School District 43

(Coquitlam)

 

STANDARD

CONSTITUTION

AND BYLAWS

FOR

PARENT ADVISORY COUNCILS

 

 

 

Updated June 2010

 

 

 

CONSTITUTION and BYLAWS of the 

XXX SCHOOL PARENT ADVISORY COUNCIL

 

TABLE of CONTENTS

 

SUBJECT                                                                               PAGE

SECTION I                   Name                                                                                                   3

 

SECTION II                  Mission Statement                                                                                 3

 

SECTION III                 Objectives of the PAC                                                                           3

 

SECTION IV                 Membership                                                                                          4

 

SECTION V                  Dissolution                                                                                            4

 

SECTION VI                 Meetings                                                                                               5

 

SECTION VII                Voting and Quorum                                                                                6

 

SECTION VIII               Executive Officers                                                                                 6-7

 

SECTION IX                 Election of Executive Officers                                                                 7

 

SECTION X                  Duties of Executive Officers                                                                   8

 

SECTION XI                 Executive Terms of Office                                                                      8

 

SECTION XII                PAC Representation to the School Planning Council                                9-10

 

SECTION XIII               Code of Conduct                                                                                   10-11

 

SECTION XIV               Committees                                                                                          11

 

SECTION XV                Finances                                                                                               12

 

SECTION XVI               Fundraising                                                                                           13

 

SECTION XVII              Constitution and Bylaw Amendments                                                     14                    

APPENDIX A                Duties of Positions                                                                                15-17

 

APPENDIX B                Other Committees                                                                                 17-18

 

APPENDIX C               Statement of Understanding                                                                   19

 

 

CONSTITUTION OF THE

 XXX SCHOOL

PARENT ADVISORY COUNCIL

 

 

 

SECTION I                   NAME

 

The name of the Association shall be the XXX SCHOOL PARENT ADVISORY COUNCIL, School District 43 (Coquitlam), from now on referred to as the PAC.

 

The PAC will operate as a non-profit organization with no personal financial benefit and shall conduct business without bias toward race, religion, gender, or politics.

 

The PAC has been established with the authority granted in Bill 67 - 1989 School Act, Part 2, Section 7 and 8 and Bill 34, the School Amendment Act - 2002.

 

 

SECTION II                  MISSION STATEMENT

 

XXX  School PAC mission is to advocate for excellence in education, the safety and well being of our students, and for the effective and meaningful involvement of parents as partners.

 

 

SECTION III                 OBJECTIVES OF THE PAC

 

The objectives of the PAC are:

 

1.       To support, encourage, and improve the quality of education and the well being of students in XXX School.

 

2.       To provide a forum and the opportunity for the membership to openly review and discuss any matter related to the school (e.g. programs, policies, plans and activities) as stipulated in the School Act and to advise the Principal, staff, or other associated organizations of any recommendations.

 

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

 

4.       To provide parents with information on how to effectively communicate within the education system and to advocate on behalf of their children at both the School and District levels.

 

5.       To initiate fundraising activities only when there is a clearly identified need to provide funds for children to receive an enhanced quality of education in a safe, healthy environment and to generate funds to cover all PAC expenses.

 

6.       To affiliate with the District 43 Parent Advisory Council (DPAC) and the British Columbia Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils (BCCPAC).

 

7.       To organize PAC activities and events.

 

 

 

SECTION IV                 MEMBERSHIP

 

1. All parents and guardians of students in attendance at  XXX  School have the right to participate at PAC meetings as voting members, recognizing that there is one vote per family (see Voting, Section VII).  Regular attendance at meetings is encouraged to ensure an informed opinion and to aid the expediency of meetings.       

 

2. Administration, staff (teaching and non-teaching), and students of XXX School may be invited to PAC meetings as non-voting attendees.  However, a staff member with a child as a student at this school will be allowed to be a voting member at general meetings of the PAC.

 

3. Members of the community residing in the catchment area of XXX School may also be non-voting members of the PAC, but must apply to the PAC through the school office for inclusion.

 

4. The school will make available to the PAC Chair a list of names of parents / guardians of students and staff if / when it is necessary to decide if a member is eligible to vote.

 

 

SECTION V                  DISSOLUTION

 

1. In the event of the dissolution of the PAC, the PAC shall pay all outstanding debts and any costs of dissolution.  The PAC shall then transfer any remaining funds and assets to another Parent Advisory Council(s) or DPAC within School District 43, Coquitlam, or a charitable organization(s) within British Columbia registered under the provisions of the Income Tax Act (Canada).  This shall be determined by the membership at the final general meeting of the PAC.

 

2. In the event of the dissolution of the PAC, all records of the organization shall be placed under the jurisdiction of the District Parent Advisory Council, School District 43, Coquitlam.

BYLAWS OF THE XXX SCHOOL PARENT ADVISORY COUNCIL

 

SECTION VI                      MEETINGS

 

1. General meetings shall be held as often as necessary, approximately every six weeks, but with a minimum of six meetings during the academic year. Dates for these general meetings will attempt to accommodate as many parent schedules as possible. 

 

2. One general meeting will be named the Annual General Meeting and be held in May for the election of PAC officers for the next year.  If vacancies remain, a supplementary election should be held in September.

 

3. General meetings are for the purpose of conducting PAC business and discussion of issues as outlined in the Objectives of the PAC, Section III.  A PAC meeting will not be a forum for the discussion of individual school personnel, students, parents, or other individual members of the school community.

 

4. All policy and spending decisions, other than operational needs, shall be made at general meetings where all parents, not only the Executive officers, can participate.

 

5.       A special meeting is a separate session held at a time different from that of any regular general meeting, and may be convened to consider only one or two items of urgent business.  Maximum possible written notice of the meeting date and the agenda item will be provided to parents.

 

6. Executive meetings shall be held as often as needed during the school year to conduct operational business and provide input for general meeting agendas.  Minutes of Executive meetings will be made available to members on the Parent Information bulletin board and/or in binders on PAC bookshelves.

 

7. The Chairperson or Chair Designate will prepare agendas after accepting input from other PAC members and the Administration. A meeting is duly called when the agenda has been posted and distributed to the parents at least seven days prior to a general meeting.

 

8. Any member wishing to place an item on the agenda of a general meeting shall contact the Chairperson or Chair Designate.  The member or their designate is then required to attend the general meeting to present the rationale of that issue to the membership.  “New Business” from the general membership can be added to the agenda to be discussed, if time permits, or be tabled to the next meeting.

 

9. Each member entering a meeting shall sign the attendance record so that quorum and their eligibility to vote may be determined and recorded for any audits of PAC records. 

 

10. Meetings will be conducted efficiently with fairness to all members.  Open discussion is encouraged, but orderly conduct and respect for other points of view is mandatory.  Members acting inappropriately will be asked to leave the meeting.  If they fail to comply, the meeting shall be adjourned.

 

11. The Principal and staff members of the school are encouraged to attend and report at general meetings as requested by the PAC.  The Principal’s role is as consultant on school policies and as a liaison between staff, parents and the PAC, and shall yield to the autonomy of the PAC, its Chair and its members at all meetings.

 

12. Guests may be invited to any meeting at the discretion of the Executive to provide information or address agenda items.  The guests’ speaking time should be short and not dominate the meeting.  Consideration should be given to inviting parent education speakers to separate sessions so their talks will not be hurried and parent questions and other PAC agenda items will not be minimized.

 

13. The rules contained in the most recent edition of “Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised” shall be used by the PAC to resolve any procedural situation, unless they are in conflict with the rules in this Constitution and Bylaws.  DPAC may be contacted for clarification and advice.

 

SECTION VII                     VOTING and QUORUM       

 

1. Quorum must be achieved for the conducting of any business or decision making.  In the absence of quorum, any business transacted will be null and void.

 

2. At any duly called general or special meeting the number of voting members present shall be a quorum, as long as they out number the non-voting members.  

 

3. If the agenda has been provided with less than one week’s notice when calling a general or special meeting, a quorum shall be a minimum of 50% of elected Executive officers plus the voting members present, as long as it totals a minimum of seven members.

 

4. For the purposes of Executive meetings and resolutions of the Executive, the quorum shall be two-thirds of the voting positions filled on the Executive.

 

5. At the discretion of the meeting Chair or at the request of any voting member, non voting members and visitors may be asked to leave the meeting room, for closed discussion and voting on any issue.  This is essential to the free expression of the voting membership.

 

6. Unless otherwise provided, questions arising at any meeting shall be decided by a simple majority of eligible members actually voting.  That is, when votes are tallied there are more votes for (yes) then against (no), with blanks or abstentions not contributing to the total of votes cast.  Abstentions do not contribute to a vote as it indicates the member has no opinion.

 

7. The PAC chair protects his or her impartial position by not voting unless it will determine the outcome of a motion or when the vote is by secret ballot.

 

8. In case of a tie vote, the motion shall be lost.

 

9. Voting by members on all matters must be given in person; i.e. voting by proxy shall not be permitted.

 

10. Each family is allowed one consensus vote at PAC meetings.  In case of dispute for the family vote, that right shall go to the person legally entitled to custody of the student.  In instances of joint legal custody, the person who usually has care and control of the child is entitled to vote.

 

11. Voting shall be done by the show of hands except when a secret ballot is ruled by the Executive or requested by any member at a general meeting. 

 

12. When a secret ballot is requested, one blank ballot will be given to each eligible voting member.  The Chairperson can vote by ballot.  The issue or name(s) of the candidate(s) will be written on each ballot.  A “yes” or “no” must be clearly written beside each issue or candidate on the ballot.  A blank beside the name or issue indicates an abstention and is therefore not counted.

 

13.  When the ballots are counted, two or more filled out ballots folded together are recorded as illegal votes.  A marked ballot will be counted if it is folded with a blank ballot.

 

 

SECTION VIII                                    EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

 

1. The affairs of the PAC shall be managed by a board of elected or appointed officers and the immediate Past Chairperson

 

2. The Executive will be as follows:
1. Chairperson
2. Vice-Chair
3. Treasurer
4. Secretary
5. District Parent Advisory Council Representative
6. Member(s) at Large (optional)
7. Past Chairperson
8. Standing Committee Chairperson(s) (optional to include on executive)

 

3. The positions of Chairperson, Treasurer, Secretary, and District Parent Advisory Council Representative are essential to the operation of the PAC and must be filled before any nominations will be accepted for other Executive positions.

 

 

SECTION IX                      ELECTION OF EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

 

1. The Executive officers shall be elected from the voting members at the Annual General Meeting, except that no employee or elected official of a School District or Ministry of Education shall hold an Executive position.

 

2. Nominations for the offices of the Executive shall be submitted in writing prior to, or shall be taken from the floor at the Annual General Meeting.  Any voting member may nominate a voting member for these positions. (Refer Section IV Membership.)

 

3. An absent member can be nominated at the meeting when elections are held if there are justifiable circumstances for the absence.  They must however, send written acceptance of nomination for a position to the Chair for reference during the meeting.  The absent member should also submit a short resume detailing their skills, interests, or prior PAC involvement for members who may not know the nominee.

 

4. In the event a position on the Executive is vacated during the year, election of a new officer will take place at the next general meeting.

 

5. No person shall hold more than one position on the Executive.  If a volunteer does not come forward for a vacant Executive position, no other officer shall assume the duties of that position.

 

6. Any Executive position may be co-chaired or shared with the agreement of the two (2) parties and with the requirement that the two people share one (1) consensus vote at Executive Meetings.

 

7. Elections shall be conducted by the Elections Chairperson, who shall be nominated and elected by the membership at the general meeting prior to the Annual General meeting.  In the case of a vacancy during the term, the Elections Chairperson can be selected at the meeting when election of an Executive office is necessitated.

 

8.      The election of contested Executive positions shall be done by secret ballot. Election of DPAC Representative and School planning council Representatives, must always be by secret ballot.  The Elections Chairperson shall tally the votes and announce the decision.  All election duties must be carried out in full view of the meeting assembly.

 

9. A vote shall be taken to destroy any written ballots.

 

 

 

 

SECTION X                  DUTIES OF THE EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

 

1. The elected Executive shall consult with, take direction from, and represent all parents of the school.  The Executive shall work as a team to ensure PAC purposes are achieved.

 

2. All officers are expected to attend all executive, general, and special meetings, to be familiar with the Constitution and Bylaws, to carry out their duties as described, and to follow the Code of Conduct (Section XIII).

 

3. If an Executive member is unable to attend, they should inform the Secretary prior to the meeting.

 

4. If there is no elected Vice Chair, the Executive shall elect a “Chair Designate” early in the term from the Executive officers.  This person shall convene and preside at PAC meetings when requested to do so by the Chairperson. The “Chair Designate” must always be a voting member that meets Executive eligibility criteria.

 

5. Each Executive position shall have a designated binder and files where all written material pertaining to the position is to be maintained in a current and orderly fashion. These official materials must be delivered to their successors or the Chairperson within 14 days following the date at which their successors assume their duties.

 

A.            CHAIRPERSON – for duties refer to Appendix A

 

B.            VICE-CHAIR – for duties refer to Appendix A        

 

C.            TREASURER – for duties refer to Appendix A

 

D.            SECRETARY – for duties refer to Appendix A

 

E.            DISTRICT PARENT ADVISORY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE – for duties refer to Appendix A

 

F.            MEMBER(S) AT LARGE – for duties refer to Appendix A  

 

G             PAST CHAIRPERSON – for duties refer to Appendix A

 

H             STANDING COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSON(S) – for duties refer to Appendix A

 

 

SECTION XI                 EXECUTIVE TERMS OF OFFICE

 

1. The term of office for an Executive officer shall be one year (commence on July 1 and end on June 30 the following year) or until their successor is elected.  The new Executive shall attend the June Executive meeting to allow for transition between exiting and incoming officers.

 

2. Any elected member of the PAC may serve on the Executive for as many years as he or she is elected, but may not hold any one position for more than two consecutive years.  For purposes of determining eligibility to continue in office under such a provision, an officer who has served more than half a term since elected is considered to have served a full term in that position. 

 

3. The past-chairperson shall hold that office for one year.

 

4. The following are grounds for termination of the office of any Executive member:

·         is absent from three consecutive meetings of the Executive or PAC without reason acceptable to the Executive

·         is convicted of a criminal or other serious offence

·         failure to observe the Constitution and Bylaws, purposes, and policies of the PAC

·         failure to abide by the PAC Code of Conduct

 

 

SECTION XII                PAC REPRESENTATION to the SCHOOL PLANNING COUNCIL (PAC-SPC Rep.)

 

Elections:

1. Three parent representatives, who are not employees of any school district, shall be elected annually to the School Planning Council from parents or legal guardians of students enrolled in the school.

 

2. One of the representatives must be an elected officer of the XXX  Parent Advisory Council.

 

3. The election of representatives to the School Planning Council is mandated to always be by secret ballot, even if only one candidate is running.

 

4. A secret ballot is intended to ensure fairness and allow members to exercise their choice privately and without the influence or judgement of others.

 

5. Nominations for PAC representatives to the School Planning Council will be taken from the floor.  Members accepting nomination will have previously reviewed the expected duties and conduct of the position.

 

6. An absent member can be nominated at the meeting when PAC-SPC Rep elections are held if there are justifiable circumstances for the absence.  They must however, send written acceptance of nomination for a position to the Chair for reference during the meeting.  The absent member should submit a short resume detailing their skills, interests, or prior PAC involvement for members who may not know the nominee.

 

7. The PAC will appoint two members, called “tellers” to distribute, collect, count the ballots and report the vote to the Chair.  Tellers should be chosen for accuracy and dependability and have the confidence of the membership.

 

8. The election will require at least two ballots.

 

9. It is possible that a ballot may not elect any candidates, and further balloting is required.

 

10. The first ballot will include only the name(s) of Executive officers who have accepted nomination.

 

11. When the PAC Executive SPC representative has been elected, nominations for the other two representatives will be taken.  Unsuccessful candidates from the PAC Executive SPC election can stand again.

 

12. When all balloting is completed, a motion will be made to destroy the ballots.

 

 

Voting:

1. One blank ballot will be given to each eligible voting member. The Chair can vote by ballot and nominated members can vote for themselves.

 

2. The name(s) of the candidate(s) will be written by the member onto the ballot.  If a name is incorrectly written, it should still be counted if the voter’s intention is clear.

 

3. The member will write a “yes” or “no” beside each of the candidate names on the ballot.  A blank beside the name indicates an abstention and is therefore not counted within the vote tally.

 

4. When the tellers collect and count the ballots, two or more filled out ballots folded together are recorded as illegal votes.  A filled out ballot will be counted if it is folded with a blank ballot.

 

5. All candidates can be marked “no” and the ballot is still legal and shall be counted.

 

6. Only one “yes” can be recorded on the ballot for PAC Executive SPC representative. The rest of the candidates must be marked “no”. More than one “yes” will make the ballot void.

 

7. On the ballot for the other two PAC-SPC representatives, only two “yes” votes can be written on any ballot, more than two “yes” votes will make that ballot void.

 

8. A simple majority of members actually voting is required for elections.  That is, when votes are tallied there are more votes for (yes) then against (no), with blanks or abstentions not contributing to the total of votes cast.

 

9. A majority vote is required for election and as a minimum will be 50% plus one of legal ballots cast.

 

10. If there is no majority of “yes” votes over “no” votes for any candidate, then the election has failed and the Chair announces “no election”. New nominations are taken and another secret ballot held.

 

11. The Tellers’ report should follow this form:

Tellers’ Report

Number of votes cast ………………………………………………………....17

Necessary for election (majority)………………………………..…….……….9

Candidate A received ……………………………………………………..….12

Candidate B received .……………………………………………….……….11

Candidate C received……………………………………………………..……6,    etc.

Illegal Votes

One ballot containing two for Candidate C folded together, rejected….....1

One ballot containing two “yes” votes for Executive SPC, rejected .…….. 1

 

12. When balloting for the PAC Executive SPC representative, the highest majority number will be elected; for the ballot of the two other PAC-SPC reps, the two highest majority numbers will be elected.

 

Terms of Office:

The term of office for PAC School Planning Council representatives shall be for one year or until their successor is elected.

 

        Duties:

The PAC School Planning Council representatives shall:

1. strive to be informed about issues facing school planning councils.
2. take direction from the general PAC membership and act in the best interests of parents and students
3. attend all SPC meetings to represent and speak on behalf of the PAC .
4. report back to the PAC at general meetings, but not disclose information designated as confidential
5. communicate only reliable information.
6. conduct SPC business in a collaborative and respectful manner and abide by the rulings of the Chairperson.
7. work to ensure that issues are resolved by due process
8. be bound by the PAC Code of Conduct

 

SECTION XIII               CODE OF CONDUCT

 

1. The XXX School Parent Advisory Council is not a forum for the discussion of individual school personnel, students, parents, or other individual members of the school community.  Open discussion is encouraged, but orderly conduct and respect for alternate points of view is mandatory for all members.

 

2. ALL members must refrain from discussing, influencing and voting upon any matter before the PAC in which they or their families have a pecuniary (financial) interest and are therefore in a conflict of interest.  A concern raised by any member regarding a conflict of interest or a perceived bias of another member(s) shall be referred to a Conflict and Bias Committee for a ruling should the member in question not voluntarily step aside.

 

3. An Executive member who is approached with a concern relating to an individual is in a privileged position and must treat such discussion with discretion, protecting the confidentiality of the people involved.

 

4. A parent or guardian who accepts a position as a PAC Executive Member or as an SPC Representative:

a) upholds the Constitution and Bylaws, policies and procedures of the PAC

b) performs duties with honesty and integrity and meets agreed upon deadlines on projects

c) works to ensure that the well being of students is the primary focus of all decisions

d) respects the rights of all individuals

e) takes direction from the members, ensuring that representation processes are in place

f) encourages, supports, and provides information to parents and students with individual concerns on how to    advocate on their own behalf

g) works to ensure that issues are resolved through the appropriate process

h) strives to be informed and only passes on information that is reliable and correct

 I) respects all confidential information

 j) supports public education

 

5. Breaching the Code of Conduct or Section XI, Part 3 may be cause for removal of an Executive officer.  This would be done as a motion to rescind their election and it may be carried out by:

·                     a two-thirds vote of the PAC Executive attended by 3/4 of the Executive (excluding the executive member in question).  The Executive member in question shall receive 7 days written notice of the motion prior to the meeting.      OR

·                     a majority vote of voting members at a duly called general meeting, where the notice of the intent of the motion has been presented in the agenda.

 

6.   Each executive, committee member and representative must sign the Statement of Understanding (See Appendix C).

 

 

SECTION XIV               COMMITTEES

 

1. Standing and ad hoc committees shall be formed as necessary by the Chairperson in consultation with the Executive or as directed by the majority of the membership at a general meeting.

 

2. Recommended that a Conflict and Bias Committee be convened at the beginning of the term, ready to be called on when necessary.

 

Conflict and Bias Committee

·                     shall meet as needed to review circumstances where a member or Executive officer is questioned regarding their involvement on an issue being in a conflict of interest,  a possible position of bias or a breach of the Code of Conduct.

·                     shall rule if the member or Executive officer must refrain from participation on the issue as per the Bylaws. The ruling must NOT be made on a personal basis, but solely on whether the member is compromised by association, employment or conduct.

·                     shall be comprised of three members, who are not employed or elected officials of any School District or the Ministry of Education, and  by association or employment are clearly free of conflict of interest or perceived bias in relation to the issue of contention.

 

3. An ad hoc Nominating Committee shall be appointed annually before the Annual General Meeting in preparation for the election of a new Executive.

 

4. Committees are fully responsible to the Executive and membership.

 

5.   Other committees may be struck. 

 

 

SECTION XV                FINANCES

 

1. A proposed budget should be drawn up by the Chairperson/ Executive and be modified and approved by the membership at the final general meeting of the year.  A new budget must be approved before the old one expires.

 

2. All funds of the organization will be on deposit in a bank or financial establishment registered under the Bank Act in appropriate account(s) for XXX  School Parent Advisory Council.

 

3. The Treasurer is authorized to collect and disperse monies as directed by the members as expressed at executive and general meetings. Monies submitted shall be requested in the form of cheques made out to XXX PAC. Two members (one shall be Executive) must verify and account for monies collected from events or fundraising.  ALL monies raised by the PAC must be deposited promptly in a PAC account before being dispersed so that proper records are maintained; and, where possible, bank deposits will be made by a member of the PAC executive, independent of the treasurer.

 

4. There shall be three signing officers for banking and legal documents.  This shall be the PAC Chairperson, the Treasurer and one other Executive officer as decided by the Executive.  The bank statements and related cheques are to be independently reviewed (by someone on the PAC, other than the Treasurer) on a monthly basis.

 

5. All money paid out from the PAC will be as a cheque on receipt of a detailed invoice or receipt. Signing officers must never sign a cheque where the “payee” is left blank. All issued cheques must bear the signatures of two of the three authorized signatories.

 

6.       The general membership must approve all expenditures by Executive or Committee Members over their budget.  Preferably this should occur at a general meeting if one is held prior to that expenditure being made.  If this is not possible, an expense up to 10% of the budgeted amount or XXX dollars, whichever is lesser, can be approved by the Executive.  The PAC is not obligated to reimburse individuals who exceed these guidelines without prior approval.

 

7.       Expenditures for operations of the PAC may be approved at Executive meetings.  All proposed expenditures on capital, school events, or items / services for the school will be first presented to the Executive, and then must be approved by a majority at a general meeting.

 

8.       The Treasurer will submit a written financial report as detailed in Section X, Part C, (Treasurer), at each general meeting.  The Treasurer will submit a complete annual statement at the first general meeting after the end of the PAC’s fiscal year (June 30).

 

9. A review or audit of the accounts must be done at the end of each fiscal year. A review or audit is also mandatory at the change of Treasurer. Audit for this purpose refers to an independent review and verification of all records during the period under review, i.e. budget year.

 

10. All financial records are the legal property of the PAC and must be kept for a minimum period of seven years and turned over to the Executive on demand.  Any member who makes such arrangements with the Treasurer can view financial records at the school.

 

11. A contingency fund shall be set up and maintained for the administration of PAC activities.  The amount shall be XXX  dollars.  This amount must be carried forward to each new term.

 

12.  Must ensure current regulations for use of gaming funds are met.

 

 

SECTION XVI               FUNDRAISING

 

1. Fundraising activities will be undertaken only when there is a clearly identified need agreed upon by PAC.  Funds raised should be dedicated to providing the most, and ideally lasting, benefit for the greatest number of students as decided by the parents.  Fundraising activities should not become, nor be viewed as, the most significant contribution the PAC makes to the school.

 

2. It shall be stated to the membership how the proceeds of any fundraiser will be directed.

 

3. Fundraising by the PAC will be undertaken in consultation with school administration and the approval of the   membership.

 

4. Fundraising must be sensitive to the fundraising of other groups within the community and resources of their own parent community.

 

5. No member or their family shall benefit financially from fundraising at the school.

 

SECTION XVII              CONSTITUTION AND BYLAW AMENDMENTS

 

1.                   Amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws of  XXX  School Parent Advisory Council may be made at any general or special meeting of the PAC with a proper quorum, notification, and voting majority.

 

2.                   Written notice of proposed amendments must be given to members of the Executive at least fourteen (14) days prior to presentation at a meeting.

 

3.                   Written notice of proposed amendments must be given to members of the PAC at least ten (10) days prior to presentation at a meeting.

 

4.                    A two-thirds (2/3) majority vote by eligible voting members is needed to amend the Bylaws.

 

5.                   A three-quarters (3/4) majority by eligible voting members is required to amend any part of the Constitution.

 

 

 

 

 

Adopted by the Membership at the General Meeting held _________________________, _______

                                                                                                           

 

__________________________                                        ____________________________

 PAC Chairperson                                                                      PAC Executive – Position:

 

Date ____________________

 

APPENDIX A               DUTIES OF POSITIONS

 

A.            CHAIRPERSON

·                     shall convene and preside at all executive, general and special meetings or notify the Chair Designate to assume this duty as necessary

·                     shall be familiar with and follow the Constitution and Bylaws

·                     shall ensure that an agenda is prepared and distributed following the Bylaws

·                     shall ensure a quorum is present before calling a meeting to order

·                     shall appoint committees where authorized to do so by the Executive or membership and be an ex-officio member to all committees except the Nominating Committee

·                     shall be the official spokesperson and representative for the PAC, always acting on behalf of the majority of members and not personally

·                     shall be a signing officer

·                     shall submit a written annual report to the membership

 

 

B.            VICE-CHAIR       

·                     shall assume the responsibilities of the chairperson in their absence.

·                     shall accept extra duties as required

 

 

C.            TREASURER

·                     shall have a demonstrated ability and/or understanding of bookkeeping procedures

·                     shall keep an accurate and current record of all receipts and expenditures of the PAC.  Bank statements must be reconciled monthly and made available for review as requested

·                     shall assess all financial undertakings to ensure they are within the annual budget

·                     shall ensure expenditures have the proper authorization and are backed by detailed receipts and invoices

·                     shall prepare a written financial report for presentation at each PAC meeting; this shall include the total balance on hand in all accounts at the beginning of the period covered by the report and all credits to and disbursements from the accounts, balance of funds on hand and outstanding accounts receivable and payable, and the net surplus or deficit

·                     shall be responsible for issuing receipts and the prompt deposit of all monies paid to the PAC.  Also refer to Section XV, Finances

·                     shall be a signing officer 

·                     shall ensure all bills are paid promptly

·                     shall draft an annual budget with the assistance of the PAC Chairperson

·                     shall maintain all financial records in an orderly fashion as stipulated by BCCPAC

 

 

D.            SECRETARY

·                     shall record the minutes of all executive, general and special meetings

·                     shall prepare within two weeks of any meeting, complete minutes and ensure their distribution

·                     shall file the original copy of the minutes in the official PAC record binder

·                     shall issue and receive correspondence on behalf of the PAC

·                     shall keep a current copy of the Constitution and Bylaws and submit updated copies to the DPAC office for safe keeping and reference

·                     shall ensure safe keeping of all records of the PAC

·                     shall keep a complete and current inventory, including location, of all PAC assets

·                     shall ensure the binders are collected at the end of the term and appropriately redistributed in September

 

 

E.            DISTRICT PARENT ADVISORY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE

·                     shall attend DPAC meetings or designate another elected officer of the PAC who attends on their behalf

·                     shall report to the PAC regarding issues discussed

·                     shall seek input from the PAC for presentation at DPAC meetings

·                     shall vote the PAC’s wishes at DPAC meetings

·                     shall maintain the PAC’s information binders with DPAC meeting minutes and materials provided from DPAC, BCCPAC, and Ministry of Education, and make them readily available to the general membership.

·                     shall submit a final report

 

F.            MEMBER(S) AT LARGE 

·                     shall accept duties assigned by the PAC at the time of their election and at other times throughout their tenure as the needs of the PAC might require.

·                     all general duties of the Executive and Code of Conduct shall also apply to the Member at Large

·                     shall submit a final report.

 

 

G.            PAST CHAIRPERSON

·                     shall help smooth transition between Chairpersons

·                     shall assist and advise the council

·                     shall act as a consultant for the Chairperson

·                     shall chair the Nominating Committee.

 

H.            STANDING COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSON(S)

 

1. FUNDRAISING COORDINATOR

·         shall propose fundraising projects to the Executive ensuring that they meet the guidelines established in the Constitution, Bylaws and PAC Policies and Procedures

·         shall coordinate all activities related to a fundraising event and act as liaison between the fundraising committee and the PAC Executive

·         shall maintain a record of fundraising projects, suggestions for improvement and future events (submit as a final report)

·         shall convene and act as Chairperson of a Fundraising Committee, if necessary

 

2.     EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS COORDINATOR

·         shall send representatives to all meetings of the School Emergency Preparedness Committee

·         shall assist the school to ensure all student identification and release forms are up to date and properly stored

·         shall check all classroom orange bags once or twice per school year to ensure all supplies are present and fresh, and that all classroom lists are current.

·         shall assist with other tasks to help the school meet all of the District 43 Emergency Preparedness recommendations

 

3.     HOT LUNCH COORDINATOR

·         shall coordinate with the Principal as to convenient dates to offer special lunch service to students and staff

·         shall coordinate the ordering and delivery or preparation of any food

·         shall ensure special lunch events are self supporting

·         shall maintain a record of supplier contacts and suggestions for the smooth operation of this task

·         shall ensure current health and safety standards are met

 

 

      4.    HEALTH and SAFETY COORDINATOR

·         shall monitor student safety issues such as emergency preparedness, traffic, school grounds and play equipment, and the surrounding neighbourhood to identify possible safety improvements and ways to achieve them

·         shall sit on the school emergency preparedness committee or find  other parents to attend

·         shall monitor medical room supplies and procedures

·         shall investigate and act on parent concerns regarding health issues and first aid procedures

·         establish and coordinate activities of parent committees for student safety or health enhancement projects

·         liaise with school administration, civic officials, police forces, ICBC, DPAC, etc. as necessary

·         preferably shall be available during school hours

 

OR separate the job into health and safety plus a traffic coordinator

   

         5.    TRAFFIC  COORDINATOR

·         shall monitor traffic in the school drive through and neighbouring streets, identify problem areas, and implement measures to improve safety

 

 

        MORE Executive possibilities:

                > Newsletter Editor

 

APPENDIX B                                 OTHER POSSIBLE COMMITTEES

 

 

 

1. PARENT COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR

·         shall prepare and distribute newsletters/bulletins to parents as directed by the Executive

·         shall post and distribute meeting agendas and minutes as directed by the Executive

·         shall oversee the Parent Information Centre and Bulletin boards and post materials as directed

 

2. PARENT EDUCATION COORDINATOR

·         shall inform members at general meetings of any speakers, workshops, or conferences which may be of interest to parents

·         shall arrange topics and guest speakers for assemblies where a parent education component is desired

·         shall maintain a complete record of speakers, their topics, handouts and associated costs

·         shall collect potential speaker information and maintain a record of this information in the parent library

·         shall purchase parent education materials for the parent library with the approval of the membership

·         shall oversee the Parent Library and ensure all materials are kept in an organized and tidy manner

·         shall maintain and post a master list of all available parent resource materials

 

3. PARENT VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR

·         shall coordinate the recruiting of one or more volunteer parents from each class.  A list of volunteers shall be provided to the PAC Chairperson

·         shall establish phone trees with the assistance of these class volunteer parents to find volunteers for projects or to relay PAC information

·         shall facilitate communication between the PAC Executive and the parent body as whole through these volunteers

·         shall coordinate any long term volunteer positions within the school, e.g. absentee phoning committees

 

 

4.       COMMUNITY and MULTICULTURAL LIAISON

·         shall facilitate the welcoming of families new to XXX School that have backgrounds in other cultures.

·         shall encourage the involvement of these new families in the PAC and the school community and help them understand their role in the education system

·         shall maintain a record of events or initiatives and provide suggestions for future efforts

 

5. Emergency Preparedness Committee

·         shall send representatives to all meetings of the School Emergency Preparedness Committee

·         shall assist the school to ensure all student identification and release forms are up to date and properly stored

·         shall check all classroom orange bags once or twice per school year to ensure all supplies are present and fresh, and that all classrooms lists are current.

·         shall assist with other tasks to help the school meet Level 1 of the District 43 Emergency Preparedness recommendations

 

6. Historical Committee

·         shall collect and act as custodian of all material (such as photos, memorabilia, and records of events and people of XXX School and the PAC) and to document the history, activity, and accomplishments of the students, school, and the PAC

·         shall keep these materials safe and orderly and ready for use for external reviews or school event use

 

7. Parent Communications Committee

·         Newsletter Editor - shall prepare and distribute newsletters/bulletins to parents as directed by the Executive

·         Parent Information Centre Coordinator - shall oversee the Parent Information Centre shelves and bulletin boards and post materials as directed

·         Photocopy Coordinator - shall ensure the production and distribution of any PAC materials to members

·         Mail Distribution Coordinator - shall monitor the PAC box in the school office and ensure incoming mail is distributed appropriately and promptly

 

8. Canadian Parents for French (C.P.F.) Committee

·         shall ensure a delegate represents XXX School’s interests at C.P.F. meetings and reports to the PAC

·         shall co-ordinate the distribution of C.P.F. materials to French immersion students and their families at XXX School

·         shall represent the concerns of parents of French immersion students to the PAC and act as their contact

 

9. Fundraising Committee
• Money Counter - shall oversee the counting, recording, and preparation of money for deposit by the Treasurer.  This person shall act as an assistant and report to the PAC Treasurer

 

10. After-Grad Committee

·         Shall encourage interested parents to meet by October to select committee Coordinator(s) and establish sub-committees.

·         Shall meet as needed to democratically make plans to effect a successful After-Grad function

·         Shall determine a budget as soon as possible, to be presented to the PAC along with plans for fundraising events.

·         Income from such events shall be used only for matters relating to the After-Grad function, and any credit shall be rolled over into the next year’s After-Grad budget.

·         All funds raised shall be deposited to a PAC account and dispersed by cheque for the purpose of accountability.

·         Shall communicate with other groups in the school l(such as student groups and the Principal or his/her designate) to ensure a coordinated approach to graduation and After-Grad events.

 

 

MORE Committee possibilities:

 

> Social Committee                     > Phoning Committee                         > Lost and Found Committee          

> Grounds Committee                                > Hot Lunch Committee

 

 

 

APPENDIX C               CODE OF CONDUCT - STATEMENT OF UNDERSTANDING

 

A person who accepts a position as a Council executive member, committee member or representative:

 

1. upholds the constitution and bylaws, policies and procedures of the electing body
2. performs his or her duties with honesty and integrity and in the interests of the Council
3. works to ensure that the well-being of students is the primary focus of all decisions
4. respects the rights of all individuals
5. takes direction from the membership and executive
6. encourages and supports parents and students with individual concerns to act on their own behalf, and provides information on the process for taking concerns forward
7. works to ensure that issues are resolved through due process
8. strives to be informed and only passes on information that is reliable
9. respects all confidential information
10. supports public education

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Statement of Understanding

 

I, the undersigned, in accepting the position of ______________________________________ of XXX PAC have read, understood and agreed to abide by this Code of Conduct.  I also agree to participate in the dispute resolution process that has been agreed by the electing body, should there be any concerns about my work.

 

 

Name of Executive Member, Committee Member or Representative

 

__________________________________________________________­­­­­­­­­­­

 

 

Signature ______________________________________________________

 

 

Date ____________________________   Phone Number  _______________________________