Parents’ Association
What is the PA?
Griffith Barracks MDS has a dynamic school community and an active Parents’ Association (PA), where parents and staff representatives collaborate and work together for the better of the children in the school.
All parents and guardians are automatically members of the PA and are encouraged to get involved. If you are interested in becoming involved, we can be contacted at pagriffithbarracks@gmail.com. We are open to ideas and are very keen to promote activities suggested by parents that will build parental involvement and benefit the children in the school.
Research shows that getting involved in your child’s learning positively affects your child’s school experience. Children thrive and are happier when parents and teachers work closely together, and when activities at school are supported by parents at home. The PA is a great way to get involved in school activities and to enhance all of our children’s broader education. To this end, the PA has three main functions:
• To represent parents’ views to the Principal and other school bodies (particularly the Board of Management (BOM)) by regularly liaising with the Principal.
• To support and advise the Principal and the BOM on school matters.
• To organise activities for both children and parents that enhance the experience and involvement of both children and their parents within the school.
The PA meets monthly, with each meeting announced in the School Newsletter. All parents and guardians are welcome and encouraged to attend the meetings.
PA officers (Chair, Co-Chair, Treasurer, Secretary, Co-Secretary) are voted in at the PA AGM each year – they, along with a volunteer executive, look after the various activities of the PA.
PA Events
The PA organises a number of events each year to promote parental involvement in the school and to enhance our children’s school experience.
Typically these include:
• summer and winter fairs
• cultural days and events
• an annual table quiz
• parents’ information and social evenings
The PA also provides advisory support for the annual 6th class play.
Certain PA events raise funds for the school (materials, equipment and/or student activities). The nature and planned use of the funds raised is specified in advance of and during each event.
For details on future events, please click here.
After-School Activities (ASAs)
Unfortunately we are unable to run ASA in this term due to current restrictions.
The PA organises after-school activities for students of the school. These are held after school hours in or near the school. A range of activities are offered, including:
• Music
• Gaelic Games
• Art
• Drama
• Basketball
Every attempt is made to make these activities affordable for all.
ASA timetables, details of enrolment / payments and guidelines for parents / guardians and children participating in ASAs are made available early in the Autumn and Spring terms each year and will be available here.
For any queries regarding ASAs, please contact gbmdsafterschool@gmail.com.
Parents’ Space
The parent's room is not in use due to current restrictions. -
We have a parent's room, where parents are welcome to meet. The room facilitates small groups of parents meeting to discuss school matters or holding parental events. This area will also contain copies of school notices and a synopsis of the minutes of all monthly PA meetings.
Class Representative System
Each class has two class representatives – these are parents of two of the children in each class. Typically, they act as a contact point for the class teacher, the school and the PA to the wider group of class parents to let them know of class / school activities and news. To find out who your child’s class rep is, please contact office@griffithbarracks.ie or the school secretary.
For guidelines on the use of the class WhatApp groups click here