By-laws of Parents and Teachers of Lewis and Clark

• Article I  Name
• Article II  Purposes
• Article III  Basic Policies
• Article IV  Meetings
• Article V  Membership
• Article VI  Officers and Their Election
• Article VII  Duties of Officers
• Article VIII  Executive Board
• Article IX  Special and Standing Committees
• Article X  Fiscal Year
• Article XI  Audit of Treasurer's Accounts
• Article XII  Standing Rules
• Article XIII  Amendments

Article I:  Name

The name of this organization shall be the Parents and Teachers of Lewis and Clark (PTLC).

Article II:  Purposes

1. To promote the welfare of children in the home, school and community;
2. To bring into closer relation the home and the school, that parents and teachers may cooperate in the training of children;
3. To develop between educators and the general public such united efforts as will secure for all children the highest advantages in physical, mental and social education;
4. To be aware of and support adequate laws for the care and protection of children.

Article III:  Basic Policies

1. The name of this organization shall not be used to endorse or promote a commercial concern or with any partisan interest or for any purpose not appropriately related to promotion of the Purposes of PTLC.
2. This organization shall not directly or indirectly participate or intervene in any way (including the publishing or distributing of statements) in any political campaign on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for public office; or devote more than an insubstantial part of its activities to attempting to influence legislation by propaganda or otherwise.
3. This organization shall cooperate with schools to support the improvement of education in ways that will not interfere with administration of the schools and shall not seek to control their policies, recognizing that the legal responsibility to make decisions has been delegated by the people to boards of education, state education authorities and local education authorities.
4. No part of the net earnings of this organization shall be used to the benefit of, or be distributable to, its officers or members, persons who are not staff of Lewis Primary or Clark Intermediate schools or programs which are not for the exclusive benefit of Lewis and Clark students.
5. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Articles, this organization shall not carry on other activities not appropriately related to promotion of the Basic Policies of PTLC.
6. Upon the dissolution of this organization, after paying or adequately providing for the debts and obligations of PTLC, the remaining assets shall be distributed to the Lewis and Clark General Funds.
7. This organization may cooperate with other organizations and agencies concerned with child welfare, but persons representing PTLC in such matters shall make no commitments that bind PTLC.

Article IV:  Meetings

• Section 1  Meetings of PTLC shall usually be held at 7:00 p.m. on the second Tuesday of the month. If school is canceled on that date, PTLC shall meet on the date of the next regularly scheduled monthly meeting.
• Section 2  minimum of eight members, plus 2 officers, shall constitute a quorum.

Article V:  Membership

Any legal guardian of Lewis and Clark students or Lewis and Clark faculty member who subscribes to the Basic Policies of PTLC is a member of Parents and Teachers of Lewis and Clark without regard to race, color, creed or national origin, according to federal guidelines.

Article VI:  Officers and Their Election

• Section 1  Officers and Their Election

  1. The officers of this organization shall consist of a president, vice president(s) (at least one, but not more than two), a secretary and a treasurer.
  2. The nomination of officers shall be opened at the regularly scheduled April meeting and remain open until one (1) week prior to the regularly scheduled May meeting.
  3. Officers shall be elected by secret ballot, even though running un-opposed, at the regularly scheduled May meeting.
  4. The candidate receiving a majority (more than half) of votes cast shall be elected to office. If no candidate receives a majority of ballots cast, the balloting shall continue until there is a majority vote between the two candidates who received the most votes.
  5. Officers, except treasurer, shall assume their official duties following the close of the meeting in which they are elected and shall serve until the election and qualification of their successors. The newly-elected treasurer shall assume his/her official duties on July 1, the start of the next fiscal year, but work closely until then with the out-going treasurer who will retain official duties until June 30, the end of the current fiscal year. The out-going treasurer shall be responsible for preparing the annual report for end-of-the-year audit. Both persons shall be present at the audit..
  6. No member shall be eligible to serve more than two (2) consecutive terms in the same office unless there are no other candidates.
  7. No member shall serve in more than one (1) elected position at a time.
  8. Only those persons who have signified their consent to serve if elected shall be nominated for, or elected to, such office.

• Section 2  Vacancies

  1. A vacancy occurring in any elected office shall be filled for the unexpired term by a person elected by a majority (more than half) of votes cast.
  2. Prior notice of a minimum of fourteen (14) days of such election must be given.
  3. In case a vacancy occurs in the office of president, a vice-president shall serve notice of the election and serve as president until such election process has been completed.

• Section 3  Removal from Office

  1. Any member of the Executive Board may be removed from office at any time in accordance with the Oregon Non-Profit Corporations Act. Such Board members may be removed with cause for acts including, but not limited to, failing to perform duties, criminal conduct, acts of moral turpitude, etc.
  2. A majority (more than half) of votes cast is required to remove an Executive Board member.

Article VII:  Duties of Officers

• Section 1  The President shall preside at all meetings of PTLC.

• Section 2  The Vice President(s) shall

  1. perform the duties of the President in the absence or inability of that officers to serve;
  2. assist the President when called upon.

• Section 3  The Secretary shall

  1. record accurate minutes of all meetings of PTLC and of the Executive Board;
  2. distribute minutes within three weeks;
  3. perform such other duties as may be delegated to him/her.

• Section 4  The Treasurer shall

  1. have custody of all of the funds of PTLC;
  2. keep a full and accurate account of receipts and expenditures;
  3. make disbursements in accordance with the adopted budget, as authorized by the PTLC membership and/or the Executive Board.
  4. present a financial statement at every monthly meeting and at other times when requested by the Executive Board, including all monies allocated;
  5. be responsible for the maintenance of such books of account and records as conform to these By-Laws;
  6. have checks counter-signed by the president or duly appointed representative.

• Section 5  All outgoing officers shall deliver to their successors all pertinent and official material at a meeting not later than 10 days following the election.

• Section 6  No officer has the authority to obligate the PTLC to any fund-raiser without consent of majority approval of the officers and members present at a PTLC meeting

Article VIII:  Executive Board

• Section 1  The Executive Board shall consist of:

  1. the elected officers of PTLC
  2. the chairpersons of Standing Committees,
  3. the principal of the school or a representative appointed by him/her,
  4. two legal guardians, one from each school, if possible
  5. two faculty members, one from each school, if possible

• Section 2  Executive Board members shall be appointed in the fall by the PTLC membership.

• Section 3  The duties of the Executive Board shall be, if needed:

  1. to transact necessary business in the intervals between monthly meetings and such other business as may be referred to it by PTLC;
  2. to create special committees;
  3. to approve the plans of work of committees;
  4. to present a report at the regular meeting of PTLC;
  5. to select an auditor or an auditing committee to audit the Treasurer's accounts;
  6. to prepare and submit to PTLC for adoption, a budget for the year;
  7. to approve unexpected items within the limits of the budget, not to exceed one hundred dollars ($100.00) per item.

• Section 4  Regular meetings of the Executive Board may be held during the school year, the times to be fixed by the Executive Board at its first meeting of the year.

• Section 5  A majority of the Executive Board members shall constitute a quorum.

• Section 6  Special meetings of the Executive Board may be called by the President or by a majority (more than half) of the members of the Board, with notice being given

Article IX:  Special and Standing Committees

• Section 1  The Special or Standing committees may be established at regular monthly meetings or by the Executive Board.
• Section 2 Standing Committees have been established for these purposes:
  1. Membership
  2. Publicity
  3. Fund-raising
• Section 3  A Member of the Executive Board will oversee and approve the work of each Special Committee.

Article X:  Fiscal Year

The fiscal year of PTLC shall begin on July 1 and end on June 30 of the following year. All bills and reimbursements must be paid by June 15.

Article XI:  Audit of Treasurer's Accounts

• Section 1  The Treasurer's accounts shall be examined annually, at the end of the fiscal year, by an auditing committee of not less than two (2) individuals who, satisfied that the Treasurer's annual report is correct, shall sign a statement of that fact at the end of the report. The auditing committee shall be selected by the Executive Board at least thirty (30) days prior to the meeting at which new officers assume duties.
• Section 2  The Treasurer's accounts may be audited by a professional at the requester's expense and a signed statement of audit outcome shall be submitted to the Executive Board by the auditor.

Article XII:  Standing Rules

• Section 1  There may be standing rules, adopted by PTLC, for guidance in matters not covered in these by-laws. The standing rules shall not be inconsistent with the by-laws and shall be reviewed annually by the Executive Board. Proposed amendments or additions shall be presented to the general membership of PTLC for adoption.
• Section 2  The procedure for amending standing rules shall be incorporated in the body of the standing rules.

Article XIII:  Amendments

• Section 1  Any member of the PTLC may submit suggested amendments, including rationale, to the Executive Board.
• Section 2  By-laws may be adopted, amended or repealed after presenting them to PTLC membership. Amendments must be presented in writing and read at one regular meeting preceding the meeting in which the vote is taken.
• Section 3  After an amendment has been presented at one regular meeting, the following regular meeting will require a majority of those voting members present to adopt, amend or repeal the By-law(s).
• Section 4  If any part of these By-laws is found to be illegal, it will not invalidate the entire By-laws.

Copyright ©1999-2001 Parents and Teachers of Lewis and Clark . All Rights Reserved.

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