This document outlines a lesson plan on democracy and school governance. It instructs students to: 1) Examine their school's mission statement and copy the first line. 2) Read about how the parents' council, board of management, and trustee influence how the school is run. 3) Take notes on these groups and their roles before completing an activity in their reflective journal. 4) Be prepared in a few weeks to write a 300-word Christmas report on a political party in Ireland.

2. Warm –up – pens, paper, journal, note
(Task) Find the schools ‘ethos’ in the schools mission statement.
This can either be found in your homework journal or by googling
‘St. Mary’s Diocesan School Ethos. Copy the first line of the mission
statement to your page.
Homework: Check Blue Book page 129.
(note) Skills: Expressing ideas and managing information.
(note) Objectives
1. Examine the schools democracy further.
2. Understand what the parent’s council, board of management
and school trustee are.
(Note Heading:) Democracy 5 Date:

3.  We are going to read pages 178 of the book which
explains the parents council, board of management
and trustee. These are groups with a say in how the
school is run.
 We will take notes about these school powers.
 We’ll complete the end of chapter page in your blue
reflective journal then. Use the notes from before.
 There will be a brief mention of the Christmas report,
which you shall start working on in a few weeks.
Plan for today

4.  Read page 178, seeing how many people are in charge in the school.
 (note) The Parent’s Council represents parents in the school. The
canteen and library in this school are two examples of developments
they assisted with.
 (note) Our Board of Management includes four trustee
representatives, two teachers and two parents. They look at school
finance and policy.
 (note) Trustee: St. Mary’s is under the trusteeship of the Diocese of
Meath and patronage of the Bishop of Meath. We also receive money
from the Irish State.
 (Task, Write an answer) If a representative from one of these three
groups were here, what questions or requests would you have for
them?
Page 178 (Green Book) reading and writing

5.  Page 130 in the blue reflective journal is the end of
chapter page. Review the green book, page 175, to
help you answer. Review ‘how to answer’ notes.
 Christmas Report: 300 words on a political party in
Ireland. 70% content, 30% appearance. Instructions
and details will come in four weeks. Report due
before Christmas break. Your result will be
reflected on your Junior Cert comment.
Task – Activity Book page 130