By-Laws of Dicken elementary PTO

ARTICLE I: Office

Section 1: Location
The principal office of the Dicken Elementary School PTO is located in Dicken Elementary School, 2135 Runnymede, Ann Arbor, MI 48103-5098.

ARTICLE II: Purpose

Section 1: Specific Purposes
The purposes of this organization shall be: To facilitate close cooperation between the parents and teachers of Dicken Elementary School; to facilitate the study of problems involved in the education of children; to present the education needs of Dicken Elementary School to the community; to raise and distribute funds which support and enrich our school community; and generally to serve as a coordinating organization between our school and community.

Section 2: Nonprofit Purposes
The Dicken Elementary School PTO is organized in accordance with Internal Revenue Code Section 501 (c) (3) for the purpose of making distribution to Dicken School. The IRS has classified the Dicken Elementary School PTO as an organization described in Section 509 (a) (2).

ARTICLE III: Members

Section 1: Determination of Members
All Dicken Elementary School staff members and all parents and guardians of Dicken Elementary School students shall automatically be members of this organization.

Section 2: Membership Books
Dicken Elementary School records of parents, guardians, and staff shall constitute the PTO membership book.

ARTICLE IV: Meetings

Section 1: Types of Meetings
All general meetings and executive board meetings shall be open to all members.

Section 2: Number of Meetings
There shall be at least three (3) general meetings of the organization and three (3) executive board meetings during each school year.

Section 3: Notice of Meetings
Members shall be notified of general and executive board meetings at least five (5) days in advance. Meeting notices shall include a means to request agenda items.

Section 4: Quorum for Meetings
A quorum at any general or executive board meeting shall be constituted when two-thirds of the executive board offices are represented. Offices shared by more than one individual are represented when any co-officer is present. If there is no quorum, the only action that may be taken is adjournment.

Section 5: Majority Action
A simple majority vote of those present shall prevail in all matters before the organization, except the amendment of Bylaws, as specified herein.

Section 6: Conduct of Meetings
General and executive board meetings shall be presided over by the president, president-elect, or the president’s designated alternate. The secretary shall act as a secretary of meetings, or in the case of absence, the presiding officers shall appoint a substitute. Meetings shall be guided by Robert’s Rules of Order.

ARTICLE V: Officers

Section 1: Designation of Officers
The Officers of the organization shall consist of thirteen elected Officers, the Principal of Dicken Elementary School, and one Dicken Elementary School teacher as determined by the faculty. The elected Officers shall be: the (1) President, (2) President-Elect, (3) Secretary, (4) Treasurer, (5) Treasurer-Elect, (6) Communications Coordinator, (7) Room Parent Coordinator, (8) Fundraising Coordinator, (9) Volunteer Coordinator, (10) Ann Arbor School District PTO Council (PTOC) Representative, (11) Enrichment Coordinator, (12) Dicken-Slauson Liaison, and (13) Hospitality Chair.

Section 2: Shared Offices
Offices may be filled by more than one individual serving as co-officers.

Section 3: Term of Office
Officers shall take office on June 30th and serve for one year.

Section 4: Vacancies
Vacancies that occur among the Officers shall be filled by the Executive Board. In the event of a vacancy in any office other than that of the President, the vacancy may be filled temporarily by appointment by the President until the Executive Board shall fill the vacancy. Vacancies in appointed (not elected) offices may or may not be filled as the Executive Board shall determine. In the event of the vacancy of the office of President, the President-Elect shall become President.

Section 5: Election
Election of Officers shall be held at the April general meeting. At least thirty (30) days before the general meeting, the President shall appoint a nominating committee of not less than three (3) or more than five (5) members to recruit candidates for all elected positions. Any PTO member may offer a nomination (of self or another) to the committee. The membership shall be notified of the names and nominees at least five (5) days before the election. Nominations shall also be requested from the floor at the election meeting.

There shall be a continuance of at least two (2) elected Officers so as to provide for continuity of ideas and projects.

Section 6: Duties of President
The President shall be the principal Executive Officer of the PTO, and shall be subject to the control of the members, shall, in general, facilitate its business and affairs. The President does not have unilateral authority and must work via the Executive Board Committee to initiate actions on behalf of the Board. The President shall work with the Dicken Elementary School Principal and staff to identify needs and initiate efforts to address them through the PTO and to secure leadership in any activity in which the members, any contracts or other instruments which the members have authorized to be executed, shall authorize budget deviations less than $100, have signature authority for the bank accounts of the organization, and ensure an annual review of financial records. The President shall preside at all general and executive board meetings; arrange and give notice of such meetings; appoint committees, including the nominating committee; and initiate efforts to fill vacant offices.

Section 7: Duties of the President-Elect
The President-Elect shall preside during the absence of the President and work with the President so as to prepare for assuming office the following school year. If the office of President should be vacated, the President-Elect shall become President.

Section 8: Duties of Secretary
The Secretary shall keep minutes of general and executive board meetings, maintain the PTO records as required herein, and conduct correspondence or other duties as assigned by the President or members.

Section 9: Duties of Treasurer/Treasurer-Elect
The Treasurer shall: a) have custody of all funds of the organization, b) keep an account of all monies received and expended for the use of the PTO, c) make disbursements as authorized by the Executive Board, taking proper vouchers for such disbursements, d) deposit all monies in the PTO bank account, e) establish and maintain adequate and correct accounts of the organization’s transactions during the current school year, f) prepare and submit required taxes, g) prepare and make reports at general and Executive Board meetings, h) provide leadership in the development of the PTO operating budget, i) make an annual presentation of the financial records to the Executive Board for review in August, and j) turn over the required records at the end of his/her term for retention in accordance with these bylaws. The Treasurer-Elect shall work with the Treasurer during the year to learn and understand the role.

Section 10: Duties of Communications Coordinator
The Communications Coordinator shall provide notice of PTO events, fundraising and volunteering opportunities, and community awareness to the membership on a regular cadence.

Section 11: Duties of Room Parent Coordinator
The Room Parent Coordinator shall act as head of room parents, recruiting and assigning room parents. S/he will organize and conduct one room parent training meeting, and will coordinate teacher/staff recognition events within the school year.

Section 12: Duties of Fundraising Coordinator
The Fundraising Coordinator shall identify and coordinate fundraising activities to meet the financial need as established by the annual budget.

Section 13: Duties of Volunteer Coordinator
The Volunteer Coordinator shall work with staff and the PTO to determine what activities require volunteers, identify volunteers through the use of sign-up fors and other means, and provide volunteer lists to responsible staff and activity chairs.

Section 14: Duties of PTOC Representative
The PTOC Representative shall attend (or arrange for a substitute to attend) all PTOC Council Meetings, present views and/or proposals to the Council as requested by the Executive Board or general membership, and report PTOC activities to the members.

Section 15: Duties of Teacher Representative
The Teacher Representative shall be invited to represent Dicken Elementary School staff at the Executive Board and general membership meetings.

Section 16: Duties of Enrichment Coordinator
The Enrichment Coordinator shall research and present programs for student body educational enrichment to the Board for review and approval. The Enrichment Coordinator shall serve as a liaison between the PTO and enrichment program providers and represent Dicken with AAPS Enrichment Efforts.

Section 17: Duties of Dicken-Slauson Liaison
The Dicken-Slauson Liaison shall attend Slauson PTO meetings and inform the Dicken community of the Slauson calendar and activities. Liaison leads Fundraising efforts for Fifth Grade special activities and reports back to the PTO.

Section 18: Duties of Hospitality Chairperson
The Hospitality Chairperson coordinates with Committee Chairs to provide refreshments for certain PTO events as agreed with the President and coordinates staff recognition.

Section 19: Officer’s Notes
Each Officer shall maintain notes describing his/her responsibilities and activities and shall turn these notes over to his/her successor at the end of his/her term of office.

Section 20: Officer Removal and Resignation
Any Officer may be removed by a two-thirds vote of the Executive Board (1 vote/office) at any time. Any Officer may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Executive Board.

ARTICLE VI: Executive Board

Section 1: Designation of Executive Board Members
All elected Officers, the Principal of Dicken Elementary School, and a teacher representative comprise the Executive Board.

Section 2: Executive Board Duties
In addition to individual responsibilities of their respective Offices, Executive Board Members shall work together to oversee and direct the organization. The Executive board shall:

a) Develop an annual program plan and operating budget to reflect the plan; publish the proposed budget with the notice for the October general meeting; and present the budget for approval at that meeting.
b) Review and approve or deny proposed budget deviations $100 and greater.
c) Appoint non-elected Officers and replacements for vacant elected Officer positions.
d) Working with the elected officers for the following school year, develop a draft program plan for that year and prepare an interim budget to support the plan; publish the proposed interim budget for approval at that meeting.
e) Oversee PTO programs and activities to ensure compliance with the organization’s stated purpose, Bylaws, Resolutions, Standing Orders, current approved budgets, and decisions of the members.

ARTICLE VII: Contracts, Loans, Checks, and Deposits

Section 1: Contracts
The members may authorize any Officer(s) to enter into any contract or execute and deliver any instrument in the name of and on the behalf of the PTO. Such authority may be general or confined to specific instances.

Section 2: Loans
No loans shall be contracted on behalf of the PTO and no evidence of indebtedness shall be issued in its name unless authorized by a resolution of the members. Such authority may be general or confined to specific instances.

Section 3: Deposits
All funds of the PTO not otherwise employed shall be deposited from time to time to the credit of the PTO in such banks or depositories as the members may select.

ARTICLE VIII: IRC 501 (c) (3) Tax Exemption Provisions

Section 1: Limitations on Activities
No substantial part of the activities of the PTO shall be the carrying on of propaganda or otherwise trying to influence legislation (except as by Section 501(h) of the Internal Revenue Code). Nor shall the PTO intervene in any political campaign on the behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for public office.

Notwithstanding any other provision of these Bylaws, the PTO shall not carry on any activities not permitted a) by a corporation exempt from federal income tax under IRC 501 (c) (3), or b) by an organization to which contributions are deductible under IRC Section 170 (c) (2).

Section 2: Prohibition Against Private Instrument
No part of the net earnings of the PTO shall be paid to its members except for the payment of reasonable compensation for services rendered, reimbursement for expenses incurred, and to make distributions in furtherance of the purposes of the organization. Nor shall members seek or accept private gain from the tax exempt or non-profit status of the PTO.

Section 3: Distribution of Assets
In the event of dissolution, all assets, real and personal, shall be distributed to Dicken Elementary School. If Dicken Elementary School is also dissolved, distribution shall be to such organizations as are qualified as tax exempt under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding provisions of a future United States Revenue Law.

ARTICLE IX: Records

Section 1: Records and Location
The following records are available at the Dicken PTO website: www.DickenPTO.com  & https://www.a2schools.org/site/Default.aspx?PageID=12062 and shall be open to inspection by the members. Records shall be maintained for seven (7) years.

Minutes of all Executive Board and general meetings, indicating the time and place of such meetings, the notice given, the names of those present, and the proceedings thereof.
Current budget and budget tracking updates.
Current and superseded copies of the Bylaws, including records of changes to these documents and the rationale for each amendment.
Current and superseded Resolutions of the members.
Current and prior years’ lists of elected and appointed Officers and committee chairpersons.

The prior year’s books and records of account, including the budget, and actual expenditure records may be obtained from the Treasurer upon request. (The current Treasurer shall maintain these financial records for the current year.)

ARTICLE X: Amendments

Section 1: Approval
These bylaws and amendments to them shall go into effect when approved by a two-thirds majority of the members present at the general PTO meeting. The membership shall be notified of the proposed changes and the time of the meeting at least five (5) days before the meeting.

Updated: 11/1/2012