CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS OF THE

CHANCELLOR HIGH SCHOOL BAND PARENTS ASSOCIATION

(Previously amended May 1991; May 1993; February/March 1994;

revised October 1994; amended November 1994; amended January 2004;

amended August 2005, amended April 2007, amended June 2009, amended August 2009;

amended August 2014, revised December 2014, revised January 2018, revised March 2022, revised March 2025)

 ARTICLE I – ORGANIZATION

Section 1:        The organization shall be known as The Chancellor High School Band Parents Association, herein referred to as CHSBPA.

Section 2:        The CHSBPA shall be solely a non-profit organization.

Section 3:        The CHSBPA shall work to promote and maintain an enthusiastic interest in the various activities of the instrumental music programs of Chancellor High School, herein referred to as CHS, within both the school and the community.

Section 4:        The CHSBPA shall lend moral and financial support to the CHS instrumental music program and its members as they participate in the instrumental music program at CHS.

Section 5:        The CHSBPA shall work to build and maintain an organization of parents, who are dedicated to promoting the general activities of the CHS instrumental music program as defined by the Band Director. The following organizations and activities are a part of the instrumental music program. The expectation is that all band members are current CHS students eligible to register, audition, or otherwise participate in the band program. If not addressed here, a case-by-case review will be considered and approved at the discretion of the Band Director, with notification to the CHS principal, the CHSBPA Board of Directors, and CHSBPA.

1. Lightning Regiment Marching Band (LRMB). The instrumental section is a co- curricular activity open to all band class students. The color guard section is an extra- curricular activity open by audition only to any prospective or current CHS student.

2. Wind Ensemble. An upper level performing band class open by audition only.

3. Symphonic Band. A performing band class open by audition only.

4. Concert Band. A performing band class open to any CHS band student.

5. Jazz Band. A co-curricular band activity open to any CHS band class student. It may also be an extra-curricular activity for non-band class CHS students by audition who play guitar, bass, or piano.

6. Percussion Class. A one or two-year method class for beginner  high school percussionists.

7. Winter Guard. An extra-curricular activity for any prospective or current CHS student or a prospective or current student of another Spotsylvania County Public School, open by audition only. The Winter Guard performs in competitions.

8. Winter Drum Line. An extra-curricular activity for any CHS student who wishes to participate in a winter competition group. Open by audition only.

9. Other special ensembles and activities (brass ensemble, trombone quartet, drum line, production auxiliary, etc.) may be organized from year to year at the discretion of the CHS Band Director.

Section 6:        The CHSBPA shall cooperate fully with the CHS instrumental music program, including but not limited to: the band director, musical instructors, and the principal of CHS to ensure that the instrumental music program maintains the highest degree of efficiency, quality, and integrity.

Section 7:        During the fall marching band season, there shall be an annual recruitment night. The purpose of this recruitment will be to encourage rising 9th graders (current 8th graders) and other interested students to join the music programs offered at Chancellor High School for the following season.

        From the May and June rookie camps, through the date of commitment form deadline, there shall be an annual student membership drive.

ARTICLE II – MEMBERSHIP AND DUES

Section 1:        Membership in the CHSBPA shall consist of regular and associate members.

1. Membership in the CHSBPA is automatic of every parent or guardian who has a child actively participating in the Lightning Regiment Marching Band program as either an instrument-playing or non-playing (e.g., guard) member of the marching band, or in any other capacity as approved by the band board. The CHSBPA will have no membership dues.

2. Associate members: Alumni and any parent whose student is not in the marching band but is in a CHS music program, shall become an associate member upon payment of $25.00. Associate members shall not be entitled to vote, hold office, or chair committees.

3. Volunteers: Eligibility is contingent upon meeting all mandatory Spotsylvania County School system volunteer requirements and the approval of the Band Director and the CHSBPA Board of Directors. Volunteers are needed to support the CHSBPA goals by donating time and/or services to the music programs.

Section 2:        Membership dues are assessed per family and fees are assessed per student and paid annually. Every family must sign a contract detailing payment schedule. Membership dues and fees are non-refundable and cannot be fundraised.

ARTICLE III – OFFICERS AND DUTIES

Section 1:        The eight officers of this CHSBPA shall be President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer (Student Accounts), Webmaster, Lobbyist, and Rookie  Representative. Each officer shall be the parent or legal guardian of an active member of the Lightning Regiment Marching Band program during the tenure of his/her office.

Section 2:        The President shall appoint a Nominating Committee consisting of association members at the November general membership meeting each year. The Nominating Committee shall provide a complete slate of officers to the President prior to the January general membership meeting. This proposed slate of officers shall be announced, but not voted upon, at the January meeting.

Section 3:        The officers will be elected at the February general membership meeting.

Additional nominations for each office may be made from the floor. It shall take a majority vote of those members present and voting in a general meeting in which a quorum (see Article V Section 3) is present to elect the officers. The officers-elect will be installed and assume office at the last board and general membership meeting of the academic year. The time between February and May will be used as transition.

Section 4:        All officers are required to attend the Board of Directors and general membership meetings as scheduled. If an officer misses more than two meetings without acceptable reasons as determined by the Board of Directors, that officer shall be replaced following the procedures for filling a vacancy in any office as stated in Section 5.

Section 5:        Should a vacancy occur in any office, the remaining members of the Board of Directors shall nominate a person to serve for the unexpired term. The vacancy shall be filled by election at the next regular general membership meeting. A vacancy in the office of President shall be filled by the Vice-President until such election can be held.

Section 6:        Duties of the CHSBPA officers shall be as follows:

1. The President shall preside at all meetings of the CHSBPA, appoint all committees, and shall be an ex officio member of all committees.

2. The Vice President shall assume all duties of the President in his/her absence, and shall have overall responsibility for directing all fundraising activities.

3. The Secretary shall keep the records and minutes of all meetings, post meeting minutes on the association’s website, and attend to all correspondence for the CHSBPA.

4. The Treasurer shall handle all monies, pay bills, and complete and file all necessary financial records and forms. In his/her absence the Assistant Treasurer shall assist with Vice President or President to perform these duties. The President shall be authorized to perform these duties in the absence of both the Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer.

5. The Assistant Treasurer (Student Accounts) shall maintain all student and parent accounts and assist the President/Vice president in duties in the absence the Treasurer. Whenever possible, it is beneficial if the Student Accounts Treasurer is the parent of a student younger than the son/daughter of the Treasurer.

6. The Webmaster shall be responsible for the maintenance of the CHSBPA website and all CHSBPA social media accounts, as well as other electronic information sites (i.e. sign-up boards, photo-sharing sites, etc.) at the direction of the Board of Directors.

7. The Lobbyist shall observe School Board and Board of Supervisors meetings where issues of importance to the CHS instrumental music program are scheduled to be discussed. No later than the next Board of Directors meeting, the Lobbyist shall report any, and all, relevant discussions or topics to the board.

8. The Rookie Representative is the main point of contact for incoming new parents. The Rookie Representative will answer questions and provide information concerning the workings of the CHSBPA.

ARTICLE IV – BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section 1:        The purpose of the Board of Directors shall be to administer the business of the CHSBPA.

Section 2:        The voting of the Board of Directors shall be the eight association officers as detailed above, and the Band Director(s). The Rookie Representative  shall be elected from among volunteers during the June “new band parent meeting,” and shall begin serving on the Board at its next regular meeting. The LRMB Student Band President shall act as a non-voting liaison between the board and the LRMB.

Section 3:        The Board of Directors shall have a quorum with six of eight voting members present.

Section 4:      All meetings of the Board of Directors may be attended and observed by members of the CHSBPA, however, the general members shall have no vote or voice in the proceedings. Any regular member of the CHSBPA may be permitted to make a presentation to the Board of Directors provided that a request for such presentation is received in writing from the member fourteen (14) days prior to the scheduled meeting, and approved by the president at least one week (7 days) prior to the scheduled meeting of the Board.

Section 5:        The minutes of all Board of Directors meetings shall be made available to CHSBPA general members by request.

Section 6:        A joint Board of Directors meeting between the incoming and outgoing officers shall be held after elections and before the final general membership meeting. The purpose of the meeting is to coordinate the ongoing activities and the exchange of duties.

ARTICLE V – MEETINGS

Section 1:        The Board of Directors shall meet sufficiently in advance of all general membership meetings in order to allow preparation and consideration of agenda items for the next general membership meeting. The scheduling of these Board of Directors meetings shall be at such times so as to ensure the greatest attendance by board members.

Section 2:        Special meetings may be called by the President or by the Vice President in the absence of the President with reasonable notice being given to the CHSBPA membership.

Section 3:        A quorum shall consist of the members present at any meeting that received at least one week’s notice. Members will cast one (1) vote per family on each motion or item of business voted upon at the general membership meetings.

Section 4:        The President shall preside over all Board of Directors and general membership meetings. In his/her absence, the Vice-President shall preside. If neither of these officers is present, the Treasurer shall preside. In the absence of all officers, the Band Director shall preside over the meeting.

ARTICLE VI – COMMITTEES

Section 1:        The following standing committees shall be appointed each year by the president of the CHSBPA:

1. Chaperone Committee
2. Pit Crew
3. Fundraising Committee
4. Scholarship Committee
5. Memory Book Committee
6. Financial Review Committee (See Article VIII, Section 1)
7. By Law Committee (See Article IX, Section 2)
8. Hospitality Committee

Section 2:        Duties of the committee shall be hereinafter indicated:

1. The Chaperone Committee shall prepare a master list of all parents or legal guardians who are willing to serve as chaperones for instrumental music program activities and meet the requirements of Volunteers (Article 2, section 1.c.) This list shall be submitted to the Band Director.. Thereafter, a list of chaperones will be submitted to the Band Director for each instrumental music program trip.. Chaperones shall accompany band students to and from events/competitions. Chaperones shall also verify that all students are in full uniform prior to each scheduled event and maintain custody of supplies and the emergency binder.

2. The Pit Crew shall be responsible for providing equipment transportation, supervision of loading and unloading all equipment, moving equipment on and off of the performance area, and safeguarding vehicles and equipment at each event. For safety and backup driver capability, to the maximum extent possible, a trailer pulling vehicle will consist of two (2) qualified drivers. Minimum qualifications include, but are not limited to: a current valid DMV license and ability to pull a trailer.

3. The Fundraising Committee shall plan and schedule fundraising activities for the school year. The Vice President shall serve as chairperson of this committee. At the August CHSBPA general membership meeting, the committee will present a tentative calendar of fundraising events planned through the summer and the following year. Fundraising activities must be approved by the Board and understood and approved by the CHS Principal.

4. The Scholarship Committee shall solicit and collect all scholarship applications and essays of students interested in the CHSBPA scholarship. No senior parent shall serve on this committee. Once the scholarships are announced, necessary scholarship delivery information will be collected by the committee and given to the Treasurer.
5. The Memory Book Committee shall take and/or collect photographs during the band season for inclusion in the Memory Book to be published at band year’s end. All CHSBPA members will be provided the opportunity to contribute photos for the project. The memory book committee shall present a true and accurate representation of the Memory Book to be published, to the Board for review, prior to “going to print” and publication.
6. The Hospitality Committee shall coordinate the meals and snacks provided to LRMB students during the band season. Purchases and planning shall be done in coordination and with approval of the Board.

ARTICLE VII – DISBURSEMENT

Section 1:        The Treasurer shall make disbursements as authorized by the Board of Directors.

Section 2:        All disbursements must be made by check and/or bank debit card. The Treasurer, the President, and the Vice President shall be authorized to sign checks pending bonding. Any reimbursements must be accompanied by a receipt and written justification.

Section 3:        The Treasurer, the President, and the Vice President shall be bonded for an  amount as determined by the Board of Directors. If the Treasurer cannot be bonded, a new Treasurer must be elected. If the President or Vice President cannot be bonded, they may continue to serve, but will not have access to the bank accounts.

Section 4:        All matters concerning the disbursement or commitment of CHSBPA funds outside of the approved budget of less than five hundred dollars ($500.00) per item shall be decided at the Board of Directors meetings with a quorum present. Expenditures of three hundred dollars ($300.00) or less may be authorized by the President.

Section 5:               No advisor, instructor, instructional staff member, or member is authorized to commit CHSBPA to financial commitments, contracts, or agreements without prior vote of the Board.

Section 6:        All matters concerning disbursement or commitment of CHSBPA funds of greater than five hundred dollars ($500.00) per item outside of the approved budget as recommended by the Board of Directors shall be decided at the general membership meeting with a quorum present.

Section 7:        All money and/or receipts must be submitted to the Treasurer or within two (2) weeks of when the expense was incurred.

Section 8:        The only exception to Section 6 shall be that during the month of July, (when the CHSBPA does not hold a regular meeting), the Board of Directors shall be allowed to make all necessary disbursements or commitments of the CHSBPA funds, in the best interest of the CHSBPA members, and the instrumental music program students. The Board shall report to the general membership at the September meeting all such disbursements or commitments of the CHSBPA funds in a report setting forth each disbursement and/or commitment, its purpose, and the dollar amount involved. In unique circumstances, by unanimous approval of the Board of Directors, the Board may take action upon special issues when a general membership meeting is not possible. In unique situations concerning travel, health, and/or safety, electronic means may be utilized to obtain a unanimous board approval.

ARTICLE VIII – ANNUAL AUDIT AND FINANCIAL REPORTS

Section 1:        A Financial Review Committee (FRC) shall consist of a  minimum of two members who are not members of the Board of Directors. The FRC shall be appointed by the President in June for the period of one fiscal year from 1 July – 30 June. The first task for the FRC is to conduct the review of the financial records of the CHSBPA after the end of the fiscal year. The review will be presented to the Board of Directors for action or approval in August and the FRC will sign and submit a letter of review to the CHS Principal (bookkeeper) no later than 31 August. The FRC will then conduct quarterly reviews, except for the fourth quarter, and present any findings or concerns  to the Board of Directors, which will take appropriate action on information presented. The new FRC will review the fourth quarter financial records and submit any findings or concerns to the Board of Directors.

Section 2:        The Treasurer shall prepare a monthly reconciliation report and provide associated bank statements to the Board of Directors. The Treasurer’s monthly Financial Reports shall become part of the CHSBPA permanent records.

Section 3:        When a new Treasurer is elected, the outgoing Treasurer shall continue to work with the newly elected Treasurer through the end of the fiscal year and shall assist the new Treasurer in the preparation of any financial reports during the remainder of that year.

ARTICLE IX – AMENDMENTS

Section 1:        The Constitution and By-Laws of the Association may be amended by two-thirds (2/3) vote of the membership present and voting at any regular meeting for which a quorum is present. The amendment must have been presented in writing or made available by electronic means no later than the previous general membership meeting of the CHSBPA.

Section 2:        The Constitution and By-Laws shall be reviewed at least at a minimum three years by a committee appointed by the president. Initial review will begin no later than February of the third academic year.

Section 3:        There shall be no carry-over motions to amend the Constitution and By-Laws from one school year to the next school year.

ARTICLE X – RULES OF ORDER

Section 1:        Except as provided in this article, parliamentary procedure shall be governed by the latest edition of “Robert’s Rules of Order”.

Section 2:        Any member desiring the floor shall rise and address the presiding officer.

Section 3:        Any member shall not speak until recognized by the chair. A maximum of five

(5) minutes shall be allowed each speaker. This time may be extended at the discretion of the presiding officer.

Section 4:        No member who has spoken on a question shall again be entitled to speak on the same question if the floor is requested by a member who has not previously spoken on that question.

Section 5:        When a point of order is raised, the person having the floor shall be seated until the point of order is acted upon by the presiding officer.

Section 6:        No motion shall be amended more than twice.

Section 7:        A motion to reconsider a question must be made by a member who voted with the prevailing side.

Section 8:      A motion to table a question shall not be subject to amendment or debate. When a motion is tabled, it shall not be considered again in the same meeting unless so provided for in the motion to table.

Section 9:        The approval of two-thirds (2/3) of the members present and voting shall be required in order to dispense with any or all of the Rules of Order for that particular meeting.

ARTICLE XI – DISBANDMENT

Section 1:        The CHSBPA shall disband when the organization no longer wishes to follow the objectives of the Constitution and By-Laws, or when no parents will consent to serve as President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, and Webmaster  of the CHSBPA.

Section 2:      In case of disbandment, all funds shall be turned over to Chancellor High School for the exclusive use by the CHS instrumental music program. 

ARTICLE XII – GENERAL POLICIES

Section 1:        All students must fulfill the basic requirements as stipulated by the Spotsylvania County School Board in order to participate in any extra-curricular or co-curricular instrumental music program activity.

Section 2:        All students must adhere to the CHSBPA fundraising guidelines in order to participate in any of the CHSBPA fundraising projects.

Section 3:        The Assistant Treasurer shall maintain individual records for each CHS instrumental music program member.

Section 4:        Should the students of the CHS music program be provided with an opportunity that falls outside of the regular requirements of participation (i.e. spring trips, optional social gatherings, individual travel), a separate contract will be developed by the director (to be approved by the board) that clearly states each individual’s financial commitment and how that commitment may be met.