Sells Middle School PTO Bylaws

JOHN SELLS MIDDLE SCHOOL

PARENT TEACHER ORGANIZATION

ARTICLES OF ORGANIZATION AND BYLAWS

Article I:      NAME

The name of this organization shall be the John Sells Middle School Parent Teacher Organization (PTO).

Article II:     PURPOSE

The organization exists to encourage quality education at John Sells Middle School and to promote more effective support for our middle school students by providing the following:

  1. A time and place for better communication, understanding and unity among parents and teachers/staff at Sells MS.
  2. Involvement in any programs that contribute to the enrichment of the students at Sells MS.
  3. Helping to build a positive morale among students, teachers and parents.
  4. Facilitation of communication between this group and the Dublin Board of Education so that both groups might understand each better and work together to promote the academic and social growth of every student.

The said organization is organized exclusively for charitable, religious, educational, or scientific purposes under section 501©(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Article III:    ARTICLES OF ORGANIZATION

                    This organization exists as a nonprofit not incorporated organization.

These bylaws, as amended periodically, are the governing articles of the organization.  The following are basic policies of the organization:

  1. This organization supports the administration of the school and shall cooperate with the staff in appropriate volunteer activities.
  2. This organization will not participate in any way in any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office, but may endorse issues of benefit to the school.
  3. This organization, or any of its members, may not commit the organization to any commercial activity (sale or endorsement of any product) without a vote of the Executive Board of the PTO.   Furthermore, such commercial activity must be directly related to the stated purpose of the organization.
  4. Founded in 1980, this organization is designed to promote activities, communication, a volunteer network, and programs that would benefit students, teachers and parents.   Although it is not the primary function of the PTO to raise funds, this organization may engage in such activities if they are deemed necessary to support the organizations stated purpose.
  5. No part of the net earnings of the organization shall be used for benefits of or be distributed to members, trustees, or other private persons, except that the organization shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payment and distribution in furtherance of the purposes set forth.
  6. Notwithstanding any other provisions of these articles, the organization shall not carry on any activities not permitted to be carried on by an organization exempt from Federal Income Tax under section 501 ©(3) of the Internal Revenue code, or by an organization contribution to which are deductible under section 170©(2) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Article IV:   MEMBERSHIP

Parents of students attending the school, faculty, and administration may become members.

  1. Dues will no longer be required of those wishing to become a member of the John Sells PTO.   Anyone voluntarily giving a contribution will automatically be considered a supporting member.
  2. Monies collected are to be spent in accordance with Article H.

Article V:     MEETINGS

  1. The PTO Board is comprised of the Executive Board and the Executive Committees.
  2. The PTO Board meetings will be held on a bi–monthly basis with a minimum of five meetings held each year.  The meetings are open to the general membership. The exec board will meet  prior to each meeting face to face or via email to discuss any business needing addressed or voted upon prior to a General meeting.
  3.   The dates of these meetings must be printed on the school  calendar and/or announced to members 5 days prior to the meeting.
  4. PTO Board members are expected to attend monthly board meetings.  The President shall be notified of a necessary absence.
  5. A simple majority of the PTO Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business meetings.
  6. Special meetings may be called by the Executive Board but must be announced to the members of the Executive Board and Committees at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

Article VI:   OFFICERS AND ELECTIONS

  1. The officers of this organization shall be: President, Vice President, Principal, Teacher Representative, Secretary and Treasurer.  These officers constitute the Executive Board.
  2. The President shall accept nominees for each position of the Executive Committee to be filled.
  3.   Descriptions of all Committee positions and nomination procedures shall be maintained on the website.  The President collects and reviews all returned forms and creates the slate of officers and committee chairpersons for the upcoming academic year.
  4. The slate shall be presented at the nominating meeting (May) of the organization.
  5.   Following the report of the slate, an opportunity shall be given for nominations from the floor.
  6. In the event that more than one (1) person is nominated for an office, voting will be done by secret ballot, with three (3) members counting ballots.
  7.   Only a member who has consented to serve if elected will be eligible for nomination.
  8. Officers will assume their duties by July 1st of each year.
  9. In the event that an officer cannot complete his/her term, the Executive Board will elect a replacement from the membership.  Every attempt will be made to fill an office within 30 days.

Article VII: EXECUTIVE BOARD

  1.  The membership of the Executive Board shall consist of the officers listed in Article 6.
  2. The Executive Board may transact the routine business of the organization in the intervals between meetings of the whole but shall not seek to replace the normal transactional functions of the organization as a whole.
  3. The Executive Board may not commit the members to any fundraising without taking a vote of the membership.
  4. The Executive Board shall prepare an annual budget for the organization and present it for approval at the first meeting of the year.
  5. The Executive Board shall keep the Principal of the school informed of the interests and concerns of the members and shall relate the concerns of the principal to the members.
  6. A simple majority of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business meetings.

Article VIII: DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS

  1. The President shall prepare an agenda for and preside at all meetings of the organization and the Executive Board.  S/he will:
  2.   Appoint all committee chairpersons with the help of the PTO members and administration.
  3. Coordinate the work of the organization in order to satisfy the stated purpose.
  4.   See that a written record of the organization’s activities is maintained and file an annual report in that record and pass it along to his/her successor.
  5. Communicate regularly with the members by means of online information and conduct meetings regarding announcements and information.
  6. The Vice President shall act as an aide to the President, shall assume the President’s duties in his/her absence, and shall assume the President position the following year.
  7. The Principal, in holding a position on the Executive Board, will be responsible for information to this PTO of:
  8.   Opportunities for parent volunteers.
  9. Ideas and suggestions of other activities appropriate to the organization’s stated purpose.
  10.   The administration’s response to the expressed concerns of the PTO membership.
  11. Staff requests for PTO funding for projects, supplies, or special activities.
  12. The Secretary shall record the minutes of all meetings and provide copies of said minutes to all members at the monthly PTO meetings.  The minutes from the previous meeting shall be approved by voice vote at each PTO Board meeting.  Minutes of each meeting must be posted publicly(email, website or FB page)  for easy access by all PTO members
  13.     The Treasurer shall receive and distribute all monies administered by the organization and keep accounting records of the same.
  14.   Prepare an annual budget in conjunction with the Executive Board to be approved by the PTO Board at the first meeting.
  15. All monies shall be kept in the bank and all expenses shall be supported by receipts and invoices. All bills accompanied by receipt are to be submitted to the Treasurer by the end of the school year for reimbursement.
  16.   A current financial statement shall be presented at each board meeting.
  17. The fiscal year shall begin July 1 and end June 30th of the next year.
  18.   At the end of the fiscal year, the Treasurer shall prepare books and supportive materials for an audit.  An audit committee of three (3) persons appointed by the President or an accountant/auditor shall review the books. If the committee or accountant is satisfied with the accounts it signs a statement of this fact and files it in the Treasurer’s accounting books.
  19.   The Treasurer and/or President is authorized to disburse funds that are not included in the approved operating budget in amounts up to but not exceeding $200 to individuals and/or companies.  All expenditures exceeding $200 shall be brought to the PTO Board or the PTO Executive Board (if the expenditure must be made before the next board meeting) for approval by a majority vote.  Once the budgeted amount has been spent, any expenditures in excess of two hundred dollars ($200) must be brought to the PTO Board or PTO Executive Board (if the expenditure must be made before the next board meeting) for approval.
  20.     In the event of a budget surplus, the Executive Board will formulate a plan to spend the surplus in the first half of the next budget year in the form of teacher grants or student activities.

It is desirable for the Executive Board to have one-half (½) of a year’s budget in the savings account any any given time– surpluses beyond that should either be allocated to restrict funds (scholarship, multi-year grant support, named special project.) –or– allocated in the next budget year, with fiscal prudence. It is undesirable to spend funds to sake of spending funds it is equally undesirable for there to be an accumulation of funds in excess of ½ a year’s budget in savings.

  1. PTO budget will be publicly posted (email, website, facebook page) with the monthly meeting minutes for easy access by all PTO members.
  1. Teacher representative.
  2.   Attends monthly meetings
  3. Gives feedback in regards to how the staff is willing to participate and what they need
  4.   Acts as a liaison to all staff members communicating PTO plans to staff as well as sharing what’s happening in the school with the PTO

Article IX:   COMMITTEES

  1. The Executive Committees shall be, but are not limited to:

Athletic Program Liaison                            Beautification

Canteens                                                      School Supply Sale

Shamrock Dance Club                                 Staff Appreciation

Eighth Grade Farewell                                Superstar Shamrock

Fundraising                                                  Required book sale

Tailgates                                                      Box Tops/Kroger

Hospitality                                                   PERC

Summer reading book drive

Spirit Wear                                                 

  1. These committees and positions may be added to or deleted as the need arises and as voted upon by the Executive Board.   The Chairpersons of these committees will be assigned from volunteers from the general membership appointed by the President.
  2. Special committees may be appointed by the President and voted upon by the Executive Board to satisfy the short term needs of the organization.
  3. The tenure of all committees ends June 30th or coincides with the fiscal year of July 1st through June 30th of the following calendar year.
  4. The keeping of notes and information by all committee chairs is required for use by the successor or incoming committee chairperson.  All materials or notebooks shall be turned over to the incoming (succeeding) President at the May meeting or no later than July 1.
  5. The chairperson of standing committees shall present plans of work to the Executive Committee. No committee work shall be undertaken without the approval of the PTO Board of Officers.  The duties of chairperson shall be:
  6.   To present and report at the regular meetings of the organization.
  7. To prepare and submit to the organization an annual budget.
  8.   To approve routine bills within the limits of the committee budget.
  9. If the budget is to be exceeded by more than $200, the committee chairperson must present the planned expenditures to the Executive Committee for vote to approve an increase in the committees’ annual budget.

Article XI: Volunteers

Any parent is welcome to volunteer, any volunteer that is responsible for spending PTO dollars or collecting money must show proof of being an approved district volunteer

Article X:  Teacher Grants

Teacher Grant requests, shall be accepted two (2) times a year.  Once in the fall and once in the spring at a mutually agreed upon date.  All requests shall use the provided PTO application and the Executive Board shall follow the approved PTO Rubric when evaluating requests.  All  budgeted teacher grant monies shall be spent within that school year.  Individual requests shall be taken outside of the grant period at the Executive board’s discretion. Any monies left in the Teacher Grant Request budget UP TO $1000.00 (one thousand dollars and zero cents) shall be rolled over to the following year.

Article XI:     AMENDMENTS

  1. The bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting of the Executive Board by a quorum of the Board.  Members shall have 21 days advance notice prior to the meeting. Copies of the suggested changes and amendments shall be available prior to the meeting
  2. The bylaws shall be reviewed every five (5) years.  The revised bylaws will be presented at a monthly meeting with voting for acceptance of the bylaws at the following monthly meeting.  A two-thirds (2/3rds) vote of the voting members present will rule.

Article XII:   DISSOLUTION OF THE ORGANIZATION

  1. This organization may be dissolved by a 2/3 vote of the current board members provided that the members have received notice of the dissolution at least 30 days prior to the meeting.
  2. Upon the dissolution of the organization, the PTO Board of Officers shall after paying or making provision for the payment of all of the liabilities of the organization, dispose of all of the assets of the organization exclusively for educational purposes as shall at the time qualify as an exempt organization of organizations under Section 502©(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law), as the PTO Board of Officers shall determine.  Any such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by the Court of Common Pleas of the County in which the principle office of the organization is then located, exclusively for such purposes or to such organizations, as such Court shall determine, which are organized and operated exclusively for the purposes.

Article XIII: INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE

  1. The said organization is organized exclusively for charitable, religious, educational, and scientific purposes under section 501©(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
  2. No part of the net earnings of the organization shall be used to the benefit of or be distributed to members, trustees, officers, or to other private person(s), except that the organization is authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth hereof.
  3. Notwithstanding any other provisions of these articles, the organization shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on by an organization exempt from Federal Income Tax under Section © (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or by any organization contributions to which are deductible under section 170©(2) of the Internal Revenue Code.

FINAL NOTE: These bylaws were previously revised during the 1998-99 academic year and accepted at the May 11, 1999 PTO Meeting (Mary Jean Vickers, President).

October 9, 2001       Co-Presidents Jeri Beuhler and Faith Rechel

October 11, 2005     President Mary Jo Early

September 1, 2015 (revised) President Corinne Rogers

May 31, 2016 (revised) President Jennifer Simonette


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