constitution

The purpose of the organization shall be to promote and support education and to contribute to a sense of school community at Carmi Elementary School.

SECTION 3 – OBJECTIVE

The objectives of the organization will be to enhance communication between:

The Parents

The School Board

The Community AND

The School Administration

The Students

The Staff (teaching and non-teaching)

To provide for a formal means of consultation and recommendations for:

-Budgetary Matters

-Curriculum Offerings

-Learning Resources

-Facilities and Equipment

-New Instructional Programs

-School Health Concerns

To promote cooperation between the home and the school in providing for the education of children.

To contribute to the effectiveness of the school by promoting the involvement of parents and other community members.

To organize and provide additional resources to the school through approved volunteer and fund raising activities.

SECTION 4 – MEMBERSHIP

All parents and guardians of students registered at Carmi Elementary School shall be voting members of the group.

Administration and staff (teaching and non-teaching) of Carmi Elementary School shall be non-voting members of the group.

Members of the school community who are not parents of students currently in the system shall also be non-voting members of the group.

SECTION 5 – EXECUTIVE

The group shall elect a slate of officers from the voting members for each school year. The number and position of the executive committee should be determined by local organizational needs, but should include the following:

CHAIRPERSON

-shall convene and preside at all membership, special and executive meetings.

-shall, in consultation with the principal, ensure that an agenda is prepared and presented.

-may dispense with formal procedures on internal matters, after discussion with the executive.

-shall appoint committees where authorized to do so by the Executive or membership.

-shall take such actions or ensure that such actions are taken by others to achieve the objectives and purpose of the organization.

VICE CHAIRPERSON

-shall assume the responsibilities of the Chairperson in the Chairperson’s absence.

-shall accept extra duties as required.

SECRETARY

-shall record the minutes of the membership, special, and executive meetings.

-shall issue and receive correspondence on behalf of the organization.

TREASURER

-shall be responsible for, and report on the accounts of the organization.

-shall be one of the two signing officers of the executive as per Section 14.

-shall prepare a financial report for distribution to all members.

-shall assist the executive with a draft budget and tentative plan of expenditures as per section 14.

DISTRICT PAC REPRESENTATIVE

-The District PAC Representative shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting elections.

The duties of the D-PAC Rep. will be to attend the District PAC meetings and report back to the Carmi School PAC general meetings.

THE SCHOOL PLANNING COUNCIL (SPC) REPRESENTATIVE

-Will be one of three elected SPC representatives.

-Will represent and speak on behalf of the PAC at SPC meetings.

-Will take direction from the general PAC membership.

-Will report back to the PAC at general meetings.

Titles and duties of additional officers may be added as determined by the needs of the association.

Representatives to committees and outside organizations shall be appointed annually by the Executive.

EXECUTIVE MEETINGS

Executive meeting times may be prescribed by the Executive.

Extraordinary meetings may be called by the Chairperson.

VACANCY ON EXECUTIVE

If any officer resigns during a term of office or if any office is not filled at the time of elections, the Executive may appoint someone to fill the vacancy until the next election.

SECTION 6 – COMMITTEES

Committees and representatives are responsible to the Executive.

School staff may be afforded representation on committees.

Members may be appointed to special committees by the Chairperson, after consultation with the Executive.

Special committees, including the nomination committee, shall be established by the Executive or upon the recommendation of the general membership and shall be established for set purposes. The Executive shall establish specific guidelines for each committee.

SECTION 7 – ELECTIONS

Election term – the length of term for Executive and School Planning Council parent representative positions shall be one year.

Three parent representatives to the School Planning Council shall be elected by secret ballot from parents of students enrolled in the school. One of the representatives shall represent and speak on behalf of the Parent Advisory Council at School Planning Council meetings and hold the position of School Planning Council Representative on the Parent Advisory Council Executive. This Executive position cannot be filled by anyone employed by any school board. If any of these positions is not filled, the school board has authority to fill the vacancy. Members of a previous SPC may be re-elected.

All elected and appointed members of the Executive shall assume resignation at the end of the school term (as specified in the election procedures).

Retiring officers are eligible for nomination and re-election during the May or June elections. No Executive member may remain in any one position for a period of longer than four years.

SECTION 8 – ELECTION PROCEDURES

Election of the Executive and School Planning Council parent representatives will take place during the annual General meeting which will be held each and every year in May or June.

VOTING

-Unless otherwise provided, questions arising at any meeting shall be decided by a simple majority vote (50% plus 1).

-In the case of a tie vote, the Chairperson will have a vote. (The Chairperson does not have a vote in any other circumstance).

Members must vote personally on all matters, voting by proxy shall not be permitted.

-Voting shall be done by a show of hands, with the exception of the election of officers, which may be done by secret ballot. A vote shall be taken to destroy the ballots after the elections.

-The election of representatives to the School Planning Council must be by secret ballot.

SECTION 9 – NOMINATIONS

A ‘Nominations Committee’ will be formed at each April General Meeting or as required by the Executive.

Nominations may be received up to and during the election general meeting, until declared closed by the Chairperson.

A notice for nominations will be distributed through the school newsletter to all families in the school at least fifteen (15) days prior to the annual general meeting.

SECTION 10 – GENERAL MEETINGS

General meetings will be set by the Executive.

Extraordinary meetings may be called by the executive with a minimum of seven (7) days notice.

SECTION 11 – CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS

Amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws of the Carmi Elementary School Parent Advisory Council may be made at any general membership meeting at which business is conducted, providing:

-Written notice of the meeting has been given to all members at least fourteen (14) days prior to the meeting.

-The notice of the meeting included notice of the specific amendments proposed.

-A two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of those voting members present at the meeting will be required to amend the Constitution and Bylaws.

-Amendment(s) to the Constitution and Bylaws should be submitted to the Board of Trustees of School District No. 67 (Penticton) for such amendment(s) to be considered to have effect.

SECTION 12 – QUORUM

The voting members present at any duly called general meeting shall constitute a quorum.

SECTION 13 – PROCEDURE

Meetings will be conducted efficiently and with fairness to the members present. If procedural problems should arise, ‘Robert’s Rules of Order’ will be used to resolve the situation, unless they are in conflict with the guidelines in the Constitution.

The Constitution and Bylaws of the school’s Parent Advisory Council shall be filed with the Board of School Trustees for School District No. 67 (Okanagan Skaha) upon application for recognition.

SECTION 14 – FINANCES

The fiscal year shall be July 1 – June 30. A budget and tentative plan of expenditures should be drawn up by the Executive and presented for approval at a general meeting prior to the end of November of each year. All funds of the organization will be on deposit in a chartered bank or credit union or any financial establishment registered under the Bank Act.

The executive shall name not less than two signing officers, one of whom will be the Treasurer, for banking and legal documents. Both of the signatures will be required for these documents.

All monies spent above and beyond the $100.00 pre-determined petty cash amount will be first presented to and voted on at a general meeting. It must be approved by a majority vote.

A Treasurer’s report to all members must be available for distribution prior to the end of each school term.

If there is need for an audit as determined by a vote at any general meeting, an independent auditor will be appointed

*Note: School District #67 (Okanagan Skaha) has agreed to supply audit services if requested.

**It is advisable to set aside a certain sum of money (we have voted on $1000.00) received during the year to be held over for start-up operating costs for the following year.

SECTION 15 – CODE OF CONDUCT

The Carmi Parent Advisory Council should not be a forum for the discussion of individual school personnel, students, parents or other individual members of the school community.

An executive member who is approached by a parent with a concern relating to Section 15 is in a privileged position and must treat such discussion as confidential.

SECTION 16 – DISSOLUTION

In the event of dissolution of the Carmi Parent Advisory Council, the assets which remain, after payment of all costs, charges, and expenses which are properly incurred in the winding up, shall be distributed to such charitable organization or organizations in British Columbia having a similar charitable purpose. This Provision shall be unalterable and continue to be binding on the Carmi Elementary School Parent Advisory Council. The charity shall be decided upon by the membership at the final General Meeting. It being understood that another school’s PAC would be the first consideration.

All records of the organization shall be placed under the jurisdiction of School District N0. 67 (Penticton) in the person of the principal of the Carmi school.

THIS CONSTITUTION WAS ADOPTED AT THE GENERAL MEETING OF THE CARMI ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PARENT ADVISORY COUNCIL, JANUARY 11TH, 2006 HELD AT CARMI ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

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Chairperson – Laura Willson

Vice-Chairperson – Launa Stocker

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Secretary – Janine Walker

Treasurer – Jennifer Anderson