Bylaws

By-Laws of the Swasey Central Parent Faculty Group

Last Approved by Board: 11/12/19

Article I: Name

The Name of this organization shall be Swasey Central Parent Faculty Group, hereafter referred to as the P.F.G., located at 355 Middle Road, Brentwood, NH.

Article II: Mission

The missions of this organization are:

a. To enhance the welfare and education of children in home, school and community.

b. To promote understanding and cooperation between parents, teachers and students.

c. To promote active parent involvement in volunteer programs, fundraisers and school and P.F.G. sponsored activities.

d. To assist the administration in obtaining necessary educational and recreational equipment and materials.

Article III: Restrictions

Sec. 1.

This organization shall be a nonpartisan, nonsectarian, nonprofit organization, which does not contemplate the distribution of gains, profit, or dividends to the members thereof.

Sec. 2.

Notwithstanding any other provisions of these articles, this organization shall not carry on any activities not permitted by an association exempt from Federal Income Tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954.

Article IV: Membership

Sec. 1.

Membership is open to all parents and/or guardians of Swasey Central School students as well as its teachers and staff.

Sec. 2.

Officers

The officers of this organization shall be elected by the general membership and shall consist of:

President

Vice President

Secretary

Treasurer

Parent-at-Large

The officers shall be elected by written ballot in May and shall assume office at the June Executive Board Meeting. They shall hold office for one year. No officer shall be eligible for more than two (2) consecutive terms in the same office. In the event of a vacancy in any office, the nominating committee shall, within thirty (30) days, make (a) nomination(s) for this position and present a slate of candidates to the P.F.G. for a vote. Any officer desiring to resign from the Executive Board shall submit a written resignation.

Sec. 3

Standing Committee Coordinators

Fundraising

Volunteer program/coordination

Publicity

Additional committees may be created by the P.F.G. as needed with appropriate representation on the P.F.G. Board.

Sec. 4.

Faculty Representatives

Selection of faculty representatives shall be made at a faculty meeting prior to the September Board meeting. There must be a minimum of three faculty representatives, however one from each grade level is optimal.

Article V: Executive Board

Sec. 1.

The Executive Board shall consist of:

The Officers

Faculty Representatives

The School Principal

Sec. 2.

An individual may not hold more than one position on the Executive Board.

Article VI: Meetings

Sec. 1.

P.F.G. Board Meetings are open to all members and will be held on a regular monthly basis and as necessary. The President or his/her designee will convene the meetings. Minutes will be recorded and kept on file. Notice of all meetings will be posted on the school office board, website and/or in the school newsletter.

Sec. 2.

There shall be an annual meeting of all members in the fall for the purpose of orientation and dissemination of materials.

Sec. 3.

Standing Committee meetings will be held as needed.

Sec. 4.

A quorum must be present to vote on appropriations, budget and By-Laws. A quorum shall consist of two-thirds of the Executive Board.

Article VII: Duties of the Board

The duties of the board shall be as follows:

a. To be responsible for enhancing the relationship between the parents and faculty of Swasey Central School.

b. To establish and approve an annual budget, including sources of revenue.

c. To support the raising of monies through various activities held throughout the year.

d. To review the By-Laws every three years or as needed, and make necessary changes.

e. Each Board member will keep pertinent records, which will be given to his/her successor upon election.

Article VIII: Duties of Officers (and only voting members)

Sec. 1.

President

a. Will be a member of the Executive Board.

b. Will represent the organization.

c. Will call and preside over all P.F.G. meetings and will vote only in the event of a tie with the exception of election of the P.F.G. Board where voting will be done by secret ballot.

d. Prepare and post an agenda prior to any Board or Special meeting.

e. Will meet with the School Administration as necessary to maintain constructive relations.

f. Will be authorized to sign checks for the organization and disburse funds in the Treasurer’s absence.

Sec. 2.

Vice President

a. Will be a member of the Executive Board.

b. In the temporary absence of the President, serve in the office and perform such duties assigned to the President.

c. Will act as aide to the President.

d. Will maintain P.F.G. Bulletin Board.

Sec. 3.

Secretary

a. Will be a member of the Executive Board.

b. Will keep the minutes and attendance of all Board meetings.

c. Will present the minutes at the next board meeting for Board approval.

d. Will handle all correspondence as directed by the President.

e. Will notify all members of all meetings.

f. Maintain the permanent P.F.G. files.

g. Maintain the website, including posting of approved minutes.

Sec. 4.

Treasurer

a. Will be a member of the Executive Board.

b. Will keep all financial records up-to-date and present a written monthly statement to the Board and P.F.G.

c. Will pay all approved P.F.G. bills and requests.

d. Will deposit all income monies.

e. Will balance the checkbook monthly.

f. Will prepare a year-end financial statement for P.F.G. funds.

g. Will file annual tax returns as necessary

h. Will call and preside at Budget Committee meetings to draft and propose a budget for the coming school year.

i. Will be authorized to sign checks for the P.F.G.

Sec. 5.

Parent-at-Large

a. Will be a member of the Executive Board

b. Will perform duties as determined by the Executive Board

c. In the temporary absence of the Secretary, serve in the office and perform such duties assigned to the Secretary.

Article IX: Duties of Standing Committee Coordinators

Sec. 1.

Grant Writing

a. Will coordinate and research potential grant opportunities on a regular basis.

b. Will assist Swasey Central School staff and P.F.G. members in grant writing under the supervision of the school Principal.

Sec. 2.

Fundraising

a. Will oversee the organization of all fundraising projects.

b. Will appoint and remove standing committee chairs in this group.

Sec. 3.

Volunteer Program

a. Will run the volunteer program according to the NH State Guidelines.

b. Will recruit and train school volunteers as needed and tabulate P.F.G. volunteer and school volunteer hours in a record book.

c. Will organize teacher and school volunteer orientations and organize volunteer recognition activities.

d. Will maintain a list of all current volunteers.

e. Will assign each grade level a volunteer coordinator for that grade level.

f. Will coordinate the sunshine math program with the math specialist and school principal.

Sec. 4.

Publicity

a. Will write articles prior to school events and submit them to the P.F.G. President and school administration for approval prior to sending them to local newspapers.

b. Will take photos at school events to be organized and made available to Swasey Central School.

c. Will write follow-up articles about school events and submit them along with accompanying photos, after P.F.G. President and school administration approval, to local newspapers.

d. Will assist with maintaining P.F.G. bulletin board.

Article X: Duties of Faculty Representatives

Sec. 1

Teacher representatives will act as advisors and liaisons between faculty and the P.F.G. Board. The teacher representatives will be responsible for communicating P.F.G. activities and information to faculty members as well as serving the interests of their represented grade levels at all Board meetings.

Sec. 2.

A maximum of three teachers may be designated as Executive Committee members.

Article XI: Nominations and Elections

Sec. 1.

The Nominating Committee will present a slate of candidates of Officers and Standing Committee Chairpersons at the April meeting. The Nominating Committee shall consist of three people and will include one non-elected member (administrator or teacher) of the Executive Committee. Only those persons whose consent has been secured shall be nominated. The Board member will ensure that each nominee receives a copy of the by-laws pertinent to his or her specific job description.

Sec. 2.

The slate will be voted upon by those members present at the May meeting.

Sec. 3.

The newly elected Officers and Committee Chairpersons will assume their offices in June, at a meeting of incoming and outgoing Board members.

Sec. 4.

The selections of faculty representatives shall be made at a faculty meeting prior to the September Board meeting.

Article XII: Fiscal and Financial Affairs

a. The fiscal year shall run from July 1 through June 30.

b. The Treasurer and President are authorized to write checks and to make deposits and withdrawals as approved by the Board at a general meeting.

c. Any non-budgeted request for funding must be proposed at a general meeting and voted on.

d. The Treasurer and/or President of the P.F.G. will file yearly tax returns as needed.

e. Any monetary item in excess of $200 must be presented and then voted on the following meeting.

Article XIII: Amendments and Review of By-Laws

These P.F.G. by-laws are to be reviewed every three years prior to the ending of the school year. A committee may be formed to present by-law amendment recommendations. All amendments and/or revisions must be presented to the P.F.G. for discussion one month prior to being ratified. Amendments/revisions will be voted on, requiring a two-thirds majority vote at any General Meeting.

Article XIV: Conflict of Interest

No member of the P.F.G. shall participate in any discussion and vote upon any issue in which he/she has a potential conflict of interest, either direct or indirect.

A conflict of interest shall include any issue, action, activity or event in which a member has a personal or professional interest, either direct or indirect, financial or otherwise and any issue, action, activity, or event in which a member is personally or professionally associated with any of the parties involved, either directly or indirectly, financially or otherwise.

Where the transaction involving a board member, trustee or officer exceeds five hundred dollars ($500) but is less than five thousand dollars ($5,000) in a fiscal year, a two-thirds vote of the disinterested directors is required. Where the transaction involved exceeds five thousand dollars ($5,000) in a fiscal year, then a two-thirds vote of the disinterested directors and publication in the required newspaper is required.

Any possible conflict of interest on the part of any member of the Board, officer or employee of the Corporation, shall be disclosed in writing to the Board and made a matter of record through an annual procedure and also when the interest involves a specific issue before the Board. The minutes of the meeting shall reflect that a disclosure was made, the abstention from voting, and the actual vote itself. Every new member of the Board will be advised of this policy upon entering the duties of his or her office, and shall sign a statement acknowledging, understanding of and agreement to this policy. The Board will comply with all requirements of New Hampshire law in this area and the New Hampshire requirements are incorporated into and made a part of this policy statement.

Article XV: Provision for Dissolution (Added: Effective 10/27/2019)

Upon the dissolution of the corporation, assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or shall be distributed to the federal government, or to a state or local government, for a public purpose.