1. ETB P ARENT R EPRESENTATIVE Some tips

2. M Y NAME AND ETB Rose Callan – Female parent rep on DDLETB I was on the board of County Dublin VEC The Dublin Dun Laoghaire Education Training Board (DDLETB is the new name for the amalgamation of County Dublin and Dun Laoghaire VEC’s.

3. F IND OUT ONLINE WHAT YOUR ETB DOES Look at the website – get a brochure For example DDLETB has Post primary schools. There are 21 Community colleges, 4 Gaelcholáistí and 9 youth reach centres. Primary Schools. There are 5 community national schools under the patronage of DDLETB

4. …A ND F URTHER E DUCATION They provide further education through PLC courses, Adult Education and other community based education programmes delivered at local level. They have also taken over the further education and training programmes of FAS which is now called Solas.

5. F UNCTION OF THE BOARD My understanding is that the DDLETB run the schools on a day to day basis. They pay the staff and provide training and support services to the principal and teachers of the school. The board has an non executive function whereby they oversee the activities of the management team and have some input into broad policies and objectives.

6. C OUNCILLORS ON THE BOARD An ETB will have eighteen members in total – ten councillors from South Dublin, Fingal and Dun Laoghaire county councils, two members of staff, two parents’ representations and five members nominated by groups identified by the Minister as having a special interest in education (community representatives). At least two of our new community reps are past councillors and members of political parties However they are mostly amenable to you asking questions or finding out how something works locally Get their support for an issue that you want to raise

7. A T M EETINGS Meetings will be held every second month DDLETB’s are the third Monday of every month to avoid clashes with the county council meetings The first meeting is very important as it will be where the chair for the next five years is selected Also membership of sub committees and school boards may be decided If you would like to be chair or on a sub committee you must decide really soon

8. S UB C OMMITTEES The most popular seem to be Youth and Sport Audit Finance Adult Education

9. S CHOOL BOARDS You can choose to join a school board Each school board should have 3 ETB nominees The chairperson normally is an ETB nominee

10. W HAT ABOUT TEACHING AND LEARNING ? There is often a teaching and learning plan There was one in County Dublin it was called the Education Plan 2009-2013 The main aims said the…. Plan is guided by principles that include high quality education, flexibility, innovation, mutual respect, a culture of reflective practice, fairness and efficiency. It stated that would be a focus on the use of ICT

11. C OUNTY D UBLIN VEC E DUCATION P LAN 2009-2013 W ORKING G ROUP

12. W HAT HAPPENS AT MEETINGS The Agenda will have been sent out or emailed At the start there is usually a minutes silence for any deceased teachers, principals or relations of board members etc Then the previous minutes are read and any matters arising as at normal meetings If you want something discussed it must be on the agenda. It is hard to change that without suspending standing orders Remember it is a lot more formal than primary school boards

13. W HERE YOU CAN ADD SOMETHING At the start of the meeting there will be schools minutes You can signal to the chairperson that you wish to say something and make a point there If you are on a school board it is often a good opportunity to have an issue minuted so that you can draw attention to it at the meeting. If it is a building issue – there is often a buildings report and you can query planning issues or reinforce your point about students not having a playing pitch and so on

14. T RAININGWITHIN THE ETB The ETB’s provide training in lots of areas – put your name down as soon as possible or ask when will training be available Examples - Health and safety – child protection Training to be on school boards Interview training Section 29 training Advice from a barrister about school issues Ask for a presentation on a topic or something the ETB do that you want to know more about e.g. Community National Schools

15. Q UESTIONS AND A NSWERS