School Parents and Friends Associations
School Parents & Friends Associations provide a formal structure for parents and others interested in the welfare of the students to plan and organise activities for the benefit of the school.
Parents & Friends Associations participate in Catholic schools by:
- providing a medium of support, information and involvement of parents/carers in their children’s education and the school community
- developing collaboration between parents/carers and school staff
- promoting the principles of Catholic education
- fostering a distinctive Christian environment in the school
- providing a medium for parents/carers to participate at diocesan, state and national levels.
While other groups may be active within the life of the school, no group, other than the Parents & Friends Association, can represent the interests of the whole parent body at any school.
At St John’s School our P&F Committee is very active in promoting social events and fundraising for our students, along with running our much loved tuck shop. Recent years have included the development of a 5 year IT plan ensuring the students have access to the best technology with a 1:1 device ratio, and the construction of our new Nature Playground. We encourage all families to contribute to this very important volunteer group. Together we achieve great things!
Diocesan Parents and Friends Council
The Diocesan Parents & Friends Council has responsibility for the Parents & Friends Associations in the Cairns Diocese and operates within a constitution approved by the Bishops of Queensland.
The Diocesan Council is made up of delegates from the 29 school PandF’s in our Diocese. Each school PandF nominates two delegates to the Diocesan Council. In turn, each Diocese has two representatives on the State Council of the state-wide parent organisation for Catholic schools in Queensland, the Federation of Parents and Friends Associations.
The Council’s mission is to enrich the education and learning of our children through an active participation between families, students and teachers. The Diocesan PandF meets four times a year, hosted each time by a different PandF in the Diocese. If you are a member of the executive in your school PandF association and you want to be on the email mailing list please contact the Diocesan Parents and Friends Council at pandf@cns.catholic.edu.au
