SEPTEMBER 22, 2003
BY-LAWS OF THE BEAR TAVERN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PARENT-TEACHER ORGANIZATION

ARTICLE I: NAME
The name of this organization shall be the Bear Tavern Elementary School Parent-Teacher Organization (BTES-PTO).

ARTICLE II: PURPOSE
The purpose of the BTES-PTO is to:

1. Foster lines of communication among parents, teachers, administrators, staff, students and community.
2. Enrich and enhance social and educational opportunities.
3. Provide community input to the Elementary School regarding activities, curriculum, facilities and student life.
4. Represent the parents/guardians of elementary school students on the District Parent Council.

This organization shall be nonsectarian, nonpartisan, nonprofit, and shall be organized exclusively for charitable purposes, within the meaning of the Internal Revenue Code Sec. 501 c (3).

 

ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP

1. Membership shall include all parents/guardians of students who are attending BTES and all BTES staff.
2. The principal(s) shall be ex-officio member(s) of this organization.

ARTICLE IV: MEETINGS

1. Regular monthly meetings shall be held during the school year unless determined otherwise by the Executive Board. The purpose of these meetings is to involve parents in the activities of the organization and to keep members informed of committee plans in progress, upcoming events, and district wide happenings.
2. Meeting dates and times shall be selected during May of the previous school year for inclusion on the District Calendar. There shall be no fewer than 5 meetings held during the school year. A majority of those attending any general meeting constitutes a quorum.
3. The rules contained in Robert's Rules of Order, which pertains to parliamentary procedure, shall govern this organization in all cases in which they are applicable, and in which they are not inconsistent with these by-laws.

ARTICLE V: EXECUTIVE BOARD

1. The elected officers of this organization shall consist of at least a President or Co-Presidents, a Vice President or Co-Vice Presidents, a Secretary, a Treasurer, a Teacher Representative and a Trustee of the organization. As necessary, there may be more than one person for any officer's position. Any other member of the organization shall be invited in on an advisory capacity as needed. No President, Co-President or Vice President shall serve more than two consecutive one-year terms in the same office unless voted on by the Executive Board. Officers of this organization are expected to attend the majority of scheduled meetings.
2. Other than the power to amend these by-laws and elect officers, the Executive Board shall have full power to act for the organization and supervise disbursement of funds between the regular meetings of the organization.
3. A nominating committee shall be established by the President(s) prior to the February meeting and shall consist of at least one member of the Executive Board and three other members of the organization. The nominating committee shall prepare and present a slate of nominees for office at the April meeting. Additional nominations may be made from the floor, with consent of the nominee. The Nominating Committee shall also prepare a list of committee heads to be submitted at the April meeting. This list shall be prepared from a polling of the general membership-requesting volunteers.
4. Officers shall be elected by a majority vote at the annual meeting in the month of May. The balance of the school year will serve as a training period for new officers. The names of those selected will be reported at that time. Incumbent officers shall serve until June 30th.
5. A person named by the President(s) for the unexpired term shall fill a vacancy occurring in an office.

The officers shall have the duties set forth below:

1. President(s) shall preside at all meetings of the organization and at meetings of the Executive Board. The President(s) are responsible for preparing the meeting agenda and serving as a liaison to the principal. The president(s) shall appoint chairpersons of all PTO-generated committees if any vacancies exist and serve as an ex-officio member of all committees. The president(s) will select an Executive Board member to be a liaison to all committees. The President(s) shall participate in the District Parent Council and the Bear Tavern Elementary School Parents Council. The President(s) shall coordinate the work of the officers and committees and perform all other duties usually pertaining to the office.
2. The Vice President(s) shall assist the President in whatever manner seems necessary. In the event the President(s) is unable to preside at a particular meeting, the Vice President(s) shall preside at such meeting in the President's absence. If for any reason the President(s) is unable to discharge the duties of the office, the Vice President(s) shall assume those duties for the balance of the term for which s/he was elected.
3. The Secretary(s) shall maintain a correct record of all meetings of the organization, and of all Executive Board meetings, disseminate minutes, and maintain and respond to all correspondence and records.
4. The Treasure(s) shall receive all funds of the organization, shall keep an accurate record of the receipts and expenditures, and shall pay out funds only as authorized by the organization and Executive Board. Any single disbursement exceeding $500.00 shall be co-signed by the President and Treasurer. The Treasurer shall present a statement of account at every business meeting of the organization, and at other times when requested by the Executive Board. The Treasurer with the President(s) shall have responsibility for preparing the organization's budget in June for approval by the organization in October of the current year.
5. One or more teaching staff members who shall be selected by the teacher staff may hold the Teacher Representative position. The Teacher Representative(s) shall attend most regular meetings of the PTO. The Teacher Representative shall solicit input of teachers concerning issues raised at PTO meetings on a regular basis and serve as a communication link between the PTO and teachers.
6. The Trustee shall maintain and update the books of procedures for the PTO officer position as well as the major committees established by the PTO. The Trustee must be a member of the prior year's PTO Executive Board and shall provide continuity of positions, policies and procedures.

 

ARTICLE VI: COMMITTEES

1. Committees shall consist of but are not limited to:

   Assemblies
   Student Phone/Class Directory
   Publicity
   Yearbook
   Fundraising
   Volunteerism
   Social

2. Each committee chair shall provide and update a procedural booklet describing duties and activities. This report shall be submitted to the President(s) at the close of the activity.
3. If there are vacancies under any of the committees, the President(s) shall assign an executive board member to fulfill the duties.

 

ARTICLE VII: FINANCES

1. The proceeds of the BTES- PTO shall be utilized by the Executive Board to benefit the elementary school community.
2. In an effort to coordinate and balance the various fundraising activities for the school community, the PT0 will be responsible for approving, organizing and supervising all school-wide fundraising activities. Individual grade levels or classes should not undertake school-wide solicitation. All fundraising will be conducted in accordance with District policy and procedure.

ARTICLE VIII: AMENDMENTS

1. The By-Laws may be amended by a majority vote of those attending any general meeting, providing the proposed amendment has been presented at a previous meeting of the organization, or notice thereof has been given to all members of the organization at least two weeks prior to said meeting.
2. These By-Laws shall be reviewed and, if needed, revised every three years.

 

ARTICLE lX: DISSOLUTION

Upon dissolution of the BTES-PTO, the Executive Board shall, after payment of all liabilities, donate all the assets to Bear Tavern Elementary School. These assets will be dispensed of at the discretion of the principal(s) for the benefit of the Bear Tavern Elementary School students.