PTA Constitution

About the PTA

Welcome from the Chair

Hello and welcome to the PTA. My name is Karen Murray and I am the current chair of the PTA. I have a child in S4 but have seen two older children through the school and on to University or other things.

I joined the PTA when my eldest child started at the school and have found that not only is it very satisfying to help fundraise for the extra things our pupils require and a cash-strapped school can’t afford – such as first aid kits, sports equipment, art materials, iPads, linguistics equipment and much more; but that it is also a great way to meet other parents and find out more about the goings on in the school.

If you have any questions, want to join our merry band, help out with serving tea/coffee at the parents’ evenings or indeed any ideas to offer, then just get in touch by emailing  me on  kcmurray65@gmail.com

Looking forward to another year of fundraising and fun!

Karen

PTA Constitution

Balerno High School PTA Constitution

1 Title

The association shall be known as Balerno High School PTA.

2 Aims

The aims of the association are to advance the education and well being of the pupils of the school by providing or assisting in the provision of facilities for education at the school. This includes:-
a) promoting close co-operation and communication between parents and
teachers
b) studying and discussing matters of mutual interest relating to the education and welfare of pupils
c) engaging in activities which support and advance the education of the pupils attending the school, including fund raising and after school activities
d) considering applications for funds put to the PTA from parents, teachers and groups within the school and granting funds to support such applications where the request is passed by a majority of the general committee.

3 Membership

The members of the association shall comprise all parents or guardians of children attending the school and all teachers employed at the school.

4 Powers of the association

The association shall have the power to do anything considered by the general committee to be in furtherance of the aims. This includes the power to:
a) raise funds and invite and receive contributions in furtherance of the aims of the association
b) purchase, retain and sell any assets of any description
c) pay from the funds of the association all the proper costs and expenses incurred by the general committee in establishing and administering the charity and funds of the association
d) reimburse themselves out of the funds of the association created in the performance or exercise of their duties and powers
e) employ and pay proper and reasonable remuneration to staff, professional and technical advisers whose services are, in the opinion of the general committee, required for the carrying out of the purposes of the association
f) establish and operate both current accounts and deposit accounts with bankers in the name of the association provided that cheques drawn on such accounts shall not be signed by less than two members of the general committee

5 Office bearers

The office bearers of the association shall consist of:
1 Chairperson
2 Vice chairperson
3 Secretary
4 Treasurer
5 Minute secretary
 
The general committee of the association may appoint such other office bearers as may from time to time be deemed necessary. The office bearers will be elected by the committee at the first meeting after the AGM. Office bearers will hold office for one year, being eligible for re-election. Where an office bearer’s position becomes vacant during the normal term of office the committee may, at their discretion, opt to fill this post in one of the following ways:
(i) the deputy for the post or an agreed member of the committee may stand
in for the duration
(ii) the committee may elect a replacement from its membership, or
(iii) an EGM may be called to elect a new member to the post.
The minute secretary shall be responsible for keeping accurate minutes of all
meetings and distributing these to the committee members. Copies should be made
available to any member of the association who requests them.

6 General committee

The business of the association shall be managed by a committee of no more than 25 members, consisting of at least 5 parents and 1 teacher.
Members of the committee shall be appointed at the AGM. They shall be elected for a period of 3 years or until the AGM immediately following three year’s service should they join mid-term.
 
In the event of any vacancies, the committee shall have the right to co-opt as many members as necessary to complete the complement until the following AGM.
Where a member of the committee fails to attend regular meetings and does not play an active role in any of the activities of the Association, the General Committee reserves the right to ask the member to step down.
 
Meetings of the general committee shall be held as required during term time. At all meetings of the committee a third of general committee members, at least two of whom are office bearers, shall form a quorum.
 
Each member of the committee shall have one vote and resolutions shall be passed by a simple majority vote of those present. The chairman shall have the deciding vote which shall be used only in the event of a tie.
 
A representative from the PTA general committee will attend parent council meetings.

7 Annual general meetings

The AGM shall be held in October each year. The notice calling the meeting shall be sent to members at least 21 days in advance provided that non-receipt of such notice by any member shall not invalidate the meeting.
The business shall include:-
a) the work of the Committee
b) approval of the Accounts for the preceding year
c) appointment of an independent examiner of the accounts if requried
d) receipt of reports of the office bearers
e) election of members to serve on the committee
f) discussion of motions received
At all AGMs voting shall be on the basis of one vote per member present at the meeting.
At all AGMs the quorum shall consist of no less than 5 members of the association.
The general committee or a minimum of 25 members, on submission of a formal written request, shall have the power a call an EGM
Any member of the association shall have the right to raise a motion to be voted on at the AGM by sending the motion in writing to the secretary by no later than 10 days prior to the AGM.

8 Finance

Funds of the association shall be lodged in a bank, building society or other account in the name of Balerno High School PTA. Cheques shall be drawn or withdrawals made against the signatures of two named committee members.
 
The treasurer shall be responsible for keeping accurate records of the financial transactions of the association.
 
The association’s financial year shall end on the last day of July in each year. If the income level achieved makes review by an independent examiner mandatory the accounts shall be reviewed annually by an independent examiner appointed at the previous AGM by the members.
 
The committee shall be responsible for ensuring that all property/money received by/for the association shall be applied for the aims of the association.

9 Alterations 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.

10 Dissolution

If it becomes necessary to dissolve the association, by reason of it being impossible to achieve the objectives for which the association is set up, this decision must be made by no less than 3 members of the association voting in person plus the chairman of the association. Any remaining funds will be passed to the education authority to be used for the benefit of the school where this continues.

PTA Easy Fundraising

Support us through easyfundraising

Collect free donations for Balerno High School PTA every time you do online shopping through EasyFundraising

  1. Sign in to Easy Fundraising and choose Balerno High School PTA as your cause.
  2. Search for retailer on the Easy fundraising web-site.
  3. Buy Christmas presents, book holidays, buy insurance etc. as normal
  4. BHS PTA will automatically receive a donation at no extra cost to you.

Download the Easy Fundraising reminder and never miss a donation when you shop online.

Balerno Bricks

Help Balerno High School PTA raise money for the school to help improve your child’s learning.

Buy an annual ‘brick’ – basically a numbered square – to have a chance of winning a prize – £15, £25 or even £50!

It’s so easy to get involved:

  1. contact the PTA Treasurer on pta.balernochs@gmail.com and be allocated a brick
  2. receive an email from Balerno PTA with instructions on how to set up a standing order – one annual payment of £12, which you can set up for a limited number of years if you like. This way, it will be automatically cancelled when your children leave the school
  3. be entered into the prize draw – you could win £50!
  4. support the school!

We will have our Balerno Bricks ‘wall’ with us at all our events. You can therefore pick your favourite number from those still available. The more bricks, the stronger the wall; the more we raise the more we can do for your children!

Draws will take place as follows – the more members we have the more your chance of winning:

  • 0-99 members – 1 annual draw in June
  • 100-199 members – 2 annual draws – Christmas and June
  • 200 or more members – 3 annual draws – Christmas, Easter and June

Prizes are:

  • 1st prize – £50
  • 2nd prize – £25
  • 3rd prize – £15

Prize winners will be notified direct and their names published here.

Remember – you’ve got to be in it to win it!! Please help us reach the next milestone of 100 bricks, which will enable us to have two prize draws every year – double the chance to win!!

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PTA members

For the 2019/20 session, members of the PTA are:

  • Karen Murray; Chair
  • Jane Muir; Vice-chair
  • Ulla Dormer; Treasurer & Balerno Bricks Co-ordinator
  • Paula MacLean
  • Shona Smans
  • Jane Muir
  • Karen Newton
  • Shiva Cowe; Website admin
  • Joan McKenzie
  • Jackie Tatton
  • Adrienne Wilson
  • Paula Ryan

Please email pta.balernochs@gmail.com for more information about joining the committee or feel free to come along to any of our meetings. We are always looking for new and fun fundraising ideas to help the school, so if you have any suggestions please get in touch.