MIDLAND ELEMENTARY PTO
CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
ARTICLE I. NAME
The name of this organization shall be the Midland Elementary PTO.
ARTICLE II. MISSION STATEMENT
This organization is to promote a closer cooperation between home, teacher and school, to support the school by providing social functions and financial assistance and to promote the welfare of the children and their educational growth.
ARTICLE III. GOALS OF MIDLAND ELEMENTARY PTO
ARTICLE IV. MEMBERSHIP
All parents, guardians, Midland District residents or teachers of the Midland Schools who are interested in the welfare and betterment of the school are eligible for membership in this organization. There will be no dues.
ARTICLE V. MEETINGS
Section 1. Regular monthly meetings during the school year shall be held at Midland Elementary or other specially designated place on the First Monday promptly at 6:30 pm, unless a conflict arises, necessitating a change of date or time.
Section 2. The number of members present, regardless of how many, shall constitute a quorum and the meeting shall legally take place.
Section 3. A majority vote in favor or against a motion shall determine its fate.
ARTICLE VI. GOVERNING BODY
Section 1. The officers of this organization shall be President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Communications Director.
A. These officers shall constitute an Executive Board to meet on call by the President or by any six members of the committee for the consideration of special matters between regular meetings.
B. All executive officers should have Midland Elementary School email addresses or other (i.e. Yahoo, Hotmail) email addresses designated for Midland Elementary PTO (midlandpresident@yahoo.com).
C. The Executive Board may authorize purchases or expenditures up to $100.00 to be presented for approval at the next monthly meeting, if said purchases or expenditures are not in the approved budget.
Section 2. A Board of Directors consisting of the elected officers, and standing committee chairmen shall be in control of the property and management of the organization, subject to the will of the membership. This Board shall act upon any emergency that may require immediate action between regular meetings. Minutes shall be taken and a full report given at the next regular meeting.
ARTICLE VII. DUTIES OF OFFICERS
PRESIDENT
The President should be willing to dedicate 2-4 hours per month for meetings, including the Executive and General Membership meetings.
Responsibilities
a. Conduct all PTO Executive Board and General Membership meetings.
b. Confer with the Principal prior to all meetings.
c. Prepare agenda prior to meetings.
d. Work with teachers to assess their needs.
e. Attend district meetings, as necessary.
f. Coordinate elections of Board members.
g. Appoint financial review committee.
h. Coordinate summer budget meeting.
i. Vote only to break any ties on motions.
j. Appoint committee chairperson(s).
k. Sign checks.
l. Shall help Executive Board govern the Executive and General Membership meeting using
Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised.
m. Update website at MES with meeting agenda.
VICE PRESIDENT
The Vice President should be willing to dedicate 2-4 hours per month for meetings, including the Executive and General Membership meetings.
Responsibilities
a. Conduct PTO Executive and General Board meetings in the absence of the PTO President.
b. Organize childcare for the PTO meetings when necessary.
c. Find volunteers to coordinate PTO sponsored events.
d. Attend committee meetings as needed.
e. Assist President and Committee Chairperson with filling committees.
SECRETARY
The Secretary should be willing to dedicate 2-4 hours per month for meetings, including the Executive and General Membership meetings.
Responsibilities
a. Record minutes of the Executive Board meeting and distribute to Board members.
b. Record minutes of the General Membership meeting and distribute to members.
c. Make meeting minutes available for the Midland District website.
d. Distribute meeting minutes to teachers, staff and faculty at schools.
e. Shall be custodian of all official records.
f. Shall conduct all correspondence and give notice of all regular and special meetings and any
other business of the membership.
TREASURER
The Treasurer should be willing to dedicate 4-6 hours per month for meetings, including the Executive and General Membership meetings.
Responsibilities
a. Responsible for checking/savings account.
b. Receive and deposit all money.
c. Pay out funds in accordance with the approved budget or as authorized by the Executive
Board.
d. Prepare, along with the financial review committee, the yearly budget for the new school year.
e. Present budget and financial report to the Executive Board and General Membership meeting
for approval.
f. Present all outstanding invoices not in budget at General Membership meetings for approval.
g. Prepare year-end financial statements for audit by financial review committee.
h. Monitor and renew tax-exempt status.
COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR
The Public Relations/Communications person should be willing to dedicate 2-4 hours per month for meetings, including the Executive and General Membership meetings.
Responsibilities
a. Coordinate media coverage of PTO sponsored events.
b. Prepare and distribute PTO promotional flyers for MES.
c. Coordinate information for monthly PTO newsletter for MES.
d. Provide information to Webmaster or individual(s) responsible for maintaining and
updating school website, as it pertains to PTO news, information, and events at MES.
e. Provide notification to General Membership of any Executive Board vacancies.
f. Prepare and distribute teacher & faculty invite to PTO meetings at MES.
g. Update bulletin board at MES regularly.
ARTICLE VIII. ELECTIONS
Section 1. President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Communications Director shall be elected by a majority vote of those attending the meeting.
Section 2. Prior to the annual election, the President shall appoint a chairman and two-member nomination committee. This committee shall present a slate of one or more nominees for each office at the April meeting, these members having agreed to serve if elected.
Section 3. Nominations may also be made from the floor by any member preceding the vote for that office.
Section 4. All new officers shall be installed at the May meeting. The new officers and
standing committee chairmen (excluding the nominating committee chairman) shall assume their duties at the end of the current school year and shall hold the office for a period of one year or until their successors are duly elected and installed or appointed. All officers can be re-elected to the same office one time only. No officer may serve more than 2 terms in the same office consecutively.
ARTICLE IX. AUDITS
A financial review committee shall review the Midland Elementary PTO books annually before the books are turned over to the new board. The committee shall consist of at least one outgoing or current, board member and one incoming board member, along with one other current member of good standing. This committee may not include either the outgoing or the incoming treasurer. This committee will match every financial request with every receipt. The committee’s report will be submitted to the Executive Board at the first General Membership meeting of the new school year. The committee will be appointed by the President and approved by the Executive Board.
ARTICLE X. FUNDS/BUDGET
Section 1. All PTO checks will require two signatures. Authorized signatures on PTO checks shall include the Treasurer, the President and the Vice President. The signature on the check cannot be the payee. For example, in the case of the Treasurer needing reimbursement, the check must be signed by the other two authorized signatures.
Section 2. To be reimbursed from the PTO, a reimbursement form along with a receipt or invoice stapled to the form must be submitted to the Treasurer. If it is not an item written in the budget, two board members must sign the request form. Receipts are required for reimbursement.
Section 3. If teachers or staff would like to request funds from the PTO they must fill out a Request for Funds Form and submit that form to the Treasurer for approval at the General Membership meeting.
Section 4. At the end of an event where monies have been collected, a cash control slip will be filled out by two PTO members, one of whom should be the Treasurer. The members cannot be next of kin. Both members should count the money, sign, and date the slip.
Section 5. PTO funds should go directly from the school to the bank for deposit. If the bank is not open, monies will be stored in the school safe. PTO funds will not be taken home.
Section 6. A budget will be determined by the Financial Committee & Treasurer prior to the first General Membership meeting each school year. The budget will be discussed at that first meeting and must be approved by the second General Membership meeting. All expenditures within the realm of the approved budget are authorized expenses. Budget will be posted on the Midland website after membership approval.
Section 7. The Financial Committee & Treasurer will determine a Cash Management Policy to determine how cash will be handled at various events.
ARTICLE XI. COMMITTEES
Each year the Executive Board shall form a Nominating Committee no later than February and a Financial Review Committee no later than April. The Executive Board shall determine all other committees deemed proper and necessary during the school year such as to fulfill the purpose of the organization.
Committees could include, but are not limited to: Family School Night, Grandparents Day, School Carnival, Book Fair, Teacher Appreciation, RIF, Field Day, Bake Sales, School Directory and Fundraising.
ARTICLE XII. RULES OF ORDER
Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised shall govern the proceedings of this organization not herein provided for. At the 1st meeting of the year a condensed version will be provided for each member at the meeting. If questions arise, the Secretary will have a copy at each meeting A copy will also be posted on the Midland website.
ARTICLE XIII. AMENDMENTS
This Constitution and By-Laws may be amended at any regular meeting by a two-thirds vote of those present, provided the proposed amendment has been presented and discussed.
ARTICLE XIV. BY-LAWS
The By-laws will be reviewed every two years by a committee appointed by the Executive Board
Updated 8/2011