Mountain View High School
School Improvement Advisory Council
BYLAWS
Revised and Adopted: May, 2011
Article I
Name of Council
The name of this council shall be the Mountain View School Improvement Advisory Council (the
“Council”).
Article II
Role of Council
A. The Council will serve in an advisory capacity to the school administration for the purpose of
improving the quality of education experienced by Mountain View students and improving the
efficient operations of Mountain View High School.
B. It is the duty and responsibility of the Council to provide orientation and continuous training in the
process of shared decision making for its members. The training may involve others in the school
community. Areas of training may include communication strategies, development of strategic
plans, consensus building and teamwork.
Article III
Membership
The Council shall be composed of the following members in the following categories:
A. Twelve members shall consist of parents of students attending Mountain View. Parents may self
nominate or nominate someone in the Mountain View community. Nominees must be willing to
serve. The selection process will take place at Mountain View’s annual “Open House” in September.
Three parent members shall represent each grade level (freshman, sophomore, junior and senior).
Selection shall be by a random drawing in which the names of all parents willing to serve and
representing any one grade level shall be placed in a closed container. Names equal in number to
the available spaces at that grade level shall be chosen. Should there not be a maximum number of
parent members willing to serve at any one grade level, then additional names shall be drawn
randomly from those names not selected at the other grade levels.
B. Nine to Twelve members shall consist of staff members representing divergent curricula areas. At
least six members must be certificated employees. At least one member may be a classified
employee. Staff members shall volunteer to serve on the Council. Should there not be an adequate
number of staff members who volunteer to serve; the principal shall appoint additional members as
provided in Article VIII (Vacancy) of these Bylaws. Should the number of volunteers exceed the
number of vacancies, the members shall be selected by random drawing. Staff member selection
must be determined no later than September 15.
C. Twelve members shall consist of students attending Mountain View High School. There shall be
three members from each grade level (freshman, sophomore, junior and senior). They shall be
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nominated by faculty members, by fellow students or by self nomination. Each nominee to be
selected as described in paragraph D below. Should there be one or more openings at any grade
level due to the normal end of a term of office, resignation or for any other reason, then any such
opening shall be filled in the same manner as that member being replaced.
D. Twelve student members, three representing each grade level, shall be selected by a committee
consisting of no fewer than three staff members. Student member selection in this manner shall be
for the purpose of achieving better representation of the Mountain View student population. Said
selection shall be made prior to the first SIAC meeting of the current academic year.
E. One member may consist of a business or community member who is not the parent of a current
Mountain View student, not a current faculty member or student at Mountain View and not a
current employee of the Mesa Public Schools. Said member will be recommended by any member
of the Mountain View community to the principal who will issue the invitation to join no later than
November 15. If recommendations to the principal are not made in a timely manner so that the
invitation can be extended as provided by these Bylaws, then this position will not be filled for that
academic year. Should there be more than one such recommendation, all names will be placed in a
closed container and the council member shall be chosen by random drawing.
F. The principal of the school shall sit as an ex officio member of the Council.
Article IV
Terms of Office
Members of the Council shall serve for a period of one or two years. However, if the maximum numbers
of parent, staff or student members are not selected, appointed or volunteer, former members who
normally would be ineligible for membership under this article may be selected to serve if needed.
A. Student Members
At the freshman level, three student members will serve a one-year term. At the end of the year,
one student may be selected to continue as a representative the following year. Selection for
continuation to the following year will be determined by attendance. A random drawing will occur
from the students who have good attendance, and a desire to continue. No student can serve for
more than two consecutive years.
At the sophomore level, three student members will serve a one-year term. At the end of the year,
one student may be selected to continue as a representative the following year. Selection for
continuation to the following year will be determined by attendance. A random drawing will occur
from the students who have good attendance, and a desire to continue. No student can serve for
more than two consecutive years.
At the junior level, three student members will serve a one-year term. At the end of the year, one
student may be selected to continue as a representative the following year. Selection for
continuation to the following year will be determined by attendance. A random drawing will occur
from the students who have good attendance, and a desire to continue. No student can serve for
more than two consecutive years.
At the senior level, three student members will serve a one-year term.
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B. Parent Members
Each of the three freshman parents will serve a one year term. At the end of the year, one parent
will be selected to continue as a representative the following year. Selection for continuation to the
following year will be determined by attendance. A random drawing will occur from the parents
who have good attendance, and a desire to continue. No parent can serve for more than two
consecutive years.
Each of the three sophomore parents will serve a one year term. At the end of the year, one parent
will be selected to continue as a representative the following year. Selection for continuation to the
following year will be determined by attendance. A random drawing will occur from the parents
who have good attendance, and a desire to continue. No parent can serve for more than two
consecutive years.
Each of the three junior parents will serve a one year term. At the end of the year, one parent will
be selected to continue as a representative the following year. Selection for continuation to the
following year will be determined by attendance. A random drawing will occur from the parents
who have good attendance, and a desire to continue. No parent can serve for more than two
consecutive years.
Each of the three senior parents will serve a one year term. No parent can serve for more than two
consecutive years.
If a circumstance occurs that a parent has more than one child in attendance they may come back
and serve another year but no more than two consecutive years.
C. Staff Members
Staff council members shall serve a two-year term. However, in order to achieve staggered
membership, five staff members shall serve a one-year term only during the school year.
Determination of those serving the one-year term will be by consensus at the first regular meeting.
If consensus cannot be reached, determination will be by random drawing. A staggered rotation of
four/five will be maintained thereafter. Should a staff member resign or otherwise vacate the office
before the end of the term, then the staff member who shall replace him or her shall do so for the
remainder of the term only.
D. Community Members
If a community member joins the council as allowed in Article III above, he or she shall serve a oneyear term. Community members may serve consecutive terms at the discretion of the existing
council.
Article V
Voting Rights
Each member of the Council shall be entitled to one vote and may cast that vote on each matter
submitted to a vote of the Council. The principal shall not be entitled to vote.
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If a quorum is not present at a meeting, all non-attending members will be contacted and their votes
may be obtained telephonically or electronically. Responses must be collected within 72 hours. The
results of the vote must be sent to all members electronically, and then reported on at the next
meeting.
If a majority is not present at a meeting, all non-attending members will be contacted and their votes
may be obtained telephonically or electronically for items that require a majority of the membership
vote to pass. Responses must be collected within 72 hours. The results of the vote must be sent to all
members electronically, and then reported on at the next meeting.
Article VI
Termination of Membership
A member shall no longer hold membership should he or she no longer meet the membership
requirements under which he or she was elected or selected. The Council, by an affirmative vote of
three-fourths of all members, can suspend or expel a member.
Article VII
Resignation
Any member may resign at any time by filing a written resignation with the Council.
Article VIII
Vacancy
Any vacancy on the Council shall be filled for the remainder of the school year by appointment by the
Council, with first consideration given to the nominees in that membership category who were willing to
serve, but were not selected, during the previous selection process. Should said nominees be unwilling
to serve, and should the Council be unable to locate any other members of the Mountain View High
School community who would be willing to serve, then consideration may be given to those individuals
who would normally be ineligible for membership due to the term limit rule as outlined in Article IV.
Article IX
Officers
A. The officers of the Council shall be a chairperson, vice-chairperson, secretary and such other officers
as the Council may deem appropriate.
B. The offices of vice-chairperson and secretary may be held by any member of the council. The office
of chairperson shall be held by either a parent member or a staff member.
C. The officers of the Council shall be elected annually in the fall by the members of the Council and
shall serve for one year or until each successor has been elected.
D. Any officer may be removed by two-thirds vote of all members sitting on the Council whenever, in
the judgment of the Council, the best interests of the Council would be served thereby.
E. A vacancy in any office shall be filled by the Council, by special election of the Council, for the
unexpired portion of the officer’s term.
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F. The chairperson shall preside at all meetings of the Council and may sign all letters, reports and
other communications of the Council. In addition, the chairperson shall perform all duties incident
to the office of chairperson and such other duties as may be prescribed by the Council from time to
time.
G. The vice-chairperson shall represent the chairperson in assigned duties and shall substitute for the
chairperson during his or her absence, and shall perform such other duties as may from time to time
be assigned by the chairperson or by the Council.
H. The secretary shall keep the minutes of the meetings of the Council, both regular and special, and
shall promptly transmit to each of the members, to the school district and to such other persons as
the Council may deem, true and correct copies of the minutes of such meetings; see that all notices
are duly given in accordance with the provisions of these Bylaws; be custodian of the Council
records; keep a register of the address and telephone number of each member of the Council which
shall be furnished to the secretary by each member; and, in general, perform all duties incident to
the office of secretary and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned by the
chairperson or by the Council.
Article X
Meetings
A. The Council shall meet regularly at least once per month, September through May. A maximum of
one meeting may be cancelled per year with a majority vote of a quorum at a previous meeting.
B. Special meetings may be called by the chairperson or by majority vote of the Council. Said majority
vote may be taken telephonically or electronically.
C. The Council shall hold its regular monthly meetings and its special meetings in a facility provided by
the school and readily accessible by all members of the public, including disabled persons.
D. The Council shall give notice of each of its meetings by posting a notice of meeting on the
Mountain View High School web site and in the parent newsletters. The notice of meeting shall
include information identifying the date, time and place of the meeting. The notice of meeting
shall additionally contain an agenda of the meeting or information on how an agenda may be
obtained. The notice of meeting must be given at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting. All
special meetings shall be publicized in the same manner. All members shall be given notice of all
regular and special meetings which notice shall be in writing, shall state the day, hour and location
of the meetings, and shall be delivered personally or by mail to each member not less than 48
hours nor more than two weeks prior to the date of such meeting. Notice of meetings shall be in
compliance with the requirements of the Arizona Open Meetings Law.
E. An affirmative vote of a majority of the members in attendance at a meeting, provided a quorum is
present, shall be required to pass a proposal or recommendation.
F. The presence of fifty percent (50%) of the total membership of the Council shall be required in
order to constitute a quorum necessary for the transaction of business of the Council.
G. The council may discuss, consider or decide only those matters listed on the agenda and other
matters related thereto.
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H. All regular and special meetings of the Council shall be conducted in accordance with the Arizona
Open Meetings Law and all other applicable state laws. Any question of procedure not otherwise
covered by statute, State Board rule, Mesa Unified School District policies or these Bylaws shall be
governed by the current edition of Roberts Rules of Order.
I.
Each Council member shall miss no more than two consecutive scheduled meetings or a total of
three meetings each year to be in good attendance. A member who does not comply with the
attendance requirement may be removed from office by the affirmative vote of a majority of a
quorum in attendance at a meeting. This provision shall take precedence over the provision
contained in Article VI (Termination of Membership) of these Bylaws. If extenuating circumstances
make attendance at a meeting impossible, it shall be the obligation of the member to inform the
Council secretary or chairperson in advance. Said advance notice does not preclude members from
fulfilling the above-mentioned attendance requirements.
J.
Visitors are welcome and their comments on an agenda item will be taken at the end of discussion
on that agenda item. In order to speak, visitors must complete a “Request to Speak” form and limit
their comments to three minutes. Should visitors wish to speak on an issue not on the agenda,
they must first complete a “Request to Speak” form and make their comments at the end of the
regular agenda under the time designated “Remarks by Visitors.” Comments must be limited to
three minutes. Further discussion of the topic, if necessary, will be scheduled for the following
monthly meetings.
K. Members of the Mountain View community may request up to 15 minutes of regular agenda time
in order to present programs that may be of interest to the Council and relevant to its role as
outlined in Article II. Determination of relevancy and time available on the agenda will be made by
the Chairperson, Secretary and any other Council members responsible for setting the agenda.
Article XI
Committees
A. The Council may from time to time establish and abolish such standing or special committees as it
may deem appropriate. No standing or special committee may exercise the authority of the
Council.
B. Unless otherwise determined by the Council in its decision to establish a committee, the
chairperson of the Council shall appoint the members to the various committees.
C. Each member of a committee shall continue as such for the term of his or her appointment and
until his or her successor is appointed, unless the committee shall be sooner terminated or
abolished, or unless such member ceases to qualify as a member thereof.
D. Each committee may adopt rules for its own government not inconsistent with these Bylaws or
rules adopted by the Council or with policies of the Governing Board.
E. Unless otherwise provided in the decision of the Council designating a committee, a majority of the
committee shall constitute a quorum, and the act of a majority of the members present at a
committee meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the committee.
F. A vacancy in the membership of any committee may be filled by an appointment made in the same
manner as provided in the case of the original appointment.
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Article XII
Agenda
A. An agenda shall be developed for each regular and special meeting.
B. Agendas must contain such information that is reasonably necessary to inform the public of the
matters to be discussed or determined.
C. All items for the agenda shall be submitted in advance and may be provided by any member of the
Council. Other members of the school administration, faculty, staff, parents, and students shall
submit their items for the agenda in writing or electronically to the Chair or the Secretary of the
Council for possible inclusion on the agenda.
D. The Council shall determine what matters will be included on the agenda. The Council may
delegate responsibility for development of the agenda to such committee as may be determined by
the Council.
E. Agendas must be in compliance with the requirements of the Arizona Open Meetings Law.
Article XIII
Amendment of Bylaws
These Bylaws may be amended by affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members of the Council.
Article XIV
Ratification of Bylaws
Ratification of these Bylaws shall be effective upon a two-thirds vote of the members of the Council.
This version of these By-laws will go into effect beginning with the fall of 2011.
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