APPROVED - 9/15/2025
The name of the Sellersville Elementary School parent/teacher organization is called Sellersville Elementary Parents and Teachers United (PTU).
This PTU serves the children and teachers in the Pennridge School District at Sellersville Elementary School. The PTU is accountable to the Pennridge School District’s rules and regulations.
The mission of the PTU is to actively engage parents, teachers, and administrators in a collective effort to enhance the educational experience of all students. The PTU is committed to creating a positive and inclusive school culture that supports the diverse needs of the students of Sellersville Elementary school.
Membership is open to all parents, teachers, staff, grandparents, guardians, students, and any other persons who support the purposes of the PTU without discrimination.
Elected officers of this PTU shall follow a Board Code of Conduct, which can be found in Appendix A of this document. All members shall adhere to the Pennridge School District Volunteer Handbook policies.
All members of this PTU shall not use their own personal social media platforms to cyberbully, insult, embarrass, target, or post threats of physical or verbal abuse towards any individuals, including school board officials, school administrators, teachers, PTU members, volunteers, or other individuals that are associated with Sellersville Elementary School.
The PTU will hold monthly general meetings open to all members. These meetings will foster a collaborative environment to allow clear communication regarding activities and responsibilities of the PTU. The PTU encourages and fully supports active volunteer participation in its initiatives.
The monthly meeting schedule shall be determined by the PTU Board and the Principal, in consideration of the District calendar. The schedule will be published no later than September 1st.
Should a change be required on the publicly posted schedule, all members will receive notice of any change such as the place, date, and time of the meetings no less than five days prior to the date of the meeting.
When necessary, the PTU Board will meet to discuss confidential items or decisions that should not involve the general membership. Any decisions made at the Board/Principal level will be communicated to the general membership in summary form by the next regularly scheduled monthly meeting. The Board will meet at least once annually to review the budget and/or goals for the year.
Example: The Board and Principal will meet annually to decide the funding and spending of the PTU funds for the coming school year. The Treasurer will seek financial goals/needs for the coming school year with all the committee chairs. The Treasurer will also seek information from the Principal on needs regarding the education portion of the budget. Once completed, the Board will approve the annual budget in September after sharing the numbers in summary form to the general membership.
All PTU Board votes shall be decided by a simple majority. In the event of a tie, a second vote will be conducted that includes all standing committee heads. Each committee head is entitled to one vote, regardless of the number of committees they oversee. If the second vote also results in a tie, the Principal will cast the deciding vote. This policy ensures fair representation and a clear process for decision-making within the PTU.
Approval of Standing Rules - refer to Standing Rules (Adoption and Amendments)
Election of Board Members - refer to Elected Officers and Standards of Affiliation
Approval of Budget - refer to Budget and Monthly Financial Reports
The Board of the PTU (Board) consists of a President, two Co-Vice Presidents, Treasurer, and Secretary. Each role is considered to be an Officer of the PTU and will serve a minimum of 1 year term. The term will begin the day following the last day of the preceding school year and the term will end the last day of the elected year.
Each Officer will have a normal term length of no more than 2 consecutive years in their current position unless circumstances warrant an extension and is approved by 70% of the general membership via a vote at a monthly meeting. An Officer may have the option of switching to another role in the PTU after completing a term. Once the new role is assumed, the term length for that position starts over.
In the event an office becomes vacant unexpectedly during a term, the opening will be shared at the next monthly general meeting for open discussion. The decision on how to fill the open position will be made by a standard majority vote of the general membership.
The President will be responsible for coordinating which Board role(s) will need replacement for the upcoming school year and will need to consider open nominations to fill the role(s). Suggestions for Board replacements will start no later than March of that school year. Nominations, if necessary, will be made in March/April and will be compiled and reviewed by the President and Principal. Those nominees who meet the requirements of the open PTU role will be presented at the April/May general meeting for further discussion and final voting by the general membership. Nominees will be elected by a simple majority of the votes.
Those elected to President must have served on the Board for at least 1 year prior to taking that position.
Those elected to Treasurer need to have experience or understanding of accounting information.
The specific duties that the officers are responsible for:
Serve as chair of the board.
Appoint committee chairs and coordinate needs thereof.
Lead all monthly meetings.
Keep the current copy of this unit’s Standing Rules available for membership to review.
Sign financial documents in conjunction with the treasurer or other designee.
Share passwords and codes for social media accounts and necessary apps with incoming Board members as needed.
Serve as a member of the board.
Perform the duties of the office of president at the president’s discretion.
One of the Co-Vice Presidents must serve as a co-signatory on financial documents.
Serve as a member of the board and financial officer of the organization.
Provide a monthly budget update and banking statements at the PTU meeting.
Complete the taxes for the PTU on a yearly basis.
Make disbursements as authorized by the board in accordance with the established budget adopted that fiscal year.
Serve as a member of the board and secretary of the organization.
Prepare and file the monthly agendas for the PTU meetings.
Record the minutes of all meetings of the PTU.
Present a copy of the previous meeting’s minutes for approval at the PTU meeting.
Maintain the paperwork/computer resources for the PTU.
Will compile a list of all committee chairs, their contact information as well as their volunteers.
The Board shall establish committees. Committee Chairs shall be appointed by the members of the Board. At the completion of each year, the Board will decide to dismiss or retain current Committee Chairs who would like to continue in that role the following school year. All Committee Chairs must be current members of the PTU or a volunteer within the school. A Committee Chair may be removed from their position by a vote of the Board.
All Committee Chairs and volunteers who have direct contact with children at any event are required to have school security clearances.
The PTU is a non-profit organization funded entirely by donations. It is the responsibility of the Board to manage financial resources ethically and efficiently, ensure transparency and accountability to the public and donors, and adhere to legal and financial regulations.
The PTU Board shall approve an annual operating budget in August of the budgeted school year. The budget will be approved by a simple majority vote. If a Board member is also the head of a committee that requires allocated funds, that board member cannot vote on the section related to their committee as it becomes a conflict of interest. The Board will communicate to the general membership what the approved budget will be for the coming school year. Summarized financial information will be provided and questions will be answered in September.
The Board has the authority to reallocate funds budgeted for one purpose to another if it is deemed necessary.
The Treasurer will submit a monthly financial report to the Board. The report will highlight notable activity from the previous month, updates to the annual budget, and a current bank statement. A summarized version of the monthly report will be shared at the monthly general meeting.
The PTU was granted tax exempt status under section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code. This status allows the PTU to be exempt from federal income tax. A copy of the IRS letter of determination is filed in the legal document file maintained by the Sellersville Elementary School office and the PTU Treasurer.
The Treasurer is responsible to coordinate with the outside accountants for filing the appropriate federal Form 990 informational return prior to November 15. Copies of the current and past years’ returns are kept in the legal document file maintained by the Sellersville Elementary School Office and the PTU Treasurer.
The PTU is required to conduct a financial review of its books at the close of the fiscal year (August 31). A financial review report is submitted to Pennridge School District no later than 60 days after the last day of school.
With all fundraisers, a notice should be incorporated in any fund-raising event advertisements or social media communications indicating that the funds raised will be used in accordance with the PTU standing rules and may be used over multiple school years.
When possible, a report or backup documentation should be provided to the Treasurer supporting the funds received for the fund-raising event. The PTU Board should be aware that when a physical supporting financial report is not available, there is a risk of cash fraud or theft. The PTU Board should make every effort to minimize this risk in all fundraising events. It is the duty of the Treasurer to report the level of risk of each fundraiser to the PTU in the monthly Treasurer report.
Upon the approval of the PTU Board annually, an amount will be set aside in an investment account to be used for future PTU expenses. The reserve is intended to plan for unexpected nationwide events such as COVID-19 where fundraisers were not able to generate donations to support PTU expenses. It is critical to the PTU Board that students and teachers remain supported. The funding reserve amount will be determined by the dollar value of critical school expenses that occur every year. Reserve value can be up to but not more than 2 years’ worth of “critical expenses” and can be adjusted /approved by the Board every year along with the annual budget.
At any time, the Board may agree to invest the reserve funds and any excess funds into a low-risk investment vehicle. Excess funds are defined by excess cash not expected to be used within the next six (6) months. Investments can include, but are not limited to, Money Market Accounts and CDs. The investment must take into consideration the ability to retrieve funds quickly if needed for the normal operations of the PTU.
This PTU shall establish one or more accounts in financial institutions as determined by the Board of Directors. The PTU’s monthly bank account statements should be included with the monthly report from the Treasurer to the PTU Board. The bank statements should show the detailed activity of deposits and disbursements including an image of the cleared checks (currently included with the Univest bank statement). The PTU Board should review the monthly statements and address immediately any concerns or discrepancies that might arise.
The Treasurer and at least two other board members will be the authorized signers of all bank accounts unless there are extenuating circumstances. Checks will require two signatures. No signers shall be related by marriage, law, or blood, and/or living in the same household. A check’s recipient cannot sign their own check for disbursement.
All payment and reimbursement requests shall include an invoice or a receipt and should be submitted to the Treasurer with the appropriate submittal paperwork (see Appendix B). Any requests for reimbursement not submitted to the Treasurer prior to the end of the PTU fiscal year will be considered a donation to the general fund of the PTU.
Money being distributed from or deposited into the PTU account should have proper paperwork attached for tracking purposes (see Appendix C). Requests for distribution must be completed and checks will be disbursed once the payment request is received. Deposits must have the deposit form and the exact accounting for the money being deposited.
Any accounts associated with the PTU will have the login/password shared with the PTU President. These will be maintained by the President and will be updated yearly.
The Standing Rules and appendices will be reviewed annually at the first general meeting of the school year to allow for suggestions from the general membership. Suggestions will be taken under consideration and voted on by the Board. The approved version of the document will be posted on the PTU website.
The standing rules may be amended at a membership meeting by majority vote of the Board.
These policies shall reside with the Secretary.
Appendix A…………………….Code of Conduct for Board Members
Appendix B…………………….Sellersville PTU Payment Request
Appendix C…………………….Sellersville PTU Deposit Request
Sellersville Elementary PTU
Code of Conduct for Board Members
The long-term success of any board depends on the competence and integrity of its members and the community which they represent.
To maintain a standard of excellence, board members are required to carefully read, understand and comply with this Code of Conduct. This code of conduct represents minimum standards of behavior and performance. The code cannot cover every conceivable type of situation board members may encounter, but it is intended to be a guide for expected behaviors. Adherence to the Code of Conduct will foster a productive PTU Board for Sellersville Elementary School.
Conduct
All Board members are required to uphold a high degree of integrity with students, parents, staff, and administration. This conduct expectation extends to include school and community events when acting as a representative of the PTU. The Standing Rules and this Code of Conduct are expected to be followed for the duration of any term serving as a member of the PTU Board.
PTU Objectives
Foster a culture that incorporates parents, teachers, school administration and other Board members interests as a key value; focusing on what they care about.
Always think in terms of “children first”
Listen and respond to the school community
Promote positive relationships and a positive image of the school and the PTU
Inform school community of future plans, events or activities
Incorporate feedback from all sources to achieve a long-term benefit to the school
Continuous Improvement
Maintain a commitment to improvement. Keep an open mind to new ways of thinking to facilitate improvements.
Learn from others’ ideas
Seek honest feedback from others
Actively seek out new ideas, activities, and fundraisers to keep things fresh and exciting
Respect for People
Always demonstrate high standards of personal ethics and professional conduct; treat all individuals with dignity and respect despite differences.
Be honest and transparent
Makes efforts to be fair with everyone
Accept responsibility for mistakes
Encourage the spirit of cooperation in others
Team Leadership
Encourage teamwork, cooperation and collaboration within the PTU and school community.
Manage conflicts fairly and respectfully
Acknowledge team progress, milestones and successes
Adapt style to meet the needs of the situation
Respect the time contributions of others
Communication
Provide timely and concise information to others.
Keep people up-to-date with accurate information
Demonstrate active listening; clarifying, confirmation, summarizing
Encourage the free expression of opinions between the Board, the PTU, students, staff, and the community
Problem Solving
Propose solutions based on factual information and logical assumptions with consideration to resources, constraints and goals.
Identify and obtain information needed to understand and solve the problem
Analyze alternative solutions before making decisions
Collaborate with others when making decisions
Take responsibility for the consequences of decisions
Conflicts of Interest
Board members must never use their position, influence, and knowledge of confidential school or PTU Board information for personal gain or to advance personal agendas.
Agreement
Each member of the PTU Board acknowledges receipt of and agreement to this Code of Conduct. Each member of the PTU Board further acknowledges that it is their responsibility to comply with the Code of Conduct and failure to do so may result in dismissal from the board.
Position
Name (printed)
Signature
Date
President
Co-Vice President 1
Co-Vice President 2
Treasurer
Secretary
Sellersville PTU PAYMENT Request
Date: _______________________
Payable to: _____________________________
Amount: __________________
Requested by:
Name: __________________________________
Phone: _____________________
*Email: _______________________________________
*Only if you’d like to be notified when the bill was paid.
Check should be (check one):
Returned to school:
Via teacher mailbox
Via school Secretary
Via student (provide name & teacher):
__________________________________________________
Mailed to company
None, already taken out of income
PTU Account (name or description of request):
_________________________________________________________
Remember:
Attach this form to all bills and receipts submitted for payment.
Highlight all items that are to be reimbursed.
Return completed paperwork to school secretary.
Please allow up to 2 weeks for bills to be processed.
Thank you!
Sellersville PTU Treasurer
Sellersville PTU Deposit Request
Date: ___________________________________
Submitted by: ___________________________________
Phone: ________________________________________
*Email: ________________________________________
*Only if you’d like to be notified when deposit has been received.
Deposit Details:
Cash Amount: __________________________
Please check if coins are included.
Checks Amount: __________________________
All checks have been made payable to Sellersville PTU.
All checks have an account in the memo (i.e. G3 Field Trip).
Please itemize your check total on back, as it helps when check totals don’t match (i.e. $15 x 10 = $150).
Total Amount: __________________________
PTU Account (name or description of deposit):
__________________________________________
Remember:
Attach this form to all monies needing to be deposited.
Return to school secretary.
Monies will be picked up once a week.
Thank you!
Sellersville PTU Treasurer