The IST PTC (Parent-Teacher Committee) is a nonprofit, volunteer-run organization.
Introduction – The Statute of the School foresees two representatives of the school parents as members of the Board (one of whom is of Italian nationality and one of non-Italian nationality) who are elected for two years by popular vote of all parents.
Art. 1 – Objectives
The Parent-Teacher Committee (PTC) of the International School of Trieste (IST) is established in order to promote collaboration between the various constituencies of the School community.
The IST PTC is a nonprofit organization, whose main objectives are:
to welcome new families and maintain support for already-present families;
to organize and sponsor social and fundraising events for both parents and students;
to help teachers organize extra scholastic activities where cooperation is requested;
to share families’ proposals for new projects or activities that shall be submitted in alignment with school policy;
to promote the good standing of the school both in IST and in the wider community.
Art. 2 – Organization of the Committee
The Committee is made up of Class Representatives (up to two per class) and IST Teachers (up to three). Class Representatives are elected by the parents of each class, while teachers are nominated by the School Didactic Director. Each nomination is conducted at the start of the new school year and has a term of one year that concludes with the nomination of the new representatives in charge.
The awarding of the roles within the PTC Board (President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary) is decided by the members of the Committee during their first meeting on the basis of competence, aptitude and availability. The roles of Treasurer and Secretary may also be filled by the President or the Vice President.
As a general rule, the PTC meetings are held once a month. After every meeting, minutes are drawn up and shared with the Parents Representatives to the Board. The first PTC meeting of the school year, the introduction to new members of traditional PTC projects and the familiarization with this document, are coordinated by the two Parents Representatives to the Board.
The Parent Representatives to the Board will also communicate with the Committee after every school Board meeting with the purpose of summarily sharing information or upon request of the Director or the majority of the Committee.
Art . 3 – Committee Functions
The Class Representatives serve as the official communication channel between parents and school through the PTC. Therefore, the Parents must be able to rely on the availability of the Representatives in order to develop projects to share with the PTC. At least one of each grade’s
Class Representatives should attend each PTC meeting or find a substitute and review the minutes when unable to participate. As a general rule, a member of the School Board should not be nominated to be a class representative.
The PTC President supervises the biannual elections of Parent Representatives to the Board of Directors.
Class Representatives, with their own activity or that of other volunteers, are responsible for the following:
supporting school events such as the bake sale, the Welcome Event, the Family Day, fundraising, etc.;
if requested by the Director, helping the teachers in academic activities or educational trips;
collecting parent donations to support the costs of school parties, decorations and teacher presents;
Provide information to families or support them by directing families to the proper contact;
Receive, evaluate and address projects and activities requests suggested by families according to the pre-established methods.
The Committee does not have a role in matters which concern the didactic program or individual concerns. The group communicates with its own newsletter and with posts sent to the IST Public Relations Contact who manages all publishing.
Art. 4 – Committee Funds
The funds necessary for the running of the activities promoted by the Committee, beside possible contributions made by public entities or private organizations, are obtained via donation and a potential yearly voluntary contribution from individual IST families, which will be established by the PTC each year at the school year closure, setting the plans for the following school year. All funds, which are entirely the responsibility of the PTC, must be used exclusively for the objectives of the Committee.
No goods or services may be sold by the PTC.