PTO ByLaws

PTO ByLaws

Walnut Bend Elementary School Parent-Teacher Organization By-Laws

Article I: Name

The name of this organization shall be the Walnut Bend Elementary School Parent-Teacher Organization (“PTO”), Houston , Texas. Elsewhere in these by-laws, use of the terms “the/this organization” shall refer to the Walnut Bend Elementary School PTO.

Article II: Purposes

The purposes of the Walnut Bend Elementary School Parent-Teacher Organization shall be:

To promote the welfare of children and youth in home, school, and community.
To raise the standards of home life.
To support laws for the care and protection of children and youth.
To bring into closer relationship the home and the school, so that parents and teachers may cooperate intelligently in the training of the child.
To develop between educators and the general public such united efforts as will secure for every child the highest advantages in physical, mental, and social education.

Article III: Basic Policies

Section 1. This organization shall be non-commercial, non-sectarian, and non-partisan. It shall not endorse a commercial enterprise or a candidate for political office. The name of the organization or the names of any members in their official capacities shall not be used in any connection with a commercial concern or with any partisan interest, or for any other purpose other than the regular work of the organization.
Section 2. This organization shall not directly or indirectly participate or intervene (in any way, including the publishing or distributing of statements) in any political campaign on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for public office; or devote more than an insubstantial part of its activities to attempting to influence legislation by propaganda or otherwise.
Section 3. This organization may cooperate with other organizations and agencies active in child welfare, such as conference groups or coordinating councils, provided its representatives make no commitments that bind the organization.
Section 4. In the event of dissolution of this organization, the assets of the organization shall 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 IV: Membership and Dues

Section 1. Any teacher, parent, guardian, or relative of a student or teacher attending Walnut Bend Elementary School, who is willing to uphold the policies of the Walnut Bend Elementary School PTO and subscribe to its by-laws, may become a member upon payment of dues.
Section 2. The annual dues shall amount to $10.00 per family.
Section 3. Annual enrollment of members shall be conducted in August. Additional members shall be accepted at any time.
Section 4. The privilege of holding office, introducing motions, debating, and voting shall be limited to members of the organization whose current dues are paid.

Article V: Leadership

The leadership of the organization shall consist of the officers and an executive committee, each having specific responsibilities.
Section 1. The officers of the organization shall be a president, two vice-presidents, a recording secretary, a corresponding secretary, a treasurer, and a parliamentarian.
Section 2. The executive committee shall consist of the officers of the organization, the chairpersons of standing committees, the principal of the school (or a representative appointed by the principal), and the assistant principal(s) of the school.

Article VI: Officers and their Elections

Section 1.

a. Officers shall be elected annually at the General Meeting in May.
b. Election of officers shall be by secret ballot. Only those members of the organization present at the General Meeting in May are eligible to cast a ballot. However, if there is but one nominee for any office, by motion from the floor, election for that office (or offices) may be by voice vote.
c. All officers shall assume their official duties on May 31, and shall serve a term of one year or until their successors assume their duties.
d. A person shall not be eligible to serve for than two consecutive terms in the same office.

Section 2.

a. A nominating committee shall be formed to identify candidates for the next year’s officers.
b. The nominating committee shall consist of five members – two of whom shall be selected by the executive committee from its members, and three of whom shall be elected by the organization at the General Meeting in February from among the members-at-large of the organization. The president shall appoint one of the five members to serve as chairperson of the nominating committee.
c. The nominating committee shall identify one nominee for each officer position.
d. The nominating committee shall present their nominees at the General Meeting in April.
e. Following the report of the nominating committee at the General Meeting in April, an opportunity shall be given for nominations from the floor.
f. Only those who have consented to serve if elected shall be eligible for nomination either by the committee or from the floor.

Section 3. A vacancy occurring in any office shall be filled for the remainder of the term by a person elected by a majority vote of the remaining members of the executive committee, due notice of such an election having been given. In case a vacancy occurs in the office of president, the first vice-president shall serve notice of the election.

Article VII: Duties of Officers

Section 1. The president shall preside at all meetings of the organization, and of the executive committee; shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed in these by-laws or assigned to him/her by the organization or the executive committee; and shall coordinate the work of the officers and committees.
Section 2. The first vice-president shall act as aide to the president; shall perform the duties of the president in the absence or inability of the president to serve; and shall act as program chairperson.
Section 3. The second vice-president shall act as aide to the president; shall perform the duties of the president in the absence or inability of the president and first vice-president to serve; and shall act as membership chairperson. As membership chairperson, the second vice-president shall provide a roster of members in good standing at each General Meeting of the organization.
Section 4. The recording secretary shall record the minutes of all meetings of the organization and of the executive committee, and perform such other duties as may be delegated to him/her.
Section 5. The corresponding secretary shall conduct the correspondence of the organization, and shall notify officers, committee members, and delegates of their election.
Section 6.

a. The treasurer shall keep an accurate record of all monies received and be responsible for all expenditures made.
b. The treasurer’s accounts shall be examined annually by an external auditor. Satisfied that the treasurer’s annual report is correct, the auditor shall sign a statement of that fact at the end of the report. This report will be given at the General Meeting in September.
c. Any two of the officers consisting of the president, first vice-president, treasurer, and recording secretary shall be authorized to countersign checks, with one of the two being the treasurer.
Section 7. The parliamentarian shall be familiar with parliamentary procedures, and shall, upon request of the presiding officer, rule upon matters of procedure.
Section 8. All officers shall:
a. Perform the duties prescribed in the parliamentary authority in addition to those outlined in these by-laws and those assigned from time to time.
b. Be authorized to spend up to $300.00 per item on non-budgeted items, without prior approval of the executive committee.
c. Deliver to their successors all official materials/plans within ten days following the date at which their successors assume their official duties.

Article VIII: Executive Committee

Section 1. The duties of the executive committee shall be:

a. To appoint members to existing standing committees.
b. To create new standing committees and appoint members to them.
c. To approve the work plans of the standing committees.
d. To report, at the General Meetings, on the status of the activities of the organization.
e. To review and submit to the organization for approval at the General Meeting in September, the budget for the fiscal year.
f. To approve routine expenditures within the limits of the budget.

Section 2. The members of the executive committee shall serve until their successors assume their duties.

Article IX: Standing Committees

Section 1. Such standing committees shall be created by the executive committee as deemed necessary to promote the objectives and carry on the work of the organization. Chairpersons of standing committees shall be selected by the executive committee of the organization. Members of standing committees shall serve a term of one year. There is no limit to the number of terms a member may serve on any standing committee.
Section 2. The chairperson of each standing committee shall present a plan of work to the executive committee for approval. No committee work shall be undertaken without the consent of the executive committee.
Section 3. The power to form special committees and appoint their members rests with the organization, unless this power is delegated by the organization to the executive committee or the president. Since a special committee is created and appointed for a specific purpose, it automatically goes out of existence when its work is done and its final report is received.
Section 4. The president shall be, ex officio, a member of all committees except the nominating committee.

Article X: Meetings

Section 1.

a. General meetings of this organization shall be held monthly during the school year (August to May). Six days’ notice shall be given of the meeting date and agenda, by notices sent home with the children from the school.
b. Special meetings of the organization may be called by the executive committee. Six days’ notice shall be given of the meeting date and agenda, by notices sent home with the children from the school.
c. Attendance of ten percent of the members in good standing shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business in any meeting of the organization.

Section 2. Meetings of the executive committee may be called by the president, or by a majority of the members of the executive committee. Six days’ notice of the meeting date and agenda shall be given to all the members of the executive committee. A majority of executive committee members shall constitute a quorum for transaction of business in an executive committee meeting.
Section 3. The officers of the organization shall meet to prepare a budget for the upcoming fiscal year, prior to the General Meeting in August.

Article XI: Parliamentary Authority

Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised shall govern this organization in all cases to which they are applicable.
The by-laws of this organization shall be deemed to be part of its articles of organization.

Article XII: Amendments

Section 1. These by-laws may be amended at any General Meeting of the organization by a two-thirds vote of the members present and voting, provided notice of the proposed amendment(s) shall have been given at the previous General Meeting.
Section 2. After approval by a two-thirds vote at a General Meeting of the organization, copies of the amended or revised by-laws shall be made available to members of the organization.
Section 3. A special committee may be appointed to submit a revised set of by-laws as a substitute for these by-laws by a majority vote at a General Meeting of the organization, or by a two-thirds vote of the executive committee. The procedure for action on amendments in Article XII, Sections (1) and (2) should then be followed.