Gardner Academy – Hablemos PTO BYLAWS

ARTICLE I – NAME, DESCRIPTION & PURPOSE

Section 1: NAME – The name of the organization is “Hablemos! Supporters of Gardner Academy” and is located at 502 Illinois Ave, San Jose, CA 95125.

Section 2: DESCRIPTION – The PTO is a non-profit organization that exists to fundraise, enhance the educational experience of the students, and enrich the community, including the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Section 3: PURPOSE – The purpose of the PTO at Gardner Academy is to support students and staff both academically and socially, to embrace families within the school community, to raise funds for extracurricular activities, and to promote bilingualism, biliteracy, and diversity. 

ARTICLE II – MEMBERSHIP

Section 1:  Membership shall be automatically granted to all parents and guardians of (our school) students, plus all staff at Gardner Academy.  There are no membership dues.  Members have voting privileges, one vote per household.

ARTICLE III – OFFICERS

Section 1: EXECUTIVE BOARD – The Executive Board shall consist of the following officers:  President, Vice President, Recording Secretary, Communications Secretary, and Treasurer.  Officer positions can be shared. The School Principal, or his/her designee, is a voting member of the Executive Board.

Section 2:  TERM OF OFFICE – The term of office for all officers is a minimum of one year, beginning immediately upon election, and ending upon officer election the following school year. 

Clause 1: Elections will be held at the end of May in order to transition the new board members into their roles for the following academic year.

Clause 2: When possible, officers will serve for two years and rotate out in coordination with other officers.  This is to minimize the likelihood that an entire Executive Board would be replaced in a single year, in order to best maintain the continuity of the business and functionality of the Executive Board and the PTO

Section 3:  QUALIFICATIONS – Any PTO member in good standing may become an officer of the PTO.  

Section 4:  DUTIES – 

Executive Board – Develop the PTO’s annual budget, establish and oversee committees to conduct the work of the PTO and establish fundraising programs.

President – Preside at General PTO meetings and Executive Board meetings, serve as the official representative of the PTO, and retain all official records of the PTO.  Oversees the committee system of the PTO.

Vice President – Oversee fundraising of the PTO, assist the President and chair meetings in the absence of the President.  

Recording Secretary – Record and distribute minutes of all Executive Board meetings and all General PTO meetings, prepare agendas for official PTO meetings, hold historical records for the PTO.  

Communications Secretary – Manage communications and marketing for the PTO including, but not limited to PTO newsletters, email broadcasts, website, bulletin boards, etc.

Treasurer – Serve as custodian of the PTO’s finances, collect revenue, pay authorized expenses, report financial activity every month, prepare year-end financial report, facilitate an annual audit, and hold all financial records.

Section 5:  BOARD MEETINGS – The Executive Board shall meet monthly during the school year, or at the discretion of the President.

Section 6:  REMOVAL – An officer can be removed from office for failure to fulfill his/her duties, after reasonable notice, by a majority vote of the Executive Board.

Section 7:  VACANCY – If a vacancy occurs on the Executive Board, the President shall appoint a PTO member to fill the vacancy, for the remainder of the officer’s term.  

ARTICLE IV – MEETINGS

Section 1:  GENERAL PTO MEETINGS – General PTO meetings shall be held to conduct the business of the PTO.  Meetings shall be held monthly during the school year or at the discretion of the Executive Board.  

Section 2: VOTING – Each member in attendance at a PTO meeting is eligible to vote, one vote per household.  Absentee or proxy votes are not allowed. 

Section 3 – QUORUM – Five (5) members of the PTO present and voting constitute quorum for the purpose of voting.  

ARTICLE V – FINANCIAL POLICIES

Section 1: FISCAL YEAR – The fiscal year of the PTO begins August 1 and ends July 31 of the following year.

Section 2: BANKING – All funds shall be kept in a checking account in the name of Gardner Hablemos, requiring two signatures of the Executive Board and held at a local financial institution.

Section 3: REPORTING – All financial activity shall be recorded in a manual or computer-based accounting system.  The Treasurer shall reconcile the account(s) monthly and report all financial activity monthly.  The PTO shall arrange an independent review of its financial records each year.

Section 3: ENDING BALANCE – The organization shall leave a minimum of $2,000.00 in the treasury at the end of each fiscal year.

Section 4: CONTRACTS – Contract signing authority is limited to the President, or the President’s designee.

ARTICLE VI – BYLAW AMENDMENTS

Amendments to the bylaws may be proposed by any PTO member.  Amendments presented at a PTO meeting shall be considered for voting at a subsequent meeting.  2/3 approval of all members present and voting is required to adopt an amendment to the Bylaws.  

ARTICLE VII – DISSOLUTION

In the event of dissolution of the PTO, any funds remaining shall be donated to Gardner Academy.

ARTICLE VIII – PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

The authority for this organization shall be “Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised.”                          

These bylaws were adopted on ____2017

Code of Conduct/ Código de Conducta

 

Code of Conduct

Hablemos! Supporters of Gardner Academy is a non-profit organization that must follow guidelines on acceptable behaviors of individuals taking part as elected members of the PTO.  These guidelines include treating everyone fairly and with respect, regardless of their gender, place of origin, sexual orientation, religion, political belief, or economic status. It also includes a confidentiality clause, where we do not share any information or gossip, we learn about others’ children during our volunteer work. We are expected to display high personal standards and represent the PTO in a positive light. Additionally, we must keep our promises, and be respectful and polite to others.

It’s intended to motivate and assert values to which we can aspire. The Code emphasizes respect, integrity, self-discipline, comradeship and teamwork, leadership and discipline, commitment, equity, and diversity.

Respect each other’s cultures, beliefs, opinions, and decisions, treat each other with courtesy, sensitivity, tact, consideration, and humility, and accept the Executive Board and respect each other regardless of position.

Integrity is to behave in accordance with ethical principles and act in good faith, intellectual honesty, and fairness.  The PTO expects that by giving honest, constructive feedback and treating each other fairly we can have a successful school year.

Comradeship and Teamwork are vital for the success of our PTO. We must rely on each other, work towards a common goal, and promote participation and cooperation.

Self-discipline is crucial in managing stress, anger, and behavior. We must recognize our limitations and those of others and believe in doing a job the right way and with appropriate enthusiasm. 

Leadership and discipline are essential for a successful PTO. We must recognize the Executive Board as part of our leadership structure, give clear directions, lead in a responsible, patient, and motivational manner, and act in a responsible manner at all times when we are representing our PTO. 

Commitment was implied once each new Board member accepted their new role.  Each new PTO Board member is committed to effective communication, constructive feedback, effective listening, sharing the load, and providing encouragement to fellow members.

Equity and diversity are important principles that we must uphold. We must treat all people as unique individuals, use appropriate language, actively discourage bullying, victimization, or demeaning humor, and recognize and congratulate the achievements of others, regardless of their race, religion, color, age, gender, or creed.

It’s important to note that the By-laws of the PTO are separate from the Code of Conduct. The By-laws cover the business side of the PTO, such as officer duties, elections, and accounting procedures. On the other hand, the Code of Conduct outlines behavioral principles that we should follow.