HSA Bylaws

The name of the organization shall be the Saint Joseph’s Regional Catholic School Home and School Association (hereafter called “the Association”). The Association is located at St. Joseph’s Regional Catholic School, 11011 Montgomery Road, Beltsville, MD 20705.

A. This Association is an independent association but respects and fosters the established school policies and practices as set forth by the Catholic Schools Office, the canonical administrator, the pastoral leadership, and the principal.

B. The Association is organized exclusively for charitable, literacy or educational purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Federal Internal Revenue Code or corresponding section of any future Federal Internal Revenue Code, including the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

The objective of the Association shall be:

1. To promote open communication among the parents, teachers, and administration.

2. To provide parents and teachers with the information to aid in all aspects of education, growth, and development.

3. To promote goodwill and cooperation between and among parents, faculty, administration, various school committees and the parishes of Saint Joseph Church, Saint Hugh of Grenoble Church, and Saint Nicholas Church.

4. To direct and coordinate parental support of Saint Joseph’s Regional Catholic School through volunteerism, assistance activities, social functions, and fundraisers.

5. To foster the parents' activities as advocates regarding national, state, and local legislation that affects Catholic schools as well as the lives of students and parents.

A. Membership in the Association is automatically granted to all parents or legal guardians of students currently enrolled at St. Joseph’s Regional Catholic School and to its faculty members.   

B. There are no HSA-specific fees due or collected for members of the Association.  Tuition already paid by families constitutes the Association membership fee and grants voting rights or participation in the Association’s decision-making process. 

C. Members in good standing have voting privileges, one vote per household. Members must attend the meeting to vote; absentee and proxy votes are not allowed.

The Executive Committee shall consist of seven (7) voting officers of the Association and any ex- officio and ad hoc officers. The Executive Committee shall conduct the Association’s business affairs; provide representation at the scheduled School Advisory Board meetings; provide general meeting programs of interest; form committees as deemed necessary and appropriate; review all committee recommendations and report on their final disposition; review and recommend disbursements of money collected from the dues, fundraising events and contributions after notification of and discussion with the Association members. All official acts of the Executive Committee are to be executed by a majority vote.

A. The officers of the Association shall consist of:

• The President

• The Vice President

• The Secretary

• The Treasurer

• Equity and Inclusion Officer

• Governance and Compliance Officer

• The Volunteer Coordinator

  • Non-voting, ex-officio members shall include but not be limited to the principal, past president, and the Canonical Administrator of Saint Joseph’s Regional Catholic School.

B. The duties of the officers shall be defined as follows:

The President shall:

• Preside at and administer all regular, special, and executive committee meetings.

• Call special meetings of the Association’s Executive Committee.

• Be the official spokesperson for the Association and arrange for monthly representation on the School Advisory Board.

• Serve as ex-officio member for all Association committees, except for the nominating committee.

• Perform such duties as are incumbent of this office.

• Serve as the primary contact for the principal.

• Meet with the principal to form agenda.

• Coordinate the work of all the officers and committees so that the purpose of the organization is served.

• The president may direct the expenditure of Association funds per Article XIII.

The Vice President shall:

• Assume the duties of the president in his/her absence or inability to serve.

• Assist in the formation of any committees and serve as an ex-officio member.

• Serve as coordinator for committee reports and report their results and recommendations to the Association.

• Perform additional duties designated by the president.

The Secretary shall:

• Record and make available to the members a copy of the minutes of all Executive Committee and general meetings.

• Keep a copy of the membership list, and any other necessary supplies, and bring them to meetings.

• Conduct the correspondence of the Association.

• Maintain a current file of reports, records, and correspondence of the Association.

• Be responsible for recording and correcting as amended in the Bylaws of the Association.

• Publicize (pre and post) meetings and functions in the school newsletter.

• Have one week to correct or amend minutes before they are publicized.

• Keep a log of attendance for all meetings

• Perform additional duties designated by the president.

The Treasurer shall:

• Collect and deposit monies received through fundraising and contributions.

• Maintain records of all receipts and expenditures.

• Review and recommend payment of bills to the president.

• Provide written monthly cash accounting of all income and expenditures.

• Perform additional duties designated by the president.

• Work with the Board to put together a yearly budget and present it at the beginning and end of each school year.

• Reconcile accounts with the parish accountant at least twice per school year.

The Equity and Inclusion Officer shall:

• Considered the potential impacts on marginalized and underrepresented groups, ensuring that diverse voices are heard and included. 

• Highlight and celebrate cultural events and milestones to foster inclusivity and cultural understanding.

• Assess barriers to participation in Association activities and implement strategies to overcome them (e.g. offering translation services, childcare during meetings, or financial assistance for events)

• Support inclusive communication

• Foster representation

• Be a voice for marginalized groups within the HSA and school community.

• Advocate for equitable resource allocation, such as access to extracurricular programs, scholarships, or other support systems.

The Governance and Compliance Officer shall:  

• Ensure compliance with bylaws and policies

• Maintain orderly meetings

• Oversee elections and appointments

• Educate and advise leadership about governance rules and responsibilities

• Address conflicts of interest or ethical concerns promptly

• Support continuity and institutional knowledge

• Keep a copy of the Bylaws and rules and bring them to meetings. 

The Volunteer Coordinator shall:

• Inform all the school families in August of a description of the school’s anticipated volunteer needs.

• Serve as ex-officio member of any volunteer committees and report between the executive committee and the volunteer committee.

• Provide binders in the school office and maintain the volunteer website for parents to record their service hours.

• Review the school office Volunteer Log and volunteer website in January and May. Send a status letter in January to each family with the number of hours fulfilled to date. In May, make a report to the principal as to which families have not met their volunteer hour requirement.

• Perform other duties that are incumbent to this office.

A. All officers of the Association shall be elected by the members at the general meeting in May. Where more than two candidates compete for one office and no candidate receives a majority vote, one of the two candidates receiving the most votes shall be selected in a runoff election. If only one candidate is nominated for a position, a majority vote shall be required to ratify election to the position.

B. A nominating committee of an odd number of members, not less than 3, shall be formed on or before the March general meeting.  The nominating committee shall solicit candidates from the membership during the regular meeting in March. During the April meeting, nominees shall be given an opportunity to present their qualifications to the membership in written or verbal form. Voting shall occur during the May general meeting, and the vote shall be by ballot. Voting is limited to one voter per family regardless of the number of parents and/or guardians who attend regular meetings and regardless of the number of students each family has enrolled at the school.

C. The term for each office shall be two years, or until a successor is named, with new officers assuming their positions at the close of the May meeting. No officer may serve more than two consecutive terms in the same position. Each person elected may hold only one office at a time. 

In the event an officer leaves office before completing their term, the President will appoint an officer to serve a full term with the approval of the majority of the board. If a majority of the board disapproves of the appointment, the position will be declared vacant, and a special election will be held within 30 days. Members will receive at least 14 days' notice, and nominations will follow the standard election procedures. The officer elected in the special election will serve the remainder of the term and will be eligible to run in the next regular voting cycle.

D. To maintain consistency, officers shall be present at 80% of the Home and School meetings and the President 50% of the School Advisory Board meetings. Any Executive Board member who fails to complete the duties assigned to the position for two consecutive months, without explanation to the executive board will be considered to have vacated the position.  

E. No more than one-third of officers shall change simultaneously, if possible.

A. Executive Board Meetings

• A quorum (majority) of the officers of the Association needs to be present for a meeting to be deemed an official meeting. 

• The executive board may hold open monthly meetings in which members are welcome to observe or interact with the scheduled topic.

• A special meeting of the Association may be called at any time by the president, principal, or pastor, with no less than 48 hours advance notice to the membership. These meetings may or may not be open to the general membership, to be determined by the president and the administration. Issues will be considered considering the Association’s goals and meeting the time limit.

B. General Membership Meetings 

• A minimum of two (2) general meetings shall be held each school year; one at the beginning and end of the school year. 

• The dates of the general meetings shall be posted on the Association website, and reminders shall be made to members.

• The agenda will be set one week before regular scheduled meetings. These meetings will not conflict with the School Advisory Board meeting times.  

A. A Standing Committee is a permanent committee established by the Executive Board to address ongoing needs. Its description and goals shall be transitioned from the outgoing chairperson to the incoming chairperson at the conclusion of their term. The Association shall maintain the following standing committees:

• Fundraising Committee

• Hospitality Committee

The Executive Committee may appoint additional committees as needed.

B. A Special Committee is created to address a specific need and will exist only for the duration required to fulfill its purpose. The President may establish a special committee upon the recommendation of the Executive Board.

C. All members of the Association are eligible to be members of the committees, with the President acting as an ex-officio member of all committees. 

D. The Volunteer Coordinator of the Association shall call for volunteers for the committees, no later than the end of the first full week of school. New committee members shall be nominated to the committees by the President if too few nominees emerge. The appointment to the committees shall take place at the first general meeting of the school year. 

The term of service shall be one school year. Each committee’s members shall choose officers from within the committee. 

The Association's bylaws will be reviewed annually by the Board. Amendments to these bylaws can be proposed by a majority vote of the members at any regular or special meeting. Within 10 days following the meeting in which the resolution is adopted, the president shall give written notice of the proposed amendment to all the members of the Association. Final approval of the amendment shall be made by a two-thirds majority of the Executive Committee members at the next regular meeting. Voting is required to adopt an amendment to the Bylaws.

Standing rules may be approved by the Executive Committee, and the secretary will keep a record for the standing rules for future reference.

The organization may be dissolved with fourteen calendar days’ notice and a two-thirds vote of those present at the meeting. In the event of dissolution of the Association, any funds remaining shall first pay for any outstanding bills and second be donated to St. Joseph’s Regional Catholic School.

The Association will conduct business in a fiscally responsible fashion by adhering to financial controls and maintaining segregation of duties. The Executive Committee will perform their duties as described in Article VI in accordance with this section.

• The fiscal year of the Association is July 1 through June 30

• The Executive Committee shall approve all expenses of the Association.

• The disbursement of funds shall be voted on by the Executive Committee with the quorum vote (majority).

• Two authorized signatures shall be required on each check over the amount of $200. Authorized signers shall be the President, Treasurer, and Vice President.

• Single expenditures over $10,000 require at least three bids.

• To prevent a conflict of interest and maintain segregation of duties, monies to be deposited to or withdrawn from the Association’s bank account shall never pass through the hands of the Principal or President.

• St. Joseph’s parish accountant shall be the official holder of records for the Association’s bank account. The parish account shall review and reconcile the Association’s bank account records monthly and provide a financial statement to the Treasurer by the 15th of the following month.  The Treasurer will maintain separate records as identified in Article VI.

• The parish accountant shall conduct at minimum a review of the Association’s financial records twice a year, in collaboration with the Treasurer and the school Principal, and report findings to the Executive Board. A tentative budget shall be drafted in the fall for each school year and approved by a majority vote of the Executive Committee members present and then presented to the School’s Finance Council.

• The Association will never use net earnings received to benefit members, officers, or other persons associated with the Association.

These Bylaws shall be reviewed at the first Executive Committee board meeting at the beginning of each school year.

All Association general business meetings shall endeavor to follow Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised when they are not in conflict with the Association’s Bylaws.

Amendment 4: January 13, 2025

Article III: Purpose: Updated language from "activities of parents" to "parents' activities" for clarity and grammatical consistency

Article IV: Clarified membership and fees; Membership fees are included in tuition, and no additional HSA fees will be charged.

Article V: Executive Committee: Increased officers from 5 to 7 to support expanded responsibilities.

Article VI: Officers and Duties: Added new officer roles to the Executive Board, including Equity and Inclusion Officer and Governance and Compliance Officer;  defined their duties to enhance organizational structure and efficiency. Added “past president” as ex-officio member for clarity. Reassigned bylaw and policy duties from Secretary to Governance & Compliance Officer to streamline responsibilities and enhance oversight.

Article VII: Election and Tenure of Officers: Added a Nominating Committee to manage officer nominations and elections, ensuring fairness. Added procedures for filling officer vacancies, including interim appointments, ratification, and special elections to ensure continuity and fairness. Changed officer term length from one year to two years and added a two-term limit: Added a provision to vacate positions if an Executive Board member fails to perform duties for two consecutive months without explanation.

Article VIII: Meetings: Divided meetings into two types: General Meetings for all members and Executive Board Meetings for board members, to clarify roles and improve organization. Updated number of general meetings that need to be held

Article IX: Review of the Bylaws: Relocated to the end of the bylaws for better organization and logical flow.  Moved to XIV.

Article X: Rules of Order: Relocated to the end of the bylaws for better organization and logical flow.  Moved to XV.

Article XI: Committees and Functions: Changed Article number from XI to IX: Separated and defined Standing and Special Committees, outlining their distinct purposes, structures, and establishment processes. Removed the need for a communications folder. Removed the list of standing committees from the bylaws, retaining only the Hospitality and Fundraising Committees as explicitly designated standing committees.

Article XII: Amendments: Changed Article number from XII to X.

Article XIII: Standing Rules: Changed Article number from XIII to XI.

Article XIV: Dissolution: Changed Article number from XIV to XII.

Article XV: Finances: Changed Article number from XV to XIII. Added additional reporting responsibilities to parish accountant.

Reviewed By:

• Sara Marcell,  President

• Ashlee Sims, Secretary

• Cindy Orellana, Treasurer

• Zarifa Foreman, Volunteer Coordinator

Amendment 3: May 2024

ARTICLE IV, Section B: Membership and Fees: There will be no active Association member fees or dues.

ARTICLE XI: Committees and Functions: Removed outdated committees no longer needed and added: Club Committee, Event Committee, and Communication Committee. Removed required attendance for Archdiocesan Board Member in service. Edited Chair positions- Added embedded Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee).

Reviewed By:

• Sara Marcell, President

• Ivelisse Contreas, Vice President

• Ashlee Sims, Secretary

• Liz Bullock, Event Committee

• Roseanne Keneally, Room Parent Representative

• Erin Meunier, Principal - St. Joseph’s Regional Catholic School

Amendment 2: 2013

Added address of the Association; clarified membership fees; removed President-Elect position; eliminated committees to reflect actual practice; added Sections: Standing Rules, Dissolution, and Finances

Reviewed By:

• Carl Jankowski - Principal

• Marianne Schwenz - Association President

• Alice Szczepanski - Association Vice President

• Sybil Walker-Barnes - Association Secretary 

• Cheryl Thomas - Association Treasurer

• Becky Bailey - Association Volunteer Coordinator

• Marci Etzel - Association Sunshine Committee

• Ms. Elaine Sauer - Faculty Representative (Grade 1) 

• Ms. Meg O’Brien - Faculty Representative (Grade 4)

Amendment 1: April 12, 2011

Updated name of school and positions to reflect regionalization; replaced Sally Foster with the more generic term of fundraising to reflect changes to the fundraising company used)

Reviewed By:

• Andrew Currier - Principal

• Marianne Schwenz - Association President

• Alice Szczepanski - Association Vice President

• Sybil Walker-Barnes - Association Secretary

• Mary Perez - Association Treasurer

• Maryanne Saunders - Association Sunshine Committee

• Becky Bailey - Association Volunteer Coordinator

• Anne-Marie Miller - Faculty Representative (K)

• Mrs. Altemus - Faculty Representative (Grade 2)