Agenda

1. Agenda “Working With Your Trustees” • 7:30 – 7:35 Introduction • 7:35 – 8:10 Roles & Relationships Margaret O’Brien • 8:10 – 8:40 Ethos & The Board Ned Prendergast • 8:40 -8:55 Break/Refreshments • 8:55 – 9:25 Financial Management Mike Higgins • 9:25 – 9:30 Questions/Wrap-up

2. CEIST Board of Management TrainingRoles & Relationships Nov 2008

3. Guiding Principles • CEIST Charter • Articles of Management • Blue JMB Manual for Boards of Management- procedural matters • Overall framework of legislation, Education Act 1998, Education Welfare Act etc.

4. Composition of Board of Management • Four Trustee nominees-one of whom is selected as Chairperson • Two Parent Nominees • Two Teacher Nominees • All appointed by CEIST to be a corporate body and use varied experience, wisdom and experience to support the management of the school • The principal is the non-voting Secretary to the Board

5. Chairperson • Skilled and challenging function • Presides over meetings of BOM • Acts on behalf of BOM in certain circumstances

6. Chairperson • Informs him/herself on school ethos and ensures that concerns of trustees are implemented at policy level and in practice • Ensures that school policy is in place in respect of mission statement, school aims and specific policy areas as are determined from time to time • Ensures that policy is transparent and available from time to time

7. Chairperson • Ensures that practice is consistent with policy • Ensures that the school engages with whole school review, school development planning and annual report process • Ensures that the business of the Board is conducted in a systematic and effective manner

8. Meetings • At least six meetings per year –most Boards meet once per month during term • Ensures that every meeting has a manageable agenda • Delegates tasks to working groups and receives reports from them • Ensures that the Board considers key issues at the appropriate time • Ensures that the decisions of the Board are implemented

9. Leadership • Good personal working relationships with Board members • Knowledge of the talents, expertise and experience of team members-draw on these • Provide special help for new members • Encourage a healthy partnership with management, teachers, parents and community • Notifying CEIST of vacancies as they occur • Chairperson represents BOM at AMCSS meetings

10. Meetings The most significant issues which are generally covered in standing orders or rules: • Frequency of meetings • Special meetings-unexpected or urgent matters • Emergency meeting matters requiring immediate attention • Timing of meetings-no quorum within 30mins of starting time- dissolve • Notice of meetings-7days of ordinary meetings • Quorum-at least 4 members • Board members leaving a meeting-if upsets quorum adjourn meeting until future date as decisions taken in absence of quorum would be unsound legally.

11. Order of Business/Agenda • The agenda of a Board is the single most important policy instrument available to the board in the discharge of its responsibilities for the good conduct , proper management and delivery of a quality education to the students in a school. • Best practice suggests that the agenda should always be agreed prior to the meeting by the principal and chairperson of the Board

12. Role of the Board • A duty of care for all students in the school • A public trust function e.g. delivery of quality education, disbursement of funds • A responsibility for maintaining and promoting the ethos of the school • A responsibility for compliance with legislative requirements :SDP, expulsions/dropout and as employer • A commitment to partnership with trustees, parents, staff and wider community • A commitment to openness, transparency and accountability • The agenda should facilitate the Board in discharging these obligations

13. CEIST • The minutes of Board meetings give us an up-to-date picture of how the school is operating in its own particular context. Policies such as Admissions Policy, Code of Behaviour, Special Needs, Health & Safety, Child Protection, Guidance, Pastoral Care etc. Up-dating • Annual Statistics give an idea of student profile and changing demographics • Annual Report –gives the progress for the year on action items defined by the Board

14. School Relationships Co-ordinators • Read and respond to issues in the Board minutes as necessary • Tom, Damien, Michael and Tony are assigned 28 schools each for their special attention. They visit each school and meet the senior management team in the school • We provide assistance to Boards in the recruitment and appointment of new principals and deputy principals • Involved in organising an annual conference for principals and deputies • Allow schools to share good practice at these conferences in the future

15. BOM Preparing for Whole School Evaluation • Usually the school has had a number of subject inspections prior to the announcement of a WSE. • Usually the principal gets two weeks notice of a WSE • All documentation regarding the School Plan and policies to date are required • Management and planning, curriculum-teaching and learning and supports for students are evaluated • The WSE team evaluate and affirm the strengths of the school and make clear recommendations on areas for development and improvement • The Board of Management is involved in the pre-meetings and in hearing the report prior to publication and to which they can make a response.

16. Board of Management • Have a vision for education-support and challenge those involved to share and sustain the vision • Have an agenda for school improvement- map out future developments -self evaluate. Engender collective responsibility • Ensure that all of the resources of the school are optimised for the benefit of the education of the students-allow for innovation and staff development • Ensure that the CEIST Charter values are evident in policies and activities, communications and positive relationships within the school • Recognise achievement, motivate and support others involved with you in the educational enterprise

17. CEISTSchool Board Of ManagementTraining

18. CEIST Board of Management TrainingFinancial Management Nov 2008

19. Welcome! • Welcome to everyone and thank you for being here today. Introduction • Mike Higgins, Director of Finance, CEIST Limited. • Context Trustees – support , advise, guide and to create lines of communication and understanding.

20. Topics For Today • Board of Management – Financial Responsibilities • Finance Sub-Committee • School Budgeting • School Annual Accounts • Capital Expenditure • Insurance

21. 1. Board of Management Financial Responsibility

22. Board of Management – Financial Responsibilities • Education Act 1998 – statutory basis for the education system. • Sets out the role and responsibility of the Trustees and BOM. • Section 12: State Funding of Schools. • Section 14: Establishment of BOMs. • Section 15: Function of BOM. • Section 18: Accountability – keeping of accounts.

23. Education Act – Section 18 “the board shall keep all proper and usual accounts and records of all monies received by it or expenditure of such monies incurred by it and shall ensure that in such year all such accounts are properly audited or certified in accordance with best accounting practice; accounts kept in pursuance of this section shall be made available by the school concerned for inspection by the Minister and by parents of students in the school, in so far as those accounts relate to monies provided in accordance with section 12” (S. 12 Education Act 1998).

24. Articles of Management (2 & 15) Article 2: The financial administration of the school is under the control of the BOM subject to the general supervision and control of the Trustees. Article 15: Sets out the Financial responsibilities of the BOM: • Proper Books of A/Cs & School Bank A/C • Licence fee to Trustees • Day to day expenditure (expenditure must not exceed income; annual budget) • Finance Sub-Committee • Cheque Signatories • Use of School Premises • Insurance

25. Articles of Management (27 & 28)ASTI - AMCSS Article 27: • Any extension, improvement or replacement of school building requires trustee approval (because Trustees own the property in which the enterprise takes place). • Hire purchase/lease agreements, bank loans, overdrafts or any other loan may not be arranged without prior Trustee approval. Article 28: • Trustees will indemnify BOM members against any claim for capital debts or expenditure provided Articles 15 & 27 are complied with by the BOM.

26. 2. Finance Sub-Committee

27. Finance Sub-Committee • Obligatory under Article 15(d) of AOM (Principal and two Board Members). • Carries out duties assigned by BOM. • BOM formally agrees: • Terms of Reference • Membership • Tenure • Reporting Arrangements.

28. Functions – Finance Sub-Committee • Assists the Principal in following areas: • Regular financial reports to BOM. • Annual budget. • Ensure finalising of school accounts. • School asset register. • Internal controls (see checklist from FSSU – Appendix 2). • Articles of Management. • Requirements of Trustees, DES, FSSU.

29. Terms of Reference • Monitor financial affairs of school and make regular reports and recommendations. • Internal Controls in line with the Guidelines. • Annual School Budget. • Review financial statements and reports. • Annual school accounts. • Best practice guidelines are monitored and implemented.

30. Regular/Monthly Financial Reports A financial report is presented to each BOM meeting (Appendix V FSSU Guidelines). Structure of Report: • Summary of Receipts & Payments statement. • Bank Reconciliation Statement for each bank account. • Summary Income & Expenditure Account (Actual and Budget) • Capital Income & Expenditure Account.

31. 3. School Budgeting

32. School Budgeting Budgeting is: • Planning for the future • Expressing in monetary terms • Managing and controlling school finances

33. Planning The Budget The Budget Team: • Principal • Finance Sub-Committee • Prepare draft in January (may take 3 to 4 meetings). Templates available from Trustee and/or FSSU. Significant piece of work. • Submit to BOM in March/April for adoption. (Checklist available from CEIST – Appendix X in Supplementary Guidelines). • Forward to Trustees in May for ratification.

34. Budget Steps • Participation – seek submissions. • Ensure key information is available. • Projected enrolment in total and for specific courses. • All grant entitlements. • Expected number of teachers by category. • School paid employees and rates of pay. • Detailed Income & Expenditure for last 2/3 years. NB: No budget deficit without Trustee approval.

35. 4. School Accounts

36. School Accounts - Timelines • September – send school accounts to School Accountant/Auditor. • Draft Annual Accounts considered by BOM by the end of October. • Copy of Draft Annual Accounts forwarded to CEIST (Trustees) for approval. • Accounts reviewed by Trustees and any queries sent to BOM in Nov/Dec. • Re-drafted accounts, if necessary, sent to Trustees during Nov/Dec. • Trustees send Trustee Declaration Form to BOM once satisfied with accounts Nov/Dec. • BOM formally adopts accounts and send copy to FSSU by end of January.

37. School Accounts - Timelines • Timelines are very tight. • Schools should ensure that good internal controls are in place. • Do not leave everything to last minute. • Regular monthly reports should mean minimum work at the end of year for Accountant/Auditor in finalising accounts. • Trustees understand the pressures. • Must comply with legislation.

38. 5. Capital Expenditure

39. Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) • Articles of Management – 27. • CAPEX should be included in annual budget. • CAPEX not exceeding €2,500 per 100 pupils does not need approval by Trustees so long as included in budget. • All other CAPEX must have prior Trustee approval (forms are available in CEIST Supplementary Financial Guidelines or from CEIST Office). • Hire Purchase, Equipment Leasing – require prior Trustee approval.

40. 5. Insurance

41. School Insurances • Block policy in place for all 112 CEIST schools with Allianz. • Payable in two moieties – Oct and Apr to ease cashflow. • Custodian School Protection Policy. • Any queries – contact CEIST.

42. Custodian School Protection Policy The policy is divided into six sections: • Loss or damage to school property. • Consequential Loss (i.e. financial loss resulting from damage covered by 1). • Loss or theft of money. • Liability of the school to employees and other persons (Employers’ Liability and Public Liability). • Indemnity to the Management (Professional Indemnity and Fidelity Guarantee). • Legal Expenses (in defence of legal actions against BOM).

43. The End! • Thank you for your time and attention. • Remember – Your Trustees are always there to offer support and guidance where appropriate. • Tel: (01) 6510350 • WWW.CEIST.IE • Wishing you and your Board continued success for the future.