EAGLE CREST ELEMENTARY PARENT-TEACHER ORGANIZATION BYLAWS- Revised 08/9/2021
ARTICLE I - NAME
This organization shall be known as the Eagle Crest Elementary Parent-Teacher Organization, abbreviated as ECES PTO.
ARTICLE II - DESCRIPTION
The ECES PTO is a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization that exists for charitable, educational and scientific purposes, including the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations under 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code.
The organization shall be noncommercial, nonsectarian, and nonpartisan. No commercial enterprise and no political candidate shall be endorsed by it. The name of the organization or its officers in their official capacities shall not be used in any connection with a commercial concern or with any partisan interest for any other purpose than the regular work of the organization.
ARTICLE III - MISSION AND PURPOSE
Section 1. Mission. The ECES PTO is a Parent Teacher Organization dedicated to enriching the educational experiences of students and promoting community between Eagle Crest students, families and staff members.
Section 2. Purpose. The purpose of the ECES PTO is to enhance and support the educational environment at Eagle Crest Elementary by encouraging family involvement through volunteer and financial support, facilitating and enhancing communication and interaction between the parent and/or legal guardians of Eagle Crest Elementary students and school administration, faculty, staff and personnel and to promote the image, usefulness and public awareness of Eagle Crest Elementary.
ARTICLE IV - MEMBERSHIP AND VOTING
Section 1. Membership. Voluntary membership shall be automatically granted to all parents and guardians of Eagle Crest Elementary Students, plus all staff at Eagle Crest Elementary School. Members may also include persons from the community who are approved by the Executive Board of the ECES PTO. There are no membership dues.
Section 2. Voting. Members have voting privileges, one per household.
Meeting Votes. Each member in attendance at an ECES PTO meeting is eligible to vote, one vote per household. Absentee or proxy votes are not allowed for general meeting votes. A simple majority vote of the members present shall govern ECES PTO actions.
Email Votes. In the event that there may be issues that need to be resolved prior to a regular meeting, those items may be emailed to the general membership and voted on prior to the meeting. A simple majority of votes received by the deadline shall govern ECES PTO actions. Use of online voting to expedite business in between meetings is not to exceed $500.00.
ARTICLE V - GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS
Section 1. Regular Meetings. General ECES PTO meetings shall be held to conduct the business of the PTO. At least three general membership meetings, including the annual meeting shall take place during the school year. Additional meetings may be held at the discretion of the Executive Board.
Section 2. Annual Meeting. The final regular meeting of the school year shall serve as the annual meeting. The Executive Board shall present a report on ECES PTO activity and finances for the year. Election of Officers for the following year shall take place at the annual meeting.
Section 3. Quorum. A simple majority of those present shall represent a quorum.
Section 4. Notification of Meetings. The general membership shall be notified of all meetings at least one week before the meeting date.
Section 5. Record of Proceedings. The Secretary or the Secretary’s designee shall take minutes for all general membership meetings. Minutes shall be posted on the ECES PTO website no later than one week before the subsequent meeting.
ARTICLE VI - EXECUTIVE BOARD
Section 1. Membership. Any ECES PTO member in good standing is eligible to serve on the Executive Board.
Section 2. Duties.
a. Executive Board is responsible for determining the time and date of regular ECES PTO meetings. The Executive Board is responsible for developing the agenda for regular and special ECES PTO meetings and for providing sufficient notice of meetings to all members.
b. The Executive Board, by the beginning of the school year, shall establish a list of goals to be accomplished during the school year and present it at the first ECES PTO meeting for approval. A budget shall be established for the following school year and voted upon at the last ECES PTO meeting of the year in May.
c. A vacancy occurring in an office shall be filled by a simple majority vote of the remaining members of the Executive Board.
Section 3. Meetings. The Executive Board shall meet monthly during the school year, or at the discretion of the President.
Section 4. Voting. Un-budgeted expenditures of up to $200.00 may be approved by the Executive Board by majority vote. Un-budgeted ECES staff requests exceeding $200 must be brought to the general membership for vote by email or in general meeting.
Section 5. Quorum. A simple majority of the officers shall govern the ECES PTO Executive Board.
ARTICLE VII - OFFICERS
Section 1. Officers. The Executive Board shall consist of the following elected officers: President, Secretary, Treasurer, Events Liaison and Community Engagement Liaison. Officer positions can be shared. The School Principal, or his/her designee, is a voting member of the Executive Board.
Section 2. Duties.
d. President. The president shall carry out the policies of the Executive Board and the ECES PTO membership. The President shall preside at all meetings of the ECES PTO and may call emergency board meetings. The President, in coordination with the Secretary, shall provide information for school community communications and plan the annual calendar. The President will serve as the key ECES PTO contact for the Eagle Crest Principal.
e. Secretary. The Secretary shall maintain a complete, accurate and up-to-date record of all ECES PTO Executive, regular and special meetings minutes. The Secretary shall submit minutes of the meetings to the Principal, President and general membership prior to the next scheduled meeting.The Secretary shall coordinate with the president and school staff to provide and disseminate information in all school communications. The Secretary shall be the keeper of all documents and reports generated for and by the organization. The Secretary shall be responsible for all correspondence of the organization. In the event the President vacates his/her office during the term of election, the Secretary shall become the new President for the term of election.
f. Treasurer. The Treasurer shall be the custodian of the organization’s funds, which shall be deposited in a timely manner in a bank designated by the Executive Board. The Treasurer shall maintain complete and accurate financial records, itemizing receipt and expenditure of all monies and provide a financial report at all meetings. The Treasurer shall maintain the ECES PTO checking account. The Treasurer shall pay all bills in a timely manner. The Treasurer shall, in a timely manner, complete all financial reports generated by and for the organization, including all government required paperwork. The Treasurer shall make the books available for audit upon request of the Executive Board. The Treasurer shall assure that a yearly audit of the financial records is conducted by a committee of at least three members of the Executive Board at the end of each election term. The Treasurer shall coordinate and present an annual budget for approval each May for the following school year. The formal duties of the new Treasurer shall begin upon completion of the transfer of bank signatures.
g. Events Liaison. The Events Liaison shall serve as the PTO Board liaison to all committees, coordinate fundraising and event committees and provide guidance for completion of committee tasks in a timely manner. The Events Liaison shall coordinate with the Community Engagement Liaison regarding volunteer needs.
h. Community Engagement Liaison. The Community Engagement Liaison shall enlist parents and guardians for volunteer opportunities throughout the school year, coordinate and communicate with room parents and maintain a volunteer contact database. The Community Engagement Liaison shall communicate needs of administration, faculty and staff to the Executive Board and parents and guardians of Eagle Crest Elementary students. The Community Engagement Liaison shall coordinate with the Events Liaison regarding event volunteer needs.
Section 2. Nominations and Elections.
i. Nomination of Officers. Nominations for candidates shall be taken at the meeting one month prior to elections. Members attending either meeting may nominate candidates from the floor before elections are held.
j. Election of Officers. Officers shall be elected annually by a simple majority vote of members present at the last ECES PTO meeting of the school year.
Section 3. Terms of Office. Officers will be elected to serve a 12-month term, beginning each July 1. Following election of the succeeding officers at the last general membership meeting of the school year, current elected officers shall act in an advisory and coordinating capacity to assure a smooth transition from year to year. No member shall hold more than one office at a time and no member shall be eligible to serve more than three consecutive terms in the same office.
Section 4. Removal from Office. An ECES PTO Executive Board Member can be removed from office for:
A failure to fulfill his/her duties, intentional neglect, misconduct, or taking actions that would be potentially harmful to the function of the organization if the person were not removed from office.
The process for removal shall require that reliable information showing cause for removal be submitted in writing and received by the members of the Executive Board. Members of the Executive Board shall discuss the circumstances for considering removal and vote in a special meeting. Removal shall require a majority vote by those on the Executive Board. Once a PTO Executive Board Member has been removed from office pursuant to this process, that person shall no longer be eligible to hold an Executive Board position without the unanimous approval of the Executive Board.
Section 5. Vacancies. A position is declared vacant upon resignation. An Executive Board vacancy, except for the office of the President, shall be filled by appointment of the remaining Board members, and approved by the entire ECES PTO.
ARTICLE VIII - COMMITTEES
Section 1. Membership. The Executive Board shall have authority to create and eliminate special committees and to appoint committee chairpersons.
Section 2. Special Committees. Each committee shall submit monthly reports, as appropriate, to the Executive Board and shall submit a written report of its activity to its successor at the last meeting of the school year.
ARTICLE IX - FINANCIAL CONTROLS
Section 1. Records Keeping. All financial activity shall be recorded in a manual or computer-based accounting system. The Treasurer shall reconcile the account(s) monthly and report all financial activity monthly. The ECES PTO shall arrange an independent review of its financial records every three years.
Section 2. Executive Board Approval. The Executive Board can vote and authorize expenditures on non-budgeted requests of $200.00 and under. These expenditures shall be viewed in the fall to see how much money is being spent outside of the budget.
Section 3. General Membership Approval. Non-budgeted expenditure requests over $200.00 must be presented at monthly PTO meetings or by email and voted on by the general PTO membership. These expenditures shall be viewed in the fall to see how much money is being spent outside of the budget.
Section 4. Signatures Requirements. All checks will require TWO signatures to be valid. Checks shall require the signatures of two officers or one officer and the school secretary. All officers may be designated as check signers.
Section 5. Annual Statement. The Treasurer shall prepare a year-end financial report for dissemination to the general membership.
Section 6. Fiscal Year. ECES PTO Fiscal Year is defined as starting on July 1, XXXX and ending on the following June 30, XXXX.
Section 7. Ending Balance. There shall be a minimum of $3,000.00 in the ECES PTO bank account at the end of the fiscal year to fund immediate costs of next year.
Section 8. Debit Cards. There shall be no more than 1 ATM/debit card issued on any ECES PTO accounts.
Section 9. Contracts. Contract signing authority is limited to the President or the President’s designee.
ARTICLE X - PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
Robert’s Rules of Order (Revised) shall govern the ECES PTO in all cases in which they are applicable and in which they are not in conflict with these bylaws.
ARTICLE XI - GOVERNING PROCEDURES
Section 1. Conflict of Interest
A conflict of interest is present when the PTO pays compensation or provides any tangible benefits to an Officer or to a member of the Officer’s family. All transactions involving conflicts of interest must be presented to the Executive Board for approval. Officers who have a conflict of interest in any matter must a) declare the existence of any direct or indirect conflict of interest; b) disclose its nature on the record and c) abstain from voting on that matter. The rest of the Executive Board must analyze the transaction and ensure that all transactions involving a conflict of interest are fair to the PTO and that no special benefits are being given to any person.
An Officer of the PTO shall not be disqualified by the Officer’s office from contracting with the PTO as vendor, purchaser or otherwise; nor shall any contract or arrangement entered into by or on behalf of the PTO in which any Officer is in any way interested be avoided on that account, provided that such contract or arrangement shall have been approved or ratified by a majority of the Executive Board members without counting in such majority the Officer so interested.
Section 2. Compensation.
No Officer shall receive any compensation for fulfilling the responsibilities defined in these Bylaws. However, the PTO may pay compensation to Executive Board members for other services performed as employees or independent contractors as long as the required rules for conflicts of interest are followed. Executive Board members who receive regular compensation from the PTO and their relatives must always constitute less than a majority of the Executive Board. Executive Board members may receive reimbursement for actual expenses incurred in the course of fulfilling their responsibilities.
ARTICLE XII - DISSOLUTION
Upon the dissolution of ECES PTO, any funds remaining shall be donated to Eagle Crest Elementary School.
ARTICLE XIII - AMENDMENTS
These bylaws shall be amended only in the following manner:
Any proposed change to the bylaws may be presented in writing to the Executive Board by any member at any time. The Executive Board may also suggest proposed changes to the bylaws. Proposed changes shall be announced at the regular ECES PTO meetings and shall also be publicly posted at Eagle Crest Elementary School. The proposed change shall be presented and voted upon at the following regular meeting. A simple majority vote of members present shall govern.
These bylaws have been adopted by majority vote of the general ECES PTO membership at the regular meeting on November 9, 1999.
Revised 08/9/2021
End Working Document