September, 2008 REV F

Article I. Name

The name of this organization shall be Lincoln Academy Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) of Jefferson County, Colorado.

The Lincoln Academy PTO has the following objectives:

1. To foster a sense of community within Lincoln Academy;
2. To promote clear communication between parents, teachers, and school administrators;
3. To operate in accord with policies and practices established by the Lincoln Academy School Charter and the Colorado Department of Education;
4. To operate exclusively within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (or corresponding section of any future Federal tax code.)

Article III. Membership

1. Membership is open to all parents and legal guardians of Lincoln Academy students and to all staff of Lincoln Academy. All memberships require an annual fee.
2. Business Partners are honorary members who pay an annual fee. This partnership allows businesses access to in-house publications for advertising.
3. Members in good standing are defined as families and staff who have paid the annual membership fee.

Article IV. Officers and Elections

1. The elected Officers shall be the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Volunteer Coordinator.
2. New officers shall be nominated in April and elected in May. (All PTO members in good standing may vote in the election of the Board.) Those interested in running for this election shall indicate their interest to a Nominating Committee, which shall be elected at the March meeting. All nominations shall be indicated to the Nominating Committee at/or before the April PTO meeting. No member of the current PTO Board may serve on the Nominating Committee. Members of the Nominating Committee shall be members in good standing of the PTO. The Nominating Committee is selected in March and shall give its report at the April meeting. Elections will be held in May with the transfer of offices occurring at the end of the school year. The new PTO Board shall meet at least twice during the summer.
3. The term of office shall be for one school year. Officers may run for re-election.
4. A vacancy on the Board shall occur when an officer is absent from two (2) PTO meetings without valid cause. At this time the Board shall appoint a replacement for the vacant position to finish the remaining term of office. In the event of a vacancy in the office of President, the Vice President shall assume this office. In the event of a vacancy in the office of Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer or Volunteer Coordinator, the remaining Board members shall appoint in qualified member of the PTO to assume said office.
5. A PTO officer may not hold office simultaneously while holding office on the Lincoln Academy Board of Directors.
6. A PTO officer may not hold office while simultaneously in the employ of Lincoln Academy Charter School.
7. A PTO officer may not hold office while a family member simultaneously holds office on the Lincoln Academy Board of Directors.

Article V. Duties of the Officers

1. President
   1. The President chairs all PTO meetings;
   2. Acts as the Official liaison to the Lincoln Academy Board of Directors--reporting to the Lincoln Academy Board at three board meetings during the school year;
   3. Presents these same reports at PTO meetings during these months;
   4. Keeps communication flowing with all parties;
   5. Delegates responsibility;
   6. Sets the agenda for each meeting to prioritize and address the ongoing issues facing the organization;
   7. Makes sure all officers and committees operate within the organization’s bylaws and are in compliance with state and federal statutes;
   8. Works toward meeting the objectives and goals of the Organization;
   9. Is the designated official to act as secondary signer on the organization's bank accounts.
   10. Must review monthly financial statements.
2. Vice President
   1. The Vice President acts in the place of the President when necessary;
   2. Is the designated official to act as backup signer on the Organization’s bank accounts;
   3. Serves as Secretary Pro Tem when the Secretary must miss a meeting.
3. Secretary
   1. The Secretary records, properly documents, and stores the following:
      1. Agendas
      2. Minutes
      3. Meeting attendance
      4. Current list of the PTO membership
      5. Financial statements
      6. Reports to LA Board
      7. Bylaws
      8. Standing Rules
      9. Fundraising Procedure
      10. Fundraising Plan
   2. Submits the following to the Principal's Secretary for publication in the Principal's Memo:
1. Agendas
2. Minutes
3. Deals with correspondence of the Organization;
4. Reads the minutes at each meeting.
4. Treasurer
   1. Qualification of the treasurer includes documented accounting and/or bookkeeping experience.
   2. The Treasurer is responsible for:
      1. Accurately recording funds collected;
      2. Sees to the proper distribution of funds for bills the Board has approved;
      3. Monitors the approved budgets of all committees;
      4. Is the primary signer on the organization’s bank account;
      5. Balances the accounts monthly to the bank statements;
      6. Provides a monthly financial statement and copies to the members of the PTO Board;
      7. Presents books to CPA for year-end review.
5. Volunteer Coordinator
   1. Fosters and encourages volunteerism in the Lincoln Academy community;
   2. Maintains a list of all PTO activities and lists of volunteers for those activities;
   3. Coordinates with all event chairpersons;
   4. Maintains procedural and informative documentation of all PTO sponsored events;
   5. Tabulates volunteer hours contributed by LA families and provides status reports to families and PTO.
6. Administrator - The school administrator or his/her designated representative shall serve as an ex officio member of the PTO Board.

Article VI. PTO Board Meetings

1. The PTO Board shall meet within 2 weeks prior to the general PTO meeting to set the agenda for that month’s meeting.
2. Agenda items to be addressed by the Board shall be given to a member of the Board no later than the day prior to the PTO Board meeting.
3. Voting:
   1. Only Board members may participate in a formal vote during a PTO Board meeting. A majority is necessary for passage.
   2. When a formal vote is not necessary a consensus of present Board members may be taken.
   3. A quorum for voting purposes is four (4) Board members. Absentee voting can occur if a Board member has a valid excused absence. Votes need to be called in prior to or during the vote.

Article VII. PTO Meetings

1. Lincoln Academy PTO Meetings shall take place on the third Tuesday in September, October, November, January, February, April and May. Dates for the August and March meeting shall be determined and announced by the PTO Board. No regular meetings shall take place in December, June or July.
2. A quorum shall consist of 12 members and is required for a meeting to be held.
3. Special meetings may be called by the PTO Board to address issues that may arise between regular meetings. The call to these meetings shall be by phone or e-mail to all PTO member families.
4. The fiscal year end for the PTO shall be June 30.

Article VIII. Membership Voting

1. Discussion of issues requiring a vote is open to all members present at a PTO meeting.
2. Voting for election of officers shall always be by written ballot unless there is only one nominee for the office to be filled. In such case the President may call for a voice vote or declare the nominee elected by acclamation.
3. The Nominating Committee may conduct voting via absentee ballot.

Article IX. Governing Rules

The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern this Organization in all cases in which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws and any special rules of order this Organization may adopt.

Article X. Amendments

Proposed amendments to these bylaws shall be published along with the Principal’s Memo the week prior to the PTO meeting. Passage of amendments shall require a 2/3 vote of PTO members present at the meeting.