bylaws


 * CONSTITUTION & BY-LAWS**
 * COOK-WISSAHICKON** **ELEMENTARY SCHOOL**
 * HOME AND SCHOOL ASSOCIATION**


 * CONSTITUTION**


 * ARTICLE I- NAME**

Our organization will be called the COOK-WISSAHICKON HOME AND SCHOOL ASSOCIATION.


 * ARTICLE II- OBJECTIVES**

The purpose of our association will be to conduct meetings, engage in activities, and raise funds that will:
 * 1) Promote cooperation and communication between parents, school staff, and our neighboring communities.
 * 2) Provide support for the growth, education, and development of our children.
 * 3) Enhance the educational and physical environment of the Cook-Wissahickon Elementary School.


 * ARTICLE III- OFFICERS**

Section 1. The Officers of the Home and School Association Executive Board shall be as follows:
 * 1) President
 * 2) Vice-President
 * 3) Treasurer
 * 4) Recording Secretary
 * 5) Corresponding Secretary

Section 2. The School Principal is also a non-voting member of the Executive Board.

Section 3. Elections for officers will be held in the spring of an election year.

Section 4. The term of office will be two years.

Section 5. Officers are free to run for as many terms as they wish.

Section 6. It is not necessary to be a current member of the Executive Board at the time of an election.

Section 7. Vacancies among officers shall be filled by appointment by the President when they occur between elections with approval of the Executive Board. If it is deemed necessary by the Executive Board, special elections may be held; e.g. If vacancy occurs at a time such as graduation or withdrawal of student with a period of six months or more until next scheduled election.

Section 8. Officers must have children enrolled in the school.

Section 9. Installation of officers following an election should take place as current needs dictate.

Section 10. Officers must be members in good standing (i.e. dues paid for membership) of the Home and School Association.


 * ARTICLE IV – MEETINGS**

Section 1. There shall be at least six general meetings during the school year.

Section 2. The Executive Board shall meet as needed during the school year.

Section 3. The President may call special meetings of the Executive Board with appropriate notice to all Executive Board Members. Appropriate notice should allow enough time for members to respond and, attempt to accommodate members in terms of time constraints; one week notice is suggested.

Section 4. The Executive Board may call a special meeting by request of three Executive Board members in writing and one week written notice to all Executive Board members.

Section 5. The general membership may call a meeting with twenty requests in writing from Association members and two weeks written notice to the Association membership.

Section 6. A quorum for an executive board meeting requires the presence of at least three (3) officers. The Corresponding Secretary must provide appropriate notice to all Executive Board members.

Section 7. A quorum for an Association meeting requires the presence of at least three (3) officers and any number of general members who are not officers. The Association must provide appropriate notice to the Association membership.


 * ARTICLE V-AMENDING CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS**

Section 1. The Constitution and By-laws will be reviewed as circumstances deem necessary.

Section 2.Proposed changes must be approved by a majority of the general membership. Notification of any proposed changes should be made at least one month before the date on which the general membership considers the change. Association members will vote for such changes at the general membership meeting that occurs following notification of a proposed change.

Section 3. The Cook –Wissahickon Home and School Association will make its Constitution and By-laws available for inspection at the school along with details of any proposed changes in writing.


 * BY-LAWS**


 * ARTICLE I- POLICIES**

Section 1. The Cook-Wissahickon Home and School Association is a non-profit, non-sectarian, and non-partisan organization.

Section 2. The Cook-Wissahickon Home and School Association will be a member of the Philadelphia Home and School Council which entails payment of annual dues to that organization.


 * ARTICLE II-DUES**

Section1. The Cook-Wissahickon Home and School Association will conduct a membership drive each year.

Section 2. The //suggested// dollar amount for annual membership will be $5.00. This amount may be revised by the President if he/she finds that this amount will preclude a parent/guardian from joining the Association.

Section 3. Membership dues will first go towards the payment of the annual fee to the PHSC. The remainder of dues collected will be placed in each school year’s “start-up” account.


 * ARTICLE III- MEMBERSHIP**

Section 1. The parent or guardian of any child attending the Cook-Wissahickon Elementary School may become a member of the Home and School Association upon payment of the annual membership fee.

Section 2. The Principal and staff of the school are invited to become //non-voting// members of the Association.

Section 3. The only exception to the non-voting status as detailed in Section 2 is when the Principal or staff member is a parent or guardian of a student attending Cook- Wissahickon Elementary School.

Section 4. A staff or faculty member may be elected, appointed, or volunteer to serve as a Faculty Representative to the Association.


 * ARTICLE IV – DUTIES OF OFFICERS**

Section 1. The President shall
 * 1) Convene and preside at all meetings of the Executive Board and the Association.
 * 2) Be an ex-officio member of all committees except the nominating committee.
 * 3) Attend Philadelphia Home and School Council (PHSC) meetings; in an emergency, the President shall appoint an alternate to attend in his/her absence.
 * 4) Attend West Regional President meetings; in an emergency, the President shall appoint an alternate to attend in his/her absence.
 * 5) Sign checks with the Treasurer for payment of approved expenditures

Section 2. The Vice-President shall:
 * 1) Preside at all meetings in the absence of the President.
 * 2) Serve as the alternate signatory on Association checks with the Treasurer when the President is unable to do so.

Section 3. The Recording Secretary shall:
 * 1) Record minutes of all meetings, submit copy to Principal and President, keep copy of Minutes in binder located in Association office for membership to review, submit copy of Minutes for distribution on listserv.
 * 2) Keep the attendance records of each meeting and keep one copy with Minutes and submit one copy to Principal.

Section 4. The Correspondence Secretary shall:
 * 1) Keep membership records, in conjunction with membership committee chairperson.
 * 2) Maintain an Accurate membership list.
 * 3) Conduct such correspondence as deemed necessary by Executive Board e.g. assist in creation and distribution of fliers, notices, requests for volunteers etc. that are sent home to school families.

Section 5. The Treasurer shall:
 * 1) Have charge of all association funds.
 * 2) Receive all funds collected on behalf of the Association, including those funds collected by Association committees, and funds collected at Association sponsored events.
 * 3) Pay all bills by check drawn upon the Association’s account. The President or other authorized officer must countersign all Association checks.
 * 4) Keep record of all receipts and expenditures
 * 5) Present statements of finance at each Executive Board meeting and General Membership Meeting.
 * 6) These records must also be available for inspection by any association member or PHSC representative.
 * 7) Prepare and file all necessary tax forms.
 * 8) Be an ex-officio member of the fundraising committee.

Section 6. No monies belonging to the Association should go home with __anyone.__ Monies collected should be counted by two individuals to insure accuracy, and two individuals should assume responsibility for bank deposits.


 * ARTICLE V – THE EXECUTIVE BOARD**

Section 1. The Executive Board shall consist of the elected officers and be chaired by the President. In the absence of the president, the Vice-President shall chair an Executive Board meeting.

Section 2. The function of the Executive Board is to review, advise, and transact the business of the Association.

Section 3. The Executive Board is responsible for developing an annual budget, ensuring that all proper financial duties are met.Budget will be completed by the end of each calender year.

Section 4. A quorum for an executive board meeting requires the presence of at least three (3) Officers.

Section 5. Any officer not attending three consecutive meetings of the Executive Board without notifying the President (or other Executive Board member in the case of the President) may be dismissed from the Executive Board and from his or her office through a unanimous vote by the other Executive Board members.

Section6. Executive Board members should be dues paying members of the Association with permissible exception of Principal and Faculty Representative, if one has been designated. Again, members without children enrolled in the Cook-Wissahickon Elementary School, are non-voting members.


 * ARTICLE VI – COMMITTEES**

Section 1. The Executive Board may authorize the creation of special committees as the need arises. The Executive Board shall dissolve such committees upon the completion of the duty assigned or at the end of the academic year, whichever comes first.

Section 2. Association members wishing to form a committee must submit a brief proposal outlining the need for the committee, the committee goals, the committee’s proposed scope of action, and length of term to the Executive Board for review. Alternatively, using same guidelines, Association members may introduce topic of specific committees at membership meeting where it can be discussed and voted on by membership.

Section 3. The Nominating Committee shall be considered an Ad-Hoc Committee. However, the creation and governance of this committee shall be as described in Article VIII.


 * ARTICLE VII –COMMITTEE REQUIREMENTS**

Section 1. All committees, should nominate a chairperson (and vice chairperson if needed) as soon as possible after the creation of the committee. All committees will be required to submit progress reports to the Association membership.

Section 2. The committee chairperson is responsible for producing progress reports.

Section 3. The Committee Chairperson shall keep minutes of committee meetings and regularly update the Executive Board and general membership regarding activities. Committee minutes should be forwarded to the Executive Board for reporting and filing in a timely manner. The minimum documentation required will be as follows:
 * 1) Date, time and location of meeting, and notation of the attendance.
 * 2) Members present and members absent.
 * 3) Business and issues discussed.
 * 4) Record of any motions, voting activity, and the results.

Section 4. The minimum membership required to constitute a committee is three members. A quorum must be met for a committee to transact business. The minimum standard for Quorum is three members for committees having between three and five members and is half of the committee members plus one for all committees larger than five members.

Section 5. Committee chairpersons must submit their minutes for review and approval by the President before the minutes are filed and/or published. The President can designate other board members to review minutes from specific committees.Minutes of committee meetings should be kept in a binder in the Association office.


 * ARTICLE VIII- NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS COMMITTEE**

Section 1. A Nominations and Elections Committee shall be formed between January and March of an election year for the purpose of identifying candidates for election and for overseeing the election process. The Nominations and Elections Committee will select its own chairperson. The Nominations and Elections Committee will consist of at least:
 * 1) One Executive Board officer (not the President of the Association), current Officers running for re-election may serve on this committee but should not be present if there are discussions by other committee members regarding the post they are running for.
 * 2) At least three members of the Association general membership.

Section 2. **Any** parent or guardian may nominate an individual for office in the Home and School Association.

Section 3. Nominations for candidacy shall open at the March Association General Membership meeting of an election year and close one week before the April Association meeting.

Section 4. Each candidate shall have the opportunity to speak briefly at the April Association meeting if they so desire.

Section 5. Candidates shall have the opportunity to write a brief statement about themselves which will be distributed to the membership.

Section6. You **must** be a member of the Home and School Association to run for office and to vote in Elections.

Section7. Other issues regarding the Nominations and Elections Committee will adhere to guidelines developed in the PHSC LEADERSHIP HANDBOOK.


 * ARTICLE IX – CONDUCT OF ELECTIONS**

Section 1. The election of officers shall take place before the May meeting of the Association. Balloting procedure shall be determined by the Nominations and Elections Committee.

Section 2. The Nominations and Elections Committee shall count all the ballots after the close of balloting and the results will be announced without delay. The Chair of the committee shall hold the ballots for a period of 30 days, and if there is no challenge to the election, shall destroy them.

Section 3. Any member who is unable to vote at the times scheduled by the Nominations and Elections Committee may get an absentee ballot from the Chair of the Nominations and Elections Committee by contacting the Chair no less than one week before the May Association meeting. The ballot must reach the Chair before the date designated to count the ballots and should be in a sealed envelope.

Section 4. The winner shall be the candidate with the most votes. In the case of a tie, the tied candidates will engage in a run-off election to be held one week after the May Association meeting. The run-off election balloting will be open one day. In the case of an additional tie the winner will be determined by coin toss witnessed by the candidates.


 * ARTICLE X-FINANCIAL RELATIONS WITH SCHOOL DISTRICT**

Section 1. The policies and procedures developed by the School District of Philadelphia’s Office for School Operations will be adhered to in respect to fundraising activities.

Section2. These policies cover sales of food and other merchandise, bazaars, fairs, and yard sales, photography/class pictures, projects sponsored by commercial organizations, accounting for funds raised, and Principal’s responsibilities re: school sponsored activities, safekeeping of earned funds, and special activities.

Section 3.Aforementioned policies and procedures are clearly defined by the District and found in the PHSC Leadership Guide which will be used as reference source.

Section4. Dollar amounts or ranges will be developed to provide an organized approach to Association expenditures .e.g. amounts up to $250 may be approved by the Association President, amts. up to $500 may be approved by a majority of the Executive Board, and, amounts exceeding $500 will be voted on by the membership at monthly meetings. This provides flexibility in the disbursement of funds, provides appropriate authority for said disbursements, and, allows the membership to have an active voice in how funds are spent.


 * ARTICLE XI-REFERENCE SOURCES**

Section 1. Any procedure not provided for in these Constitution and Bylaws shall be governed by the most current edition of Roberts Rules of Order.

Section 2. Questions dealing with issues not covered by Roberts Rules of Order shall be addressed by referral to the PHSC LEADERSHIP HANDBOOK and/or consultation with the current PHSC Regional Representative.

//APPROVED by the Constitution and By-Laws Committee on:// //APPROVED by the Officers on:// //APPROVED by the Principal on:// //APPROVED by Membership on://


 * PROPOSED FORMAT OF HOME AND SCHOOL ASSOCIATION CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS**


 * PREPARED BY COMMITTEE FOR CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS**