WGES Bylaws1: Name
Section l The name of the organization shall be the Walnut Grove Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization (WGES PTO).
Article 2: Objectives of the Organization
Section l To promote an enriched educational environment by fostering a cooperative and beneficial relationship among Walnut Grove Elementary School students, parents, faculty, and staff.
Section ll To provide those resources to the school that are not provided or not provided sufficiently for in the school budget and are deemed necessary or desirable by the staff for the support and education of the children school.
Article 3: General Provisions
Section I This organization will conduct itself in a manner that is free of discrimination and will provide equal opportunity and treatment for all members. Membership discrimination based on race, religion, color, age, rank, national origin, or sex is not permitted.
Section ll
The PTO shall be noncommercial, nonsectarian, and nonpartisan.
The name of the PTO or the names of any members with their official capacities shall not be used to endorse or promote a commercial concern or in connection with any partisan interest or for any purpose not appropriately related to promotion of the principles of the PTO.
The PTO may cooperate with other organizations and agencies concerned with child welfare, but shall not enter into membership with other organizations. A PTO representative shall make no commitments that bind the group he/she represents.
No part of the net earnings of the PTO shall be used to the benefit of, or be distributable to its members, directors, trustees, officers or other private persons except that the PTO shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for service rendered.
The PTO shall seek neither to direct the administrative activities of the school nor control its policies. The organization shall work with the school to provide quality education for all children and youth, and shall seek to participate in the decision-making processes establishing school policy, recognizing the legal responsibility to make education policy is delegated by the people to the board of education.
Article 4: Nomination and Election Process
Section 1 A Form or meeting will be given/ held to determine if the current PTO executive board/ PTO board position holders will remain in their current position on the executive board for the upcoming school year. This will determine the position(s) to be listed on the nomination form.
Section 2 Nomination forms will be sent home between March 15-April 15. With a one week turnaround time to receive forms. Nomination forms will only list open positions.
Interviews will be held starting the following week after forms are received.
Section 3 Nominations
The current year’s PTO Board shall be responsible for receiving all suggestions for persons to serve as PTO Executive/board members. The President/Vice President shall contact all persons nominated to schedule interviews.
The Interview of potential new executive board/ board position holders will be conducted by the executive board members who will be retaining their executive board position for the upcoming school year .
In the event that all executive board member positions are vacated, the current President and Principal will conduct the interview process.
The office of President shall be filled by a person who has served as a WGES PTO Executive Board member for a minimum of one calendar school year. In the event that there is not someone that meets the qualifications, the principal will conduct interviews.
Section 4 Voting
After Interviews the Executive Board will create a slate of approved candidates. Following interviews, new PTO Executive Board members will be selected by the PTO Executive Board. In the event that two or more candidates are selected after interviews, a school wide vote will take place to determine who will hold the position,
WGES Saff/ WGES Parents/Guardians will cast their vote using a paper ballot that is created and sent home by the Current President.
Article 5: Membership and Dues
Section l Active members shall consist of parents or guardians of students in the Walnut Grove Elementary School, any member of the faculty or staff of said school who have paid dues.
Section ll The privileges of holding office, making motions, debating and voting
shall be limited to executive and board members.
Section III PTO officers, executive board members and volunteers must complete volunteer training and have an approved background check.
Article 6: Officers and Governing Body
Section l The Executive Board
The Executive Board shall consist of the PTO officers: President, Vice-President, Treasurer, and Secretary, Principal (non voting), all being unpaid members of the PTO. All Executive Board and voting members are required to attend all PTO sponsored events and meetings. The principal will attend at his/her discretion. All PTO Officers must have a student enrolled at WGES. PTO Officers agree to follow the PTO Code of Conduct and the PTO Chain of Command.
Section ll Duties of the Executive Board Members
a. The President is a voting member shall attend all meetings of the
Executive Board and General Meetings, shall prepare agendas for Executive Board and meetings. The President shall remain unbiased on all issues. The President shall appoint all committees, shall see that all books, reports and certificates, as needed, are properly kept or filed, and shall have such powers as may be reasonably construed as belonging to the chief executive of any organization. The President shall have signatory/administrative rights for all financial accounts The President shall notify the principal and all board members of all scheduled meetings. The president shall be the sole source of communication between the PTO and the Principal. This position shall not be held by any employee of Walton County School District.
b. The Vice President is a voting member of the PTO. The vice
president shall act as an aide to the President and shall, in
designated order, perform the duties of the President in the absence or inability of that officer to serve, and will also edit the minutes sent to the membership. This is the only office that may be co- chaired. This position shall not be held by any employee of Walton County School District.
c. The Secretary is a voting member of the PTO. The secretary shall
keep and edit accurate minutes and records of the organization in
appropriate books: shall be the official custodian of the records, and
shall exercise all duties incident to the office. The secretary shall perform other duties as may be delegated to the office.
e. The Treasurer is a voting member of the PTO. The treasurer shall
prepare an annual budget, shall receive all monies of the organization,
shall keep an accurate record of the receipts and expenditures and
shall pay out local funds only as authorized by the Board. The
Treasurer shall have signatory rights for all financial accounts. The
Treasurer shall provide a Profit/Loss Statement at all General PTO
meetings. This position shall not be held by any employee of Walton County School District.
e. The Principal is a non-voting member of the PTO. They shall be
there to assist, give direction, and offer staff input to the PTO.
Section III The Board Members
The Board Members shall consist of the PTO officers: Volunteer Coordinator/ Room parent coordinator and the Donation Coordinator, all being unpaid members of the PTO. PTO Board Members agree to follow the PTO Code of Conduct and the PTO Chain of Command. The Volunteer Coordinator/Room Parent Coordinator and Donation Coordinator positions may remain vacant if qualified candidates are not available.
Section lV Duties of the Board Members
a. Volunteer Coordinator/Room Parent Coordinator (Non voting member) shall organize volunteers for PTO functions and fundraisers. shall delegate responsibilities to each room parent. The Volunteer coordinator/Room Parent Coordinator shall also help with all other duties and functions throughout the school year.
c. Donation Coordinator (Non voting member) Shall secure donations for WGES PTO fundraisers (including but not limited to; Holiday Shop, Family Dance,Nerf Battle, Bingo etc) from local businesses/individuals. The Donation Coordinator shall also keep an accurate record of all donations (Organization Name, Individual Name, Copy of Donation Letters, Inventory and Cost of Items Donated)
Article 7: Replacement/Dismissal of a PTO Officer
Section l The replacement or dismissal of officers may be deemed necessary due to circumstances including but not limited to the following:
Disruptive behaviors with other PTO officers or school staff members.
Repeated unexcused absence from duties.
Unethical conduct
Section ll For a PTO officer to be replaced or dismissed, the officer must be counseled 2 times for said offense or combination of written offenses. Dismissal will be determined by the President and Principal.
Section lll Misappropriation of PTO property and/or money will be handled with
immediate dismissal through a quorum vote by remaining PTO voting officers and Principal.
Article 8: PTO Sponsored Events
Section l There shall be a minimum of two PTO Sponsored Events with parents during the school year as permitted by the principal.
Section ll The officers, in conjunction with the principal, will designate the dates and times. Events and fundraiser dates for the upcoming school year need to be submitted to the Principal No later than May 10 of the current school year.
Section lll The parent/guardians of the student body will be notified of the dates and times.
Article 9: Meeting and Meeting Voting
Section 1 Meetings
All PTO Executive Board members are required to attend all meetings. The newly elected Executive Board will create the meeting dates and times scheduled for the upcoming school year. The President will create all Agendas and oversee the meeting. The principal will attend at his/her discretion.
Section 2 Voting
Voting members must be present for the entire meeting to cast their vote.
All voting will take place at the end of the meeting.
All Non Voting members will be Excused before voting takes place.
Article10: By-Laws
Section l These By-Laws shall be made available to individuals upon request and located on the schools website.
Section ll All PTO Board members shall sign the By-Laws before accepting their position on the board and agree to uphold and follow all PTO By-Laws.
Article 11: Changes to By-Laws
Section l These By-Laws may be altered, amended or repealed by majority vote of the PTO Executive Board members and will then be sent to the principal for consideration and approval.
Article 12: Budgetary Matters
Section l The officers shall present at the first regular officers/board meeting of the year a budget of anticipated revenue and expenses for the year. This budget shall be used to guide the activities of the officers during the year.
Section ll The Board (on approval) may authorize any officer or officers to enter into contracts or agreements for the purchase of materials or services on behalf of the organization. The officers shall not have the authority, however, to enter into such agreements on behalf of Walnut Grove Elementary School or the Walton County School District, nor should they hold themselves out as having such authority.
Section lII No loans shall be made by the organization to its officers or members.
Section IV All checks, drafts or other orders for the payment of money on behalf of the organization shall be signed by the President or Treasurer. Any expenditure more than $100.00 (unless otherwise specified at an official PTO Executive Board meeting), must be voted on by the PTO Executive Board.
Section V The President and Treasurer shall deposit all funds of the organization to the PTO bank account. All deposits and/or disbursements shall be made weekly.
Section VI No PTO funds will be taken away from the school without first being verified by two PTO Executive Board members. Money taken from the school must be deposited immediately . If an immediate deposit cannot be made, the funds will be locked in the school safe.
Section.Vll The officers have the authority to appoint an auditor or an auditing committee at least four weeks before the end of the school year to audit the Treasurer’s accounts.
Section.VllI Standard guidelines for auditing purposes shall be followed.
Section IX Upon dissolution of this organization all remaining assets must be used exclusively for exempt purposes at Walnut Grove Elementary School.
Article 13: Rules of Order
Section l The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised shall govern this organization in all cases in which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws.
These By-Laws were adopted by the membership by a majority vote during a PTO Executive Meeting properly called on March 2022, and shall take effect immediately.