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Grand Center Arts Academy Parents’ Association
Bylaws
In keeping with the school’s mission and charter and as active partners in the education of our children, the Grand Center Arts
Academy School (GCAA) Parents’ Association (PA) will serve the school community and participate in the governance and
growth of GCAA.
Article I
GCAA Parents’ Association Mission
The Mission of the Grand Center Arts Academy Parents’ Association is as follows:
A. To promote community and communication amongst parents and between students, school and families.
B. Provide fundraising and volunteer support to GCAA
C. Offer parent resources to supplement those provided by the school
D. Represent parent issues to the school
Article II
Goals
The Goals of the Grand Center Arts Academy Parents’ Association are as follows:
A. To provide information to parents about school and PA events.
B. To support and encourage parents to meet with faculty and administration.
C. To schedule meetings at convenient times.
D. To provide a forum for parental concerns about school-wide issues or policies and for discussing use of PA funds.
E. To provide a forum to meet with administration as well as to be consulted by The Principal and Development Director
prior to significant school changes.
F. To make formal recommendations to The Principal and Development Director.
G. To hold school-wide parent voting on important issues, as determined by the PA.
H. To provide financial support for advancing the arts and academic programs and other school-wide needs as well as
provide support assistance and coordination for the efforts of the arts-specific parent booster organizations.
Article III
Membership
All parents and guardians of GCAA students are members of the Parents’ Association. Employees who are also parents of
students have a special place in the GCAA community and are always allowed to vote.
All PA members are encouraged to pledge time to work in support of school outings and outreach activities, help with
administrative tasks and participate in PA-related committees and events. They are also encouraged to assist in providing
extracurricular activities for students, support the training of parent volunteers, aid in providing social opportunities for
students and families, aid in providing educational enrichment for students through speakers and programs, and express
parent appreciation to the faculty.
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Each family is also encouraged to donate funds directly to the school, to the best of their ability, to help develop the arts
programs that are not adequately funded through public monies.
Article IV
Parents’ Association Work
The Parents’ Association will work in coordination with the Principal, Director of Development, teachers, students, and
staff to insure the education and social development of the students is enhanced.
A. The PA may discuss any topic it deems relevant to the school, keeping in mind that respectful discussion will most
efficiently resolve issues and find compromise as well as provide problem-solving role-modeling for our students.
B. The PA may vote to sponsor additional fund-raising projects in coordination with the Principal or Director of
Development.
C. The PA may make recommendations to the Principal for policies and procedures of the school by the PA voting
procedures, understanding that these are recommendations only and the administration will make the final determination.
D. When the School is considering major policy or organization proposals, it can use the PA as a sounding board for the
opinion of the School’s parents. The PA may make a recommendation to the Administration or Board on such proposals
by majority vote of those present. Some issues may be appropriate for solicitation of the opinions of the entire parent
body.
E. The PA may vote to appropriate PA funds to support existing programs. The Principal or Development Director will
be asked to address the meeting with their opinions during the discussion of any appropriation of funds equaling or
exceeding $1,000; however, the failure of the Principal or Development Director to attend the meeting will not mandate a
delay of the vote. A representative of the group receiving the funds must make these requests in person. New initiatives
affecting the school program must have the Principal’s or Development Director’s approval.
F. All activities of the PA, on school grounds or using school resources, must be placed on the calendar with the approval
of the Principal or Development Director’s office. No date for an event is final without the approval of the Principal or
Development Director. Upon request, the PA will make their PA meeting agenda available to the Principal or
Development Director prior to the next PA meeting. Notifications of events will be printed in the school's weekly parent
bulletin and posted on the school website’s calendar, and posted on the PA’s online community site.
G. The PA will annually (or as needed) elect/appoint parent representatives to any committee or group as requested by
The Principal or Development Director.
Article V
Parents’ Association Officers
The offices of the Parents’ Association will consist of a President, Secretary, and Treasurer, as well as a Vice President
(see Amendment 1). All nominated officers must have attended the majority of the PA meetings in the year of the
nomination, and be involved in a committee or volunteer regularly at the school.
PA members can nominate themselves or others up to and including the special election itself. No officer shall serve more
than 2 consecutive years in any one position. All officers will be subject to criminal background checks. Any officer may
resign their position at any time with a written resignation. The resigning officer must give at least a two-week notice,
unless unforeseen circumstances prevent such occurrence.
President - The office of President must organize and maintain the integrity and structure of the PA The President will
have previously held a PA office or have attended a majority of the year’s regular PA. The duties of the President are as
follows:
A. The President will plan the agenda and chair PA meetings.
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B. The President will have meetings monthly, or as needed, with GCAA administration and faculty to coordinate PA
activities and initiatives.
C. The President will write a monthly report to the parents that will be posted on the PA’s online community site.
D. The President will appoint committee facilitators annually, and have final approval of all PA committee activities, as
deemed necessary with approval by the Principal.
E. The President is the official spokesperson for the PA and as such will make reports to the GCAA Board of Directors,
upon request.
F. The President will write a year-end report in May and submit it to the incoming President as well as keep a copy on
file.
Vice President - The PA may elect a Vice President as it deems necessary to facilitate of the PA. The Vice President is
responsible for ensuring the work of the PA is carried out. The duties of the PA are as follows:
A. The Vice President will assist the President with all duties associated with the office have meetings monthly, or as
needed, with GCAA Faculty to coordinate PA activities and initiatives.
B. The Vice President will assist with planning the agenda meetings
C. The Vice President will attend the different committee meetings if possible
D. The Vice President will chair meetings and be the official spokesperson in the Presidents absence
E. The Vice President will write a year-end report in May and submit it to the incoming Vice President as well as keep a copy
on file.
F. The Vice President will attend any meetings, activities or events as needed as an official representative of the PA.
G. Volunteers Liaison
Secretary - The office of Secretary must maintain the written communications of the PA for legal entities. The Secretary
must attend the majority of the meetings. In the absence of the Secretary the President may appoint someone to take notes.
The duties of the Secretary are as follows:
A. The Secretary will take minutes of the meetings (to be approved at the subsequent meeting), post minutes, post meeting
times for the PA and all committees, and keep the PA's online community site up to date with pertinent information.
B. The Secretary will write a year-end report in May and submit it to the incoming Secretary as well as keep a copy on
file.
C. The Secretary will assist the President with any PA correspondence.
D. The Secretary will attend any meetings, activities or events, as needed, as an official representative of the PA.
E. Upon request, the Secretary will provide the PA meeting agenda to GCAA Administration.
Treasurer - The Treasurer must maintain all financial records and approve all transactions for the PA. The Treasurer must
attend the majority of the meetings. The treasurer will be subject to a criminal background check.
A. The Treasurer will keep the books of the PA and make monthly reports to the PA.
B. The Treasurer will submit all bank statements, receipts and reports to the PA Board each quarterly for a Financial Review,
and make any financial information available to the Board within two days of any request.
C. The Treasurer will write a year-end report in May and submit it to the incoming Treasurer as well as keep a copy on file.
D. The Treasurer will be required to report all financial activity, upon request, to the GCAA Administration.
Article VI
PA Budget
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In order to support its activities and enhance GCAA programs, the Parents’ Association will fund a PA budget. The PA
will raise money to fund its budget. All members of the PA will be encouraged to participate in pledging an annual
monetary contribution to the PA fund.
This PA fund will be used to support PA activities and events designed to support our students or promote the school, as
well as support specific GCAA programs and projects upon request. These requests must be made in writing and must be
approved by GCAA Administration as well as the PA Board.
The PA can sponsor optional events each year to raise money for specific enhancements for the campus. These events
must be approved by the PA Officers and GCAA Administration.
The PA may vote to appropriate only money in its own accounts. The PA may not borrow money. Checks written from
the PA account must carry two signatures, the Treasurer and one other officer. Any expenditure exceeding $500 must be
approved by the membership via a vote at the regular monthly meeting.
All PA events will be staffed by parent volunteers. Parents are expected to volunteer their time, and, when possible,
donate their contributions. The PA Board will review, on an individual basis, requests for reimbursement for materials
purchased for PA use.
If a parent expects to be compensated for time or contributions to a PA-sponsored event, the parent is no longer
participating as a volunteer but as a vendor. All vendors must complete written applications and are subject to approval by
the PA Board. All vendors are subject to the same requirements as vendors hired by the school, including health
department approval of all food items for sale. These requirements are available upon request.
Article VII
Elections
Elections for President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer will take place in May for the following school year. A
candidate may be nominated by him/herself or another Parents’ Association member. Any nominated candidate must
agree to the nomination and must comply with the requirements of the position. All nominated candidates will be
introduced to PA members prior to the election. Ballots will be made available to PA members at the PA meeting. If any
candidate for a specific office does not receive 50% or more of the vote, then the top two candidates for that Office will be
placed on a second ballot, which will be voted on again by the Association.
In the event that an officer or representative resigns or is unable to fulfill his or her duties, the PA will hold a special
election at the next regular PA meeting, provided that there is time to provide notice. If there is not enough time, then the
special election will occur at the following regular PA meeting.
Article VIII
Meetings
The Officers of the Parents’ Association will be responsible for the PA meeting, as previously stated. The PA will meet
monthly during the academic school year. Additional or special meetings may be called during the school year as
necessary. The schedule will be published in August of the incoming year.
PA meetings are open to all PA members, teachers, school board members and staff, unless previously stated.
Any committee facilitator, parent, head/assistant head of the school, or faculty representative must contact the President or
Secretary one week prior to a meeting to add a discussion point to the meeting’s agenda.
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The Treasurer will present a financial report. The meeting minutes will be approved at the next PA meeting. Meetings
will be no more than two hours in length unless a majority of those present votes to extend the meeting. Robert’s Rules of
Order, as amended by these bylaws or by a majority vote of the PA, will be the primary guidelines for the conduct of the
meetings.
Article IX
Voting and Adoption
The Parents’ Association may call for a vote on major issues or funds to assist the school or adopt new procedures to assist
with the effectiveness of the PA.
Voting on immediate major school and funding issues:
A. Any major proposal will be placed on the agenda as deemed necessary by the PA Board. At the meeting, discussion of
the agenda proposal will be held.
B. Parents may offer amendments to the proposal, which can be voted on by the members present. All approved
amendments then become part of the proposal.
C. The proposal will be then be voted on by all members present at the PA meeting, or if the PA decides during the
discussion that an issue is important enough, the PA may, at its own expense, mail ballots to all parents and legal
guardians.
D. Votes will be taken on all motions. All parents present at the meeting will have one vote. No absentee ballots are
counted.
Adoption of Amendments:
Adoption of any Amendment to the Bylaws must be proposed at a regular meeting of the PA at least one month prior to a vote
being taken. A majority vote of a meeting of the PA is sufficient to amend these Bylaws.
Article X
Committees
The role of PA committees is to involve parents in the development of events and activities and volunteer opportunities that
support the school and the work of the PA. Committees can be created at a regular PA meeting as needed.
Each committee is guided by a volunteer facilitator. The committee facilitators attend monthly Board meetings as well as
meetings of the full PA. The facilitators are accountable to the PA Board, which will coordinate all activities approved by
GCAA administration.
Each committee facilitator must report monthly on the plans and activities of the committee to the Board. Facilitators will
present the events of the committee, at least quarterly, to the PA.
Committees may be voted active or inactive by the PA.
The following committees have been identified as necessary by the PA:
A. Communications (Buzz Book, Yahoo Group)
B. School Store (reports to the Treasurer)
C. Fundraising (reports to the Treasurer)
D. Teacher Appreciation
F. Library Support (annual book fair)
G. Social (planning events for students that fall outside fundraising)
H. Individual Art Genre Parent Groups - (instrumental music, vocal music, dance, theater, visual arts)
I. General School Support (volunteers available to be called as necessary for special events or projects)