Bylaws and Policies

SOUTHVIEW ELEMENTARY PARENT TEACHER ORGANIZATION BYLAWS

I

NAME

The name of the organization shall be Southview Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization. For convenience, it will be called Southview P.T.O.

II

PURPOSE

The Southview P.T.O. is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization and shall be governed by these bylaws.

The goals of this organization shall be to:

• Continually improve communication between home and school.

• Encourage total community involvement in the learning experiences at Southview Elementary School.

• Continue to generate funds for the P.T.O. in order to purchase materials and equipment at Southview Elementary School.

• Responsibly manage and distribute P.T.O. funds that support and enhance both the social and learning environments at school.

III

MEMBERSHIP

All parents and guardians of students enrolled in Southview Elementary School and the staff are members of the Southview P.T.O., collectively known as the general membership.  Each of these members shall be entitled to cast one vote.

In order to dissolve the Southview P.T.O., a majority vote of the general membership is required.

IV

OFFICER

The privilege of holding an officer position will be first offered to those persons who have attended a minimum of one (1) P.T.O. meeting during the current school year and served as a Southview P.T.O. committee chair or co-chair at any time.  If there are no candidates willing or available that meets the above requirements, it will be at the discretion of the current P.T.O. members to vote in new persons for officer positions.

The privilege of holding the office of President will be first offered to those persons who have served one (1) complete year on a standing committee or the Executive Committee.  In addition, it is strongly recommended, although not required, that the candidate will have attended more than half of the P.T.O. meetings during the current school year.  If there are no candidates willing or available that meets the above requirements, it will be at the discretion of the current P.T.O. members to vote in a new President.

V

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

The Executive Committee shall consist of the following officers: President(s), Vice-President(s), Secretary and Treasurer.  P.T.O. officers shall take office upon election or appointment as in article VII.  The members of the Executive Committee shall serve until their successors are elected. All files and records must be turned over to the newly elected officers at that time.

The duties of the Executive Committee shall be to hold monthly meetings for the general membership and to provide leadership to the organization and its various committees; and to prepare and submit to the organization for approval a budget for the fiscal year; to create standing committees and to approve the plans of the standing committees.

Treasurers shall be subject to a background check upon initial appointment and every five (5) years thereafter.

A person shall not hold more than one Executive Committee position simultaneously.

VI

MEETINGS

Business meetings shall be held monthly or as deemed necessary by the Executive Committee and be open to the general membership. The affairs of this organization shall be conducted by the Executive Committee, in collaboration with committee chairpersons, the Principal, teacher liaison(s) and site council liaison(s).

Business will be conducted according to Robert’s Rules of Order Revised unless they are in conflict with the Bylaws.

A simple majority, (one more than half), of members voting constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business in any meeting of the organization.

VII

ELECTIONS

The annual election of officers shall proceed as follows:

• Nominations for office shall be solicited at least two months prior to the April P.T.O. business meeting.  

• The Executive Committee shall notify the general membership in writing of the qualified nominees prior to the April P.T.O. business meeting.

• The election of officers shall be held at the April P.T.O. business meeting.

• Nominations will be accepted from the floor on the night of election.

• Voting shall be by secret ballot by the general membership.  Absentee ballots may be cast and signed for in the office one week prior to election.

Executive Committee Officers shall be elected for a term of one year, but may be reelected. 

A vacancy occurring in any office will be filled for the unexpired term by a person elected by a majority of P.T.O. members present at the next business meeting.

VIII

STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES

Standing committees shall be created by the Executive Committee to promote the goals of the organization.  Their term shall be one year.

Special committees shall be created by the Executive Committee.  A special committee shall go out of existence when its work is done and its final report is received.  No work shall be undertaken without the consent of the chairperson(s).

The chairperson(s) of each committee will present a plan of work to the committee and submit a written report to the Executive Committee, of the activity, including expenditures, within one month of the completion date.  These reports will be kept on file and P.T.O. guidelines updated by the Executive Committee.

The P.T.O. president or his/her designated representative shall be an ex-officio member of all committees.

IX

FINANCES

An annual financial review will be performed by the newly elected and exiting Executive Committee members and an outside source selected by the Executive Committee at the completion of each school year. It is recommended that the outside source have a financial background.

It is the responsibility of the treasurer to file an annual tax return.

X

AMENDMENTS

These bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting of the organization by a majority vote of the members present and voting; provided notice of the proposed amendment shall be given at the previous meeting or 30 days prior to voting.