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Articles of Organization/Bylaws

Revised on August 27, 2001

COMMUNITY SCHOOL
PARENT TEACHER ORGANIZATION

ARTICLES OF ORGANIZATION

The Organization exists as an unincorporated association of its members. Its articles of organization comprise these bylaws as from time to time amended.

ARTICLE I: NAME

Section A: The name of this organization shall be the Community School Parent Teacher Organization.

ARTICLE II: PURPOSE

Section A: To promote cooperation and involvement between parents and teachers in order to provide the best in the physical, mental, social and educational development of the child.

Section B: To raise the standards of education

Section C: To seek to improve the care and protection of children and youth.

Section D: To sponsor and promote fund raising projects for the school.

ARTICLE III: BASIC POLICIES

Section A: No part of the funds raised by the Organization shall benefit, or be distributed to, its members, officers, or other private persons except that the Organization shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered.

Section B: This Organization shall promote the objective through an education program directed toward parents, teachers and general public; and developed through conferences, committees, projects and programs.

Section C: This Organization shall be non-commercial, nonsectarian and nonpartisan. It shall not endorse a commercial enterprise or a candidate. 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 other purpose than the regular work of the Organization.

Section D: This Organization shall seek neither to direct the administrative activities of the school nor control its policies.
Section E: The name of the Organization or names of any members in their official capacities shall not be used in any connection with a commercial concern or with any partisan interest for any purpose not appropriately related to promotion of the objective of the Organization.

Section F: No substantial part of the activities of the Organization shall be the carrying on of propaganda or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the Organization shall not participate in or intervene (including the publishing or distribution of statements) in any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office.

Section G: The Organization shall work with the schools to provide quality education for all children and youth 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 the Board of Education.

Section H: 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 shall bind the Organization.

Section I: In the event that this Organization disbands, the Organization, after paying or making provisions for the payment of all of its liabilities, shall dispose of all the assets of the Organization to other organizations promoting charitable education and operating under Section 501 © 3 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law), as the Executive Committee shall determine.

ARTICLE IV: GENERAL MEMBERSHIP

Section A: Membership in this PTO shall be made available to any individual (all teachers, patrons, administrators, parents or guardians of all Community School students) who subscribes to the objectives and basic policies of the Community School PTO without regards to race, color, creed, sex, nation origin under the rules and regulation provided by these bylaws.

Section B: From the general membership, an Executive Board shall be formed as the governing body of the Organization. The Executive Board if further described under ARTICLE VIII of the bylaws.

Section C: The duties of the general membership shall be:
1. To transact and vote on necessary business referred to it
2. To assist standing committees
3. To approve the plans of work of the standing committees
4. To approve bills submitted to the Treasurer
ARTICLE V: OFFICERS AND THEIR ELECTION

Section A:
1. The officers of this Organization shall be President, Vice- President, Secretary and Treasurer
2. Officers shall be elected by a majority vote of the general membership by ballot, no later than May 30th of each year. However, if there is but one nominee for any office, it shall be in order to move that the secretary cast the elective ballot of the Organization nominee.
3. Officers shall assume their official duties at the close of the school year in June and shall serve a term on one year.
4. Officers will serve no more than two consecutive years in the same office. This may be waived if there are no nominees for the offices.

Section B: A vacancy in any office shall be filled for unexpired term by a person elected by a majority vote of the remaining members of Executive Board, due notice of such election having been given. In case a vacancy occurs in the office of President, the Vice-President shall serve as President for the remainder of the year.

Section C: Only members of the Organization may vote in the annual election of Officers.

SECTION VI: DUTIES OF OFFICERS

Section A: The President shall
1. Preside at all meetings of the Organization and of the Executive Board meetings.
2. Receive and review agenda items in advance of the meeting and respond to the persons submitting them.
3. Prepare meeting agendas.
4. Coordinate the work of the officers and committees in order that the purpose of the Organization may be promoted.
5. Perform such other duties as may be prescribed in these bylaws, or assigned by the Executive Board.

Section B: The Vice-President shall
1. Preside at the general PTO meetings and of the Executive Board meetings.
2. Act as an aide to the President.
3. Perform the duties of the President in the absence of that officer.
4. Keep a record of all committee reports.

Section C: The Secretary shall
1. Preside at all meetings of the Organization and of the Executive Board meetings.
2. Take attendance at each meeting.
3. Keep up to date copies of the bylaws of the Organization.
4. Keep a current list of the Executive Board.
5. Give notice of time and place of meetings to the general membership.
6. Compile and distribute a school-wide monthly newsletter
7. Perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Executive Board.

Section D: The Treasurer shall
1. Preside at all general PTO meetings.
2. Receive all money of the Organization.
3. Keep an accurate record of the receipts and expenditures.
4. Pay out funds only as authorized by the Organization and Executive Board.
5. Present a financial statement at every meeting of the Organization and other times when requested by the Executive Board, and shall make a full report at the Annual Meeting.
6. Turn over a copy of the financial records to an independent third party Accountant/Tax preparer, to be selected by the Executive Board.

Section E: All Officers shall
1. Perform the duties as described above.
2. Deliver to their successors, all official material within days prior to the end of the current school year.
3. Any officer intending to resign must submit a letter to the Executive Board as soon as possible, prior to the next regularly scheduled meeting.

Section F: If the chairman of any standing committee vacates his/her office or reappointment becomes necessary, the President shall appoint a new chairman with the approval of the Executive Officers.

ARTICLE VII: MEETINGS

Section A: General meetings shall be held monthly during the school year as determined by the Executive Board. These meetings are open to all PTO members, parents, and staff. Seven-calendar days’ notice shall be given of a change of date. If the school is cancelled on the day of the scheduled meeting, the meeting will be cancelled.

Section B: Special meetings of the Organization may be called by the President, or a majority of the Executive Board.
Section C: New Officers shall be installed at the end of the June meeting.

ARTICLE VIII: EXECUTIVE BOARD

Section A: The executive Board shall consist of the Officers of the Organization and the chairperson of each standing committee, and two teacher representatives. The Principal of the school or his/her representative shall be an ex-officio member of the Executive Board.

Section B: Each newly formed Executive Board shall review the bylaws every year no later than August to ensure conformance with the policies of the PTO.

Section C: The duties of the Executive Board shall be to transact necessary business intervals between Organization meetings and such other business as my be referred to by the Organization; create standing committees; approve plans of work of the standing committees; to present reports at the general meeting of the Organization; to appoint other special committees; to prepare and submit to the Organization for approval an annual budget; and to approve routine bills within the limits of the budget.

Section D: Expenditures that are necessary to be paid between monthly PTO meetings shall require a majority vote of the Elected Officers for amounts up to and including $500; or a majority vote of the Executive Board for the amounts greater than $500 and less than or equal to $2500.

Section E: The Executive Board shall retain the right to replace any Executive Board member in the event of excessive absenteeism, should such absence impede the operation of the Organization.

ARTICLE IX: VOTING

Section A: All PTO members shall have one vote each.

Section B: Bylaw changes are effective immediately.

Section C: Six (6) members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business in any meeting of this Organization. A simple majority vote of the quorum present shall constitute a decision.

ARTICLE X: STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES

Section A: Standing committees shall be created by the Executive Board as deemed necessary to promote the objectives and carry on the work of the Organization. The Executive Board shall appoint each chairperson.

Section B: The chairperson of each standing committee shall be a member of the Executive Board and present plans work to the Organization for approval. No committee work shall be undertaken without the consent of the Executive Board.

Section C: Standing committee chairpersons shall be present at all Executive Board meetings and present status reports when deemed necessary by the Organization. Their appointments shall be for that current school year or until the Executive Board dissolves the committee.

Section D: the president or the Executive Board may appoint Special committees. These special committees are not part of the Executive Board and can be dissolved by the Executive Board at any time. The Executive Board shall appoint each chairperson.

ARTICLE XI: PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

Section A: ROBERTS RULES OF ORDER, NEWLY REVISED shall govern the Organization in all cases in which they are applicable and in which they are not in conflict with these bylaws.

ARTICLE XII: AMENDMENTS

Section A: These articles may be amended at the general meeting of the Organization, by two-thirds vote of the members present and voting, provided written notice of the proposed amendment shall be given to members prior to the meeting.

Section B: A committee may be appointed to submit a revised set of articles as substitute for these articles by a two-thirds vote of the Organization.



___________________________ ________ __President___________
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___________________________ ________ __Secretary___________
signature date