• Hillsdale By-laws


    Hillsdale PTO By-Laws

    The By-laws (Charter) for the Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO)
    of Hillsdale Elementary School
    March 13, 2012

    ARTICLE I -NAME
    1.1 The name of the organization shall be the Hillsdale Parent-Teacher Organization
    (PTO).

    ARTICLE II -PURPOSE
    2.1 To promote a continuous and effective dialogue between parents/guardians, teachers,
    and administrators.
    2.2 To suggest additions and/or deletions to current school programs.
    2.3 To provide guidance to teachers and administrators when requested.
    2.4 To provide material, services and/or activities for the students, with teacher and
    administrative approval, which will add to academic, physical, or social growth.
    2.5 To assist in program modification or evaluations for the West Chester Area School
    District (WCASD) or Hillsdale Elementary School, when requested to do so.
    2.6 To perform any other lawful purpose, when authorized by the Hillsdale PTO Policy
    and Procedures.

    ARTICLE III -MEMBERSHIP AND DUES
    3.1 All parents/guardians of students registered at Hillsdale Elementary School and all
    administrators and faculty employed at Hillsdale shall be members of the PTO.
    3.2 There shall be no dues assessed for membership in the Hillsdale PTO.

    ARTICLE IV -BOARD OF DIRECTORS
    4.1 The Board of Directors (Board) shall consist of the: President or Co-Presidents, Vice-president or Co Vice-presidents,Secretary, Treasurer, and the Past Presidential Advisor. The Hillsdale Principal, Hillsdale
    Teacher Representative, Chairperson of the Handbook/By-Laws/Policy And Procedures
    Committee, and the School Board/P.T.O.C. Liaison (Optional) may serve as ex-officio
    members of the Board.
    4.2 The Board of Directors shall review, implement, and oversee the activities of the PTO
    as defined in Article II.
    4.3 The Board of Directors shall perform such other duties as are from time to time
    authorized in accordance with the Hillsdale PTO Policy and Procedures.

    ARTICLE V -MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
    5.1 PRESIDENT -CHIEF OFFICER OF THE PTO. The President or, if there shall be more than one, the Co-Presidents shall be responsible for the following enumerated duties and activities:
    a. Shall attend, or appoint a qualified representative to attend, all official School District
    functions requiring representation (i.e., LEEP, Site Base Management, and School
    Board/P.T.O.C. meetings for the year).
    b. Shall perform other activities, as the Board of Directors deems necessary.
    c. In conjunction with the Budget Committee shall compile, and submit for approval, no
    later than the October meeting, the current year's proposed budget.
    d. Shall chair all monthly PTO Board meetings.
    e. Must have served at least one (1) year as a PTO committee member prior to serving as
    President, and shall serve no more than two (2) consecutive terms.
    f. Shall serve on the By-laws/Policy and Procedure Committee.
    g. Shall be responsible for coordination of committee activities.
    5.2 VICE-PRESIDENT. The Vice-President or, if there shall be more than one, the Co Vice-Presidents shall be responsible for the following enumerated duties and activities:
    a. Shall, if the President cannot perform the duties or resigns, replace the President for the
    remainder of the term.
    b. Shall perform other duties as assigned by the President and/or assigned in accordance
    with the Hillsdale PTO Policy and Procedures.
    c. Shall chair the Budget Committee.
    d. Must have served at least one (1) year as a PTO committee member prior to serving as
    Vice-president and shall serve no more than two (2) consecutive terms.
    5.3 SECRETARY
    a. Shall record the minutes of all PTO meetings, and maintain all PTO Board records.
    b. Shall advise all members of PTO of meeting dates.
    c. Shall be the second in succession after the Vice-president in the event that the
    President and Vice-president are unable to fulfill their terms.
    d. Shall be responsible for correspondence generated by the Board of Directors.
    e. Shall serve no more than three (3) consecutive terms.
    f. Shall perform such other duties as are from time to time authorized in accordance with
    the Hillsdale PTO Policy and Procedures.
    5.4 TREASURER
    a. Shall keep accurate records of all financial transactions and these records shall be open
    to the general membership upon request.
    b. Shall provide a monthly written report covering the current status of all accounts.
    c. Shall submit a year-end financial report in accordance with the Hillsdale PTO Policy
    and Procedures.
    d. Shall serve on the Budget Committee.
    e. Shall serve no more than three (3) consecutive terms.
    f. Shall be bonded with the fee being paid by the PTO.
    g. Shall perform such other duties as are from time to time authorized in accordance with
    the Hillsdale PTO Policy and Procedures.
    5.5. PRINCIPAL
    a. Shall be the Principal of Hillsdale Elementary School.
    b. Shall advise the Board and the PTO throughout the year with regard to: the School
    District policy, and all proposed PTO activities.
    c. Shall serve on Programs Committee, or appoint a representative.
    d. Shall assist the PTO in accordance with the Hillsdale PTO Policy and Procedures.
    5.6 PAST-PRESIDENTIAL ADVISOR
    a. Shall be the prior year's president, and shall offer guidance and advice gained from
    experience.
    b. Shall perform such other duties as are from time to time authorized in accordance with
    the Hillsdale PTO Policy and Procedures.
    5.7 CHAIRPERSON OF THE HANDBOOK/BY-LAWS/POLICY AND
    PROCEDURES COMMITTEE
    a. Shall serve, in conjunction with the Past-Presidential Advisor, as advisor to the PTO
    Board concerning the application of the By-laws and the Hillsdale PTO Policies and
    Procedures.
    a. Shall oversee all voting and elections for propriety and fairness.
    b. May delegate such duties as appropriate to other Committee members.
    5.8 SCHOOL BOARD/P.T.O.C. LIAISON [Optional]
    a. Shall attend monthly School Board/P.T.O.C. meetings, and shall submit a verbal report
    at the monthly PTO meetings. This position is only activated if the President or Past
    Presidential Advisor are unable to fulfill this commitment for the year.
    5.9. TEACHER REPRESENTATIVE
    a. Shall be the prime liaison between the PTO and the teaching staff at Hillsdale, and
    shall serve on the Budget Committee.
    b. Shall serve no more than three (3) consecutive terms.
    5.10 STANDING COMMITTEES
    a. The number, composition and responsibilities of all Standing Committees shall be
    determined in accordance with the Hillsdale PTO Policy and Procedures.
    b. Unless prior notice is given to the President, Vice-president or Secretary, each
    committee shall be represented at all monthly PAT meetings. If the chairperson is unable
    to attend a scheduled meeting, then they shall appoint a representative from within their
    committee.
    c. A committee chairperson shall be limited to serving no more than three (3) consecutive
    terms for that committee.
    d. All committees shall submit fund raising or social events for final Board and Principal
    approval, taking into consideration any additional requirements for that approval that may
    from time to time be specified in the Hillsdale PTO Policy and Procedures.
    5.11 LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
    The officers and directors of the Hillsdale Parent-Teacher Organization shall be immune
    from any and all liability for the acts and/or omissions of the Hillsdale Parent-Teacher
    Organization. Further, no officer or Director shall be liable for any conduct involving the
    Hillsdale Parent-Teacher Organization unless that person shall have committed willful
    misconduct. It is the intention of these By-laws to limit, insofar as the law of the
    Commonwealth of Pennsylvania permits, the liability of individual officers and Directors.

    ARTICLE VI -COMMITTEE DUTIES
    6.1 Committee duties are to be outlined in the Hillsdale PTO Policy and Procedures,
    which shall be reviewed yearly, and updated as needed.

    ARTICLE VII -MEETINGS
    7.1 Meetings shall be held in accordance with the Hillsdale PTO Policy and Procedures.
    7.2 All regular meetings of the PTO and its Board of Directors, shall be open to all PTO
    members.
    7.3 All meetings shall be run according to Robert's Rules of Order Revised, on
    parliamentary law except where otherwise detailed by the By-laws (Charter) and/or the
    Hillsdale PTO Policy and Procedures.
    7.4 Ad Hoc subcommittees shall be formed as needed.

    ARTICLE VIII -SELECTION OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS
    8.1 The Nominating Committee will consist of two (2) Board members (excluding the
    President) chosen at random at the March meeting, and three (3) other members.
    8.2 Vacancies within the Board of Directors shall be filled in accordance with these Bylaws (Charter) and the Hillsdale PTO Policy and Procedures.

    ARTICLE IX -ARTICLES OF ORGANIZATION
    9.1 This charter shall be deemed to be the Hillsdale PTO's Articles of Organization.

    ARTICLE X -AMENDMENTS
    10.1 This charter may be amended at any meeting by a two-thirds (2/3) majority of the
    people voting providing notice of the amendment is given, at least one (1) meeting prior
    to the vote being taken.
    10.2 Upon motion, the Hillsdale PTO Policy and Procedures may be amended at any
    meeting by a three quarters (3/4) majority of the people voting.

    ARTICLE XI -VOTING
    11.1 Any member of the Parent-Teacher Organization may vote in a meeting.
    11.2 The President shall vote.
    11.3 An election quorum is the minimum number of members that must be present to
    hold a vote on any PTO matters requiring a vote is equivalent to the number of people in
    attendance at the meeting.
    11.4 Members need not be present to vote, but must be present for purposes of
    determining a quorum (see 11.3 and 11.4). The process for voting without being present
    shall be established in the Hillsdale PTO Policies and Procedures.
    11.5 A vote will pass with a simple majority of the people voting.
    11.6 Votes requiring two (2) meetings will require a nonpublic form of voting (i.e., paper
    ballot).

    ARTICLE XII -SPENDING
    12.1 All expenditures must be approved by the PTO, as outlined in Hillsdale PTO Policy
    and Procedures.
    12.2 The unallocated balance left in the treasury at year's end, for use by the incoming
    Board of Directors, shall be no more than twenty thousand dollars ($20,000.00) and no
    less than five hundred dollars ($500.00), or as determined in accordance with the
    Hillsdale PTO Policy and Procedures.
    12.3 The PTO Board of Directors is not a social committee and funding of gifts or
    donations shall be made on an individual voluntary basis without the use of PTO funds.
    12.4 Upon the dissolution of the Hillsdale PTO, the Board of Directors shall, after paying or making provision for the payment of all of the liabilities of the organization, dispose of all assets of the organization in such manner, or to such organization(s) organized and operated exclusively for charitable, educational, or scientific purposes as shall at the time qualify as an exempt organization(s) under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law), as the Board of Directors shall determine. Any such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by the Chester County Court of Common Pleas, exclusively for such purposes as the Court shall determine, which are organized and operated exclusively for such purposes.

    ARTICLE XIII -BY-LAWS (CHARTER)
    13.1. No suspension of the By-laws (Charter) will be considered under any
    circumstances.

    REVISED:
    April 2003
    May 25, 1995
    May 09, 2000
    September 12, 2000
    February 08, 2001
    April 9, 2002
    April 9, 2003
    September 9, 2008
    May 12, 2009
    March 13, 2012