Bylaws

Lakes Elementary
Parent Teacher Organization (PTO)

Article I Mission Statement

The Lakes PTO is a nonprofit organization formed and managed to support the development and education of all students attending Lakes Elementary School. By raising additional funds to support school activities, the PTO can promote and maintain a close working relationship with the Lakes community for all parents/legal guardians, teachers, staff and students.

Article II Meetings

The PTO President, in conjunction with the Principal, shall meet on a predetermined date, to schedule the first meeting of the year. Any additional meetings may be called by any member of the Executive Board with sufficient reason to call such meeting.

Article III Basic Policies

The following are basic policies of the Lakes PTO:

• SECTION 1 The organization shall be noncommercial, nonsectarian, nonpartisan.

• SECTION 2 The organization or members in their official capacities shall not endorse a commercial entity or engage in activities not related to promoting the Mission Statement of the organization.

• SECTION 3 Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, the organization shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on (i) by an organization exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or (ii) by an organization, contributions to which are deductible under Section 170(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code.

• SECTION 4 Upon the dissolution of the organization, after paying or adequately providing for the debts and obligations of the organization, the remaining assets shall be distributed to the Rockford Public Schools Booster Organization which is established with tax exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Section 5 All votes are to be determined by a membership simple majority in attendance at a voting meeting.

Article IV Membership

• SECTION 1 Every parent/legal guardian having a student enrolled at Lakes Elementary School is eligible to become a member of this organization by paying an annual due. All teachers are eligible to become members in the same manner. The term “member” in this document is defined as a person having paid dues for the current school year.

• SECTION 2 Each and every member of this organization has the privilege of making motions, debating, voting, and holding office. Members also have the privilege of chairing and/or serving on any of the committees established by this organization.

• SECTION 3 Membership of this organization shall be the same as the current school year. Executive and Administrative Board position terms are from July 1 through June 30.

Article V Officers, Executive Board Members and Elections

• SECTION 1 This organization shall be governed by the Executive Board and the Administrative Board. Any person holding a position on the Executive and Administrative Boards must be a paid member of the PTO. The Executive Board will consist of:

  • President

  • Vice President

  • Vice President

  • Treasurer

  • Secretary

The Administrative Board will consist of the chairpersons of all standing committees, a teacher representative and the principal of Lakes Elementary.

• SECTION 2 All officers will serve for a one-year term with the option of running for re-election the following year(s).

• SECTION 3 Vacancies in any office shall be filled by appointment of the Executive Board for the unexpired term. A vacancy for the office of President will be filled by a Vice President if one chooses to stand, otherwise, this position will be made available to any member of the PTO that wishes to run for this position. All appointments to the Executive Board shall be approved by majority vote of the members present at the next regular PTO meeting.

• SECTION 4 Each out-going Executive or Administrative Board member shall deliver to their successor all official material not later than ten days following the expiration of their term of office.

• SECTION 5 All parent/teacher volunteers are required to complete security background check forms. Only those that have been approved may volunteer to chair, co-chair, or help at school sponsored events.

Article VI Duties of Officers

PRESIDENT:

• Presides at all scheduled PTO meetings;

• Is a member ex-officio of all of standing committees;

• Oversees and coordinates the work of the officers;

• Schedules all PTO meetings for the current school year and presides over them with the officers;

• Presides over officers and/or Executive Board meetings;

• Assists the Treasurer with the yearly budget issues and financial planning;

• Approves & distributes the monthly PTO newsletter submitted by the Secretary.

VICE PRESIDENTS:

• Attends the regular scheduled PTO meetings;

• Oversees and coordinates all standing committees;

• Reports regularly to the President and at PTO meetings of upcoming events/activities.

TREASURER:

• Any Treasurer must possess basis accounting experience;

• Attends the regularly scheduled PTO meetings;

• Present and control custody of all the funds with the President;

• Keeps an accurate record of all receipts and expenditures and presents financial records to PTO members at every monthly meeting;

• Assists in planning the budget (with the Executive Board and Administrative Board) and presents that budget to the general membership at the final PTO meeting of the current school year for approval;

• Pays out all funds in strict accordance with the approved budget;

• Pays out non-budgeted items only with proper receipts and PTO’s approval;

• Register the signatures of the Executive Board for all accounts at the bank. All checks shall bear two signatures registered at the bank.

• Makes a full report of the previous fiscal year at the September meeting;

• Submits quarterly sales tax reports to the appropriate Rockford Public School’s administrator in charge of finance;

• Submit the financial records annually for audit by an auditing committee or auditor selected by the Executive Board at least two weeks before the meeting at which new officers assume duties;

• The Treasurer’s financial records shall be examined for accuracy monthly by an Officer (without signing authority) who shall sign a statement of that fact at the next monthly PTO meeting

• Submits year end 990 report to Rockford Administration Building.

SECRETARY:

• Attends the regularly scheduled PTO meetings;

• Keeps an accurate record of all PTO meetings;

• Submits typed meeting minutes to the Executive and Administrative Boards and all active members within one (1) week of held meetings;

• Maintains the online website and Facebook page to communicate information relevant to the membership population;

• Conducts all correspondence delegated;

• Notifies all organization members of scheduled PTO meetings and agendas prior to scheduled meetings;

• Generates and submits a monthly online PTO newsletter.

Article VII Appointed Committee Chairpersons and Duties

• SECTION 1 The Executive Board shall oversee all standing committees to ensure that all committee chair positions are filled. As members of the Administrative Board, all chairpersons are invited and encouraged to attend scheduled PTO meetings. Any chairperson not able to attend a scheduled PTO meeting shall provide a committee report to either the President or their representative Vice President(s) one-week prior to said scheduled meetings.

• SECTION 2 The chair of each standing committee shall present its recommendations to the Executive and Administrative Board for approval. No committee action(s) shall be undertaken without the approval of the Executive and Administrative Boards.

• SECTION 3 The power to form special committees and appoint or elect their members rests with the Executive Board and Administrative Board.

Article VIII Officers, Chairperson(s) and Committee Limitations

In order to encourage and promote participation of the majority membership, we are making the following recommendations:

• It is recommended that Executive Board members not chair any of the standing committees unless there are no other members that are willing to volunteer to fill the positions. Should this situation occur, an Executive Board member should chair only ONE standing committee per school year.

• Executive Board members may volunteer to serve on any standing committees.

• It is recommended that members chair only ONE standing committee per school year unless there are no other members that are willing to volunteer to fill positions. Should this situation occur, a single member may chair up to TWO standing committees per school year.

• Members may volunteer to serve on any standing committees.

• It is recommended that the term of each chair shall be one year. No member shall serve as chairman of the same committee for more than two consecutive terms.

Article IX Financial Positions and Procedures

• SECTION 1 All monies and other assets, including checking or savings account(s) and certificates of deposit, are the property of the organization.

• SECTION 2 The fiscal year of the PTO shall begin on July 1 and end June 30.

• SECTION 3 Maintenance of the budget and disbursements of budgeted items are the responsibilities of the Treasurer. (Reference: Duties of Officers, Article VI, Treasurer.)

• SECTION 4 Non-budgeted items for payment of more than $100.00 must be brought before the general membership at their regular scheduled PTO meetings or at a special meeting called for by the President. A motion must be made and carry a majority vote before disbursement can be made by the Treasurer of the organization.

• SECTION 5 Non-budgeted items for payment of less than $100.00 will be paid at the discretion of the Executive Board. Said expenses will be accounted for in the appropriate line item of the approved budget. Once this budget item is exhausted, any further non-budget items for payment will follow the guidelines outlined in Article IX, Section 4.

• SECTION 6 Budgeted items of any amount, with proper receipts, will be paid out in accordance with the approved budget by the Treasurer of the organization.

Article X Money Handling Procedures

• SECTION 1 All monies collected during PTO sponsored school events will remain on the school property until two members of the Executive and/or Administrative Board can count and prepare said monies for deposit. Cash deposits will be discouraged in lieu of electronic or check payment which carries a more solid audit trail.

• SECTION 2 Once monies have been prepared for deposit with the controls listed in Section 1 the Treasurer will take the monies and make the bank deposit.

• SECTION 3 All cash boxes used during PTO sponsored school events will contain beginning cash as well as a “Cash-in, Cash-out” record sheet. There must always be at least two parent/teacher volunteers handling the cash box who will both be required to sign the record sheet with the Treasurer or Executive Board member verifying the amount of cash.

Article XI Bylaws and Amendments

• SECTION 1 The bylaws of this organization shall be reviewed and updated if needed by the Bylaws committee every three (3) years. The revisions must be presented to the membership at a regularly scheduled PTO meeting for approval. A motion must be made and carry a majority vote of the members present before implementation of the new bylaws.

• SECTION 2 Motions may be made at any regular scheduled PTO meeting for amendments to the current bylaws. The proposed amendments must be presented to the membership at the next scheduled PTO meeting for approval. A majority vote of the members present must be obtained prior to implementation of the amended bylaws.

Revision History:

PTO Established March 2010
Dana Kraus, President
Betsy Verwys, Vice President
Nicole Pierce, Vice President
Jennifer Bareno, Treasurer
Trisha Fagerlin, Secretary

PTO 2014-2015 - 12th May 2015
Belinda Boorsma, President
Kristina Poirier, Vice President
Autumn DeLisle, Vice President
Kimberly Jakubiak, Treasurer
Jamie Wilson, Secretary