SOUTH SCHOOL PARENT TEACHER COUNCIL BYLAWS
AS AMENDED MAY 2003, APRIL 2006, DECEMBER 2007, MARCH 2011, FEBUARY 2013
ARTICLE I.
NAME
The name of this organization shall be the South School Parent Teacher Council (PTC).
ARTICLE II.
OBJECTIVES
To promote a strong working relationship between parents, faculty, staff, and school
administrators so that all may contribute effectively to the education and development
of the students. To keep parents informed of the programs and policies of the school.
To provide a forum for a continuing exchange of ideas between the parents and the
school, and to provide support for the educational and enrichment programs in the
school, in accordance with the South School administration.
ARTICLE III.
Section 1.
Section 2.
POLICIES
The PTC shall be noncommercial, nonsectarian and politically nonpartisan.
The name of the PTC, its officers or its membership lists shall not be used in any
political, commercial or partisan interest without majority consent of the PTC
membership.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of these articles, the organization is organized
exclusively for one or more purposes as specified in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, and shall not carry on any activities not permitted to be carried
on by an organization exempt from Federal Income Tax under IRC 501(c)(3)or
corresponding provisions of any subsequent tax laws.
No part of the net earnings of the organization shall inure to the benefit of any member,
trustee, director, officer of the organization, or any private individual (except that
reasonable compensation may be paid for services rendered to or for the organization),
and no member, trustee, director or officer of the organization or any private individual
shall be entitled to share the distribution of any of the organization’s assets on
dissolution of the organization.
In the event of dissolution, all of the remaining assets and property of the organization
shall, after payment of necessary expenses thereof, be distributed to such organizations
as shall qualify under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or
corresponding provisions of any subsequent Federal tax laws, or to the Federal
government or State or local governments for public purpose, subject to the approval of
a Justice of the Supreme court of the State of Connecticut.
Section 3.
Section 4.
Section 5.
ARTICLE IV.
Section 1.
Section 2.
Section 3.
Section 4.
MEMBERSHIP AND DUES
All South School parents, guardians, administrators, faculty and staff are eligible for
membership.
Eligible individuals/families may join the PTC upon payment of annual dues.
All members have the privilege of voting at PTC general meetings or when otherwise
requested either in person, or by written or electronic proxy. Family memberships are
entitled to one vote.
Dues shall be payable annually during the fall membership drive. After this drive,
membership is open to new members upon payment of dues.
Section 5.
The amount of the dues shall be determined by a PTC membership vote, based upon
recommendations from the Executive Board and consideration of the operating
expenses of the PTC.
ARTICLE V.
Section 1.
Section 2.
MEETINGS
PTC general meetings shall be scheduled each month during the school year.
The Executive Board, and/or President, has the discretion to omit, or change any
meeting date. A minimum of five (5) general meetings must occur.
The June meeting shall be designated as the Annual Meeting of the PTC. The outgoing
Board members shall preside at the first half of the meeting and present an overview of
the past year. The incoming Board members shall preside at the second half of the
meeting and present proposals for the coming year.
The Executive Board may call special general PTC meetings on not less than three days’
notice. Any ten members of the PTC may, by written petition, require the Executive
Board to call a special meeting. For the transaction of business at any special PTC
meeting, 20 members shall constitute a quorum. A simple majority shall determine the
outcome of the vote.
Ten members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any general
meeting of the PTC. A simple majority shall determine the outcome of the vote.
Section 3.
Section 4.
Section 5.
ARTICLE VI.
Section 1.
Section 2.
Section 3.
Section 4.
Section 5.
Section 6.
OFFICERS
The elected officers of the PTC shall be: (Number in the “()” refers to how many
individuals may be elected into this office)
i.
President (1-2)
ii.
Vice President, Ways and Means (1-2)
iii.
Vice President, Programs and Parent Services (1)
iv.
Vice President, Social and Hospitality (1-2)
v.
Vice President, Board of Education Liaison (1-2)
vi.
Vice President, Teacher Liaison (1)
vii.
Secretary (1)
viii.
Treasurer (1-2, expected to be an Assistant Treasurer)
viiii.
Communications Director (1)
Officers will serve for a term of one year commencing at the Annual PTC meeting, with
the exception of the Treasurer, in the event that there is no Assistant Treasurer, who
will serve concurrently with the incoming Treasurer through the end of the fiscal year,
July 31.
An officer shall not be eligible to serve more than two consecutive terms in the same
office. They may also not hold more than one position at a time.
An officer shall not be eligible to serve on the Executive Board for more than five
consecutive years.
Ideally, a candidate for President shall have served as a member of the Executive Board
prior to taking office.
The President(s) Shall:
Be chairman of the Executive Board. The President shall preside at all meetings of the
PTC and the Executive Board(s), appoint all committee chairs on the Communication
and Information Committees, support the work of the officers and committees, attend
all PTC/PFA meetings, serve as the liaison between the PTC and the Principal and school
administrators, have custody of PTC funds, if necessary, in the absence or incapacity of
the Treasurer, and be the back-up signature on checks. The President cannot take
action in matters relating to policy and finance without a majority vote of the Executive
Board. The President shall be an ex-officio member of all standing committees except
the Nominating Committee if they submit their name to serve for a second year as
President.
Section 7.
The Vice President(s) Ways and Means Shall:
Have all the powers and perform all of the duties of the President in his/her absence or
incapacity. Appoint all committee chairs on the Ways and Means Committees. Present
to the Executive Board, and the PTC membership, a program of fundraising projects for
the school year. Oversee fundraising projects and committees of each fundraising event
through the year. Oversee/implement distribution of funds raised, with the Board
approval. Obtain from the chairman, prior to each fundraising project, a proposed
budget for Executive Board approval.
Section 8.
The Vice President, Programs and Parent Services Shall:
Appoint all committee chairs on the Programs and Parent Services Committees. Present
to the Executive Board, and the PTC membership, a list of proposed programs for the
school year. Oversee the implementation and conduct of all Programs and Parent
Services through the year. In the event of a vacancy of any activity chairperson, the Vice
President Programs, will assume this role. The Vice President, Programs and Parent
Services shall also have the responsibility, along with the Nominating Committee
chairperson and Principal, of appointing the members of the Nominating Committee, as
set forth in Article VIII.
Section 9.
The Vice President(s) Social and Hospitality Shall:
Present to the Executive Board and the PTC membership a program of not-for-profit
socials and services for the year. The Vice President Socials and Hospitality shall also
oversee not-for-profit revenue generating socials and services throughout the year. In
addition, the Vice President(s) Socials and Hospitality will appoint individual social and
hospitality chairperson(s) for each respective activity designated by the Executive Board.
In the event of a vacancy of any activity chairperson, the Vice President(s) Socials and
Hospitality, will assume this role.
Section 10.
The Vice President(s), Board of Education Shall:
Represent the South School PTC at all Board of Education meetings, and report the
pertinent information from these meetings to the Executive Board and the PTC
membership.
Section 11.
The Vice President Teacher Liaison Shall:
Be a faculty member of South School who represents the faculty and staff at all
Executive Board meetings, General PTC meetings as necessary, and report all pertinent
information from these meetings to the faculty and staff. Additionally, the Vice
President Teacher Liaison shall solicit input from faculty and staff as needed. One
alternate shall be chosen by the faculty to perform the duties of the VP Teacher Liaison
in his/her absence.
Section 12.
The Secretary Shall:
Record, post and preserve the agendas and the minutes of all meetings of the General
PTC and the Executive Board. Provide drafts for approval of the minutes to all Executive
Board members within one week of said meetings. The Executive Board will have one
week to advise changes/corrections to the minutes and then the minutes will be
finalized and distributed to the Executive Board. A copy of the most recent General
meeting minutes will be posted within one week of the meeting. Submit all suggested
proposals requiring a vote by the membership to the South Star, or in a separate flyer,
for publication prior to the membership meeting in which said vote shall occur. Submit
the results of all votes taken at the general membership meeting to the South Star for
publication following the meeting in which said vote occurred. Together with the
Communications Director shall be responsible for all PTC correspondence. Supervise
and administrate the written proxy process.
Section 13.
The Assistant Treasurer, or if only 1 person in the office then the Treasurer shall:
Formulate, based on input from the President, Vice Presidents, Ways and Means,
Programs and Parent services, and Social and Hospitality, and Teacher Liaison, and
present for approval to the PTC membership in June, a proposed budget for the next
fiscal year. Have custody of all PTC funds, keep accurate records of receipts and
disbursements, and deposit all funds into accounts approved by the Executive Board.
Disburse funds in accordance with the approved PTC budget. All non-budgeted requests
must be approved by vote of the Executive Board, and when necessary, the General
Membership. The Assistant Treasurer, or if only 1 person in the office, then the
Treasurer, shall receive approved requests. The requests will be presented to the
Executive Board and to the PTC membership if required. Present a monthly financial
statement at each PTC meeting, and submit an annual financial report at the June
meeting.
If there are 2 people in the office of Treasurer, then the Treasurer shall:
Act as an advisor to the Assistant Treasurer with respect to performing all the duties
cited above. The Treasurer will also oversee the treasury function of all fundraisers.
Section 14.
The Communications Director shall:
Summarize and communicate PTC events, school and community news to the South
School community using an electronic newsletter titled The Star. The said newsletter
will be created and shared based on the school calendar’s originally planned full weeks.
The Communications Director shall also update and maintain the PTC website and
create electronic email to inform the parent community about event specifics. Together
with the Secretary , shall be responsible for all PTC correspondence.
Section 15.
The General Responsibilities of Each Officer Shall Be:
To attend all Executive Board and General PTC Meetings. To notify the President and to
provide a written report and/or make alternate arrangements in case of absence from
duties. Obtain an update of PTC matters in case of absence from meetings. To maintain
records of his/her office, including correspondence, accounts and records of actions
taken by him/her and transmit such records to his/her successor prior to the annual
meeting, and to provide a written report to the President or Treasurer at the end of the
year and upon request. To perform other duties as may be assigned by the President,
Executive Board or General PTC.
Article VII.
Section 1.
Section 2.
Section 3.
Article VIII.
Section 1.
Section 2.
Section 3.
Section 4.
Section 5.
Section 6.
ARTICLE VIIII.
Section 1.
Section 2.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
Disclosure: Whenever an officer has a financial or personal interest in any matter
coming before the Executive Board, the affected officer shall fully disclose the existence
and nature of the interest to the Executive Board.
Recusal: Any officer for whom there may exist a conflict of interest shall refrain from
discussion or vote on any such matter, and shall not be physically present in the room at
the time any vote is taken thereon.
“Conflict of Interest.” The term “conflict of interest” includes, without limitation, the
reasonable possibility that the matter involves an arrangement to provide
compensation or any financial or tangible benefit or payment, directly or indirectly, to
an officer or any person or entity related to or controlled by the officer. In the event
that there is a question as the whether a conflict exists, the issue shall be determined by
majority vote of the Executive Board other than the affected officer.
THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
The Executive Board shall consist of the elected officers of the PTC and the Principal of
the school.
The Executive Board shall conduct the business of the PTC subject to the provisions of
the by-laws.
The Executive Board shall have the authority to transact necessary PTC business in the
intervals between PTC meetings.
Regular meetings of the Executive Board shall be held monthly during the school year.
For voting purposes, each individual in an office shall constitute one vote regardless of
how many individuals share the office. A simple majority of votes shall constitute a
quorum for the transaction of business and determine the outcome of the vote. Special
meetings of the Executive Board may be called by the President or by a majority of the
Board on three days’ notice.
The June Executive board Meeting shall be a joint meeting of outgoing and incoming
board members. The outgoing Board shall preside at the first half of the meeting and
present a brief overview of the year. The incoming board shall preside at the second
half of the meeting and present proposals for the upcoming year. The upcoming year’s
preliminary budget should also be presented for approval at this time.
The Executive Board shall be authorized to spend up to $250 per occurrence, and up to
a cumulative maximum of $2,500, without the approval of the general membership.
Any gifts exceeding $100 shall be voted on by the Executive Board and PTC
Membership.
NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS
The Programs and Parent Service VP, the Principal and the nominating committee
chairman shall appoint a seven (7) member nominating committee, no later than
December 1st. The committee shall consist of the chairperson of the nominating
committee, a non-returning PTC board member, the Principal, and four (4) members
from the PTC general membership, each of the four from different grade levels. A nonreturning President will also sit on the Nominating Committee (note: (1) President, not
Co-Presidents).
No member of the nominating committee shall be nominated for an office or appointed
to the Executive Board for the year in question.
Section 3.
Section 4.
Section 5.
Section 6.
Section 7.
Section 8.
Section 9.
Section 10.
ARTICLE X.
Section 1.
Section 2.
Section 3.
Section 4.
Section 5.
Section 6.
The nominating committee shall provide nominating ballots to the general membership
no later than the January General PTC meeting. Any current PTC member can nominate
himself or herself, or any other current PTC members for any office. The nominating
committee shall prepare a slate of officers from the nominating ballots. Only those who
have consented in writing to serve if elected shall be eligible for nomination. The
nominating committee shall present to the PTC membership written notice of its
proposed slate at least fifteen (15) days prior to the general election meeting. The
general election meeting will be held no later than the April General PTC Meeting.
Candidates not included on the slate are invited to run for election if they have
previously been nominated and reviewed by the nominating committee within the year
in question. To be on the ballot at the general election, the candidates must deliver in
person to the chairman of the nominating committee or to the PTC secretary at least
ten (10) days prior to the general election, written notice of their intent. The committee
will present these candidates to the PTC membership by written notice, along with the
slate, at least five (5) days prior to the general election.
Two individuals may be co-nominated, elected and serve in the office of President, Ways
and Means, Social and Hospitality and Board of Education. The office of Programs and
Parent Services, Secretary, and Teacher Liaison are to be filled with a single individual.
The office of Treasurer can have two individuals elected, one an Assistant Treasurer, the
other Treasurer per the duties outlined in Article VI, Section 13.
Absentee ballots will be available from the nominating committee, and must be
submitted sealed, to the PTC secretary, prior to or at the PTC general election meeting.
Elections will take place at the PTC election meeting. The election will be by a signed
ballot. The slate of officers shall be approved when it receives a majority vote. Should
the slate contain a challenge to a particular office, that office will be voted separately
and determined by a majority vote.
Vacancies occurring in offices shall be filled by appointment by the nominating
committee subject to approval by the majority of the nominating committee.
No officer shall be eligible to succeed himself or herself in a position that they have held
for two consecutive one-year terms. An individual may serve up to five consecutive
years in various offices.
The Teacher Liaison VP position will be nominated and elected by the faculty.
STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES
Standing committees shall be created by the Executive Board to promote the objectives
and carry on the work of the PTC.
Each officer on the Executive Board shall appoint the chairpersons of the committees
she or he oversees.
The term of a chairman’s office is for one year. The chairman may be re-appointed for a
second year term. There is a maximum of two years that a chairman can be in the same
office, unless there is no other PTC member that is interested in filling the chairman’s
position.
Each chairman shall appoint a committee whose work shall proceed under the general
guidance of the President or VP to whom they report.
The Executive Board shall have the power to form special committees.
Each chairman shall submit a written report to the Executive Board member or
President to whom they report following the completion of the committee’s tasks or
upon request.
ARTICLE XI.
PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
Roberts Rules of Order Revised shall govern the PTC in all cases where they are
applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws.
ARTICLE XII.
AMENDMENT
These bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of those members present and
voting at any PTC meeting, providing notice of the proposed amendments is given at
least ten days in advance of the meeting. The bylaws should be reviewed annually by a
subcommittee of the Executive Board, and amended as needed.