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Rockwood School District

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Bylaws

ARTICLE I. NAME

The name of this organization shall be the Rockwood Parent Teacher Organization Council (operating as Presidents' Forum).

ARTICLE II. ARTICLES OF ORGANIZATION

This Forum is organized and separately incorporated in accordance with Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code in order to serve as the financial umbrella organization for PTOs (Parent Teacher Organizations) and for the purpose of providing a forum for the exchange of ideas among the parent leaders in the Rockwood School District.

ARTICLE III. MISSION AND OBJECTIVES

  1. To provide a forum for the Superintendent and/or administration of the Rockwood School District (RSD) to communicate information to parent organization presidents.
  2. To provide a forum for inter-school communication between parent organizations including, but not limited to, discussions on fund raising, activities and parent involvement.
  3. To provide a forum for parent organization presidents to communicate to the RSD Superintendent and/or administration the views, suggestions and recommendations of their parent organizations.
  4. To act as a liaison between the RSD and the general public to promote the highest standards of education and welfare for the children and youth served by the RSD.

ARTICLE IV. POLICIES

  1. This organization shall be non-commercial, non-sectarian, and non-partisan.
  2. The name of the organization and the names of any representatives in their official capacities shall not be used in connection with a commercial concern or with any partisan interest or for any purpose not appropriately related to the promotion of the objectives of the organization.
  3. The organization shall not, directly or indirectly, participate or intervene in any political campaign on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for public office.
  4. This organization may cooperate with other organizations and agencies active in child welfare, such as conference groups or coordinating councils, provided they make no commitments that bind this organization.
  5. Notwithstanding any other provisions of these bylaws, the organization shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on (a) by an organization exempt from Federal Income Tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law), or (b) by an organization contributions to which are deductible under Section 170(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law).

ARTICLE V. MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS AND DUES

  1. The member organizations of this Forum shall be the primary parent organizations (such as PTO, PTA, etc.) of all Rockwood schools, the Center for Creative Learning and the Early Childhood program, represented by their president. As new schools are formed, the primary parent organization of the school will automatically become a member of this organization.
  2. New member organizations shall submit to the Secretary written bylaws adopted by the group within three months of inception.
  3. Each member organization shall maintain a current copy of their organization's bylaws on file with the Presidents' Forum.
  4. Each member organization shall pay annual dues determined by the organization. Dues are payable by the October meeting of each fiscal year.

ARTICLE VI. FISCAL POLICY

  1. The fiscal year shall begin on July 1 and end June 30 of the following year.
  2. The Executive Board shall see that a budget shall be presented for approval by the end of the fiscal year. The proposed budget may be presented and voted upon electronically.
  3. Additional funds from the current year will be allocated by the Executive Board at the conclusion of the current fiscal year and documented in the monthly financial statement on the Presidents' Forum website.
  4. All checks written must contain two authorized signatures to be considered valid.
  5. The Treasurer shall present a financial report to the organization at every general membership meeting, post the report on the Presidents' Forum website within one week after the meeting and discussion regarding the Presidents' Forum financials will be documented in the meeting minutes.

ARTICLE VII. VOTING REPRESENTATIVES

  1. Each member organization shall have one (1) voting representative. The voting representative shall be the president or one (1) co-president. In the absence of the president (or co-president), the president may appoint a designee to act on his/her behalf for that meeting.
  2. Ex officio, non-voting representatives will include any past presidents of member organizations, provided that they are the parent/guardian of a Rockwood student.

ARTICLE VIII. INVITED PARTICIPANTS

Invited participants shall include the Superintendent, the Executive Director of Communications, principal representatives, and such other persons as the Forum deems appropriate.

ARTICLE IX. OFFICERS AND THEIR ELECTION

  1. The officers of this organization shall be the President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. Any office may be held by two persons so designated by the prefix "co-".
  2. Nominees for office must be either a current president of a member organization or a past president of a member organization, provided that they will be a parent/guardian of a Rockwood student during their term of office.
  3. The consent of the nominee must be obtained prior to placing the name into nomination.
  4. Nominations for officers will be obtained from the floor prior to the February meeting and closed at the adjournment of this meeting. Electronic notification of the ballot of officers will be sent to the voting representatives of the organization at least two (2) weeks prior to the election. In the event that there is an office without a candidate at the conclusion of the February meeting, nominations for that office only will be taken from the floor at the March meeting.
  5. The officers shall be elected annually by ballot of the voting representatives at the March meeting of the organization or by electronic ballot if there is no March meeting. However, if there is but one candidate for any office, the election for such office(s) may be by voice vote.
  6. Officers shall assume their duties at the adjournment of the Annual Leadership Conference and serve for a term of one year or until their successors are elected. No one may serve more than two consecutive terms in the same office.
  7. If a vacancy occurs in the office of President, the Vice President shall assume the office of President. A vacancy occurring in any other office shall be filled by a majority vote.

ARTICLE X. DUTIES OF OFFICERS

  1. The President shall preside at all meetings of the organization, set the agenda in collaboration with the member organizations and the invited participants, and perform such other duties usually pertaining to the office.
  2. The Vice President shall assist the President as requested and assume any duties of the President in the absence of the President, including presiding at all meetings and such other duties as may be delegated to the office.
  3. The Secretary shall take minutes at all meetings. Minutes will be made available to all representatives prior to the next meeting. The Secretary will also perform such other duties as may be delegated to the office.
  4. The Treasurer shall collect dues for deposit, issue reminders of unpaid dues and keep permanent books of accounts and records as will be sufficient to establish the items of gross income, receipts and disbursements of the organization, including a member organization list. The Treasurer shall present a financial report to the organization at every general membership meeting.

ARTICLE XI. MEETINGS

Place: All meetings shall be held at Rockwood buildings as designated by the President, based on the recommendation of the voting representatives. If meeting in person is not possible, meetings may be held electronically. (9/9/20)

Notice of the date, time and place of all meetings shall be given to the voting representatives, ex officio, non-voting representatives and invited participants at least one week in advance of the meeting.

Regular Meetings: Regular meetings will be held monthly, or as determined necessary, and as agreed on by the organization during the fiscal year.

Special Meetings: Special meetings of the organization may be called by the President upon request of at least three voting representatives.

The privilege of making motions and voting shall be limited to voting representatives of the organization. Voting may be conducted electronically. (9/9/20)

Quorum: The minimum number of voting representatives who must be present to conduct business is a simple majority of the member organizations (currently 16 of 31).

ARTICLE XII. RULES OF ORDER

Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised shall govern this organization in all cases to which they are applicable and are not in conflict with these bylaws.

ARTICLE XIII. AMENDMENTS

  1. These bylaws may be amended by ballot by a two-thirds vote of the voting representatives present, provided notice of the proposed amendment(s) shall have been given two weeks prior.
  2. A committee may be appointed to review the bylaws as amended each year. The committee shall draft any proposed amendments for presentation to the membership as provided above.

ARTICLE XIV. DISSOLUTION

  1. Procedure for Dissolution: The organization may be terminated or dissolved by the consent of two-thirds of the voting representatives.
  2. Distribution of Property: Upon termination or dissolution of the organization, property or assets remaining after all of the debts and obligations of the organization have been paid shall be returned to the member organizations on a pro rata basis together with a financial statement.

PRESIDENTS' FORUM STANDING RULES

MEETINGS AND EVENTS

  1. The Presidents' Forum Executive Board works with Rockwood Communications to develop and distribute an agenda before each meeting. The Executive Board provides a draft outline, and Rockwood Communications makes arrangements with the speakers and creates the official document. Minutes are housed on the Presidents' Forum website and are posted at least a week prior to meetings for members to review.
  2. Each spring the Executive Board asks members to host a meeting or superintendent's coffee or lunch the following school year. It's not mandated that schools host meetings; hosting opportunities rotate among the four quadrants. Host schools are responsible for providing meeting space, light refreshments (except for the superintendent's lunch, where food is provided by the district), and a brief introduction to their school or parent group at the beginning of the meeting.
  3. Presidents' Forum hosts a Meet the Candidates' forum each spring prior to Board of Education elections if multiple candidates are running for the same seat. Candidates are given a set amount of time predetermined by the Executive Board to provide a short overview of their candidacy, typically three to five minutes. Candidates speak in the order they filed for candidacy, which is also how they will appear on the ballot. Presidents' Forum Executive Board members help candidates stay within the time limits by holding up time cards so all have an equal opportunity to address the group. Candidates sit at their own tables, with identification displayed, so that once each has had a turn to speak, Presidents' Forum members can meet with them at their tables and ask any follow-up questions. This process can be modified or done virtually if an in-person event is not possible.
  4. Presidents' Forum hosts an annual evening Leadership Conference each spring that features a catered meal, a keynote speech by the superintendent, and educational breakout sessions. The conference location rotates among the four district high schools and is open to administrators and both incoming and outgoing executive board members of all Rockwood parent organizations, as well as Rockwood district administration and Board of Education members. The Executive Board works with the Communications Department to plan and execute this capstone event.

OPERATIONS

  1. Presidents' Forum maintains an email distribution list of its members that is designed solely for the Executive Board to use for Presidents' Forum business. The Executive Board does not share its distribution list with anyone nor authorize its usage by any other groups. Parent group contact information can be found on each school's PTO website if groups are seeking that information.
  2. Presidents' Forum maintains a private Facebook page where presidents and parent volunteers can share ideas and resources. Presidents' Forum encourages the following best practices, both on its page and for school parent group social media accounts:
    • Represent your school in a professional manner.
    • Monitor your feed and delete any inappropriate activity.
    • Don't post any district data, documents, photos, or logos without permission from Rockwood Communications.
    • Make sure students are FERPA-free for photo use before posting their pictures online.
    • Link back to information on your school website or the district site instead of writing a long post repeating the information. This also drives traffic back to your website.
    • Don't link your social media accounts. In other words, don't set up your Twitter account to automatically post on your school Facebook account.
    • Don't make political posts, and remain neutral when discussing sensitive issues.
  3. Presidents' Forum maintains a district-sponsored website that includes meeting information, financial information, and resources for PTOs. Presidents' Forum encourages the following best practices, both on its website and for school parent group websites:
    • Meeting agendas, meeting minutes, and monthly financial reports are posted each month to the Presidents' Forum website for the sake of transparency and information-sharing.
    • Rockwood-sponsored sites (their addresses start with rsdmo.org) are the only parent-group websites that may be promoted using district resources.
  4. The Executive Board can share with its members appropriate information about district-sponsored initiatives. (The Executive Board can obtain from Rockwood Communications an official list of such district-related initiatives.) This promotes awareness among Presidents' Forum membership and allows interested parties from Presidents' Forum to opt into communications with these initiatives. The Executive Board does not distribute information or allow presentations from outside groups or resources that are not officially affiliated with Rockwood School District but instead encourages those groups to share information via Peachjar or other district communication channels where appropriate.
  5. The Executive Board may choose to give a gift to a retiring Rockwood School District employee at the annual Presidents' Forum Leadership Conference or at another appropriate time (if the retirement is not known by the Leadership Conference or if the retirement is at another
  6. time in the year). The Executive Board will determine who receives a retirement gift from Presidents' Forum, the type of gift, and the amount to be spent. Retirement gifts in the past have been purchased for superintendents, the executive director of Rockwood Communications, and some Communications support staff.
  7. The Executive Board may give other gifts as its discretion as the situation warrants.
  8. Ideally, the Executive Board will have representation from all four district quadrants.

FINANCES

  1. The Executive Board announces dues for the upcoming school year at the February Presidents' Forum meeting to aid parent groups in planning their own budgets for the upcoming school year.
  2. Each Rockwood parent group should forward its completed taxes to both the Presidents' Forum Treasurer and the secretary of Rockwood's Chief Financial Officer. This information will be announced at Presidents' Forum meetings throughout the year.
  3. The Presidents' Forum Executive Board partners with the Rockwood Finance Department to provide treasurers' training sessions in the fall and in the spring as part of the Leadership Conference.
  4. The Rockwood Director of Finance completes the taxes for Presidents' Forum each year. The treasurer will share all bank statements for the year and a president will be asked to sign the taxes before their submission. The district does not typically charge Presidents' Forum.
  5. There must be at least two co-signers for the Presidents' Forum bank account, with three signatures recommended, if possible. This is usually the current treasurer and the current president(s). It is recommended to have two signatures on each check written by Presidents' Forum. If there is a situation when two signatures are not possible, there must be documentation showing the approval of a second account singer for the check to be written before a check can be sent with only one signature.
  6. The annual budget and monthly financial reports will be sent by the treasurer to the Rockwood Communications Department to be posted on the Presidents' Forum website.
  7. All documents should be kept from at least the past three years plus the current year. Tax returns, meeting minutes, and financial reports should be kept in permanent records.
  8. Presidents' Forum and each individual parent group should have their own sales tax exemption certificates from the State of Missouri. Each organization should ensure appropriate use of the tax exemption certificate for purchases made on behalf of the parent group and verify the expiration date of its exemption letter and file a renewal form, if needed.
  9. Each individual PTO is a 501(c)3 subordinate under the Presidents' Forum umbrella. Each parent group has its own Federal EIN number. Copies of the general 501(c)3 letter and specific organizations' Federal Tax ID numbers may be obtained from the district finance secretary. This is NOT THE SAME as each group's Missouri Sales Tax Exemption number.
  10. The Rockwood Director of Finances completes the Annual Registration Report for a Domestic Nonprofit Corporation through the Missouri Secretary of State's Office. Presidents' Forum writes a check to the district to pay for this expense. It is recommended each individual parent group also complete this registration annually.
  11. Rockwood School District pays for general liability insurance through PTO Today for each parent group for events held on and off district property. When an event is planned and the location requires a certificate of insurance (COI), PTO Today should be contacted. The district recommends contacting PTO Today to ensure activities are covered by the general liability policy. Special event coverage may need to be purchased to cover events/activities excluded from the general liability policy.
  12. It is expected that each organization purchases a bond to cover the person or persons responsible for keeping records and handling funds if account balances are above $15,000 annually. PTO bonds may be purchased from Arthur J. Gallagher or PTO Today. It is also recommended that parent groups consider purchasing Directors and Officers Insurance.
  13. Approved parent group board member(s) should review, monitor, and sign contracts. Examine indemnification provision and how disputes are handled, making sure the venue is St. Louis County. Confirm insurance coverage for all events with PTO Today.

These Standing Rules may be reviewed and revised at any point by majority approval of the current Presidents' Forum Executive Board. Revisions will be announced at Presidents' Forum meetings.

Adopted 2/2021