The Elmhurst Friends' Association was formed in September 1984 and all parents are automatically members of this Association, whose aim is specifically to organise social events and fund raising activities. Parents made a significant contribution to the establishment of the Computer Room and numerous other projects over the years, whilst enjoying a variety of social functions in the process.
ELMHURST FRIENDS ASSOCIATION CONSTITUTION
1. The NAME of the Association shall be the Elmhurst Friends Association.
2. The objects of the Association are to advance the education of all pupils of the School by providing and assisting in the provision of facilities at the School and of opportunities for education generally and as an ancillary thereto and in furtherance of this object the Association may:-
a) foster more extended relationships among the Elmhurst School parents, staff and others associated with the School.
b) engage in activities which support the School and advance the education of the pupils attending it.
3. The Association shall not be concerned with the internal administration of the School, except when consulted by the Headmaster.
4. Membership shall be open to parents of pupils currently attending the School and current members of the teaching and non teaching staff.
5. The President of the Association shall be the Headmaster.
6. The management and control of the Association shall be vested in a Committee, the total membership of which shall not exceed fifteen and which shall consist of the following:
The Headmaster (ex officio)
The Association’s Officers - Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer who shall be parents of current pupils
Parents of boys coming from as wide a cross section of pupils as possible and ideally a
minimum of one representative of each year group
One or more members of the current staff of the School
7. The Officers of the Association shall be elected or re-elected annually at the Annual General Meeting. The Chairman of the Association shall change at least once every three years.
8. Parent Members of the Committee shall normally be elected to serve for no more than three years. No Parent Member may stand for re-election after serving three years until a further year has elapsed or unless he/she is elected or re-elected as one of the Association’s Officers. Staff Members of the Committee shall be elected or re-elected annually by the Staff Common Room or from another forum within the School.
9. Between Annual General Meetings the Committee shall, where there are vacancies, have the power to co-opt parents or members of staff to membership of the Committee. Such co-opted members will serve until the next Annual General Meeting or Staff Common Room meeting as appropriate, when their membership will be subject to confirmation in the normal way.
10. Each Member of the Committee shall, subject to the approval and direction of the Committee, have the authority to co-opt other parents and/or members of staff to serve with that Member on a sub-committee for a particular purpose.
11. Six members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum and each Committee member shall have one vote in person only.
12. Committee meetings shall be held at least once a term and the agenda and any supporting documents shall be circulated to all members one week before the meeting.
13. The Committee shall have power to co-opt and to appoint Sub-Committees for the discharge of specific functions it may prescribe and to invite members of staff to join the Committee and Sub-Committees.
14. Casual vacancies on the Committee may be filled by the Committee by co-option. Any person so co-opted shall serve only while the person in whose place he/she is co-opted would have served.
15. At the first committee meeting after the Annual General Meeting, the Committee shall elect a Vice-Chairman of the Committee.
16. The Annual General Meeting of the Association shall normally be held in September of each year. At the AGM the Chair shall be taken by the Chairman, or in his/her absence, by the Vice Chairman of the Committee.
17. Any member has the right to place a matter on the agenda provided that the details are given to the Secretary eight days before the date of the meeting.
18. The agenda and any supporting documents shall be circulated to all members one week before the meeting.
19. Twenty Members shall constitute a quorum at any General Meeting and each Member shall have one vote in person only, except where a postal vote is allowed under clause 19.
20. A special General Meeting shall be convened at the request in writing, to the Secretary, of TEN members of the Association. Such a meeting shall be held within THIRTY days of the request. Agenda motions submitted shall be circulated to all members.
21. No alteration of the rules may be made except at the Annual General Meeting or at a Special General Meeting called for this purpose. No alteration or amendment shall be made to the objects clause or dissolution clause unless a motion is carried following a postal vote of all members prior to the General Meeting to which the amendment has been proposed.
22. The Honorary Treasurer shall keep an account of all income and expenditure and shall submit accounts, duly audited, at the AGM. The Honorary Treasurer shall not open or close any bank or building society account of the Association without the approval of the Committee. The Bank or Building Society account shall be in the name of the Association and withdrawals shall be made in the name of the Association on the signature of any one of the following:- a) Chairman; b) Treasurer; c) Secretary; d) any member or members of the Committee nominated for this purpose by a resolution of the Committee, e) The Headmaster.
23. An Honorary Auditor who is not a member of the Committee should be appointed annually at the Annual General Meeting, or by delegated authority by the President and Chairman of the EFA, to audit the accounts and books of the Association if deemed necessary to meet legal requirements for the Association.
24. Any assets remaining on dissolution of the Association after satisfying any outstanding debts and liabilities shall not be distributed amongst the members of the Association but will be given to the School for the benefit of the pupils of the School in any manner which is exclusively charitable at law.
25. The Association shall take out Public Liability Insurance to cover all its meetings and activities.
26. Any matter not provided for in the Constitution shall be dealt with by the Committee.
