ByLaws & Standing Rules

Bylaws were approved on 2017 April 13 at 9:25am

Standing Rules were Approved 2017 June 14 at 12:30pm

BYLAWS

of

South Forsyth Middle School PTO

ARTICLE I – NAME, DESCRIPTION & PURPOSE

Section 1: NAME – The name of the organization shall be South Forsyth Middle School Parent Teacher Organization (SFMSPTO). The PTO is located at 4670 Windermere Parkway, Cumming, Georgia 30041.

Section 2: DESCRIPTION – The SFMSPTO is a non-profit organization which exists for charitable, educational, and scientific purposes, including the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Section 3: PURPOSE – The purpose of the SFMSPTO is to enhance and support the educational experience at South Forsyth Middle School, to develop a closer connection between school and home by encouraging parental involvement, and to improve the environment at South Forsyth Middle School through volunteer and financial support.

ARTICLE II – MEMBERSHIP

Section 1: Membership shall be automatically granted to all parents and guardians of South Forsyth Middle School students, plus all staff at South Forsyth Middle School. There are no membership dues. Members have voting privileges, one vote per household.

Section 2: Any person who is legal/custodial guardian of an incoming sixth grader shall be considered a member of SFMSPTO and have full voting privileges as of the April of the students’ fifth grade year.

Section 3: All members are governed by the Standing Rules of the SFMSPTO

ARTICLE III – OFFICERS

Section 1: EXECUTIVE BOARD– The Executive Board shall consist of the following officers: President, 2 Vice Presidents, Recording Secretary, Communications Secretary, and Treasurer. Officer positions can be shared. The School Principal, or his/her designee, is a voting member of the Executive Board.

Section 2: TERM OF OFFICE – The term of office for all officers is one year, beginning immediately upon election, and ending upon officer election the following school year.

Section 3: QUALIFICATIONS – Any PTO member in good standing may become an officer of the PTO.

Section 4: DUTIES –

Executive Board – Develop the PTO’s annual budget, establish and oversee committees to conduct the work of the PTO, establish fundraising programs, approve by majority vote of the Board unbudgeted expenditures of no more than $150.00.

President – Preside at General PTO meetings and Executive Board meetings, serve as the official representative of the PTO, and retain all official records of the PTO.

Vice Presidents – Oversee the committee system of the PTO, assist the President and chair meetings in the absence of the President.

Recording Secretary – Record and distribute minutes of all Executive Board meetings and all General PTO meetings, prepare agendas for official PTO meetings, hold historical records for the PTO.

Communications Secretary – Manage communications and marketing for the PTO including, but not limited to PTO newsletters, email broadcasts, website, bulletin boards, etc.

Treasurer – Serve as custodian of the PTO’s finances, collect revenue, pay authorized expenses, report financial activity every month, prepare year-end financial report, facilitate an annual audit, and hold all financial records.

Section 5: BOARD MEETINGS – The Executive Board shall meet monthly during the school year, or at the discretion of the President.

Section 6: REMOVAL – An officer can be removed from office for failure to fulfill his/her duties, after reasonable notice, by a majority vote of the Executive Board.

Section 7: VACANCY – If a vacancy occurs on the Executive Board, the President shall appoint a PTO member to fill the vacancy, for the remainder of the officer’s term.

ARTICLE IV – MEETINGS

Section 1: GENERAL PTO MEETINGS – General PTO meetings shall be held to conduct the business of the PTO. Meetings shall be held monthly during the school year or at the discretion of the Executive Board, with no less than two meetings per school year.

Section 2: VOTING – Each member in attendance at a PTO meeting is eligible to vote, one vote per household. Online, paper, voice or other methods of voting are allowed.

Section 3 – QUORUM – Eight (8) members of the PTO present to vote shall constitute quorum for the purpose of voting.

ARTICLE V – FINANCIAL POLICIES

Section 1: FISCAL YEAR - The fiscal year of the PTO begins July 1 and ends June 30 of the following year.

Section 2: BANKING - All funds shall be kept in a checking account in the name of South Forsyth Middle School PTO, requiring two signatures of the Executive Board and held at a local financial institution.

Section 3: REPORTING - All financial activity shall be recorded in a manual or computer-based accounting system. The Treasurer shall reconcile the account(s) monthly and report all financial activity monthly. The PTO shall arrange an independent review of its financial records each year.

Section 4: ENDING BALANCE - The organization shall leave a minimum of $2,000.00 in the treasury at the end of each fiscal year.

Section 5: CONTRACTS - Contract signing authority is limited to the President or the President’s designee.

Section 6: Conflict of Interest: see Standing Rules of SFMSPTO

Section 7: Forsyth County School Rules - Whenever the PTO Board meets, a written Treasurer’s Report detailing the financial activity, and current balance, since the previous meeting must be presented and approved. Once approved, the report must be sent to the Forsyth County Schools (FCS) Finance Department to the attention of PTO Financial Reports. All PTO’s financials are subject to periodic audits by the FCS Finance Department.

ARTICLE VI – BYLAW AMENDMENTS

Amendments to the bylaws may be proposed by any PTO member. Amendments presented at a PTO meeting shall be considered for voting at a subsequent meeting. Two thirds majority approval of all members present and voting is required to adopt an amendment to the Bylaws.

ARTICLE VII - DISSOLUTION

Upon dissolution of SFMSPTO, any funds remaining shall be donated to South Forsyth Middle School. The funds shall be exclusively used for charitable, educational, or scientific purposes which qualify for exemption under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code

ARTICLE VIII - PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

The authority for this organization shall be “Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised.”

These bylaws were adopted on __April 13th 2017_____________.