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PES-PTO Bylaws
Peterborough Elementary School
Parent-Teacher Organization Bylaws
(Last revised 9/2004, last adopted 10/2004)
Parent-Teacher Organization Bylaws
(Last revised 9/2004, last adopted 10/2004)
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Article I. Name
The name of this organization shall be the Peterborough Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization (henceforth referred to as the PES-PTO).
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Article II. Goals and Objectives
The goals and objectives of the PES-PTO shall be:
a) to promote the physical, mental, social, and educational welfare of all children attending Peterborough Elementary School;
b) to provide an avenue of communication, enhance mutual understanding, and foster a cooperative relationship between parents and the administration, teaching faculty, staff and other personnel at Peterborough Elementary School;
c) to assist in the operations of Peterborough Elementary School by providing volunteers for educational and co-curricular activities;
d) to conduct fundraising events for the purpose of securing financial resources to supplement those provided by school district budget allocations; and
e) to finance such democratically decided, special projects as will serve the goal of enriching the learning and social experiences of children attending Peterborough Elementary School.
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Article III. Fiscal Year and Tax Status
Section 1. The fiscal year of the PES-PTO shall begin the 1st of September of any given year and shall continue through the 31st of August of the following year.
Section 2. This section contains IRS legal statements which are required to be part of the bylaws exactly as written as a condition of the Tax Exempt 501 (c) (3) status of the PES-PTO:
Tax Exempt Status
(a) The organization is organized exclusively for charitable, religious, educational, and/or scientific purposes under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
(b) No part of the net earnings of the organization shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to its members, trustees, officers, or other private persons, except that the organization shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth in the purpose clause hereof. No substantial part of the activities of the organization shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the organization shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office. Notwithstanding any other provision of this document, the organization shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on (a) by an organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or (b) by an organization, contributions to which are deductible under section 170 (c) (2) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code.
(c) Upon the dissolution of the organization, 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 to a state or local government, for a public purpose.
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Article IV. Membership
Section 1. Membership in the PES-PTO shall be made available without regard to sex, race, color, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, disability or age.
Section 2. Any parent and/or legal guardian of a child currently enrolled at Peterborough Elementary School, who is interested in the goals and objectives of the PES-PTO and willing to uphold its policies, may become a member.
Section 3. Any administrator, teaching faculty or staff member currently working at Peterborough Elementary School, who is interested in the goals and objectives of the PES-PTO and willing to uphold its policies, may become a member.
Section 4. All members shall be eligible to participate in general membership meetings, or to serve in any of its elective or appointed positions. The privilege of holding office, introducing motions, debating, and voting shall be granted to all members.
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Article V. Membership Meetings
Section 1. All membership meetings of this organization shall be open to all PES-PTO members.
Section 2. Regular membership meetings of the PES-PTO shall be held on a monthly basis between September and June of any given school year, at a date, time and place deemed preferable and agreed upon by the presiding officer/s and the membership.
Section 3. Public notice of all membership meetings shall be given to all members at least five (5) days before the meeting. To the extent practical, public notice shall also be given to the administrative offices of Peterborough Elementary School and the School Administrative Unit’s office. Meeting times and places shall also be announced on the school and district websites at a reasonable time prior thereto.
Section 4. Special meetings may be called by the President, or by the President upon the request of any member of the PES-PTO, but are reserved for the transaction of only such business as stated in the call for the special meeting.
Section 5. In no case shall more than ninety (90) school days pass without a regular membership or special meeting by the PES-PTO.
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Article VI. Officers, Term Limits and Electoral Procedures
Section 1. Each officer of the PES-PTO shall be a member of this organization.
Section 2. The officers of the PES-PTO shall be:
(a) a President;
(b) two Vice Presidents;
(c) a Secretary;
(d) a Treasurer;
(e) a Teacher Representative;
(f) a Communications Director;
(g) a Volunteer Coordinator;
(h) a Membership Coordinator; and
(i) a Sunshine Person.
The Principal of Peterborough Elementary School, or the person acting pursuant to his/her authority (e.g. the Assistant Principal), shall serve in an advisory function.
Section 3. The length of a year of service of any elected officer shall be equivalent to that of a fiscal year, commencing on the 1st of September of any given year and ending on the 31st of August of the following year.
Section 4. The limits for members serving as officers of the PES-PTO shall be, respectively:
(a) for President: a term consisting of two (2) years of service, with a maximum of two (2) consecutive terms, for a total of four (4) years;
(b) for Vice President: a term consisting of two (2) years of service, with a maximum of two (2) consecutive terms, for a total of four (4) years;
(c) for Secretary: a term consisting of one (1) year of service, with a maximum of two (2) consecutive terms, for a total of two (2) years;
(d) for Treasurer: a term consisting of three (3) years of service, with a maximum of one (1) term, for a total of three (3) years;
(e) for Teacher Representative: a term consisting of one (1) year of service, with a maximum of two (2) consecutive terms, for a total of two (2) years;
(f) for Communications Director: a term consisting of one (1) year of service, with a maximum of two (2) consecutive terms, for a total of two (2) years;
(g) for Volunteer Coordinator: a term consisting of one (1) year of service, with a maximum of two (2) consecutive terms, for a total of two (2) years;
(h) for Membership Coordinator: a term consisting of one (1) year of service, with a maximum of two (2) consecutive terms, for a total of two (2) years;
(i) for Sunshine Person: a term consisting of one (1) year of service, with a maximum of two (2) consecutive terms, for a total of two (2) years.
The term of the Principal of Peterborough Elementary School, or the person acting pursuant to his/her authority (e.g. the Assistant Principal), shall not be restricted.
Section 5. A nominating committee, consisting of two currently serving officers and two members at large, shall begin to accept and make annual nominations for officers at the March meeting. Only those persons who have signified their consent to serve if elected shall be nominated to an office. The nominating committee shall present a slate of nominated officers at the April meeting.
Section 6. All officers shall be elected by ballot during the May meeting of the PES-PTO. Election shall be by simple majority of those present. In cases where there is but one nominee for any given office, election for that office may be by voice vote. All incoming officers will assume their position on September 1st of any given year.
Section 7. All officers of the PES-PTO shall be indemnified for any and all costs or liabilities in connection with any lawsuit involving them in their official capacity.
Section 8. If the President must resign his/her office, the more senior-ranking of the two Vice Presidents shall immediately assume the position of President Pro Tempore. The newly vacated Vice President position shall be filled during the next regularly scheduled election cycle at the March, April and May membership meetings.
Section 9. The President Pro Tempore shall be confirmed by voice vote at the next scheduled membership meeting. In case that the President Pro Tempore is not confirmed as the new President by a majority of members at the next scheduled meeting, special nominations and elections shall be held at the two immediately following monthly membership meetings.
Section 10. If an elected officer, other than the President, has to resign his/her office, an announcement of the vacancy shall be made immediately and the acceptance of nominations shall open at the earliest scheduled membership meeting. Elections for the vacated position shall take place at the membership meeting immediately following the nominating meeting. The newly elected officer will complete the term of the resigning officer.
Section 11. Serving out another officer’s term under the provisions of Sections 8, 9 and 10 shall not count towards the term limits specified under Section 4, unless the remaining years of service that are served constitute more than half of the original term.
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Article VII. Duties of Officers
Section 1. The President shall preside at all membership meetings, appoint all committees, authorize all calls for any special meetings, and generally perform the duties of the presiding officer.
Section 2. The Vice-Presidents shall assume and perform the duties of the President in the case of the absence or inability of the President.
Section 3. The Secretary shall keep minutes of all membership meetings and of all formal actions of the PES-PTO and shall sign the minutes after approval has been obtained by the President and the membership at the immediately following meeting. He/she shall also be responsible for all external communications deemed necessary by the President, including but not restricted to: “Thank You” notes and other communications.
Section 4. The Treasurer shall have charge of all PES-PTO funds, shall sign all checks on the account on the authorization of the President and the membership. He/She shall keep an accurate record of receipts and expenditures, shall present a statement of accounts at every membership meeting of the PES-PTO and at other times when requested, and shall, with knowledge of the President, propose an annual budget.
Section 5. The Teacher Representative shall act as the liaison between the PES-PTO and the teaching faculty at Peterborough Elementary School. He/She shall communicate, or make arrangements to have communicated, PES-PTO initiatives, activities and events at school staff meetings, and shall be the designated person to submit all teacher inquires and requests to the PES-PTO.
Section 6. The Communications Director shall be responsible for keeping members, parents and the community informed about PES-PTO initiatives, activities, and events. He/She shall be in charge of all internal and external communications, including but not restricted to: printed newsletters to parents, opt-in electronic newsletters to members, information on the school and school district websites, articles in the local papers, and others.
Section 7. The Volunteer Coordinator shall be the liaison between the PES-PTO and parent and/or community volunteers and shall serve as the single point of contact for volunteerism at Peterborough Elementary School. He/she shall maintain a register of interested volunteers and a list of school-wide needs that require or would benefit from volunteer services and shall be responsible for matching volunteers with instructional, co-curricular and/or pedagogical extension needs.
Section 8. The Membership Coordinator shall be responsible for recruiting and retaining members, for enhancing member relations and member involvement, and for strengthening the quality and quantity of services that PES-PTO member can offer in support of the mission of Peterborough Elementary School. He/She shall be responsible for periodic member drives and special events, including but not restricted to: the Fall Kindergarten Coffee for parents of Kindergarten students and educational assessment staff.
Section 9. The Sunshine Person shall be responsible for handling acknowledgments and "thank you" correspondence to PTO event sponsors and to member volunteers. He/She shall be responsible for sending appropriate best wishes on behalf of the PTO to any member who is seriously ill, or condolences to the member’s family in the event of death, and on other occasions as directed by the President of the PES-PTO.
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Article VIII. Standing and Ad Hoc Committees
Section 1. Standing committees shall be determined annually at the September membership meeting of the PES-PTO. Such committees may include but are not restricted to: the Arts Enrichment Committee, the Publicity Committee, and others.
Section 2. Ad hoc committees may be constituted by the President, or by the President upon the request of any member of this organization, to fulfill specific tasks related to the organization and ongoing operations of the PES-PTO.
Section 3. Ad hoc committees shall serve to support educational enrichment activities, fundraisers and other projects, including but not restricted to: the Incentive Program for Summer Reading, the Fall Book Fair, the Fall Fun Fair, the Spring Pancake Breakfast, the Spring Book Fair, the Teacher Appreciation Luncheon, the Fourth Grade “End of the Year” celebration, and others.
Section 4. The President shall serve as an ex officio member on all committees except the nominating committee for PES-PTO officers delineated under Article VI. Section 5.
Section 5. All committees shall report to the President and to members at regularly scheduled membership meetings and act only on the recommendations of the President and the membership.
Section 6. All committees are to serve until the completion of the work for which they were constituted.
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Article IX. Policies
Section 1. The PES-PTO shall work cooperatively with the administration of Peterborough Elementary School in all policy-making decisions.
Section 2. All programs, initiatives and actions of the PES-PTO shall be related to fulfilling the goals and objectives stated in these bylaws under Article II.
Section 3. The PES-PTO may cooperate with other organizations and agencies active in child welfare, such as conference groups or coordinating councils, provided that they make no commitments that bind the group they represent.
Section 4. At all times and in all its undertakings, the PES-PTO shall remain non-commercial, non-sectarian, and non-partisan. No commercial enterprise and no candidate shall be endorsed by it. Neither the name of the PES-PTO, nor the name of any members in their official capacities, shall be used in any connection with a commercial concern or with any partisan interest or for any purpose other than the regular work of the organization.
Section 5. A member must absent him/herself from any portion of a PES-PTO membership meeting in which discussions or decisions occur for which he/she has a real or perceived conflict of interest or which could evoke the appearance of impropriety. Real or perceived conflicts may occur if there is: a close, active association with another parent organization, program or institution; a financial, or personal interest; or any reason that the individual cannot render an unbiased decision. The names of members who have recused themselves during a meeting for conflicts of interest shall be recorded.
Section 6. No member of the PES-PTO may serve on any committee when he/she has a financial or other material interest that may be seen as competing with the interests or concerns of the PES-PTO. This policy shall apply even if the member with the potential conflict of interest believes he/she can be fair, objective and can overcome the conflict in fulfilling the duties of the committee.
Section 7. No officer of the PES-PTO shall participate in any decision or any vote in which he/she stands to receive monetary or material benefit as a result of the decision. This recusal requirement shall be absolute, regardless of whether the potential benefit is direct or indirect, derived personally, through a member of his or her immediate family, or through a third person, including another nonprofit or charitable organization.
Section 8. All members of the PES-PTO shall maintain in strict confidence and security all information in his/her possession about Peterborough Elementary School or any of its constituent parts which by institutional policy is considered to be confidential, including but not limited to: information related to school records, student work, student behavior and/or student medical condition; personal information about students, parents, faculty, staff and/or support personnel; or any other information related to Peterborough Elementary School and its operations which may be collected by the PES-PTO through questionnaires, feedback forms, or other means.
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Article X. Standing Rules
Section 1. The PES-PTO may submit proposals for consideration and approval by the membership through mail or e-mail referendums.
Section 2. In case of emergency, action may be taken by the President after consultation with the Vice-Presidents and the Treasurer by telephone, conference call, fax or e-mail. There must be a concurrence of a majority of these officers, and such action shall be noted in a special memorandum placed in the minutes book and signed by the person obtaining such concurrence and shall be reported in the minutes of the next scheduled membership meeting.
Section 3. In case of emergency, a spending measure not exceeding one hundred dollars ($100.00) may be approved by the President after consultation with the Vice-Presidents and the Treasurer by telephone, conference call, fax or e-mail. There must be a concurrence of a majority of these officers, and such action shall be noted in a special memorandum placed in the minutes book and signed by the person obtaining such concurrence and shall be reported in the minutes of the next scheduled membership meeting.
Section 4. A request for reimbursement for expenditures on behalf of the PES-PTO shall be made in a timely fashion, but in no case shall exceed ninety (90) days from the date that the expense was incurred. All reimbursement requests have to be filed prior to the end of the current school year to allow for processing during the current fiscal year of the PES-PTO.
Section 5. Members who use a privately owned vehicle on exclusive behalf of PES-PTO business shall be eligible for mileage reimbursement in accordance with currently applicable IRS rates (37.5 cents/mile as of 1/1/2004). All trips require prior approval by the PES-PTO president and treasurer. Reimbursement requests should be submitted within the time guidelines specified under Article X. Section 4.
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Article XI. Amendments, Corrections and Enactment
Section 1. These bylaws may be amended at a general membership meeting by a two-thirds vote of the eligible voting members, provided the proposed amendments shall have been communicated to the members at least twenty-one (21) days prior to the meeting date or have been read at a previous membership meeting. The bylaws may also be amended by unanimous vote of the eligible voting members, if not distributed previously as normally required.
Section 2. Automatic, grammatical, punctuation, and correlation corrections in these bylaws, which in no way alter the intent of the respective bylaws, shall be effected by an ad hoc committee and shall be subject to approval by the President and the Vice Presidents.
Section 3. These bylaws and/or any amendments thereto shall become effective upon adoption, unless otherwise specified.
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Article XII. Parliamentary Authority
The rules contained in the most current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern this organization in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws and/or any special rules of order the PES-PTO may adopt.
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Article XIII. Dissolution
Section 1. To dissolve the PES-PTO, a motion must be presented to the members and a vote taken as to whether or not to dissolve.
Section 2. Upon dissolution, the members will decide upon a final project for the betterment
of Peterborough Elementary School and to spend all remaining funds.
Section 3. Upon dissolution, all books and records pertaining to the PES-PTO shall be turned over to Peterborough Elementary School for future use, record-keeping and/or archival purposes.
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