King’s Highway Elementary School Parent-Teacher Organization By-Laws

Article I: Name

The objects of the organization are:

• To promote the welfare of children in home, school and community.

• To bring into closer relation the home and the school, that parents and teachers may cooperate intelligently in the education of children.

• To develop between educators and the community such united efforts as will secure for all children the highest advantages in physical, mental and social education.

Article II: Basic Policies

The following are basic policies of this organization:

• The organization shall be non-commercial, nonsectarian and nonpartisan.

• The name of the organization or the names of any members in their official capacities shall not be used in any connection with a commercial concern or with any partisan interest or for any purpose not appropriately related to promotion of the objects of the organization.

• The organization shall not, directly or indirectly, participate or intervene in any political campaign on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for public office.

• The organization shall work with the schools to provide quality education for all children, and shall seek to participate in the decision-making process establishing school policy, recognizing that the legal responsibility to make decisions has been delegated by the people to boards of education.

• The organization may cooperate with other organizations and agencies concerned with child welfare, but persons representing the organization in such matters shall make no commitments that bind the organization.

• The organization shall follow Robert’s Rules of Order when conducting business at any meeting.

Article III: Membership

Membership policy is as follows:

• Membership in this PTO shall be open to all King’s Highway parents, guardians, faculty and staff members who subscribes to the objects and basic policies of the organization, without regard to race, color, creed, sex or national origin.

• Members of the organization are eligible to participate in the business meetings, or to serve in any of its elective or appointive positions.

• The PTO shall subscribe an open membership policy.   Persons may become members of the organization at any chosen time.

Article IV: Officers And Their Election

Section 1. Eligibility of Office

• Each officer of this PTO shall have been a member of this PTO for at least six months.

• To be eligible for the Presidency, a person must have served on the Executive Board for at least one year.

• Section 2. Officers and Their Election

• The officers of this organization shall consist of a President, a Vice-President, an Advisor, a Secretary, a Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, and a Fundraising Coordinator.

• Officers shall be elected by ballot at the May meeting. However, if there is but one nominee for any office, election for office may be by voice vote.

• Officers shall assume their official duties on July 1st and shall serve for a term of one year or until their successors are elected.

• A person shall not be eligible to serve more than two consecutive terms in the same office.

• The Vice-president shall be nominated to the office of President at the end of his/her term, if said Vice-President chooses to be nominated.

• The President shall become Advisor at the end of his/her term. If the President agrees  to accept the position, he or she will serve for a single term of one year.

Section 3. Nominating Committee

• There shall be a Nominating Committee composed of at least three members who shall be elected by the Executive Board at the March meeting. The Committee shall elect its own chairperson.

• The Nominating Committee shall nominate an eligible person for each office and report its nominees at the regular meeting in April, at which time additional nominations may be made from the floor.

• Only those persons who have signified their consent to serve shall be nominated for such offices.

Section 4. Vacancies

• A vacancy occurring in any office shall be filled for the unexpired term by a person elected by a majority vote of the Executive Board, notice of such election having been given. In case a vacancy occurs in the office of President the Vice-President shall service notice of the election.

Article V: Duties Of Officers

Section 1. President

• The President shall preside at all meetings of the organization and of the Executive Board; shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed in these by-laws or assigned to him/her by the organization or by the Executive Board; and shall coordinate the work of the officers and committees of the organization in order that the objects may be promoted.

Section 2. Vice-President

• The Vice-President shall act as an aide to the President and shall (in their designated order) perform the duties of the President in the absence or inability of that office to act; shall organize and over-see the Homeroom Helpers; and shall assume the responsibility of any open committee chair.

Section 3. Advisor

• The Advisor shall be the retiring President and shall act in an advisory capacity to the President and Executive Board.

Section 4. Secretary

• The Secretary shall record the minutes of all meetings of the organization and of the Executive Board and distribute copies of said minutes. The secretary shall maintain a current copy of the by-laws; shall provide and keep record of membership attendance forms; shall be responsible for all PTO recognitions; and shall perform such other duties as may be delegated to him/her.

Section 5. Treasurer

• The Treasurer shall have custody of all of the funds of the organization; shall keep a full and accurate account of receipts and expenditures; shall make disbursements authorized the by the President, Executive Board or organization; and shall sign all PTO checks with a designated second signer. The Treasurer shall present a written financial statement at every meeting of the organization and at other times when requested by the Executive Board.

• The Treasurer shall keep such permanent books of account and records as shall be sufficient to establish the items of gross income, receipts, and disbursements of the organization.

• The Treasurer’s account shall be examined annually by an Auditing Committee of not less than three members, who, satisfied that the Treasurer’s annual report is correct, shall sign a statement of that fact at the end of the report. The Auditing committee shall be selected by the Executive Board at least two weeks before the meeting at which new officers assume duties.

Section 6. Assistant Treasurer

• The Assistant Treasurer shall act as an aide to the treasurer and shall perform such other duties as may be delegated to him/her.

Section 7. Fundraising Coordinator

• The Fundraising Coordinator shall oversee all PTO fundraising events and activities.

Article VI: Executive Board

Section 1.

• The Executive Board shall consist of the officers of the organization, the chairpersons of standing committees, and the Principal of the school or a representative appointed by him/her.

Section 2. Duties of the Executive Board

• To transact necessary business in the intervals between organizational meetings and such other business as may be referred to it by the organization.

• To create standing and special committees.

• To approve the plans of work of the standing and special committees.

• To select an Auditing Committee to audit the Treasurer’s accounts.

• To prepare and submit, to the organization for adoption, a budget for the year.

• To approve routine bills within the limits of the budget.

• The required quorum of eight (8) as set forth by these by-laws will consist of the following voting member pool for the purpose of conducting business of said Executive Board: President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, Fundraising Coordinator, Advisor, Principal, and the Chairpersons of the recognized committees set by the presiding PTO President.

Section 3. Meetings

• Regular meetings of the Executive Board shall be held during the year; the time to be fixed by the Board at its first meeting of the year.

• Special meetings of the Executive Board may be called by the President or by a majority of the members of the Board.

• If a meeting has to be cancelled, it will be rescheduled at the first opportunity.

Article VII:  Meetings

Section 1. Meetings

• Regular monthly meetings of the organization shall be held during the year; the time to be established at the September meeting.

Section 2. Special Meetings

• Special meetings of the organization may be called by the President or by a majority of the Executive Board.

Section 3. Installation Meeting

• The Installation of officers shall be held in June during the organization’s regular monthly meeting.

Section 4. Quorum

• Eight (8) members shall constitute a quorum (members physically present) for the transaction of business in any meeting of this organization.

Article VIII: Standing and Special Committees

Section 1.

• Only members of the organization shall be eligible to serve in any elective or appointive positions.

Section 2.

• At the beginning of each term, the presiding President shall determine and name any committee to be recognized during that term. The Chairpersons of said Committees will then possess voting responsibilities. The term of each chairperson shall be one year.

Section 3.

• The chairperson of each standing or special committee shall present a plan of work to the Executive Board for approval. This plan must be made available to the board at a regular monthly meeting no less than two months prior to the committee’s scheduled event. No committee work shall be undertaken without consent of the Executive Board.

Section 4.

• The President shall be a member ex-officio of all committees except the Nominating committee.  

Article IX: Fiscal Year

The fiscal year of this organization shall begin July 1 and end June 30

Article X: Amendments

Section 1.

• These by-laws may be amended at any regular meeting of the organization by a two-thirds vote of the members present and voting, provided that notice of the proposed amendment shall have been given at least thirty days prior to the meeting.

Section 2.

• A committee may be appointed to submit a revised set of by-laws as a substitute for the existing by-laws only by a majority vote at a meeting of the organization, or by a two-thirds vote of the Executive Board. The requirements for adoption of a revised set of by-laws shall be the same as in the case of an amendment.

Amendment 1. Dissolution

• In the event of dissolution of the corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary or by operation of the law, none of the assets of the corporation shall be distributed to any private person but rather shall be distributed to such organization or organizations officially recognized as described in Section 501( c )(3) of the Code as the Board of Directors of the corporation shall elect.