Novi Deerfield PTO By-Laws
October 2019
ARTICLE Ⅰ
Name of Organization:
- The name of the parent organization of Deerfield Elementary School will be the Novi Deerfield PTO.
- The organization shall be incorporated as a Domestic Nonprofit Corporation under the Laws of the State of Michigan. The Nonprofit Corporation Information Update shall be filed by the President/Co-President each year by no later than October 1.
- The organization shall comply with the requirements for receiving Board approval under Board of Education policy #7008, Community Support Organizations. Required information shall be provided to the Executive Director of Administrative Services by no later than June 15 of each year.
ARTICLE Ⅱ
Organization of the PTO:
- The Governing board of the PTO shall be a Board consisting of a President or Co-Presidents, Vice-President, Volunteer Coordinator, Treasurer, Secretary and the Principle. All members of the Board shall be voting members. The Board may develop an additional Board position, for a specific role, the position term will be evaluated on a yearly basis.
- Committees are established by the Board with a mission that will benefit Deerfield. Committees can be comprised of parents, students, staff members, or PTO members. Each committee will have the autonomy to work to achieve its mission and develop strategies for accomplishing its goals. Committees are expected to work within their budgets. Any request for increases in committee budgets must be made to the Board for approval. It is encouraged that a representative of each committee attend the PTO parent meetings. The Board shall create and dissolve committees as needs arise.
- All parents with children enrolled at Deerfield are members of the PTO. Each member attending a PTO parent meeting shall have voting rights.
- It is encouraged that a representative from Kindergarten through second grade and one from grades three through four be members.
ARTICLE Ⅲ
PTO purposes:
- To promote the health, welfare and safety of Deerfield students in the home, school and community.
- To establish good communication among parents, teachers, and administrators.
- To provide an opportunity for parents, teachers and administrators to discuss matters of mutual concern.
- To encourage family involvement in school activities.
- Keep informed of current District issues.
- PTO Mission Statement:
To enhance and support the education, character growth and relationships of the students of Deerfield Elementary.
Our mission statement should be a guide when making financial decisions.
ARTICLE Ⅳ
Responsibilities:
President/Co-Presidents
- Schedule and lead PTO Board and parent meeting.
- Oversee that the duties necessary for the effective operation of the organization are being performed and act when special circumstances arise.
- Attend the monthly interschool council meeting and give a report regarding events at Deerfield. Report any information received at these meetings to the Board and at PTO parent meetings.
- Represent or select a representative to participate in selected District activities such as the long-range Planning Committee.
- Keep apprised of issues raised and actions taken at the Board of Education meetings.
- Coordinate PTO speeches at Kindergarten Visitation and the yearly School Board meeting held at Deerfield.
- Coordinate the nomination of Board members for the following year.
- Work with the Treasurer to set up the annual budget before school begins in the fall.
- Coordinate surveys, if needed, of the parents and staff.
- Prepare a preliminary calendar of PTO events prior to the beginning of school in the fall, and complete facility use forms.
- File and complete Nonprofit Corporation Information Update referenced in ArticleⅠ, Section B.
- Establish a system to maintain communication between the Board and committees.
- Contact assigned committees the Board feels should report at an upcoming PTO meeting.
Vice-President
- Attend PTO Board and parent meetings and give updated reports.
- Create and distribute an introduction packet to all Board members. The packet shall include information on updated policies and procedures, a preliminary PTO calendar of events, and a listing of committee chairpersons and budgets.
- If necessary, step in for the President/Co-Presidents at meetings and speaking engagements.
- Sort the PTO mail weekly.
- Provide updates to the PTO website, as needed and publish a monthly newsletter.
- Contact assigned committees the Board feels should report at an upcoming PTO meeting.
- Invite guest speaker to parent meeting.
Treasurer
- Attend monthly PTO Board and parent meetings and give updated reports.
- Make deposits and remit payments. Reconcile the bank account as bank statements are received.
- Keep revenue/expense report updated and report on the budget at each PTO parent meeting.
- Obtain signature from other PTO Board members for PTO checks.
- Work with President/Co-Presidents and other Board Members to create annual budget before the start of school in the fall.
- Be available at events, or find another board member in their place, which require collection of funds “at the door.” Cash boxes are to be provided and overseen during events by the Treasurer and/or the President/Co-Presidents.
- Obtain a financial report from any chairperson who coordinates an event that requires the collection of funds.
- Prepare Classroom Enrichment checks for teachers and staff members as agreed by the Board.
- Contact assigned committees the Board feels should report at an upcoming PTO meeting.
Secretary
- Attend PTO Board and parent meetings and give updated reports. Take and prepare minutes during the meetings. Minutes should be e-mailed to the board within a week of the meeting. A hard copy should be put in the binder in the PTO office. Attach any quotes or invoices that were approved.
- Prepare and post a PTO parent meeting reminder notice and prepare meeting agenda.
- Have a sign-in sheet ready on the welcome table at the PTO parent meetings.
- Take minutes at the PTO parent meetings. Provide a summary in the PTO newsletter and post full minutes on the PTO bulletin board and website.
- Handle PTO correspondence, such as, curriculum support cards, community thank you’s, holiday staff cards, teacher retirement etc..
- Note attendance on minutes.
- Contact assigned committees the Board feels should report at an upcoming PTO meeting.
- Prepare the agenda for the PTO parent meetings.
- Prepare and send a thank you note to guest speakers from parent meeting.
Volunteer Coordinator
- Attend PTO Board and parent meetings and give updated reports.
- Coordinate chairpersons for each committee. Trouble-shoot and replace volunteers when necessary.
- Contact those committees the Board feels should report at an upcoming PTO meeting.
- Lead the committee reports at PTO parent meetings and give brief reports for current committees if chairpersons are not present.
- Send out volunteer forms and create volunteer listings by committee.
- Speak at Welcome Coffee on the first day of school, ELL parent coffee, Kindergarten Visitation in the spring and any other opportunity that arises to spread the word about volunteer opportunities at Deerfield.
- Ensure committee folders/information are up to date and that every chairperson submits a yearly report.
- Organize a list of volunteers for Volunteer Appreciation
- Coordinate a form of Appreciation for our Volunteers
Teacher Liaison
- Attend PTO parent meetings and board meetings to give teacher report.
- Act as a liaison between the PTO parent Board and the staff at Deerfield.
- Provide Deerfield staff with current information that the PTO board is working on.
Board Authority
- Any actions by the Board may be taken between PTO parent meetings if a quorum of the Board members are present. All actions must be reviewed at the next PTO parent meeting.
- Board Members may by unanimous vote of the quorum, removed a Board Member for non-performance of duty, gross misconduct, or other serious actions not in conformance with the purposes and goals of the PTO.
- Voting and or new business can be conducted by email polling or text if approval is needed prior to the next meeting.
ARTICLE Ⅴ
Election of Board Members:
- Each spring, the Board shall publicize open Board positions for the upcoming school year, if needed.
- New Board members shall be elected by May of the school year, by majority vote, for a one-year term. Board candidates will preferably have committee chair experience. Candidates for President/Co-President and Vice President will preferably have PTO board experience; however, this may be waived at the discretion of the board.
- Board members may be elected to a second consecutive term in the same office. In the event that a board Member assumes an office after the school year has commenced; this partial year shall not count toward their term-limit. Also, if a Board Member has served in an office with a co-officer, they shall be eligible to serve two additional years in the same position, if no replacement can be found. In the event, a successor cannot be found for any Board position they may continue to serve on the Board in the same position at the discretion of the board.
- A member shall not serve more than five consecutive years on the Board.
- The Board shall have the power to appoint interim candidates for unexpected Board vacancies. Such appointments must be approved at a scheduled mid-term election.
ARTICLE Ⅵ
Meetings:
- The PTO Board shall develop a calendar of PTO parent meetings and events. Additional meetings can be called by the President/Co-Presidents or by a majority of the PTO Board.
- The members present shall constitute a quorum at the PTO parent meetings.
- Voting approval will be by a simple majority of those in attendance at the PTO parent meeting.
ARTICLE Ⅶ
Finances:
- The fiscal year of the PTO shall begin on July 1 and end on June 30 of the following year.
- A three member Financial Review Committee, as appointed by the PTO Board in June will conduct an annual audit of the financial transactions. In the event that any irregularities are found or suspected, the PTO shall engage the services of a CPA for a formal review of the PTO finances.
- As a volunteer organization, the PTO shall not pay or provide remuneration to the officers of the PTO Board, committee chairpersons, committee members or any other member of the organization for their volunteer service.
- The Board must approve any increases in committee budgets.
- Expenditures in excess of $500.00 by the Board must be approved by the membership at the next PTO parent meeting.
- Except for a carryover balance and/or special circumstance expenditure, all monies raised during a school year should be spent or allocated for student related expenditures within that school year or the following school year.
ARTICLE Ⅷ
Discretionary use of Robert’s Rules:
- Majority of business decisions made by PTO at either a Board Meeting or a General Meeting will be made through cooperative discussion leading to consensus. The PTO President/Co-President may invoke Robert’s Rules or Order when in his or her discretion they appear necessary to conduct an orderly discussion or arrive at an informed decision.
ARTICLE Ⅸ
Amendment to the By-Laws:
- The President/Co-President may create a committee to submit a revised set of by-laws.
- The by-laws may be amended at any PTO parent meeting by a 3 A vote of the members present and voting. All amendments take effect immediately upon approval by the membership.
