congratulations! you’ve been elected secretary

Congratulations! You’ve been elected P&C Secretary 1

Congratulations! You’ve been elected

Secretaryof the P&C

2 Congratulations! You’ve been elected P&C Secretary

CONTENTSThe P&C executive ...................................................................................................................................... 3

Role of the Secretary .................................................................................................................................. 4

Whenyouarefirstappointed .......................................................................................................... 4

Monthly requirements ........................................................................................................................ 5

Annual requirements .......................................................................................................................... 6

Tipsformeetings ......................................................................................................................................... 8

Tipsforcorrespondence ........................................................................................................................... 9

P&C email address .....................................................................................................................................10

P&Cmemberships .....................................................................................................................................11

Keepingrecords .........................................................................................................................................11


Congratulations and thank you for volunteering to assist your school community.

ThisbookletisdesignedtoprovideanoverviewofyournewpositionandassistyouwithyourroleasP&CSecretary.

THE P&C EXECUTIVEYouandyourfellowofficebearersarenowthe“Executive”ofyourP&CAssociation.Assuch,youhavecertainlegalresponsibilities,especiallyifyourP&CAssociationhaspaidemployeese.g.tuckshopconvenors,outsideschoolhourscarestaffetc.

Thefollowingthreedocumentsareessential to the success of your P&C and its operations.TheycontainalloftheinformationandresourcesthatyouandyourP&Cwillneed.TheyareavailableontheP&CsQldandDepartmentofEducationwebsites:

PARENTS & CITIZENS’ ASSOCIATION CONSTITUTION

FOR

[NAME OF SCHOOL]

APPROVAL

PRINCIPAL: [Insert name of Principal]

DATE: [Insert Date aaof approval]


ROLE OF THE SECRETARYTheSecretaryattendstotheadministrativetasksrequiredtooperatetheP&C,particularlywithregardtothemeetingsandincomingandoutgoingcorrespondence.

It is the Secretary’s responsibility to:• prepareandprovideanoticetomembersofupcomingmeetings• prepareanddistributemeetingagendastomembers• prepare,distributeandpresentminutesofmeetingstomembers• actuponanydirectionsgivenatmeetings• maintainaregisterofallincoming/outgoingcorrespondenceoftheAssociation

anddistributeitappropriatelyandpromptly• maintain a register of members, including life members• maintainaBlueCardregisterforP&Cexecutives(ifyourP&CoperatesanOSHC

service),non-parentvolunteersandP&Cemployees• maintainavolunteerregisterateverysiteandactivityatwhichvolunteersare

workingonbehalfoftheP&C• maintain a training register• organise, record and maintain P&C documents• ensureacopyoftheP&C’sConstitutionisaccessibleandavailable.

When you are first appointed• ObtainaccesstoalltheP&C’srecordsfromthepreviousSecretary.• AssistwithchangingP&Cbankaccountsignatoriestoreflectanychangeinthe

executive committee.


Monthly requirementsP&Csarerequiredtoconductaminimumofthreemeetingspersemester,butmostP&Cs hold monthly general meetings. General meetings are usually held on the same day of the month (e.g. 3rd Tuesday) in the same location at the same time. The year’s schedule is to be determined in advance at the Annual General Meeting (AGM).

Prior to general meetings:• inconsultationwiththeExecutive,prepareanddistributetheagendatomembers

as outlined in the Constitution• ensuredraftminutesofanypreviousmeetingarecompletedandreadyfortabling• ensureyouhaveacteduponanydirectionsgivenatapreviousmeeting,and

identifyandlistitemsforcommentinthe“businessarisingfromthepreviousgeneralmeeting”itemontheagenda

• updatethecorrespondenceregisterwithanyincoming/outgoingcorrespondencesincethelastmeetingandpreparealist

• ifpossible,arrangetohaveallrequiredreportssenttoyouelectronicallypriortothe meeting.

At general meetings:• providecopiesoftheagendaandthepreviousmeeting’sminutes(ifnotalready

circulated)• keepaccuratenotesofthemeeting,includingnotingallwhoarepresentand

thosewhohavegivenapologies• presentalistofinward/outwardcorrespondenceandbepreparedtodiscussany

businessarisingfromthecorrespondence• tableandrecordanynewmembershipapplicationsprovided.

Following general meetings:• preparethedraftminutesofthemeeting.


Annual requirementsTheP&Cfinancialyearisfrom1Januaryto31December.TheAGMneedstobeheldonorbefore31Marcheachyear–assoonastheannualAuditforthepreviousfinancialyear is available.

Prior to the Annual General Meeting:• inconsultationwiththeExecutive,preparetheagendaanddistributeitto

members as outlined in the Constitution• ensurethatdraftminutesofthepreviousAGMarecompletedandreadyfortabling• ensureyouhaveacteduponanydirectionsgivenatthepreviousAGM,andidentify

andlistitemsforcommentinthe“businessarisingfromthepreviousannualgeneralmeeting”itemontheagenda

• completetheannualchecklistfortheStudentProtectionRiskManagementStrategy

• ifpossible,arrangetohaveallrequiredreportssenttoyouelectronicallypriortothe meeting

• compileanyapplicationsformembershipreceivedtodateforpresenting.

At the Annual General Meeting:• providecopiesoftheagendaandthepreviousAGMminutes(ifnotalready

circulated)• keepaccuratenotesofthemeeting,includingnotingallwhoarepresentand

thosewhohavegivenapologies• assistwithbusinessarisingfromtheminutesofthepreviousAGM• ensurethatyoureceiveandtableallmembershipapplicationsregardlessof

whethertheyareforneworrenewingmembers• providetheStudentProtectionRiskManagementStrategyforadoption• providenewmodelconstitution,ifapplicable.


Following the Annual General Meeting:• notify the school’s MIS administrator of changes, if any, to the P&C’s email address;• assistwithanychangeofsignatoriesontheP&C’sbankaccount;• providetheadoptedauditedfinancialstatementstoyourDoEregionalofficeby

31May,ortoyourPrincipalifyourschoolisanindependentpublicschool;• notifyP&CsQldofthedetailsofyournewlyelectedexecutivecommittee;• preparedraftminutesfromyournotestakenattheAGM;• attendtobluecardapplicationsforanymemberswhoare:

– notaparentofastudentintheschool(volunteercard)and/or– executiveofficerswhoareresponsiblefortheoperationofanOSHC(business

card).SeetheP&CsQldinfo place or call Blue Card Services on 1800 113 611 for details on theappropriateapplicationprocess.

“A meeting should never be an event at which

minutes are kept while hours are lost.”


TIPS FOR MEETINGS• Whenrecordingminutes,followtheframeworkoftheagendaasoutlinedinthe

Constitution.• Keepanattendancebooklistingthefullnamesofthoseattendingandthosewho

havegivenapologies.• Recordmotionsclearly.Amotionshould:

– commencewith“That…”– bequitespecific– be unambiguous– not contain more than one sentence.

• DotpointsorasummaryofthediscussionisOK.• Make sure a member moves and another member seconds a motion, and record

thenamesofthemoverandseconder.Membersparticipatingindiscussionsdonot need to be named.

• Read the motion back to the meeting to be sure the meaning is as intended.• Keepa“MotionsRegister”sothatallmotionsarerecordedinoneconvenientplace

and are easy to locate if needed.• Identifythepersonwhoistofollowupanyaction.• Ensureallmonetaryexpenditureisrecordedintheminutes.

If the meeting is going too fast, don’t be afraid to ask speakers to slow down. It is important to record details correctly.


TIPS FOR CORRESPONDENCE

• KeeparegisterofincomingandoutgoingcorrespondenceforthemeetingincludingemailsreceivedorsentfromtheP&C’semailaddress.Highlight items/letters that need attention.

• IncomingemailsthatarepersonallyaddressedtotheP&Cand/orrequirearesponseshouldberecorded,asshouldanythingthatmaybeofimportanceinthefuture,butyoudonotneedtorecordanythingthatcouldbeconsidered“junkmail”.

• Incomingcorrespondenceshouldbedirectedimmediatelytotheappropriatemember or subcommittee and then brought to the general meeting through the correspondencereport.

• Itisnotnecessarytoreadcorrespondenceinfull,butyoushouldensurerelevantparagraphsthatrequireactionorareplyarebroughttomembers’attention.

• Putfundraisinginformationinadisplayfolderthatcanbepassedaroundduringthe meeting.

• Bringnewsletterstomembers’attention,thencirculatethemorputtheminacentralareawheretheycanberead.

• Don’tallowcorrespondencetogounansweredorunopened.


P&C EMAIL ADDRESSEverystateschoolP&CinQueenslandhasanemailaddressmanagedbytheDepartmentofEducation.Thisaddresstakestheform:[email protected]

This email address is used by both the DepartmentofEducationandP&CsQldtocommunicatewithP&Cs.ThebenefitforyourP&CisthatyouhaveanemailaddressthatwillremainconstantandcanbepromotedasthecontactpointforyourP&C.Thisaddressisalsoless vulnerable to online attacks than a free

emailaddresssuchasGmailorHotmail.

P&CsQld’smonthlye-newsletter,P&C-e, is sent to this address. If you are not receiving P&C-e,thenyourP&Caddressisprobablynotoperatingcorrectly.

Thisisa“static”emailaddress,whereemailssenttoitarethenautomaticallyforwardedontothepersonalemailaddresseslinkedtoit.TheMISadministratoratyourschoolupdatesthesystemwiththepersonalemailaddressesofthecurrentP&Cexecutivemembers.

IfyourP&Cchoosestosetupitsownemailaddress,itisrecommendedthatyoualsolink this email address to the [email protected] address to make sure that you receive all of the emails sent out to P&Cs.


P&C MEMBERSHIPSMembershipslapseattheAGMandmustberenewedeachyear.

“ApplicationforP&CMembership”forms(asprovidedintheP&C’sConstitution)mustbefilledouteachyearbybothnewmembersandrenewingmembers.

PrinttheP&CCodeofConductonthebackofyourmembershipapplicationforms–these are the terms and conditions!

PersonsapplyingformembershipattheAGMdonotneedtobepresent.

Personsapplyingformembershipatageneralmeetingmust be present at the meetingatwhichtheirapplicationisconsidered.

TheConstitutionrequiresyoutokeeparegisterofmembersthatincludes:• member’snameandemail/postaladdress• datethemembershipstarted• datethemembershipceased• whethertheapplicantisaparentofastudentattendingtheschool,orifnota

parent,thattheyare18yearsorolderandtheirdateofbirth• alistofanyP&Clifememberships.

Themembershipregisterisseparatetotheattendancebookusedtorecordmembersattending meetings.

P&CsQldproducesabrochuretohelpP&Csattractnewmembers.DownloadanorderformfromtheP&CsQldwebsiteorcontacttheStateOfficetopurchase.

KEEPING RECORDSP&Crecordsarepublicdocumentsandaresubjecttogovernmentregulationsastowhatdocumentsarekeptforhowlong.Fordetails,pleaserefertothe“RecordRetentionSchedule”ontheP&CsQldwebsite.

P&Csshouldhaveafilingcabinetorstoragespaceattheschool for storage of records.

Application for P&C MembershipMembership applications are not accepted until voted on at a P&C

meeting. New members must be present at the P&C meeting to submit

membership forms, with the exception of the AGM.

Year: ..................................................................................................................................................

Name of school: ......................................................................................................................

Name: ..............................................................................................................................................

Address: .........................................................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................................................................

Phone: .............................................................................................................................................

Email: ..............................................................................................................................................

@ .........................................................................................................................................

I am a:

q parent/caregiver of a student attending the school

q community member aged 18 years or over

I agree to be bound by the constitution of the P&C and by all valid resolutions passed by the Association. I agree to work within the boundaries of the Education (General Provisions) Act 2006. I agree to be bound by the Code of Conduct for P&C Associations which includes the following:

• respectconfidentialityandinformationprivacy• actwithcourtesyanddemonstraterespectforallpersons• actinthebestinterestofthetotalschoolcommunityatalltimes.

Signature: .....................................................................................................................................

Date: .................................................................................................................................................

P&C SECRETARY USE

Date received .............................................................................................................................

Date accepted ...........................................................................................................................

Secretary’s signature............................................................................................................

q Entered in P&C Members Register

Join our

P&C

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WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AT OUR NEXT P&C MEETING OR EVENT.

To contact the P&C:

Visit us at www.pandcsqld.com.auPhone 1800 218 228


SUPPORT AVAILABLEP&CsQldPh:33523900Ph:1800218228Email:[email protected]:pandcsqld.com.au

©P&CsQldAugust2019

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congratulations! you’ve been elected secretary

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