Fillmore Elementary PTO Bylaws
FILLMORE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
PARENT TEACHER ORGANZIATION
BYLAWS
ARTICLE I – PURPOSE
Fillmore PTO shall strive to:
a. Develop a closer connection between school and home by encouraging parent involvement.
b. Enhance the educational experience by supporting academic and enrichment activities.
c. Improve the environment at our school by providing volunteer and financial support.
ARTICLE II – POLICIES
Section 1 – The program of this organization shall be educational and shall be implemented through committees,
projects, and events.
Section 2 – This organization shall be non-commercial, non-sectarian. No commercial enterprise shall be
endorsed by it. Neither the name of the organization nor the names of its officers in their official capacities shall be
used in any connection with a commercial concern or for any purpose other than the regular work of the
organization.
This organization shall remain non-profit forever.
Section 3 – This organization shall not seek to direct the administrative activities of the school, or to control its
policies.
Section 4 – This organization may cooperate with other organizations and agencies active in child welfare,
provided they make no financial nor manpower commitments, which bind their members.
Section 5 – All funds shall be kept in a checking account in the name of Fillmore Elementary School PTO,
requiring two signatures of the Executive Board and held at a local financial institution.
Section 6 – The organization shall leave a minimum of $2,000.00 in the treasury at the end of each fiscal
year.
Section 7 – Reimbursement requests must be made within 45 days of the expenditure, otherwise the request
will be denied.
Section 8 – Contract signing authority is limited to the President or the President’s designee and Vice-President.
ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP
Section 1 – Membership is open to the teaching staff of Fillmore and all parents or guardians of children attending
Fillmore; there shall be one vote per member.
Section 2 – Only members of the PTO for the current school year may participate in the business of the
organization.
ARTICLE IV – FISCAL YEAR
The fiscal year of Our School PTO shall be from July 1 through June 30 of the following year.
ARTICLE V – OFFICERS AND THEIR ELECTION
Section 1 –
a. The officers of this organization shall consist of one and only one President, up to two Vice-President(s),
Secretary, and Treasurer.
b. Officers shall be elected annually in the month of May. Each position shall be voted for independently.
c. The newly elected officers shall assume their duties July 1st and shall serve for a term of one year
or until the election of their successors.
d. A person shall not be eligible to serve more than two consecutive terms in the same office.
e. All officers must be members of the PTO.
Section 2 –
a. Nominations for Officers will come from the members at large. To be eligible for nomination, the individual
must have attended at least three PTO Meetings during the school year, have a child(ren) at Fillmore,
and be eligible for membership in the PTO.
b. Nominees will be made the April General Membership meeting. Voting shall take place in the month of May
among the membership at large.
c. Nominations for all PTO positions will be open up to one week prior to the election meeting (the “freeze
date”). Nominees who meet the deadline will appear on a pre-printed ballot and will be publicly announced
at the May meeting. Nominees who come forward after the freeze date will be considered write-in
candidates on the ballot and will receive no public announcement.
d. The consent of each nominee shall be secured before his/her name is presented.
e. Plurality elects.
f. The outgoing Executive Board and the newly elected officers shall have a combined meeting in June so as
to provide an orderly transfer of responsibility.
g. Nominees may only run for one board position at any election.
h. In the event that all positions cannot be filled during nominations / elections:
Positions of President, Vice-President and Treasurer must be filled. An opening in the Executive
Board for Secretary may be left vacant until the new school year upon which a new election will take
place in October to fill the open position.
Section 3 – A vacancy occurring in any office shall be filled by a majority vote of general members of the PTO.
If the office of President becomes vacant, a Vice-President shall assume the duty until the office is filled by general
election.
Section 4 – By a majority vote by the membership, an officer may be removed from office for failure to perform
duties.
ARTICLE VI – DUTIES OF OFFICERS
Section 1 – President – Duties
a. Preside at all meetings.
b. Present any new business.
c. Be the official spokesperson for the organization.
d. Act as custodian of all records of the organization.
e. Recruit committee chairpersons.
f. Deliver to the successor in office, all records in his/her possession by fiscal year end.
g. Create and publish the annual PTO calendar by the first PTO meeting of the school year.
h. Submit a written report detailing responsibility and recommendations to the future board by fiscal year end.
i. Contact signing authority
Section 2 – Vice President – Duties
a. Aid the president.
b. Perform the duties of the president in the event of that officer’s absence or inability to serve.
c. Act as liaison between committee and project chairs with the Executive Board.
d. Deliver to the successor in office, all records in his/her possession by fiscal year end.
e. Submit a written report detailing responsibility and recommendations to the future board by fiscal year end.
f. Manage the recruitment of volunteers for various PTO committees.
g. Conduct PTO Membership Drives
Section 3 – Secretary – Duties
a. Prepare the agenda for the General Membership meetings with the assistance of the Board.
b. Prepare any materials needed for distribution or reference at General Membership meetings.
c. Take minutes at Executive Board and General Membership meetings.
d. Finalize minutes, obtain necessary approvals, and distribute minutes at next meeting. May also post on the
website.
e. Keep the files of communications, papers, and documents belonging to the organization.
f. Deliver to the successor in office, all records in his/her possession by fiscal year end.
g. Submit a written report detailing responsibility and recommendations to the future board by fiscal year end.
h. Prepare any correspondence and publicity for the organization as needed, including meeting announcements
and periodic newsletter.
Section 5 – Treasurer – Duties
a. Be custodian of all organization funds, and shall be authorized to dispense funds on behalf of the PTO.
b. Give written monthly financial reports for review at all General Membership meeting and to the Executive
Board in months with no General Membership Meetings.
c. Provide a monthly cash-flow report at Officer and General Meetings.
d. Prepare a year-end financial report by fiscal year end.
e. Deliver to the successor in office, all records in his/her possession by fiscal year end.
f. Submit a written report detailing responsibility and recommendations to the future board by fiscal year end.
g. Prepare federal tax forms (Form 990 and Form 990 EZ) as required by the IRS and submit by December 15 of
each year. Renew the incorporation of the PTO each year as required by the State of Michigan.
h. Facilitate an annual audit of the financial records and practices during the summer each year.
ARTICLE VII – EXECUTIVE BOARD
Section 1 – Composition
The Executive Board shall consist of the officers of the organization, the Principal (or representative to act on
his/her behalf), and may include a representative from the teaching staff.
Section 2 – Responsibility
The Executive Board shall be subject to the orders of the organization and none of its acts shall conflict with action
taken by the organization.
Section 3 – Duties of the Executive Board shall be:
a. To transact necessary business in the intervals between general membership meetings.
b. To approve the plans of the project committees.
c. To present a report at the general membership meetings of any action taken by the Executive Board.
d. To facilitate an annual audit of the treasurer’s records after fiscal year end, and before the first fall general
membership meeting.
e. To prepare an annual budget for membership approval.
f. To approve routine bills within the limits of the budget.
1. Any expenditure which would cause a budget item to go 10% or more over budget requires a vote at a
general membership meeting.
2. Any unbudgeted expenditures may be approved by 100% vote from the Executive Board between
General Membership meetings providing the expenditure does not go over $200.00, and the expenditure
reason is presented at the next General Meeting.
3. Any expenditure over $200.00 must be approved by a vote at a General Meeting.
g. To fill vacancies of elected positions.
h. To oversee fundraising activities of the school year.
Section 4 – Executive Board Meetings
The Executive Board shall meet monthly prior to the general membership meeting. Special meetings may be
called by the President or by a majority of the members of the board.
ARTICLE VIII – COMMITTEES
Committees shall be created by the Executive Board as needed to promote the purpose and interest of the
organization. The need for specific committees will be review annually.
Section 1 – The chairpersons of each committee shall present their plans to the membership
and provide a report and copy of all meeting notes to the Executive Board upon completion of the event(s) chaired.
No committee work shall be undertaken without the approval of the Executive Board. The
chairpersons shall report on committee activities to the Vice President monthly and at the general
membership meetings as necessary.
Section 2 – Special committees may be established by the Executive Board, or by action taken at a general
membership meeting.
ARTICLE IX – MEETINGS
Section 1 – Frequency
Regular meetings of the organization shall be held monthly during the school year or as designated by the
Executive Board.
Section 2 – Quorum
a. General Membership Meetings – 6 members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any
general membership meeting.
b. Executive Board Meetings – 3 Executive Board members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of
necessary business and/or approval of routine bills in the intervals between general membership meetings.
ARTICLE X – DISSOLUTION
Section 1 – Procedure
a. The organization, by majority vote in a general membership meeting, shall authorize the appointment of a
committee to consider the reasons for disbanding and the necessary steps to be taken.
b. Notice of intent to disband shall be given to all members, in writing, at least 30 days prior to the general
membership meeting.
c. The committee shall submit a report at the next general membership meeting.
d. A 2/3 vote of those in attendance at the meeting is require for passage.
Section 2 – Funds
The funds remaining in the treasury at the time of dissolution shall be submitted to Helen Fillmore Elementary
School. If Fillmore Elementary School is to be closed the remaining funds will be distributed among the public
schools that will service the children from Fillmore.
ARTICLE XI – PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
The authority for this organization shall be “Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised, 9th Edition”.
ARTICLE XII – REVISION OF BYLAWS
Section 1 – Revision Procedure
a. A committee may be appointed to submit a revised set of bylaws as a substitute for the existing bylaws by a
majority vote at a general membership meeting.
b. Amendments and/or revisions must be distributed to the general membership at least one month prior to being
voted on. Posting on the website is also permissible.
c. Bylaws may be amended or revised by the affirmative vote 2/3 of the members present and voting at any
general membership meeting provided that the proposed amendment has been presented at a previous
regular meeting.
Section 2 – Revision Schedule
These bylaws may be revised on a three year schedule, or as needed.
These Bylaws were adopted by the Helen Fillmore PTO on September 24, 2013 at a General Membership Meeting.