Bylaws

NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATORY POLICY AS TO ORGANIZATION

The Benton Community Parent Teacher Organization supports the education for all students of any sex, race, religion, disability, nation and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made to the students in the Benton Community School District.  

ARTICLE I

The name of this organization is the Benton Community Parent Teacher Organization (BCPTO).  

ARTICLE II

The purpose of the Benton Community PTO is to support the educational environment of students at all Benton Community elementary centers by providing volunteer and financial support.  We will do this by developing a closer relationship between school and home by encouraging involvement of the school, parent, and teachers.

ARTICLE III

This organization may affiliate with any other organization with similar goals.  These affiliations may be reviewed annually by the officers of the Benton Community PTO.  

ARTICLE IV - Membership and Voting Rights

The Benton Community PTO admits all parents, guardians, teachers, and interested persons of any sex, race, religion, disability, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available through this organization.  

No membership dues will be required.

All parents, guardians, teachers, administrators, and other interested person in the Benton Community School District are considered BCPTO members.  Each member may vote.  All members must exercise their voting rights in person. An exclusion to this policy would be a virtual vote by the officers of the Benton Community PTO between meetings when absolutely necessary.

ARTICLE V - Officers and Organization

Section 1:  Officers

1. Active members of this organization are eligible to hold office. Upon election, each Benton Community PTO officer will be given access to the By-Laws.

2. A President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Committee Chair(s) {Executive Committee} will be nominated and elected at the April General Membership Meeting and will take office on May 1 of that same year.
3. The term of office shall be one year. Officers may be re-elected as long as they maintain active membership.  

4. If an officer’s position becomes vacant, the general membership shall fill the unexpired term from the current membership by election.

5. Attendance by officers and chairpersons at meetings is required at all General Membership Meetings and Executive Committee Meetings. If attendance is impossible, the officer or chairperson shall notify the President before the meeting.

Section 2:  Executive Committee

1. The Executive Committee shall consist of seven members: President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and 3 Committee Chairs.  

2. The Executive Committee shall not conduct business without a majority vote of members in attendance at meetings.

3. Meetings of the Executive Committee will be held on an as-needed basis.  All Executive Committee meetings will be announced at the General Membership meetings, if possible.  General Members are welcome to attend Executive Committee meetings.

4. Each officer and chairperson shall maintain permanent files and records for the Benton Community PTO.

5. The Executive Committee may propose policy, review and update Benton Community PTO By-Laws and procedures and deal with formal grievances.

6. The Executive Committee (or someone designated by the Executive Committee) shall perform an annual internal audit as described in Article XI, Section 2.

Section 3: Duties of Officers and Chairpersons of Standing Committees shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

1. President:

1. Shall be Executive Officer of the Benton Community PTO.
2. Shall preside over Executive and General Membership meetings.
3. Is a member ex-officio of all committees.
4. Shall appoint chairpersons of committees.

2. Vice-President

1. Shall assume the duties of the President, Secretary, and Treasurer in his/her absence.
2. Shall perform other duties as assigned by the President.
3. Is a member ex-officio of all committees.

3. Secretary

1. Will maintain accurate and complete minutes of Executive and General Membership meetings.  A complete set of minutes will be kept by the Secretary and will be available for review by the General Membership.
2. Will be responsible for getting a summary of the minutes of meetings and announcements of forthcoming meetings and events published to families in the Benton Community Elementary Centers via email, blog, and Facebook.
3. Will perform other duties as assigned by the President.
4. Is a member ex-officio of all committees

4. Treasurer

1. Shall be responsible for the receipt, disbursement, and safekeeping of all Benton Community PTO monies and reporting thereof.
2. Is a member ex-officio of all committees.

5. Committee Chair(s)

1. Shall be responsible for sub-committees as designated by the Executive Committee.
2. Is a member ex-officio of all committees.
3. Will perform other duties as assigned by the President.

ARTICLE VI - Fundraising & Expenses

Section 1: Definitions:

1. Regular Fundraising - Collection of money through solicited donations and/or sales (i.e. candle sales, gift wrap) - sponsored by the Benton Community PTO.
2. Service Fundraising - a service which the Benton Community PTO provides to the community - optional participation (i.e. apparel, ink cartridges, Box Tops for Education, Soup Suppers, Carnivals, Roller Skating, Family Fun Nights, Bobcat Dash) - several service events may be permitted as time allows and as approved by administration and the Benton Community PTO.

Section 2: Goal / Project:

1. The April meeting will be designated for formal presentations for possible projects for the next calendar year.
2. At the May meeting, the project or goal will be voted on as to how regular money will be spent for the next school year.
3. Service event proceeds can be designated any time during the school year by the Benton Community PTO.

1. Upon approval, a list of items shall be kept by the Secretary at all times for items the teachers/students need or want that service event money can be used for once service funds become available.
2. Any additional requests for service event procedures must be made in person at any regular Benton Community PTO meeting by formal request.

Section 3: Fundraiser Presentations by Vendors:

1. Any request to present fundraising options the school may get by phone must be sent in writing addressed to the Benton Community PTO President at the school address.
2. President of the Benton Community PTO must contact potential vendors in March to set up presentations at April’s PTO meeting.
3. All presenters must be at the meeting in person.
4. Five minute time limit on presenting

Section 4: Committees for Regular Fundraisers:

1. At the May meeting a Fundraiser Committee must be created - chair and co-chairs must be designated.
2. Committee Responsibilities will consist of (chair to delegate responsibilities where needed)
1. Set dates with vendors BEFORE BCPTO’s first meeting in September, must get prior approval by administration.
2. Contact vendor to give approximate number of forms needed BEFORE BCPTO’s first meeting in August
3. Chair or one of the Co-Chairs must attend the September BCPTO meeting with update as to dates selling of the product and potential delivery date.
4. Chair and Co-Chairs must be responsible and available at the time of delivery of vendor’s items and on the date in which orders and money will be due and given to teachers.  In the event the chair or co-chair cannot be available, they must find a suitable replacement.
5. Must coordinate with the school as to the delivery drop off point and time.
6. Two committee members must be present to count, verify, and handle ALL money and make necessary deposits at ALL times.
7. Formal spreadsheets must also be completed as to items sold, money, etc. and presented at the Benton Community PTO meeting for record keeping reasons.  A copy shall be submitted to the Secretary.
3. Handling of Money - See Section 7.

Section 5: Committee for Service Fundraisers:

1. One Chair and a Co-Chair must be willing to volunteer. At any time if this is not followed, the event may be canceled by the President and one other officer of the Executive Committee.
2. One month prior to the event, someone on the committee or designee must present an update to give at the PTO meeting, or the event may be canceled.

Section 6: Delivery of Vendor’s Items:

1. Committee must be present to sort and handle pickup.  Must be in contact with vendor as to their needs at least two weeks prior to drop off.
2. Each parent must receive a slip of paper stating the name of the Committee chair and contact information in the event of a problem. Parents are not to call the school.
3. Make sure at least two adults are at pickup location to handle vendor items being picked up by parents and they are informed of procedures to follow.
4. All items must be counted twice, once by the picker and then verified and counted by a parent.
5. Each parent MUST sign off on their pickup.
6. No children under the age of 18 will be permitted to help sort or hand out items to parents.
7. All signatures must be kept in PTO folder in the event of problems for at least a month after pickup.
8. Checks to verify that no checks have been returned - product will not be allowed to be given until the PTO is paid.

Section 7: Money - Financial

FOR ALL FUNDRAISING EVENTS:

1. Keep accurate, current records
2. All money will be counted with two people present for verification at ALL times.
3. Pay all bills by check.
4. If gross receipts are over $50,000.00, must notify Treasurer to file appropriate IRS form (990EZ).
5. All money will be deposited after being counted and verified by two members.  Deposit slips are held by Treasurer - make prior arrangements with him/her.

FOR REGULAR FUNDRAISERS:

1. Money and order will be due on a Monday.
2. All money/forms on the date they are due will go directly to the homeroom teacher.
3. All money will need to be held by the teacher until two people from the Committee arrive to pick up the forms and money.  If money is collected later in the week, the teacher is to put the funds in the designated PTO locked box in the school office.
4. Formal spreadsheets will be prepared to be given to the vendor and a copy to the Secretary within 24 hours.  Provide Treasurer with the report within 5 days of the event.
5. All checks need to have class noted on bottom of checks (memo). Teachers may be asked to do this.

Section 8: Money - Bad Checks

1. E-check system should receive all bad checks. BCPTO will receive a copy of the same check.
2. Once recovered E-check system will forward the money to our account.
3. Any check that has bounced that product will not be delivered until BCPTO has been paid in full.

Section 9 - Money - After Deadline

1. Any money that is given to office secretary must be placed immediately into BCPTO safe box for a committee member to pick up.  Two people must be present when taking money out of the box and when counting the money.

Section 10 - Expenses for Regular Fundraiser or Service Fundraiser

1. Explanations and approximate cost of expense should be presented prior to the expense being incurred and must be approved by the BCPTO.
2. All receipts must be delivered to the BCPTO Treasurer before being reimbursed

Section 11: Teacher Reimbursement expenses

1. Options for teacher reimbursement
1. Paypal - officer will submit purchase to a PayPal approved vendor after BCPTO approves purchase
2. Teacher submits a valid receipt / purchase order and is paid for purchase
3. Teacher requests approval for payment prior to purchase from BCPTO and must submit receipts to BCPTO within 10 days for equal amount of request or greater
4. When possible, teachers will submit a quote or a draft cart purchase to BCPTO.

Section 12:  Dissolution

1. Upon the dissolution of this organization, assets shall be distributed equally to the 3 Benton Community Consolidated Elementary Schools that are exempt for the purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code.

Section 13 - Exempt Status

1. The organization is organized exclusively for educational purposes under Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code or corresponding section of any future tax code.

Section 14: Miscellaneous Items

1. At any time the school secretary must be contacted in regard to a service event or fundraiser.  All calls must be forwarded to either the fundraiser committee chair or an officer of the BCPTO.  
2. PTO Secretary must provide school secretary with names and contact numbers in the event of a problem.

ARTICLE VII - General Membership Meeting and Voting

Section 1: General Membership Meetings

1. A total of ten General Membership Meetings shall be held in the months of August, September, October, November, December, January, February, March, April, May, and an optional meeting in June.  

2. Additional General Membership Meetings may be called at the request of the Executive Committee in the month of July.

3. Meetings will be held on the first Monday of the month at 6:30 PM, unless this date falls on a holiday, then the meeting will be moved to the following night (Tuesday).  

4. Meetings will rotate between Atkins, Norway, and Keystone Elementary Centers.

5. Members shall be given notice of all General Membership meetings through the school calendar and school notes.

6. In the event of inclement weather (school is canceled or an unscheduled early out is called), the Benton Community PTO meeting that was to be held that Monday will be canceled and be rescheduled for the following night, Tuesday at 6:30 PM.  In the event that school is also canceled or that an unscheduled early out is called on that Tuesday, the BCPTO meeting will be rescheduled to the following Monday night.

Section 2: Voting

1. Motions presented shall be passed by a majority of those present and voting at the General Membership Meetings.

2. Votes between meetings shall be carried out with a 66% majority of the Executive Committee via a digital vote.  

3. Upon a motion for closure from the floor, discussion may be limited by a majority vote of members present and voting.

ARTICLE VIII - Amendment of By-Laws

Amendment of these By-Laws can be made by a majority vote of those members present and voting at any of the General Membership Meetings.

ARTICLE IX - Fiscal Year, Audit and Inspection

Section 1: The fiscal year of the organization shall end on June 30 of each year.

Section 2: An internal audit of Books and Accounts of the Benton Community PTO may be conducted at the end of each fiscal year by the Executive Committee (or by someone designated by the Executive Committee) and at such other times as may be ordered by a majority  vote of the members.

Section 3: The General Membership shall be permitted to inspect the books of the Benton Community PTO Executive Committee at reasonable times and reasonable frequencies.

Date: __________________________

_______________________________ _______________________________

President Secretary