Della S. Lindley Elementary

school site council bylaws

ARTICLE I

Name of Council

The name of this council shall be the Della S. Lindley Elementary School Site Council.

ARTICLE II

Role of Council

The school improvement plan, including a budget, shall be developed and recommended by the School Site Council.  The School Site Council, following approval of a school improvement plan by the school district governing board, shall have ongoing responsibility to review with the principal, teachers, other school personnel, and pupils the implementation of the school improvement program and to assess periodically the effectiveness of such a program.  Modifications or any improvement to the plan or budget shall be developed, recommended, and approved or disapproved in the same manner.  The School Site Council shall carry out other duties and responsibilities assigned to it in the Education Code of the State of California.

ARTICLE III

Members

Section 1 – Size and Composition

The School Site Council shall be composed of 10 members.

The needs and resources of the school improvement program require that membership include broad representation of parents, students, and staff, including all socioeconomic and ethnic groups represented in the school attendance area.  Representation on the council shall be: the principal, representatives of teachers selected by teachers at the school, other school personnel selected by other school personnel at the school, parents of pupils attending the school selected by such parents, and community members.  The council shall be constituted to ensure parity between (a) the principal, classroom teachers, and other school personnel; and (b) equal numbers of parents/community members.

Classroom teachers shall constitute the majority of those persons representing school staff.  Valid constituencies are to be given an equitable opportunity to nominate and vote for representatives.  Timeline is as follows:  nominations are accepted in August.  Full vote held in August once all prospective candidates’ names have been collected.  In addition, each prospective candidate will be given the opportunity to accept his or her constituency’s nomination.  Once candidates have agreed to run, they will be placed on the ballot.

Council members representing parents and/or community members may be employees of the school district but may not serve as a parent representative at the site of employment.

Section 2 – Term of Office

All members of the council shall serve for a two-four year term.  However, in order to achieve staggered membership, one-half, or the nearest approximation thereof, of the members representing parents or community members and one-half, or the nearest approximation thereof, of the members representing teachers and other school personnel (except the principal) shall serve for a one year term only during the first year of the council’s existence.  After the first year of the council’s existence, all terms shall be two years in length.  At the first regular meeting of the council, a chance method shall be used to determine which members shall serve one-year terms.  At the conclusion of a member’s term, at least one year shall elapse before such a member may be selected to a new term.

Section 3 - Voting Rights

Each member shall be entitled to one vote and may cast that vote on each matter submitted to a vote of the council.  The elected alternate shall vote in the absence of the representative.

Section 4 – Termination of Membership

A member shall no longer hold membership should he or she cease to be a resident of the area or no longer meets the membership requirements under which he/she was selected; e.g. a parent becomes employed by the district.  Membership shall automatically terminate if any member who is absent from all regular meeting for a period of three consecutive meetings.

Section 5 – Transfer of Membership

Membership in the School Cite Council is not transferable or assignable.

Section 6 – Resignation

Any member may resign by filing a written resignation with the local school district governing board.

Section 7 – Vacancy

Any vacancy on the council shall be filled for the remainder of the school year by appointment by the chairperson.  If the member’s vacancy created an unexpired term, which consists of a full year, the regular selection process shall fill the term for that year.

ARTICLE IV

Officers

Section 1 – Offices Held

The officers of the School Site Council shall be a chairperson, vice-chairperson, secretary, and such other officers as the council deem desirable.

Section 2 – Election and Terms of Office

The officers of the School Site Council shall be elected annually, in September of the current year, and shall serve for one year or until each successor has been elected and trained.

Section 3 – Removal

Any officer may be removed by two-thirds vote of all members sitting on the School Site Council whenever, in the judgment of the council, the best interest of the council would be served thereby.

Section 4 – Vacancy

A vacancy in any office because of death, resignation, removal, disqualification, or otherwise shall, by special election, be filled by the School Site Council for the unexpired portion of the term.

Section 5 – Chairperson

The chairperson shall preside at all meetings of the School Site Council and may sign all letters, reports, and other communications of the School Site Council.  In addition, the chairperson shall perform all duties incident to the office of the chairperson and such other duties as maybe be prescribed by the School Site Council from time to time.  A parent or a staff representative may be selected to hold the office of “Chairperson”.

Section 6 – Vice-Chairperson

The duties of the vice-chairperson shall be to represent the chairperson in assigned duties and to substitute for the chairperson during his or her absence, and the vice-chairperson shall perform such other duties as from time to time may be assigned by the chairperson or by the School Site Council.

Section 7 – Secretary

The secretary shall keep the minutes of the meetings, both regular and special, of the School Site Council and shall promptly transmit to each of the members, to the school district, and to such other persons as the School Site Council may deem, true and correct copies of the minutes of such meetings; see that all notices are duly given in accordance with the provision of these bylaws; be custodian of the school site council records; keep a register of the address and telephone number of each member of the School Site Council which shall be furnished to the secretary by each member; and, in general, perform all duties incident to the office of secretary and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to the office by the chairperson or by the School Site Council.

ARTICLE V

Committees Designated by the School Site Council

Section 1 – Standing and Special Committees

The School Site Council may from time to time establish and abolish such standing or special committees, as it may desire.  No standing or special committee may exercise the authority of the School Site Council.

Section 2 – Membership

Unless otherwise determined by the School Site Council in its decision to establish a committee, the chairperson of the School Site Council shall appoint members to various committees.

Section 3 – Term of Office

Each member of a committee shall continue as such for the term of his or her appointment and until his or her successor is appointed, unless the committee shall be sooner terminate or abolished, or unless such member ceases to qualify as a member thereof.

Section 4 – Rules

Each committee may adopt rules for its own government not inconsistent with these bylaws or with rules adopted by the School Site Council or with policies of the governing board.

Section 5 – Quorum

Unless otherwise provided in the decision of the School Site Council designating a committee, a majority of the committee shall constitute a quorum, and the act of a majority of the members present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the committee.

Section 6 – Vacancy

A vacancy in the membership of any committee may be filled by an appointment made in the same manner as provided in the case of the original appointment.

ARTICLE VI

Meetings of the School Site Council

Section 1 – Regular Meetings

The School Site Council shall meet regularly at least quarterly, or as needed.

Section 2 – Special Meetings

Special meetings may be called by the chairperson or by majority vote of the School Site Council.

Section 3 – Place of Meetings

The School Site Council shall hold its meetings and its special meetings in a facility provided by the school and readily accessible by all members of the public, including persons with disabilities.  Interpreters will be provided if available.

Section 4 – Notice of Meetings

Posted notice, accessible to community, parents and staff, shall be given of regular meetings at least seventy-two hours in advance of the meeting.  Any change in the established date, time, or location must be given special notice.  All special meetings shall be posted.  Any required notice shall be in writing; and shall be delivered either personally or by mail to each member not less than seventy-two hours or more than two weeks prior to the date of such meeting.

Section 5 – Quorum

The presence of a fifty-one percent of the total membership shall be required in order to constitute a quorum necessary for the transaction of the business of the School Site Council.  No decision of the School Site Council shall be valid unless a majority of the members then holding office concur therein by their votes.  The decision-making process may also be aided by the use of other viable means: i.e. consensus, rank ordering, etc.

Section 6 – Decision of the School Site Council

All decisions of the School Site Council shall be made after council discussion and an affirmative vote of a majority of its members provided a quorum is in attendance.

Section 7 – Conduct of Meetings

All regular and special meeting of the School Site Council shall be conducted in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order.

Section 8 – Meeting Open to the Public

All regular and special meetings of the School Site Council and its standing or special committees shall be open to the public.