an individual who will review the annual accounts
any resolutions submitted by the members
election of members to serve on the PTA

At all general meetings voting shall be on the basis of one vote per parent, teacher and full PTA Committee member present at the meeting.
At all general meetings the quorum shall consist of a number which is at least 15% of the parent body (though the number can include teachers from RGSV).
The PTA Committee or a number equal to at least 15% of the parent body shall have power to call an Extraordinary General Meeting.

PTA COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP

Members of the PTA Committee shall be appointed at the AGM. They shall be elected for a one-year term and be eligible for re-election.

The Office Bearers will be Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer and such others as may be required. The office bearers will be elected by the PTA members present at the AGM.

The PTA Committee may co-opt parents and teachers to help carry out its functions, in the form of sub-committees.

Each member of the PTA shall have one vote and resolutions shall be passed by a simple majority vote of those present. The Chairperson shall have both a deliberative and casting vote. The Chairperson’s casting vote shall be used only in the event of a tie.

The Secretary shall be responsible for keeping accurate minutes of all meetings and shall make these available upon request to any member.

The Treasurer shall be responsible for keeping accurate records of the financial transactions of the PTA. The books shall be brought to balance six weeks before the AGM.

The PTA Committee shall be responsible for ensuring that all property/money received by/for the members/PTA Committee shall be applied for the aims of the PTA. The funds of the PTA shall be lodged in an agreed, secure location.

A member of the PTA Committee failing to attend three consecutive meetings without reason/apologies may be deemed to have retired from the PTA.

MEETINGS

Full meetings of the PTA shall be held approximately every two months. At all meetings of the PTA a number equal to 15% of the parent body, at least two of whom are office bearers, shall form a quorum.

All PTA meetings shall be open and any member may attend.

CHANGES TO THE CONSTITUTION

Changes or additions must be made at an AGM or an EGM called for the purpose. The proposed change shall be specified in the notice calling the meeting and be approved by not less than two thirds of those present as well as the current Principal

DISSOLUTION

In the event that the PTA ceases to exist any remaining funds should be distributed for the benefit of the children at the school.

The role of the PTA and the Committee

The role of the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) is different in all schools. In RGSV, the main role of the PTA will be:

Bring ideas and thoughts from the parents to the school management
Share information from the School with the parent body
Form small committees to run projects that would help the School or charities associated with the School.
Form small committees that would support communication with certain sections of the school parent community (which could be based on the age of their children, where they live, their language).
Welcome new parents and staff into the School.
Support and promote internationalism in the School.

The PTA will hold a full meeting every two months, which will be run by the PTA Committee. However, the various sub-committee with meet whenever they think it is best to do so. The School will support these sub-committees.

The PTA Committee would be made-up of three people, and their role would be to represent and communicate with the entire parent body.

The three posts would be Chair, Secretary and Treasurer. (One of the last two could also act as Vice-Chair.)

What do each of these people do? In brief:

1. The Chair

- Chair the meetings of the whole PTA, and ensure everyone has a chance to speak and that all views are heard.
- Ensure the vision and goals of the PTA set the direction for the work the PTA does.
- Work as a team with the Secretary and Treasurer
- Have open communication with the Principal of the school.

2. The Secretary

- Work with the Chair to write the agenda and minutes of each main PTA meeting.
- Work with the Principal to distribute the agenda and minutes of each main PTA meeting.

- Administer the inward and outward correspondence of the PTA.
- Work as a team with the Chair and Treasurer

3. The Treasurer
- Record all financial transactions of the PTA
- Produce a balance sheet for each PTA main meeting (every two months)
- Ensure the PTA funds are secure
- Offer advice to the PTA Committee on financial issues
- Work as a team with the Chair and Secretary
These three people will remain in post for the whole academic year.

Very often, the majority of the work of the PTA is done by sub-committees, but these are always accountable to the main PTA Committee.