Bylaws, Policies, and Procedures of Eleanor G. Hewitt Intermediate School Parent-Teacher Organization  

 

BYLAWS  

ARTICLE I – NAME

  

The name of this organization shall be “Eleanor G. Hewitt Intermediate School Parent-Teacher  Organization” (the PTO) of the Ringwood Public School District, Inc., a New Jersey non-profit  corporation. 

 

ARTICLE II – ORGANIZATION  

This organization exists as a non-profit corporation under Title 15A:2-8 New Jersey Domestic  Nonprofit Corporation Act. Its “Article of Organization '' comprises these Bylaws, which may be  amended from time to time.  

 

ARTICLE III – OBJECTIVES  

  1. To enrich and complement the educational and social development of Ringwood students  through programs supported by the administration, faculty, and parents and guardians of  Eleanor G. Hewitt Intermediate School. These programs may include, but are not limited to,  in-school assemblies and workshops and field trips to off-site locations.  
  2. To promote the academic, artistic, social, and physical development of all students through  beautification and enhancement of the physical school and grounds.  
  3. To foster the involvement of all students within their community and to encourage a sense of  citizenship. 

ARTICLE IV – BASIC POLICIES  

  1. The organization shall be noncommercial, nonsectarian, and nonpartisan.  2. The name of the organization and the name(s) of any member(s) in an official capacity shall  not be used in connection with any commercial concern, partisan interest, religious intent, or  any purpose not directly related to the objectives of this organization.  
  2. The organization shall not participate or intervene in any form in the campaign or election of  any local or regional school board member, or any candidate for public office.  4. The organization shall cooperate with the school’s administration to support the  improvement of education in ways that will not interfere with the goals of the administration  and operation of the school.  
  3. The organization may cooperate with other organizations and agencies concerned with child  welfare, but persons representing the organization in such matters shall make no  commitments that bind the organization.  
  4. The organization shall not, directly or indirectly, allocate funds for any purpose which might  be deemed to directly benefit the political or professional status of any employee of the  district or member of the organization.  
  5. In the event of the dissolution of the organization, its assets will be distributed for one or  more of the exempt purposes specified in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of  1954 as from time to time amended. 

ARTICLE V – MEMBERSHIP, DUES, AND DONATIONS  

  1. Membership with voting rights shall be open to any parent, guardian, or other adult standing  in loco parentis for a student at the school. Membership with voting rights is also open to  the Principal and faculty of the school. The membership year shall be from September 1  through August 31 of the following year.  
  2. Members of the assembly may vote to take action against any member who will not be  called to order during the course of a meeting. Measures may include a request for  apology, censure, removal from a meeting, suspension of membership rights for a specified  time, or expulsion from the organization. A vote of two-thirds of the quorum is required,  where the quorum does not include the member in question.  
  3. To serve in an elected or appointed position within, the person must be a member in good  standing.  
  4. The Executive Board will establish any dues. If dues are established, a member must have  paid his or her dues prior to the meeting to be considered a member in good standing with  voting rights.  
  5. Donations of money and supplies will be accepted from any legitimate source, under the  guidelines of the Ringwood Board of Education’s policy regarding Gifts, Grants, and  Donation (Reference: 18A:20-4, 20-11).  

ARTICLE VI – OFFICERS AND ELECTIONS  

  1. The PTO shall be minimally composed of a President, Secretary, and Treasurer.  2. Officers shall be elected by a voice vote of a two-thirds quorum at the Annual Meeting. An  officer may resign whenever necessary, and will be replaced by the voice vote of a two thirds quorum at the next general membership meeting. The members in good standing in  attendance shall constitute a quorum.  
  2. Officers shall assume official duties at the close of the school year, and shall serve a term of  one year until their successors are elected. At the end of the first year term, officers may be  nominated and elected to serve a second term. No individual may serve for more than two  consecutive terms in the same position. Consecutive terms refer to full terms. Outgoing  officers are expected to transfer all organization funds and property to their successors by  the end of the school year and assist the new officers until the beginning of the next school  year.  
  3. A two-thirds quorum may vote that an officer is incapable of performing the duties of his or  her office for the balance of his or her term. In this case, an emergency reorganization  meeting of the general membership must be called in order to elect a replacement to  complete the term to the end of the school year.  
  4. If the position of President becomes vacant, a Vice President will complete the President’s  term. An election will be held to elect a replacement Vice President if more than four  months of the school year remain.  
  5. Nominations for open positions will be taken from the floor. Only those who have  consented to serve if elected shall be eligible for nomination. A nomination and vote may  take place at the same meeting. 

ARTICLE VII – DUTIES OF OFFICERS  

  1. The President shall preside at the general membership meetings of the PTO and shall have  general supervision of all its affairs. In the event that the President is unable to perform this  duty, the next available officer in the following chain of command shall preside: Co President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, and Corresponding Secretary.  
  2. The President shall appoint representatives/liaisons/chairpersons to other groups. Only  those who have consented to serve in the given position shall be appointed.  3. The President may delegate his or her duties and authority to the next available officer in the  chain of command, when conditions warrant.  
  3. The Secretary shall keep a record (“the minutes”) of the proceedings of all general  membership meetings and note the attendance of its members. These minutes will be  made available to the members and the school Principal. 
  4. The Secretary shall conduct the official correspondence of the organization and maintain a  mail log and telephone list.  
  5. The Secretary will notify the members and school Principal of all general membership  meetings at least three days in advance.  
  6. The Treasurer shall have custody of all the funds of the organization. He/she will maintain a  record of all deposits, receipts, and expenditures. Incoming funds will be accepted as  check, money order, or cash. Incoming cash must be pre-counted and submitted to the  Treasurer with a written tally of bills and coins. The Treasurer shall count and notify both the  President and the person submitting the cash if there is a discrepancy between the written  log and the cash received.  
  7. The Treasurer shall pay out funds by check, according to the approved expenses of the  organization. If the Treasurer is unavailable, the President, Vice President, or Secretary  may pay authorized expenses.  
  8. The Treasurer shall present a financial statement at each general membership meeting.  This includes, but is not limited to, an itemization of checks drawn and deposits recorded  since the prior meeting, and the balance of the account.  

ARTICLE VIII – EXECUTIVE BOARD  

  1. The PTO Executive Board shall consist of the officers of the organization.  2. The duties of the Executive Board shall be:  
  2. To transact the necessary business between general membership meetings;  b. To create active committees (with chairpersons) and Teams (without chairpersons) to  promote the objectives and interests of the organization;  
  3. To approve the plans of work of the active committees. No committee/team work shall  be undertaken without the approval of the Executive Board;  
  4. To present a report at the general membership meetings;  
  5. To appoint an auditor or auditing committee to audit the accounts of the Treasurer. This  audit should coincide with preparation of annual tax return;  
  6. To prepare and submit for approval a budget for the fiscal year; and  
  7. To approve routine bills within the limits of the budget.  
  8. Special meetings of the Executive Board may be called by the President or by a majority of  the members of the Board providing one day’s notice is given. 

ARTICLE IX – MEETINGS  

  1. The PTO shall hold at least four general membership meetings each year, with the dates  and times to be determined by the Executive Board.  
  2. Committee or team meetings may be held whenever needed, as long as the officers are  notified in advance of the purpose of the meeting. This is to coordinate or combine  meetings and avoid unnecessary schedule changes.  
  3. There shall be an annual general membership meeting (Annual Meeting) held in May or  June, for the purpose of nominating and/or electing officers, presenting budgets, and  conducting other business.  
  4. The members in good standing in attendance shall constitute a quorum.  5. A regular meeting may be adjourned immediately through a privileged motion that is  seconded and approved by a simple majority vote. Such a motion is not debatable or  amenable. 

ARTICLE X – STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES  

  1. Standing committees shall be created by the Executive Board, as may be required to  promote the objectives and interests of the organization.  
  2. The chairperson of each standing committee shall present plans of work to the Executive  Board for approval. Standing committee chairpersons are expected to attend the first  general membership meeting of the school year as well as the meeting before and after their  event to discuss plans, answer questions, and report upon the completed event.  3. The power to form special committees rests with the Executive Board.  

ARTICLE XI – PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY  

ROBERT’S RULES OF ORDER NEWLY REVISED shall govern this organization in all cases in  which they are applicable and in which they are not in conflict with these bylaws.  

 

ARTICLE XII – BUDGET  

  1. The officers of the PTO shall submit a budget for approval to the general membership.  Review by members shall be permitted before a vote is taken to accept the proposed  budget.  
  2. The Treasurer shall pay routine bills within the limits of the budget. Expenditures of over  $100.00, not previously budgeted, shall be reported to the general membership. Expenses  of over $20.00 shall be brought to the President for approval.  
  3. Any financial expenditure voted on and approved must be spent for its intended purpose  within one calendar year from the date of the vote. If the money is not spent within that time  period, the money should be added into the general fund or a new vote must be taken to  keep the funds earmarked for the intended purpose for an additional calendar year.

ARTICLE XIII – AMENDMENTS TO BYLAWS  

  1. These Bylaws may be amended at any general membership meeting by a two-thirds  quorum vote, if 10 days’ notice of the proposed amendment is given.  
  2. A committee may be appointed by the Executive Board to submit a revised set of Bylaws to  replace these if voted by two-thirds of the quorum. The requirements for the adoption of a  revised set of Bylaws shall be the same as with an amendment. 

ARTICLE XIV – DISSOLUTION  

The organization may be dissolved with previous notice (14 calendar days) and a vote of two thirds of the quorum.  

 

ARTICLE XV – CODE OF CONDUCT  

  1. Members are expected to adhere to the policies, goals, and principles of the organization. 2. Members in attendance at meetings of the organization must defer to the authority of the  presiding officer.  
  2. Members will not bully/intimidate/harass other members. "Harassment, intimidation or  bullying" means any intentional gesture, or any intentional written, verbal or physical act or  threat that: (a) a reasonable person under the circumstances should know will have the  effect of: (1) harming a member; (2) damaging a member's property; (3) placing a member  in reasonable fear of harm to his or her person; or (4) placing a member in reasonable fear  of damage to his or her property; or (b) is sufficiently severe, persistent, or pervasive that it  creates an intimidating, threatening, or abusive environment for a member. 

GENERAL PROCEDURES  

Participation at School Events: It is appropriate, but not required, for the PTO to host an  information or refreshment table at the following school functions, with the approval of the  school principal: Back to School Night; Exhibit Night; Parent Visitation Day; Special Adult Day;  and Grade Four Parent Orientation.  

Holiday Gifts: The PTO shall not purchase individual holiday gifts for staff or administration  members. Instead, the PTO may give a gift, such as a food basket, to be shared by the staff  and/or administration.  

Other Gifts: It is appropriate for the PTO to acknowledge Secretaries’ Day and School Nurse  Appreciation Day, as well as major milestones in a staff member’s life (marriage, birth of a child,  or death of a family member) with a card or small gift. It is also appropriate to thank the  custodial staff with a card or small gift at the end of the school year.  

Teacher Appreciation Event: The PTO may host one staff appreciation event per year.  Historically a luncheon has been held during Teacher Appreciation Week. Parent volunteers  should be coordinated to prepare and serve food and to donate beverages and paper goods.  This should not be a catered event. If necessary, the PTO may expend a modest amount of  funds on items to complement the meal.  

  

FUNDRAISING PROCEDURES  

Solicitation/Sales Fundraisers: The PTO may deem it necessary to raise funds by solicitation  or by the sale of merchandise. There should be absolutely NO door-to-door solicitation/sales by  children encouraged or permitted.  

Raffle Licenses: Tricky Trays, Bingo, Raffles, and 50/50s all require Raffle Licenses from the  Borough of Ringwood. This category of fundraising includes any game of chance, no matter  how small, which includes the exchange of money for an opportunity to win a prize. To reduce  the costs associated with applying for Raffle Licenses, all events from a given calendar year  may be combined on one license (rather than applying for each individual event). This cost  could be significantly reduced by combining raffles from one school year to the next (within the  same calendar year). A copy of the Raffle License must be forwarded to the Ringwood Board of  Education office.  

Use of Facility Forms: The Ringwood Board of Education requires the completion and  submission of a Use of Facility Form for each use of the school building outside of regular  school hours. Early submission of these forms will help assuage scheduling conflicts with other  organizations that use the building (scouts, Ringwood Recreation, etc.).  

Alcoholic Beverages: There is to be absolutely NO alcohol (opened or unopened) permitted on  school property. There is also NO alcohol permitted at any off-premises event if children are  present. This includes “Baskets of Cheer” or other use of alcohol as prizes, even if offered only  to adults. 

 

CLASS PARENT PROCEDURES  

Class Parent Coordinator: Coordinator duties are described below, and include class parent  selection and notification, hosting the Class Parent Tea and providing guidance to class  parents, and initiating and presiding over the Phone Chain. Performing the duties of this  position does not assure the volunteer a position as class parent in his or her child’s classroom.  

Class Parent Selection: Parents should be provided an opportunity to volunteer to serve as  class parents. No parent may serve for the same child more than one year consecutively,  unless there are insufficient volunteers. If more volunteers are received than are needed for a  given classroom, the class parents will be selected from the pool of volunteers by lottery. The  class parent selection and establishment of the Phone Chain should be implemented as early in  the school year as possible.  

Class Parent Tea: Soon after the class parent selection, a Class Parent Tea should be held for  the purpose of informing class parents of their duties and distributing class lists.  

Class List Coordination: The class list should be divided evenly among the class parents for  each class. The list should be kept current to account for changes in contact information, or to  add or delete students due to changes in enrollment. Class lists are confidential and should be  handled with due discretion. Any parent request to be excluded from the Phone Chain must be  honored.  

Emergency Information: Each class parent must keep a copy of the class list containing  emergency information for each child in the class. This information must be kept readily  available to be used in the event the Phone Chain is activated.  

Phone Chain: The Phone Chain may not be activated without the approval of school  administration. Calls will be made for Emergency Closings (non-weather related closings) and  Early Dismissals only.  

The Class Parent Coordinator will call one class parent from each class. That class parent will  call the remaining class parents, and each will call their assigned parents on the class list.  CONTACT MUST BE MADE WITH A LIVE PERSON to give the following information: (1)  School is closing; (2) Approximate time of dismissal; and (3) Emergency bus stops will be used  (if applicable). If a parent cannot be contacted, a neighbor who has been designated on the  Emergency Form must be contacted. If a live person is not reached after all avenues are  exhausted, the school administrator must be informed.  

The Phone Chain may also be activated, with the prior consent of the school administration, for  the dissemination of PTO or class information.  

Field Trips: Class parents attend field trips to assist the teacher. If unable to attend, the class  parent should inform the teacher as soon as possible so that a replacement may be found. No  siblings may attend class trips. Neither class parents nor students are permitted to purchase  souvenirs. Class parents must pay their own costs associated with attending a field trip.  

Class Parties: Early in the school year, class parents should request a $5.00 donation from  each student’s family to help offset the costs associated with class parties. Families may also  be solicited to provide paper goods, baked goods, beverages, etc. for class parties. Parents who offer donations should receive reminder calls prior to the party. The school administration  and classroom teacher will advise what parties are to be held, and will schedule the dates and  times.  

Class parties may include food, simple crafts, games, or music. The school administration and  classroom teacher will provide any restrictions or guidance on the types of food, beverages,  activities, and favors that are permitted. Parties are not to be associated with particular religious tenets. Food allergies must be considered. Food allergy information should be obtained from  the classroom teacher or the school nurse.  

Teacher Gifts: Class parents are not permitted to solicit money from parents to purchase  holiday or end-of-year gifts for teachers.  

Other Duties: If a PTO event needs volunteers after a reasonable effort has been made to  solicit volunteers from the general parent population, class parents may be asked to volunteer.  

 

MEETINGS  

Schedule: Schedule coordination among the district PTOs should take place as early as  possible to prevent conflicts, and to establish the most workable schedule for all of the officers.  

 

Basic Meeting Agenda:  

  1. Call to Order  
  2. Reading and Approval of Minutes from Previous Meeting  
  3. Treasurer’s Statement  
  4. Principal’s Report  
  5. Reading of Communications  
  6. Reports and their Disposal  
  7. Executive Board  
  8. Standing Committees  
  9. Special Committees  
  10. Unfinished Business  
  11. New Business  
  12. Announcements  
  13. Discussion  
  14. Adjournment  

Voting Procedures:  

  1. Motion  
  2. Discussion  
  3. Vote (Majority is two-thirds of members in good-standing in attendance.) 

END-OF-YEAR PROCEDURES  

Surplus of Funds: In the event that the PTO has a surplus of funds at the close of the school  year, a vote should be taken at the Annual Meeting to determine whether to roll over all or some  of the money to offset costs in the following school year or to use any of the surplus funds for a  PTO gift to the school.  

Gift to School: It is a generally accepted procedure for the outgoing PTO to leave as their  legacy a gift to the school. Ideally, this gift should support the objectives of the organization -- to  promote the academic, artistic, social, and physical development of all students. It is  appropriate for the PTO to work in conjunction with the Site-Based Committee, the staff, and the  administration to determine a list of goals and/or priorities from which the PTO may vote at the  Annual Meeting.  

Calendar: Near the close of the school year, the officers should meet with the school principal  to set up the PTO calendar for the following year, using the current year calendar as a guide.  This provides the committee chairpersons, the incoming officers, and the administration with a  viable framework in which to plan the year.  

Filling Board Vacancies: As a courtesy to their successors, a reasonable effort should be  made by the outgoing officers to fill all vacant Executive Board seats, and equip Committees  with chairpersons for the following school year. This should be accomplished by first inquiring  whether, if eligible, the current year volunteers would like to continue their duties in the following year. The positions that remain unfilled after this initial inquiry should be advertised to the  general population in order to solicit volunteers. If two or more people volunteer for a particular  position, the outgoing officers should use their discretion in choosing from the following options  to resolve the situation.  

  1. Request that one or more of the volunteers assume a different vacant position that would  require a similar effort.  
  2. Allow the volunteers to co-chair or team-chair the position.  
  3. Use a lottery to determine who will hold the committee position, or an election to determine  who will hold an Executive Board position.  
Budget: Before the close of the school year, the current Treasurer (with the support and  assistance of the other officers) should prepare and submit for approval a budget for the  upcoming school year. As outlined in the Bylaws, budgets should be reviewed by each of the  officers before being submitted for a vote of approval at the Annual Meeting.