By Laws of the Parent Teacher Organization of the Woodstock Public Schools, Inc.
Woodstock, Connecticut
Article I. INTRODUCTION
The name of the association shall be Parent Teacher Organization of the Woodstock Public Schools, Inc. The organization shall be referred to as the P.T.O. from here forward in this document. The organization is located in Woodstock, Connecticut. The organization shall be governed by these By Laws.
Article II. OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the P.T.O. shall be:
Section 1. To promote and foster an environment of mutual cooperation and understanding between parents, teachers and administrators that is beneficial to the children.
Section 2. To sponsor programs, projects and activities that will aid and support the educational process and well-being of the children who attend Woodstock Public Schools.
Article III. Basic Policies
Section 1. This association shall not seek to direct or control the school administration, but as concerned parents and teachers, shall cooperate with the school to support the improvement of the educational process.
Section 2. This association shall be non-commercial, non-sectarian, and non-partisan.
Section 3. Fundraising monies shall be allocated as follows:
A. All fundraising dollars will be allocated entirely to the regular P.T.O. accounts with the exception of those described in Section 3B.
B. For one (1) fundraising activity (to be designated through voting by registered members at the last general meeting of the year): If the monies raised for either school exceed $1,000.00, then the total shall be split 50/50 between the regular P.T.O. Account and the School Account; If monies generated equal less than $1,000, the total shall remain entirely in the regular P.T.O. Account.
Section 4. Monies allocated to each school’s account shall be spent at the sole discretion of the respective school’s Principal, providing it is to benefit the children either directly or indirectly, but shall remain under the control of the P.T.O. for distribution or disbursement as needed.
Article IV. Membership and Dues
Section 1. ELIGIBILITY. Membership shall be available to all parents and guardians of students attending the Woodstock Public Schools, and all teachers and administrators of the same schools without regard to sex, race, color, creed, or national origin.
Section 2. Enrollment. The P.T.O. shall conduct an annual enrollment of members, but persons may be admitted to membership at any time.
Section 3. MEMBERSHIP. Registered members are those who have paid annual dues. Unregistered individuals may attend meetings and voice opinions but may not hold office or vote.
Section 4. DUES. The “Annual Dues” will be set by the Executive Board at the time of budget preparation.
Article V. Officers, elections, and Executive Board
Section 1. OFFICERS. The Officers of the P.T.O. shall be President, Vice-President, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, and Treasurer.
Section 2. ELECTIONS. The Officers shall be elected by the registered membership for a two-year term at the annual meeting in May. A simple majority shall constitute an election.
Section 3. VACANCY. If a vacancy occurs in any office during the year, the President may appoint any registered P.T.O. member to fill the vacancy for the duration of the un-expired term subject to ratification by the Executive Board. If the Office of the President becomes vacant, the Vice President assumes the duties of that office.
Section 4. SHARING OF OFFICES. Any office may be shared by two people if they are jointly elected at the annual meeting in May, or if they are jointly appointed by the President to fill an office vacancy during the year.
Section 5. EXECUTIVE BOARD. The Executive Board shall consist of the Officers, a Teacher Representative from each school, and one member elected from the registered membership at large. The members of the Executive Board shall serve until the election of their successors.
Article VI. Duties of Officers
Section 1. PRESIDENT. The President shall preside at all meetings of the P.T.O. and of the Executive Board at which he may be present; shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed in these By Laws or assigned to him by the organization or by the Executive Board; and shall coordinate the work of the Officers and Committees of the organization in order that the objectives may be met. The President approves all forms of publicity created by or for the P.T.O.
Section 2. VICE PRESIDENT. The Vice President shall act as aide to the President; shall perform the duties of the President in the absence or disability of that officer to act; and shall also be a representative to the Board of Education.
Section 3. SECRETARIES.
A. CORRESPONDING SECRETARY. The Corresponding Secretary shall notify registered members of meetings; shall be responsible for performing duties as may be delegated to him by the Executive Board; and shall record the Minutes of the regular meetings in the absence of the Recording Secretary.
B. RECORDING SECRETARY. The Recording Secretary shall record the Minutes of all regular meetings; shall submit one copy of the Minutes to the President (for distribution and voting at regular meetings) and keep one copy for his records; and shall perform such duties as may be delegated to him by the Executive Board.
Section 4. TREASURER. The Treasurer shall have custody of all funds of the organization; shall keep a full and accurate account of invoices and expenditures; shall make disbursements in accordance with the approved budget as authorized by the P.T.O., the Executive Board or a special committee; shall present a financial statement at every regular meeting of the P.T.O., at other times when requested by the Executive Board, and shall make a full report at the annual meeting.
Section 5. TERMINATION OF DUTIES. It shall be the duty of each officer, upon the expiration or resignation of his term of office, to turn over to his successor within two weeks all books, records and papers belonging to the P.T.O.
Article VII. DUTIES OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
Section 1. The Executive Board’s primary duty is to insure the P.T.O. activities are directly related to furthering the objectives defined in Article II. Such duties shall include, but are not limited to: conducting necessary business in the intervals between the organization’s meetings; presenting a report of its activities at regular meetings; presenting an annual report at the annual meeting; creating special committees as deemed necessary; appointing or requesting volunteers for committees; appointing one Executive Board member to the Nominating Committee; removing an officer (elected or appointed) whenever, in their judgment, the best interests of the P.T.O. will be served thereby; and planning the various activities during the course of the year in the interest of all concerned.
Section 2. The Executive Board defines policies to protect the P.T.O. funds. Such duties shall include, but are not limited to: determining the amount of the Annual Dues; preparing and submitting a budget for membership approval; approving routine bills within limits of the budget; and appointing an individual or committee (not currently holding a P.T.O. office or position on the Executive Board) who shall audit the books of the organization.
Article VIII. Meetings
Section 1. REGULAR MEETINGS. A schedule of regular meetings will be determined by the Executive Board for the entire year and shall be published at the beginning of the school year. Any changes shall be provided in writing either through the P.T.O. Newsletter, special notices sent home with students, email, and/or posting on the P.T.O. website.
Section 2. SPECIAL MEETINGS. Special meetings may be called or cancelled by the President as necessary.
Section 3. ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting shall take place at the regular May meeting each year.
Section 4. EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETINGS. Executive Board Meetings shall be held as deemed necessary during the school year to transact necessary business in the interval between regular P.T.O. meetings. The Executive Board shall meet at the call of the President. The President must call a meeting upon the request of any three members of the Executive Board.
Section 5. QUORUM. Five registered members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any regular, special, Executive Board, or annual meeting.
Section 6. NOTICE. Notice shall be given to all registered members prior to any regular, special or annual meetings. Notice shall be given to all Executive Board Members prior to any Executive Board meetings.
Article IX. Committees
Section 1. STANDING COMMITTEES. Standing Committees are created by the Executive Board to meet the needs of the organization. These committees may be created or disbanded as deemed necessary by the Executive Board. Standing Committee Chairmen will be selected by each committee. Committee Chairmen assume their duties at the last meeting of the fiscal year. The following are Standing Committee’s and examples of possible activities or functions of each:
A. Fundraising: Spirit T-shirts and Sweatshirts; Scholastic Book Fair; Holiday Fair; Spirit Music; Spirit Art; Fall Fundraiser; Spring Fundraiser.
B. Publicity: Woodstock P.T.O. Newsletter; Articles and press releases for newspapers.
C. Membership: Membership drive; Database of regular members and committee members.
D. Program: Through an RFP (Request for Proposal) process, accepts requests from teachers and/or administrators for funds to support worthy educational pursuits for and on behalf of their students.
E. Community Service: College Funding Night; Blood Drive; Math Career Day; Santa’s House; Teacher Appreciation Week; TV Turn-Out Week.
F. Nominating: Defined in Article IX. Section 3.
G. Watch Dogs: Monitors town budgetary issues that could effect the quality of education and educational programs offered to students in the Woodstock Public Schools.
Section 2. SPECIAL COMMITTEES. Special committees may be created and disbanded by the Executive Board as shall be found necessary to carry on the work of the P.T.O. The following is an example of a special committee: By-Law Committee.
Section 3. NOMINATING COMMITTEE. The nominating committee nominates Officers, Teacher Representatives, and registered members for the Executive Board for the next school year.
A. MAKE UP. The nominating committee shall consist of at least three registered members made up as follows: one teacher; one Executive Board member; and at least one registered member from the membership at large.
B. APPOINTMENTS. Members of the Nominating Committee shall be appointed as follows: Teachers shall appoint one teacher; Executive Board shall appoint one Executive Board member; Membership at large shall appoint at least one registered member from the membership at large.
C. DUTIES. The nominating committee: prepares a slate of candidates for Officer and Executive Board Elections; presents slate of candidates to the Executive Board and the regular membership at least one month prior to the annual meeting (additional nominations may be made from the floor); prepares ballots (with a space for write-ins) for the Officer and Executive Board Election to be held at the annual meeting.
Article X. Financials
Section 1. FISCAL YEAR. The fiscal year shall begin on September 1st and end on August 31st.
Section 2. BUDGET. An annual budget will be created by the Executive Board and presented to and voted upon by registered membership at the first meeting of the year. Any single modification to the budget of over $1,000.00 shall be voted upon by the registered membership at large at any regular meeting.
Section 3. REVENUE. Revenue from all sources is for the purpose of fulfilling the goals and
objectives stated in Article II. Revenue shall be held in one account bearing the name:
P.T.O. Checking. When funds are not being used, they will be put into a short term
CD to earn a higher interest rate, and withdrawn as soon as there is a need to pay for
an item. Balances for the Woodstock Elementary School and the Woodstock Middle
School discretionary accounts will be kept and updated in a spreadsheet. The
authorized signers for these accounts shall be the Treasurer and the President.
Section 4. EXPENDITURES. Expenditures will include general Operating Funds and Program Funds, and shall become available for use following acceptance of the annual budget.
A. OPERATING FUNDS. Operating Funds shall be used for recurring expenses by the Executive Board and Committees. These Operating Funds may by expended by the committee chairpersons with the permission of the Executive Board as approved in the budget. Written descriptions or invoices of all expenditures for activities shall be submitted to the Treasurer for reimbursement, providing that sufficient funds exist in the account or accounts to cover said expenditures.
B. Program Funds. Funds managed by the Program Committee shall be designated as Program Funds in the annual budget. All registered members present at any regular meeting may vote on Program Fund expenditures.
C. ACCOUNT TRANSFER. The transfer of funds from one account to another shall require a simple majority vote of Executive Board Members present.
D. FUNDS TRANSFER. Any single transfer of funds of over $1,000.00 from one Program or Initiative line item in the budget to another specified in the budget shall require a simple majority vote by the registered membership at large in attendance at any regular meeting.
Section 5. PROFITS. No profits shall proceed to any Officer, Executive Board member or any other member of this organization.
Section 6. AUDIT. All P.T.O. accounts are subject to examination by an individual or committee (not currently holding a P.T.O. office or position on the Executive Board). This individual or committee will: verify balances with the bank statements; examine checks for validity; make sure all income is deposited and recorded; and sign a statement attesting to the accuracy of all accounting, which will be filed with the Treasurer’s final annual report.
Article XI. Amendments
Section 1. BY-LAWS COMMITTEE. Amendments to the P.T.O. By Laws will be created and proposed by a special committee created for that purpose. The By-Laws Committee may be appointed ad hoc by the President and/or by members of the Executive Board.
Section 2. ACCEPTANCE. Amendments and/or revisions to the By Laws shall be voted upon at any regular meeting or at a special meeting, and shall pass by a two-thirds vote of the registered members present.
Article XII. PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
The rules contained in “Robert’s Rules of Orders Revised” shall govern this Association in all meetings in which they are applicable and where they are not inconsistent with the By Laws.
Article XIII DISSOLUTION
Section 1. DISSOLUTION. Dissolution of this P.T.O. may be made at any regular meeting by a two-thirds vote of the registered members present.
Section 2. DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS UPON DISSOLUTION. In the event of dissolution for any cause, all P.T.O. monies and securities, which may at the time be owned by or under absolute control of the P.T.O., should be disposed of and distributed to such educational uses and purposes as may be designated by the Executive Board of the P.T.O. Woodstock, Connecticut.
These revised By Laws prepared by the
By-Laws Committee of the P.T.O.
Woodstock, Connecticut
Voted Upon and Passed by P.T.O. Members
April 9, 2008.
