Bylaws

Article I — Name

The name of this Corporation is Don Callejon School Community Organization, which may be abbreviated as the acronym DCSCO (“the Organization”).

Article II — Mission and Purpose

The specific purpose of the Organization is to provide community support to the Don Callejon School (“the School”), a public K-8 school located in the Santa Clara Unified School District (“the District”) in Santa Clara, California.

The Organization will work to bring closer relations between the home and the school, so that parents, Don Callejon faculty and staff, students, and other community members may collaborate in the education of the children. The Organization will also provide fundraising efforts for the benefit of the children and the school.

The Organization will advocate for the school community to the School and District through communication and participation to ensure that the needs of children are recognized and supported.

Article III — General Policies

A. The Organization shall be noncommercial, nonsectarian, and nonpartisan.

B. The Organization shall not be affiliated with a national parent-teacher organization.

C. The Organization may cooperate with other organizations and agencies active in child welfare.

D. The Organization shall not engage in any activities that are counter to the policies and procedures of Don Callejon School or the Santa Clara Unified School District. No decision of DCSCO shall limit or infringe upon the authority or responsibility of the principal or other District staff or the SCUSD Board of Education.

E. The name of the Organization or the names and titles of any members in official capacities shall not be used in conjunction with a commercial concern or with any partisan interest or for any purpose not appropriately related to the promotion of the purpose of the Organization.

F. The Organization shall be established and operated for charitable and educational purposes.

G. No part of the net earnings of the Organization shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to its members, trustees, officers, or other private persons, except that the Organization shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth in the purpose article hereof. No substantial part of the activities of the Organization shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the Organization shall not participate in, or intervene in (including publishing or distributing statements) any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office. Notwithstanding any other provision of this document, 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, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or (b) by an organization, contributions to which are deductible under section 170 (c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code.

H. Upon the dissolution of the Organization, assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or shall be distributed to the federal government, or to a state or local government, for a public purpose.

Article IV — Membership and Dues

A. The following individuals shall be eligible for membership:

Parents and guardians of students enrolled at Don Callejon School

Teachers at Don Callejon School

Administrators and other school staff members at Don Callejon School

Other interested community members who live within the attendance boundaries for the Don Callejon School (current ID and City of Santa Clara Utility bill or PG&E bill is required for identification purposes)

B. A member shall have the privilege of attending meetings, making motions, voting, and holding office. Members must be included in the attendance roster of the school during the time period of the meeting.

Unless specified, meetings will be open to all interested parties but voting privileges will be held for eligible members.

C. There will be no membership dues for the Organization.

Article V — Officers and Their Election

A. The following officers will comprise the Executive Board (“the Board”):

President

Presides over all meetings of the Organization.

Works with the Administrative Representative to schedule and set the agenda for all meetings of the Organization.

Acts as a liaison between the Organization and the Administration of Don Callejon School.

Works with the Administrative Representative to inform School and District staff of the programs of the Organization.

Works with the Administrative Representative to coordinate the use of School and District resources by the Organization, including scheduling meeting rooms as required.

Coordinates the work of the Executive Board, Committees, and the Organization as a whole.

Ensures goals are clearly outlined and achieved.

Ensures committees are appropriately created and filled with volunteers, including appointing committee chairpersons.

Has responsibility for the safekeeping and distribution of official documents of the Organization, including Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, and records of government filings.

Vice President

In the absence of the President, serves as President.

Assists the President in an advisory capacity.

Promotes and encourages involvement throughout the school community.

Oversees and represents the work of the School Action Committees.

Maintains and updates the process and policies manual for all executive board members. The manual describes best practices and policies for executive board, committees, and volunteers. The manual must be reviewed by the principal of the school yearly.

Communications Director

Records and posts the minutes at meetings of the Organization.

Announces meetings and programs.

Manages electronic and written correspondence to and from the Organization, including overseeing email distribution groups and lists, and the website.

Coordinates public relations of the Organization.

Enrolls and tracks the membership of the Organization, including the maintenance of confidential membership rolls and contact lists.

Oversees and represents the work of the Communications Committees.

Finance Director

Creates an annual budget for approval by the membership.

Keeps and reports the accounting of the Organization.

Files tax returns, tax-related forms, tax exemption forms, and all other necessary documents with state and federal agencies as required.

Receives and deposits in the bank specified by the Board all monies on behalf of this Organization and issue receipts for same.

Keeps an accurate record of receipts, disbursements and other financial transactions of this Organization.

Reconciles the bank statement on a monthly basis and verifies the reasonableness of the expenditures and deposits.

Keeps the Organization’s checkbook and posts all transactions.

Has responsibility for the safekeeping of the funds, as well as hard-copy and electronic financial records of the Organization.

Keeps non-tax filings with state and federal agencies up-to-date.

Fundraising Director

Sets annual community fundraising programs goal.

Plans fundraising events.

Oversees fundraising through direct donations from individual community members.

Organizes fundraising activities through sales of food and/or products.

Oversees fundraising membership programs (such as eScrip).

Maintains fundraising database.

Oversees and represents the work of the Community Fundraising

Committees.

Parliamentarian

The parliamentarian is an officer appointed by the president, subject to ratification by the executive board. A parliamentarian “pro tem” should be appointed in the absence of the parliamentarian. “Pro tem” means “for this time only.” The parliamentarian has no voting privileges.

Parliamentarian Responsibilities:

Review and study the bylaws and standing rules annually. If changes are required, ask the president to appoint a committee for this review. Proposed amendments must be submitted through the advisory committee for approval before adoption at an organization meeting.

Use the latest version of Bylaws for the organization. Date is noted on the front or inside of front cover. Instructions and procedures must be included.

Verify that the school and district have a current copy of the organization’s bylaws.

Assist the president in preparing for meetings, when requested.

Make sure the unit has a copy of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised, 10th Edition and become familiar with the contents of the book.

Provide the members and the executive board with training on simple parliamentary procedures; how to state a motion, rules of debate, quorums.

Advise presiding officer, when requested, on questions of parliamentary procedure. Parliamentarians do not “rule.” Parliamentarians have the power to rule on a question of order.

Assist the presiding officer by keeping track of the order of those wishing to speak, motions, amendments, voting, etc., during meetings.

Ensure each member of the executive board has a current copy of the organization’s bylaws and standing rules.

Encourage attendance at training opportunities for parliamentary procedures and/or bylaw workshops and counterpart workshops and training when offered.

B. The following representatives serve as ex-officio members of the Executive Board, although not elected officers, serve in an advisory capacity with full voting privileges for non-financial matters.

Administration Representative

Must be Principal or Vice Principal of the Don Callejon School during the term of office.

Works with the President to schedule and set the agenda for all meetings of the Organization.

Acts as a liaison between the School administration and the Organization.

Serves as a liaison between the Organization and other School Committees and/or Councils.

Represents the interests of Don Callejon School and Santa Clara Unified School District at meetings of the Organization.

Informs School and District staff of the programs of the Organization

Coordinates use of School and District resources by the Organization, including scheduling meeting rooms as required.

Faculty/Staff Representative

Must be a member of the Don Callejon School faculty or staff during the term of office.

Coordinates with the Administrative Representative to act as a liaison between the School faculty and staff and the Organization.

Represents the interests of Don Callejon School and Santa Clara Unified School District at meetings of the Organization.

Informs School and District staff of the programs of the Organization.

C. Co-Directors

No co-directors are permitted for any of the director positions.

D. Term of Office

All officers are elected for a term of one year, serving July 1 through June 30.

Officers may be elected for multiple consecutive terms.

E. Elections

All members, as defined in Article IV, are eligible for election to the President, Vice President, Communications Director, Finance Director, and Fundraising Director positions, with one exception:

Only individuals of age 18 or older may hold the Finance Director position for legal reasons.

Officers shall first be proposed by the nomination committee in the form of a slate. The slate of nominees is the recommendation from the nomination committee of one individual for each of the positions.

The slate of officers shall be elected by ballot annually at the general meeting in the month of May.

There is no limit to the number of candidates who may run apply for any office.

F. Appointments

The Faculty/Staff Representative and Student Representative shall be appointed by the principal of Don Callejon School, through internal school elections or whatever process the principal deems appropriate for selecting individuals for these positions.

G. Vacancies

A vacancy occurring in any elected office (President, Vice President, Communications Director, Finance Director, or Fundraising Director) shall be filled for the unexpired term by a person elected by a majority vote of the executive board.

A vacancy occurring in any appointed office (Faculty/Staff Representative or Student Representative) shall be appointed for the unexpired term by the School principal.

In case a vacancy occurs in the office of President, the Vice President shall assume the presidency and serve notice of a vacancy in the position of Vice President.

In case the entire board resigns, the advisory committee shall serve as officers for the unexpired terms of the resigning executive board. Positions shall be determined by a majority vote of the advisory committee.

H. Removal

If an officer misses three consecutive regularly scheduled Executive Board or Membership meetings, he/she may be asked to resign.

If an elected officer (President, Vice President, Communications Director, Finance Director, Fundraising Director) is unable to uphold the duties of a position, including attending meetings regularly, upholding organizational policies, maintaining honesty and integrity in overseeing the Organization’s assets, and appropriately representing the Organization publicly, the Executive Board may remove the elected officer with a two-thirds vote. Similarly, the membership may remove any elected officer with a two-thirds vote at a General Meeting.

If removing an officer from office is a consideration, the executive board must make a formal request to the Advisory Committee for assistance in determining whether a hearing should be conducted to remove the officer from office before proceeding with any action. The Advisory Committee hearing panel following a two-thirds (2/3) affirmative vote, may recommend that the executive board meet and remove the officer from office.

Notice Procedures Concerning Removal: Following the two-thirds (2/3) affirmative vote by the Advisory Committee hearing panel recommending that the officer be removed from office:

The officer must be given fifteen (15) days’ written notice of the hearing by the executive board to remove the officer from office;

The written notice shall contain the reasons for the proposed removal, and shall be mailed to the last address of the officer shown on the organization’s records;

At the hearing, the officer must be given an opportunity to address the executive board, either orally or in writing;

If the hearing panel recommends removal from office, the executive board shall convene not less than five (5) days following the hearing and vote whether the officer will be removed from office;

A two-thirds (2/3) vote of the executive board shall be sufficient to remove the officer from office;

The removal vote shall be recorded in the executive board minutes and shall specify the number of members voting in favor of and against such removal;

The Advisory Committee shall be notified in writing of the action taken by the executive board

If an appointed officer (Administration Representative, Faculty/Staff Representative, or Student Representative) is unable to uphold the duties of a position, including attending meetings regularly, upholding organizational policies, maintaining honesty and integrity in overseeing the Organization’s assets, and appropriately representing the Organization publicly, the School principal may remove the officer and appoint a replacement.

I. Authority

Executive Board

The Executive Board may make decisions, except for those specified in the next bullet, on behalf of the membership. Financial decisions by the Executive Board to expend funds and undertake contracts must be made in-line with the budget approved by the general membership.

For the following decisions (“Restricted Decisions”), the Executive Board is required to obtain a vote of the membership at a Membership Meeting in accordance with the voting and quorum procedures defined in Article IX:

Annual election of officers

Approval of the budget at the beginning of each school year

Amendment to these bylaws

Individual Officers

Individual officers may make independent decisions in carrying out the duties of their offices. For example, the appropriate officers may create and distribute printed materials, send email announcements, deposit funds, schedule fundraising events, file government documents, and undertake other routine activities required for the successful management of their programs.

Officers acting independently may not bind the Organization financially or sign contracts of any kind without the specific express approval of the Executive Board, but may make financial commitments funded entirely by their own personal contributions in support of the Organization.

The officers and the Organization shall not have the authority to enter into any agreements on behalf of Don Callejon School or the Santa Clara Unified School District, nor should they hold themselves out as having such authority.

Any and all agreements, events, programs that create potential legal or financial liability for the organization must be researched and proposed in detail and approved by the executive board prior to execution. i.e. raffles, fundraising programs, volunteer programs, etc.

J. Pre-school, Daycare, and Extended Care

Curriculum, activities, issues, personnel concerns, enrichment, facilities, and other matters related to these programs should be addressed by the Pre-school, Daycare, and Extended Care Parent Advisory Board.

It is generally a good benchmark for DCSCO to provide no more than 10% of fundraising revenue to support students in the Pre-school, Daycare, and Extended Care programs, in addition to the proceeds from fundraising programs requested and managed by Pre-school parents and specifically earmarked to support the Pre-school.

Article VI — Committees

The following standing committees and chairperson roles exist:

A. Advisory Committee

There shall be an advisory committee for DCSCO which shall be compromised of 3 members (the chairman and two other members).
The purpose of the committee is to adjudicate on all matters of misdemeanor, breach of the bylaws or any other serious offence by any member, and shall recommend appropriate action as may be necessary.
The members of the advisory committee, therefore, have a tremendous influence on the future of the organization and should be selected carefully.
Serving on the advisory committee is an honor and a privilege. This committee is the organization’s most influential internal body, and because it deals with sensitive issues, deliberations of this committee are kept confidential.
Advisory committee members should have a broad acquaintance with the membership and an understanding of the organization’s functions and its purposes.

Advisory committee members must be former DCSCO executive board members.

Advisory committee members may volunteer at any time after they have completed their term in a DCSCO executive board position.

Advisory committee members are elected as a slate during the yearly DCSCO election.

The committee shall report its findings to the executive board which shall make its findings known to the affected person/persons with the necessary discipline.

In a case where the entire executive board resigns, the advisory committee shall serve as officers for the unexpired terms of the resigning executive board. Positions (president, vice president, finance director) shall be determined by a majority vote of the advisory committee.

The advisory committee serves as part of the nominating committee two months prior to the annual election.

B. Nominating Committee

The nominating committee should comprise of the three members of the advisory committee, the principal of the school or designated representative, and one teacher representative.
The purpose of the nominating committee is to recognize and seek qualified nominees for the elected leadership of the organization.

Nominations for office shall be made by a nominating committee which shall be elected by the organization at the end of the each year.

The nominating committee shall be elected at least 12 months prior to the annual election meeting. The committee shall serve until the annual election meeting.

The nominating committee shall be composed of three (3) members, all of whom shall be members of this organization. The principal of the school, or a faculty representative appointed by the principal, if not an elected member of the committee, shall serve in an advisory capacity. The committee shall elect it’s own chairman.

Immediately upon its election the parliamentarian shall meet with the nominating committee to set the date of its first meeting.

The report of the nominating committee shall be submitted to the membership at least fourteen (14) days prior to the annual election meeting. At the annual election meeting in May during the school’s Open House. Additional nominations must be called for from the floor.

C. School Action Committees (overseen by the Vice President)

Hospitality Chairperson

Organizes refreshments at DCSCO meetings and various school functions

School Volunteer Chairperson

Assists teachers and staff with recruiting and coordinating parent/community volunteers for morning and afternoon drop off, recess, etc.

Classroom Representative Chairperson

Assists teachers and staff with recruiting and coordinating parent/community volunteers for the classrooms, field trips, teacher appreciation week, etc.

D. Communications Committee and Chairperson Roles (overseen by the Communications Director)

Electronic Communications Chairperson

Updates website design and content, and oversees email lists and groups (including Yahoo group and dcsco.org email addresses).

Marketing Communications Chairperson

Creates brochures, flyers, posters, and other printed literature, including materials used to advertise fundraising campaigns and events.

Spanish Language Communications Chairperson

Provides written and spoken translation services

Historian

Assembles and preserves the record of activities and achievements of DCSCO and prepares and annual ‘Historian Report’

E. Development Committees and Chairperson Roles (overseen by the Fundraising Director)

Grants, Foundation, and Corporate Sponsorship Chairperson

Leads a “School Grant Team” composed of DCSCO members who write applications for grants.

Requests direct donations from corporations, foundations, and government institutions.

Works with fundraising/events team volunteers to pursue foundations and corporate sponsors for larger events.

Entrepreneurs Program Chairperson

Communicates to potential new members how criteria is established for inclusion into the program

Promotes the program

Coordinates membership and donations with the Development Director and DCSCO Board

F. Community Fundraising Committees and Chairperson Roles (overseen by the Fundraising Director)

Direct Donations Chairperson

Creates, sends and tracks email, postcard and letters for the Annual Giving Campaign.

Explain how to make direct donations to DCSCO and encourage people to approach their employers for possible corporate matching opportunities.

Writes individual thank you letters, and ensures that throughout the year individual and corporate donors will be recognized in any printed programs and advertisements for the contributions that they have made

Events Committee Chairpersons

Lead an Events Committee who will be responsible for discussing and proposing which community events to organize for the year.

For each event, the committee will draft a plan to include a breakdown and estimate of volunteer time, direct costs and projected income as well as create a schedule to cover the period of the plan.

Ongoing Member Programs Champions

DCSCO participates in a variety of member fundraising programs where business partners contribute books or a percentage of their sales to the organization (eScrip, Funding Factory Recycling Program, Target, Scholastic, etc). Each program will be assigned a ‘Champion’ who will be responsible for encouraging program membership; promoting their program; and coordinating membership and donations with the Finance Director.

G. Database Coordinator (works with all Directors and committees)

Organizes and maintains a detailed fundraising database of individuals, corporations, and local retailers, who have an interest in the community, education and/or the school.

Supports the Communication Director in maintaining confidential membership database and related information.

Ensures data from all committees is tracked in a consistent, coordinated manner.

H. Financial Audit Chairperson (overseen by the Executive Board)

I. All chairpersons listed above should be appointed by the Executive Board at or before the September Executive Board meeting.

J. With the exception of the Financial Audit Chairperson, sub-committee chairpersons may appoint volunteers to serve on their respective committees as necessary.

K. Other committees and sub-committees may be formed as necessary under the direction and approval of the President and the Executive Board.

Article VII — Finance Policies

A. Fiscal Year

The fiscal year for the Organization is July 1 through June 30.

B. Budget

The Executive Board shall present to the membership at the first Regular Meeting of the school year (Back to School Night) a budget of finalized allocations, anticipated revenue, and expenses for the year. This budget shall be used to guide the activities of the Executive Board during the year.

Updated budgets, along with estimated financial results, will be presented and voted on in January (optional) and June at the end of the school year (during open house).

C. Compensation

No officers, committee chairs, or other members shall be compensated by the Organization for their work.

D. Loans

No loans shall be made by the Organization to its officers or members.

E. Commercial Paper and Accounts

The Finance Director shall deposit all funds of the Organization to the credit of the Organization in an FDIC-insured Chartered Bank or an NCUA-insured Credit Union as the Executive Board may select and shall make such disbursements as authorized by the Executive Board in accordance with the budget adopted by the membership. Any funds deposited into other than a checking or savings account must be approved by a vote of the Board.

All deposits shall be made within a maximum of thirty (30) days from the receipt of the funds.

No funds shall be moved from the existing financial institution holding the funds to another institution without approval of the Executive Board.

F. Expenditures

All expenditures, $500 and above must be approved by the board prior to purchase and documented in the minutes.

Expenditures of $500 and above must have a written estimate (multiple competive bids if time allows) prior to presentation to the board during the approval process and documented in the minutes.

G. Disbursements

All checks, drafts, withdrawals, or other orders for the payment of money on behalf of the Organization shall be written and signed by two elected officers and recorded by the Finance Director. Except in extenuating circumstances (extended travel, illness, etc.), the Finance Director shall be one of two signers/approvers for each debit.

H. Financial Report

The Finance Director shall present a financial report at the January and June General Membership Meetings of the Organization and shall prepare a printed final report at the close of the year. The Executive Board shall have the final report and the accounts examined bi-annually in January and June by an appointed auditor or audit committee, who, if satisfied that the Finance Director’s annual report is correct, shall sign a statement of that fact at the end of the report, presented directly to the Executive Board. The final annual audit report shall be completed within 30 days of the end of the fiscal year.

I. Annual Audit

A financial audit will take place each year by an independent CPA. The CPA files all federal and state tax forms and submissions with assistance from the Finance Director.

J. Annual Government Filings

The Finance Director and CPA shall file all necessary documents with the state and federal governments to ensure maintenance of non-profit status and adherence to regulations set by the California Secretary of State, California Attorney General, California Franchise Tax Board, and United States Internal Revenue Service.

K. Year-End Transition

The Organization shall endeavor to spend funds collected during a school year within the same school year.

If there are remaining funds at the end of a year, they shall be retained in the DCSCO bank account or in an insured certificate of deposit.

It is helpful for a small amount of money to be left in the bank account at year-end to be used for government filings, recurring expenses, and event funding at the beginning of the new fiscal year. This balance will also help waive bank account fees.

Proceeds from multi-year fundraising campaigns shall be retained and accounted for appropriately to ensure originally envisioned use. A separate account must be set-up to hold these funds until the goal is reached. Upon reaching the goal, the approved funds may be retained until invoicing is completed and received. Once invoicing is complete, the funds must be transferred to the school immediately. Multi-year fundraising campaigns must be specifically provisioned when initially created and include proposal documentation, a pledge to the school, and any supporting documents or estimates.

At the end of June, after all payments are made and all funds are deposited, the outgoing Finance Director shall transition bank account authority and signature cards to the newly elected officers. The newly elected Finance Director shall ensure that outgoing officers no longer have any financial signature authority or the ability to electronically transfer funds.

L. Additional Financial Policies

Procedures outlined in the process and policies manual shall support overall financial security.

The organization must maintain an accurate record of receipts and disbursements in a ledger (electronic or hard copy) which is a permanent record of DCSCO. All other financial records must be retained for seven years including the current year.

Individuals counting cash/checks shall not be related by blood, marriage or reside in the same household.

Article VIII — Fundraising Policies

A. Appropriate methods of fundraising may include the following:

Direct solicitation of donations from members and other community members via phone, email, direct mail, and in-person meetings

Donations from entrepreneurs who agree to support the school from business they generate from parents and community members

Writing and submission of grants

Collection of donations through the Organization website

Organization of fundraising events

Sales of items

Membership in various fundraising programs focused on educational institutions, such as eScrip

B. Professional fundraising organizations

Any contracts with professional fundraising organizations shall be approved by a majority vote of the Board. The Board shall endeavor not to subcontract fundraising activities to professional fundraising organizations in cases where this subcontracting of responsibility would put the Organization’s non-profit status at risk or require separate special notification of the United States Internal Revenue Service.

C. Earmarked donations

The Organization shall be cautious about accepting donations earmarked for the creation of additional classes or teaching positions, minimally receiving advance approval from the District, which has stated it is typically unable to accept such funds to create non-guaranteed positions.

D. Fundraising goal

At the beginning of each year, the Fundraising Director will work with the Fundraising Committee and Executive Board to develop a fundraising plan and financial goal which will be used as the basis for the budget developed by the Finance Director. This plan will be drafted and presented in September.

It is generally a good benchmark for the fundraising goal to exceed the previous year’s fundraising results by at least 10%.

E. Privacy policy

Ensure confidentiality of membership and fundraising information is maintained by requiring Executive Board and committee chairs to sign non-disclosure agreements and restrict access to data.

Article IX — Communication Policies

A. Communications will take place through a mailing list for parents to sign up for occasional informational and event promotional purposes. The mailing list must have the following policies:

No public access to posting

Only official notices

No discussions

At the request of the DCS Principal or Vice Principal, the organization must suspend all communications

DCS Principal or designated agent can take control and/or moderation of the mailing list through administrative privileges of the domain

Mailing list can be created in conjunction with the website

B. Website Administration and Access shall remain in the management of the Principal and/or administrative agent of Don Callejon School at all times.

Moderator privileges will be given to the Communication Director

Communication committee members can be given moderator privileges at the request of the Communications Director

Technical and administrative contacts for www.dcsco.org shall be the principal and/or administrative agent of Don Callejon School. Access to A-Records, CName-Records, and MX records shall remain in the management of the principal and/or administrative agent.

C. Purposes of Communications – assure that the following guidelines are used when publishing DCSCO publications.

Encourage and highlight involvement with the child in the home and in the school.

Inform every family in the school of the aims and accomplishments of the organization.

Encourage and highlight attendance at DCSCO meetings and parent involvement in DCSCO projects and activities.

Foster cooperation with the school in keeping parents informed about school functions.

Inform the community about DCSCO activities and school functions.

Express appreciation to those participating in or contributing to programs.

D. Additional Communication Guidelines

Adhere to noncommercial, nonpartisan and nonsectarian policies

All material is to be cleared with the DCSCO president and school principal before printing. The principal is responsible for the accuracy of school information and compliance with the State Education Code and school district policy. The DCSCO president is responsible for the accuracy of DCSCO information and compliance with school and district policies.

Never present material critical of any individual or group. To do so may very well expose DCSCO to a libel suit.

Only publish a summary of actions taken from the DCSCO association meeting.

Do not publish, without written permission, personal information about students or adults. This includes:

Home addresses and/or telephone/cellphone numbers of students or adults;

E-mail addresses of students or adults; and

Student or adult class schedules.

Do not give identification in student bylines that would identify classrooms (e.g., Art-work by John L., third grade).

Always make it easy for the reader to identify and find the Website Coordinator. List the following items:

Name of the Organization;

Contact information (use school address or mailing address);

Include an e-mail address and telephone number, so that people can be reached for more information about the organization.

Article X - Nomination and Election Policies

A. Electing the Advisory/Nominating Committee - The Bylaws for DCSCO state that the advisory/nominating committee is elected initially as the Advisory Committee by the membership at an association meeting at least twelve months prior to the annual election meeting. Two months prior to the annual election, the Advisory Committee becomes part of the Nominating Committee.

When considering a person for any office, assure the person understands all of the duties of the position. DCSCO bylaws, standing rules and procedure books should be consulted for further information. It is the responsibility of the nominating committee chairman to fully explain the duties of a position to a prospective nominee.

B. QUALITIES OF ADVISORY/NOMINATING COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Advisory/Nominating committee members should be:

Elected on merit and ability.

Willing to devote adequate time to the responsibilities involved.

Knowledgeable regarding the eligibility requirements and the qualifications necessary for the offices to be filled as well as the responsibility of each office.

Aware of the qualifications and abilities of potential nominees.

Able to give objective consideration to nominees.

Able to use sound judgment and skill in evaluating nominees.

Tactful, discreet with integrity.

Able to keep all deliberations confidential.

C. Responsibilities of the Nominating Committee

The Bylaws for DCSCO indicate which officers are elected at the annual election meeting. It is not the responsibility of the nominating committee to appoint chairmen for the upcoming term. The president appoints committee chairmen, subject to ratification by the executive board (board-elect).

The nominating committee elects it’s own chairman. The chairman and the committee should review requirements for nominees and duties of each elected officer as outlined in the DCSCO Bylaws, Article V, Sections A-B. A membership list from the association should be provided to the committee by the school administration. Only those persons who are eligible and who have given their consent to serve, if elected, shall be nominated for office.

The chairman should ensure that nominating committee meetings are scheduled to provide sufficient time to identify and consider all recommendations and suggestions.

Selection of nominees for office should be an orderly procedure. Open and frank discussion must be held among members of the committee. Discussions are strictly confidential, and no information should leave the committee meeting, even after the officers have been elected.

Every effort should be made to provide DCSCO with a slate of officers that is balanced in terms of new as well as experienced officers, represents the school attendance area, and reflects the diversity of the school population.

The committee is not obligated to nominate the president or any current officer eligible to serve a second term. Each nominee must be evaluated independently and by the same criteria as all other nominees. The committee is obligated to seek out those eligible members who would best serve in a particular office.

Members of the committee are excluded from becoming nominees for elected office.

The nominating committee continues to serve until the annual election meeting.

D. Responsibilities of Chairman

Contact potential nominees, unless this responsibility is delegated to another committee member. Inform committee members of the results of the contacts.

Submit the names of nominees to the membership 14 days prior to the election. This may be done at an association meeting or through an email message, flyer, or newsletter.

Reconvene the committee in the event a nominee withdraws before the election is held.

Read the nominating committee report to the membership at the annual election meeting.

Advise the nominees to attend the election meeting and the installation of officers.

Give a written report of the nominees to the recording secretary, signed by the members of the nominating committee.

Be discharged of committee responsibilities at the time of the election.

E. Alternates to the Nominating Committee

If an elected member of the committee cannot attend the first meeting, an alternate is asked to replace that person and the alternate then serves as a permanent member of the committee.

Any elected members who cannot attend the first meeting must immediately notify the parliamentarian and/or the chairman of the nominating committee to ensure that the an alternate is contacted to replace the committee member for that and all future nominating committee meetings.

F. The Role of the Parliamentarian

The parliamentarian may be elected to the nominating committee. The current president never serves on the nominating committee.

The parliamentarian sets the date for the first nominating committee meeting two months prior to the annual election.

At the first nominating committee meeting the parliamentarian

Provides instruction in nominating procedures;

Conducts the election of a chairman;

Explains the chairman’s responsibilities;

Provides a copy of the bylaws, the standing rules, and a membership list for the committee’s use; and

Provides a telephone number where he/she can be reached to answer questions on procedure.

The parliamentarian attends meetings of the nominating committee only if elected to serve as a member of the committee.

The parliamentarian shall notify an alternate if an elected member of the nominating committee cannot attend the first nominating committee meeting.

G. The Role of the Principal

The principal of the school, if not an elected member of the nominating committee, may serve in an advisory capacity.

H. Selecting Nominees

The responsibility of the nominating committee is to select the best-qualified available person for each office. Submitting more than one nominee for an office is not allowed under DCSCO bylaws.

I. Nominee Requirements

Nominee:

Must be a DCSCO member;

Must support the Purposes and basic policies of DCSCO and recognize that DCSCO is an effective organization working for all children and youth;

Should have effectively carried out previous DCSCO and/or other organizational responsibilities;

Should have knowledge of the organization and its role in the school and community;

Should be willing to give DCSCO priority and commitment including attendance at meetings;

Must be fair and objective and concerned for the well being and best interests of DCSCO; and

Must understand the importance of effective teamwork.

No member shall hold more than one elected or appointed office.

J. Contacting Nominees

It is the nominating committee chairman’s responsibility to contact each nominee, but any committee member may be asked to make the contact and report to the chairman. It is not advisable to talk a reluctant individual into accepting a nomination.

Consent of each nominee should be obtained, while the committee is in session, in order to place the name in nomination. If consent cannot be obtained during the meeting, the chairman will inform the committee members of the results of contacts made outside of the committee meetings.

Nominees should be given a clear indication of the responsibilities of the office and how much time may be involved. If requested, a printed job description can be provided. Individuals considering accepting nomination to an elected office should be advised that responsibilities of the office may include attendance at leadership training meetings, workshops, and/or the PTO annual convention.

In the event that no qualified candidate can be found for a particular office, it is better to leave the office vacant than to fill it with a person not able to do the job. After the election, the board-elect may fill any vacant positions according to DCSCO bylaws.

K. The Election

Thirty (30) days’ advance written notice of the election meeting must be provided to the membership.
The president presides at the election meeting.
The privilege of voting shall be limited to members of DCSCO who are present, one vote per family, and have been verified using the current attendance list. Members of the community, who do not have a student enrolled in the school, must present a valid ID and current utility bill that shows they live within the school boundaries.
Election of officers is held at the annual meeting and will come under “new business” on the agenda. The president may call upon the parliamentarian to read the sections of the bylaws pertaining to nominations and elections.
After the parliamentarian has finished, the president calls upon the chairman of the nominating committee to read the report of the committee. If a nominee has withdrawn prior to the election and another nominee has been selected, the chairman will read a revised report to inform the membership of the new nominee.
The president restates the slate of nominees and asks each one to stand. The president conducts the election of officers even if (he/she is) nominated for an office. The president thanks the nominating committee for its report and states:

“According to our bylaws, nominations from the floor are now in order.”

The privilege of nominating from the floor is extended to members of the association who meet Article X, Section K, item 3. A qualified member may nominate his or her self.

Nominations do not require a second, only the nominee’s consent.

The president can:

a. Ask for additional nominations for all positions in the order in which they are listed in the Bylaws, Article V, Section A, before closing nominations for all elected offices and then proceed with the election; or

b. Ask for additional nominations for each position, one at a time, in the order in which they are listed in the Bylaws, Article V, Section A, and then proceed to elect the officer after nominations are closed on each position.

Officers are elected by a majority vote of those present and eligible to vote, providing the quorum as stated in the bylaws has been met.

L. Voice Vote

If there is but one nominee for any office, the ballot vote for that office may be dispensed with, and the election held by voice vote, as described above.

A member who wishes to vote by ballot for any office may move that the vote be taken by ballot. The motion to vote by ballot must be recognized and voted upon immediately without debate. A majority vote is required for adoption.

M. Two or More Nominees for Office

When there are two or more nominees for an office, the election shall be held by ballot, as stated in the bylaws.

The communications director should have ballot slips available. Even if the nominating committee presents only one name for each office, there is the possibility that nominations will be presented from the floor.

N. Ballot Vote

When there are two or more nominees for an office, the election is held by ballot. To verify eligibility to vote, the membership list must be checked before ballots are distributed. The secretary has the official membership list. If a membership list is not available, all present will be allowed to vote. If it is known prior to the election meeting that there will be two or more nominees for any office, ballots may be distributed at a registration table as members arrive for the meeting and present their membership cards.
The president appoints a tellers committee, including a chairman and at least two (2) tellers, whose duties are to distribute, collect, and count the ballots. Ballots may also be collected in a ballot box.
The president requests all members eligible to vote to rise and be counted. This count will determine the number of ballots to be tallied.
A nominee for an office cannot be involved in the election procedure as a teller who collects ballots and counts votes.
Blank ballots are not counted.
Illegal ballots are counted to determine the number of votes cast, but are not applied as a vote for or against any nominee. Ballots are considered illegal if:

They are unintelligible;

They contain the name of a nominee who is not a member; or

Two or more filled out ballots are folded together. These are recorded as one illegal vote.

In a contested election, each nominee may designate a person as an observer at the time the ballots are counted.
If another vote is necessary, the voting members must be recounted to establish the number of ballots to be tallied. If a member eligible to vote was not present when the original ballot was cast but arrives in time for another vote, the member is entitled to vote.
The results of the voting are reported by the chairman of the tellers, in writing to the president, as follows:

Number of members eligible to vote **__**

Number of votes cast **__**

Number needed to elect **__**

(Nominee)**__** Received **__**

This procedure is repeated for each contested office. The president announces who has been elected to office. Unless requested, the president does not have to announce the number of votes cast for each nominee, but the complete Tellers’ Report must be recorded in the minutes. Following the announcement of the vote, the chairman of the tellers moves that the ballots be destroyed.
It is permissible to use these two procedures in one election by using voice vote for uncontested offices and a ballot for those that have two or more nominees.
A challenge to the election procedure or outcome must be made during the election meeting. For additional information, see Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised – Point of Order section.

O. Voting Rights of Officers

All DCSCO officers, including the parliamentarian, have the same voting privileges as other members. The president’s impartiality is protected by voting only when the

vote is by ballot.

P. Previous Nominating Committee Members

Make a list of nominating committee members and the year(s) in which they served. This will serve as a written reference for DCSCO. The names of the nominating committee members must be placed in the minutes as the official record.

Article XI — Meetings, Voting, and Quorum

A. Membership Meetings

Meetings

Meetings of the general membership shall be held in September and May or as needed at the discretion of the executive board. No Membership Meetings shall be regularly scheduled in December, July, or August.

A calendar of the meeting dates, preferably set on a regular schedule (e.g., the second Wednesday of each month), shall be set by the Executive Board and published at the beginning of each school year.

At the discretion of the Executive Board, meetings may be cancelled if there are no topics to discuss.

Ad-hoc meetings may be called by the President or through agreement by a majority of the Executive Board. These meetings must be announced to the membership via email, website posting, and some hard copy format (bulletin board posting, circulation of flyers, publication in school newspaper or newsletter, etc.) at least two weeks in advance.

Minutes of Membership and Executive Board Meetings shall be recorded and published (posted to the website and placed in the school office) under the direction of the Communications Director.

Voting

Only members as defined in Article IV are entitled to vote.

For actions requiring a vote by the entire membership, each immediate family is entitled to one vote at a meeting (an “Eligible Vote”), regardless of the number of family members present. (For example, if two parents and their two children attend a DCSCO meeting together, they may collectively cast one vote.)

Decisions at membership meetings shall be made by majority vote.

Quorum

Except for an amendment to the Bylaws, a quorum is attained by any number of attendees, as long as the meeting was publicly announced in accordance with the guidelines above.

For an amendment to the Bylaws, a quorum can only be established if the number of Eligible Votes (as defined in this Article) present at the membership meeting represent at least 15% of the total number of Eligible Votes in the membership.

B. Executive Board Meetings

Meetings

Meetings of the Executive Board shall be held monthly throughout the year, preferably set on a regular schedule.

Ad-hoc meetings may be called by the President or through agreement by a majority of the Executive Board.

The President will publish an agenda to the Executive Board in advance of each meeting.

Any noteworthy Board action, such as approval of expenditures or appointment of officers to fill vacancies, should be reported at the next Membership Meeting and recorded in the minutes of that meeting.

Voting

The Executive Board shall make decisions collectively, by majority vote, for virtually all activities of the Organization, with the exception of Restricted Decisions (as defined in Article V, H).

The President, Vice President, Communications Director, Finance Director, Community Fundraising Director, and Administration Representative each have one vote on the Executive Board.

The Faculty/Staff Representative, and Student Representative serve in an advisory capacity as ex-officio members of the Executive Board and do not have voting rights.

Quorum

A quorum is attained when at least 60% of the currently serving elected officers are in attendance (i.e., three officers if all five positions are filled). Vacant positions are not counted when calculating quorum.

C. Committee Meetings

All Committees shall meet as often as necessary to carry out their duties.

The Vice President shall be informed of School Action committee meetings in advance and may attend any of these meetings as he/she deems appropriate.

The Communications Director shall be informed of Communications Committee meetings in advance and may attend any of these meetings as he/she deems appropriate.

The Fundrasing Director shall be informed of Development Committee meetings in advance and may attend any of these meetings as he/she deems appropriate.

The Fundraising Director shall be informed of Community Fundraising Committee meetings in advance and may attend any of these meetings as he/she deems appropriate.

As no binding votes are taken at the committee level, there is no need to attain a quorum for committee meetings.

D. Parliamentary Procedure

Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall govern the Organization in all cases in which they are applicable and in which they are consistent with these bylaws, the articles of incorporation, and the California Nonprofit Corporation Law.

Article XII — Bylaw Amendments

These Bylaws can only be amended by a vote of the Membership at a Membership Meeting in accordance with the voting and quorum procedures defined in Article XI, A.

Revision History

Originally Ratified May 23, 2005.

2nd Revised Version Ratified May 25, 2006.

3rd Revised Version Ratified May 16, 2012.