Article I: Name and Justification

• Section 1

  • The name of this organization shall be the Parent-Teacher Organization of Benvenue Elementary School and shall also be known as the Benvenue Elementary School PTO. This document shall be officially known as the constitution and bylaws of said organization. 

• Section 2

  • The jurisdiction of the organization shall be all parents, students, staff members, and friends of Benvenue Elementary School.

Article II : Purposes 

• This organization is formed exclusively for charitable purposes within the meaning of section 501 (C) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, including but not limited to the following purposes:

  • To improve the education and programs at Benvenue Elementary School by providing a base of support for the school, the staff, and the students. 

  • To establish closer working relationships between the community and the school. 

  • To promote the educational welfare of Benvenue students. 

• In no event shall the Parent-Teacher Organization attempt to influence legislation or intervene in any way in political campaigns.

Article III : Membership

•  Any caregiver or parent of a student attending Benvenue Elementary School, staff member or friend of Benvenue Elementary School may become a member by paying the annual membership dues, which shall be set by the Benvenue Elementary School PTO Executive Board. Each type of membership established shall be designated as a single membership or family membership. 

• There shall be two types of members, voting and non-voting. 

• Voting members shall be the caregivers or parents of children attending Benvenue Elementary School who shall be entitled to one vote for a single membership or one vote each per family group for a family membership (typically the mom and dad will have one vote each with a family membership), for a maximum of two votes per family group, irregardless of the number of memberships or the number of children or the number of parents or caregivers in a family group, and employees of the school system working part time or full time at Benvenue Elementary School who do not have children attending Benvenue Elementary School who shall be entire to one vote each. 

• Non-Voting members shall be friends of Benvenue Elementary School and others who do not have children attending Benvenue Elementary School (including those whose children were at Benvenue, but are no longer enrolled at Benvenue), spouses of employees or Benvenue Elementary School with a single or family membership and all those who are not voting members.

Article IV :  Officers and Executive Board

• Section 1

  • The officers of this organization shall be the President(s), the immediate past president(s), the President(s) Elect, the Vice-president(s), Secretary (ies), and Treasurer(s). An assistant secretary and/or Assistant Treasurer may also become officers if so designated by the Executive Board. Officers must be voting members. Terms shall be for one year and shall run from July 1st through June 30th. 

• Section 2

  • There shall be a governing body known as the Benvenue Elementary PTO Executive Board which shall consist of the officers, two faculty representatives selected by the faculty and the principal or the principal’s designee. 

• Section 3

  • In the event of a vacancy in any office, including the executive Board, the Executive Board shall have the right to elect a person from the voting membership to fill said vacancy for the duration of the term.

Article V : Amendment

• Amendments to the Constitution may be introduced at any regular meeting of the executive Board by any member of the organization and shall be acted upon at a subsequent meeting of the membership within 90 days, or at the next general membership meeting, if greater than 90 days. A copy of the proposed amendment together with the recommendations of the Executive Board shall be provided to each member prior to the meeting. A two-thirds affirmative vote of those voting members present shall be required to adopt the proposed amendment which shall become effective immediately upon adoption unless otherwise provided.

Article VI: Dissolution

• Upon the dissolution of the Parent-Teacher Organization of Benvenue Elementary School, assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of section 501( C)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or shall be distributed to the federal government, or a state or local government, for public purpose.

Article VII : Election of Officers and Committee Appointments

• Section 1

  • Officers shall be nominated by the executive board and shall be elected by a majority of the voting members present at the last meeting of the organization in each school year. 

• Section 2

  • The executive board shall select one nominee for each office to be filled. Opportunity shall be given for nominations from the general membership. Only those who are present and consent to serve or those who are not present but have consented to serve and such consent is known by an officer of the organtiona who is present at the meeting where nominations are being accepted from the general  membership shall be eligible for nomination. Every nominee must be a voting member. 

• Section 3

  • The president shall appoint chairpersons for every committee. Chairpersons must be voting or non-voting members of the Benvenue Elementary School PTO.  Committee chairpersons shall appoint members to their committees. Each committee member must be voting non-voting members of the Benvenue Elementary School PTO.

Article I: Rules and Fiscal Year

• Section 1

  • Robert’s Rules of Order Revised shall be the authority on all questions of procedure nots specifically stated in the constitution or by-laws.

• Section 2

  • The fiscal year shall begin on July 1st and shall end on June 30th.

Article II: Meetings

• Section 1

  • There shall be a minimum of four meetings of the general membership during the school year. The meeting palace and time shall be determined by the executive board. 

• Section 2

  • Special membership meetings shall be called when deemed necessary by the president and the executive board and the president must call a meeting upon a petition of twenty percent of the membership of the organization. 

• Section 3

  • The executive board shall meet as needed, usually once a month during the school year. 

Article III: Quorum

• Section 1

  • A quorum for general membership meetings shall consist of those present. 

• Section 2

  • A quorum for the executive board and/or committee meetings shall consist of a majority of the membership of the executive board and/or the particular committee.

Article IV: Duties of Officers

• Section 1: President(s)

  • The president(s) shall preside at the all membership meetings and meetings of the executive board and enforce the rules, appoint all committees not otherwise provided for and transact all other duties that are usually the duties of the president or as may be required by the membership. The president shall be an ex-officio member of all committees and shall make a report at each meeting of the membership. The president shall be responsible for the affairs of the organization between meetings of the executive board. The president shall notify the membership of meetings of the organization. 

• Section 2: Vice President(s); President(s) Elect

  • Duties of the Vice President(s) and the President(s) Elect shall be the assisting of the president in the discharge of the president’s duties and in the president’s absence the president-elect shall perform the duties of the president. 

• Section 3: Secretary(-ies) [and assistant secretary(-ies), if applicable]

  • Duties of the secretary shall be to keep a correct record and minutes of the general membership and executive board meetings and to keep a current record of all members, voting and non-voting. The secretary shall transact all other duties usual to the office of the secretary. 

• Section 4: Treasurer(s)[and assistant treasurer(s), if applicable]

  • Duties of the treasurer(s) shall be the responsibility for all financial records and dues records. The treasurer shall make a financial report at each meeting of the membership.

Article V: Powers of the Executive Board

• Section 1

  • The executive board shall be responsible for the affairs of the organization between the meetings of the general membership. It shall execute the orders of the membership and recommend action to the membership. 

• Section 2

  • The executive board shall establish the annual membership dues of the organization. 

• Section 3

  • In the event of a vacancy in any office, including the executive board, the board shall have the right to elect a person who is a voting member from the membership to fill said vacancy for the duration of term. 

• Section 4

  • During the final 60 days of the school year, the executive board shall prepare a proposed budget for the new fiscal year which shall be voted upon by the general membership at the first general membership meeting of the new fiscal year. 

  • Subject to the approved budget, the executive board shall determine expenditures for the organization and shall designate categories within the budget for each expenditure.

Details of Establishing Constitution and By-Laws

The Constitution and By-Laws marked “approved original” were adopted at our Benvenue Elementary School PTO meeting November 22, 1999.

Constitution and Bylaws Voting Members, Officers, and Executive Board Members

Debra Vester

Christy Smith

Tiffany Thompson

Myra Thomas

Amy Bell

Bridget Rogers

Ron Vester

Terry Noble

Beth Bullock

Vickie B Wells

Valerie Battle 

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