Bylaws of the Parent Association of Ross Global Academy Charter School (RGA)

APPROVED BY THE MEMBERSHIP on December 16, 2006

Article I – Name

The name of the organization shall be The Parent Association of Ross Global Academy (RGA)

Article II – Objectives

1. To develop parent leadership and build capacity for involvement in school governance and decision-making.
2. To provide support and resources to the school for the benefit and educational growth of the children.
3. To promote and help develop a cooperative working relationship between the parents and the entire school community.
4. To aid in the improvement and enrichment of education, facilities and health services for all students.
5. To be a strong voice for the parents and provide ongoing support and input to the board of trustees as RGA grows and expands.


Article III - Code of Ethics

1. Members of the RGA PA, believing in the worth and dignity of each human being, recognize the supreme importance of the pursuit of truth, devotion to excellence, and the nurture of the democratic principles.

2. Essential to these goals is the protection of freedom to learn and to teach and the guarantee of equal educational opportunity for all. As stewards of our children’s education, our members accept the responsibility to adhere to the highest ethical standards.

3. We shall not on the basis of race, color, creed, sex, national origin, marital status, political or religious beliefs, family, social-economic or cultural background, or sexual orientation, unfairly:

1. Exclude any student from participation in any program
2. Deny benefits to any student
3. Grant any advantage to any student


Article IV – Membership

Section 1: Membership

The Association shall actively seek its members from and be welcoming to all parents of students currently enrolled at RGA.

PA membership is open to:
a. Parents, by birth or adoption, step-parent(s), OR
b. Legally appointed guardians, OR
c. Persons in “parental relation” to a child or children currently attending RGA

A person in parental relation is defined as one who is directly responsible for the care and custody of a child on a regular basis in lieu of a parent and legal guardian. A person may only qualify as a person in parental relation if no other eligible person applies as parent or guardian.

Any determinations about who constitutes a person in parental relation must be based on the individual circumstances surrounding guardianship and custodial care of the particular child, and shall include consultation between the PA executive board and the principal.

Section 2: Voting privileges

Each family unit shall be entitled to one (1) vote at a General assembly meeting. Proxy voting or absentee balloting is prohibited.

Decisions must be made by vote of only those members who do not have a conflict of interest on the issue, as determined by the PA Executive Board.

PA members who are employed in the school may not vote or otherwise participate in: a) personnel matters; nor b) the selection of parent representatives.

Section 3: Voluntary contributions

Contributions are strictly on a voluntary basis, and are not a prerequisite for membership in the PA. Contributions are not a requirement for voting or running for elected positions.

For budgetary purposes the executive Board may suggest, subject to approval of the general membership, a level of annual contributions.


Article V - Officers and Elections

Section 1: Number, manner of selection and term of office

The officers of the Association shall be:

One (1) President or two (2) Co-Presidents
One (1) or two (2) Vice-President(s)
One (1) or two (2) Secretary(ies)
One (1) Treasurer
One (1) Board of Trustees Parent Representative - who can also fill another elected position

Each of the above officers, except the Board of Trustee Parent representative, is to be elected at the General Meeting of the Association in June for a one (1) year term. Term of office shall begin July 1st and end on June 30th. The Board of Trustee Parent Representative will be appointed by a majority vote of the Executive Board.



Section 2: Qualifications

Any parent member shall be eligible to hold the above offices. Only one member of the same family may be elected to serve as officers. Persons employed in the school may not serve on the Nominating Committee, as Officers or as Executive Board Members in the school’s PA.


Section 3: Manner of conducting elections

3.1 Nominating Committee

a) A nominating committee will be formed (*). The nominating committee shall consist of three to five (3-5) members to be elected by the membership at the March meeting. The majority of the members of the nominating committee must come from the membership. The nominating committee shall choose one of its members to serve as chairperson. No person employed in the school shall be eligible to serve on the nominating committee.

(*) For the academic year 2006/2007 it is proposed that as a one time exception, the elected parent representatives (assisted by other parent volunteers) will solicit officer candidates amongst the general membership, and will organize the elections, including the acceptance and counting of the votes, and the announcement of the voting results.

b) Members of the nominating committee are not eligible to run for office. An eligible member of the nominating committee may be considered as a candidate if she/he immediately resigns from the committee in writing.

c) The nominating committee shall:

a) poll the membership for eligible candidates

b) determine and verify the eligibility of all interested candidates

c) officially close the nominations process prior to the May election

d) prepare the notices and ballots for the May election meeting

e) ensure that only eligible members receive a ballot for voting (Only incoming members are eligible to run for office and vote in the May election).

f) conduct the May election

g) publish the results of the election

h) certify the results of the election by having the chair of the nominating committee formally announce the results


3.2 Notices

The meeting notice and agenda for the May election meeting shall be distributed not less than ten calendar days prior to the date of the meeting. All meeting notices and agendas shall be available in the languages spoken by the members, where possible. The distribution date shall appear on all notices and shall list the names of nominated, eligible candidates alphabetically under the office for which they were nominated.

3.3 Voting Requirements

There shall be one vote per family unit. Attendance by ten (10) eligible voting members shall constitute a quorum. Only parents whose children are enrolled in the next academic year will be entitled to vote.

Section 4: Duties of the Officers

4.1 President or Co-Presidents: The president or designated co-presidents shall preside at all meetings of the PA and shall be an ex-officio member of all committees except the nominating committee. The president or co-presidents can propose chairpersons of PA committees and shall encourage meaningful participation in all related activities. The president or co-presidents shall communicate regularly with the executive board members in accordance with these bylaws to plan the agendas for the PA meetings. The president may be one of the signatories on the PA checking account. He/she will also attend the Board of Trustees meetings, and shall serve as the alternate for the appointed Board of Trustees parent representatives. If the President is chosen as the Board of Trustees Parent Representative, (one of) the Vice Presidents shall serve as the alternate parent representative to the Board of Trustees and shall attend the Board of Trustee meetings.

4.2 Vice President(s): The vice-president(s) shall assist the president or co-presidents and shall assume the president’s or co-presidents’ duties in their absence or at the president’s or co-presidents’ request. The vice-president may be one of the signatories on the PA checking account. The vice-president shall assist with the June transfer of records to the incoming Executive Board.

4.3 Secretary: The secretary shall maintain the official record of the proceedings and actions of all PA meetings. The responsibilities shall include maintaining notices, agendas, attendance sheets and materials distributed at PA meetings. The secretary shall prepare and read the minutes of the previous PA meeting, unless a formal motion is made and accepted to waive the reading, and shall make minutes available upon request. He/she shall maintain the PA records and reports. The secretary shall sign and incorporate all amendments into the bylaws and shall ensure that copies of the amended bylaws are on file in the principal’s office. The secretary shall assist the treasurer with the June transfer of all PA records to the incoming Executive Board. The secretary shall be responsible for reviewing, maintaining and responding to all correspondence regarding the PA.

4.4 Treasurer: The treasurer shall be responsible for all financial affairs of the PA. The treasurer shall also be responsible for maintaining an updated record of income and expenditures and must be one of the signatories on the PA checking account. The treasurer shall adhere to and implement all financial procedures established in accordance with the principles of sound financial accounting. The treasurer shall also prepare and provide regular treasurer reports in addition to the January 31st interim and June annual accounting reports. If and when the PA becomes a Section 501 (c)(3) organization, he/she shall make available all books or financial records for viewing by members upon request and for audit. He/she shall ensure that the PA’s Employee Identification Number (EIN) is on file with the Principal’s office. The treasurer shall assist with the June transfer of records to the incoming Executive Board.

4.5 Board of Trustees Parent Representative: Shall attend all the Board of Trustees meetings, as well as the PA executive board meetings, and report back to the PA executive board.

Section 5: Vacancies

A vacancy occurring in the office of president or co-presidents shall be filled by the vice-president for the remainder of the term of office. In the event that the vice-president does not wish to assume this position, the vacancy shall be filled by a special election process.

A vacancy occurring in any other position shall be filled by a special election process. Officers who wish to resign their positions once an election has been certified, must do so in writing to the secretary. If the officer has records in his/her possession at that time, the records shall be turned over to the secretary. In the event of the resignation of the secretary, he or she must transfer records to the president or a co-president.

Section 6: Disciplinary Action

Any officer who fails to attend three (3) consecutive executive board meetings without good cause following written notice from the executive board, shall be removed from office by recommendation of the executive board or motion from a member and two-thirds vote of the membership present. Furthermore, any officer violating the confidentiality requirement for issues designated as such by the executive board also will be subject to disciplinary action or dismissal. The PA’s notice and agenda must cite that a vote will be taken by the membership as a disciplinary action against an executive board member.

Officers and executive board members accused of misconduct or neglect of duty may be removed only after:

1. A motion is presented by any PA member during any meeting of the PA to appoint a review committee. The motion must be approved by majority vote of the general membership.

2. The majority of the review committee must be comprised from the general membership. Executive board members against whom charges are being investigated may not serve on the review committee.

3. The review committee must investigate, examine and obtain all relevant documents, interview all pertinent witnesses, etc., in order to conduct their fact-finding review. All pertinent facts and information must be considered by the committee. The officer(s) against whom charges are being contemplated has the right to present relevant facts, documents and witnesses.

4. The committee must present its findings and recommendations during a PA membership meeting within a period not to exceed forty-five (45) calendar days from the date of the establishment of the review committee. The PA notice and agenda must cite that vote will be taken by membership regarding disciplinary action. The PA shall then vote to remove or absolve the officer(s).


Article VI – Executive Board

Section 1: Composition

The Executive Board shall be composed of all the elected class representatives and the Officers. Alternate parent representatives will have the rights and responsibilities of parent representatives in the event the representative cannot attend the Executive Board meetings.

Officers and class representatives shall be expected to attend all executive board meetings and shall be subject to removal under Article V, Section 6 unless a good and valid reason is rendered in writing.

Section 2: Meetings

Regularly scheduled meetings of the Executive Board shall be held once a month, or more frequently as determined by the Executive Board.

Section 3: Voting – Executive Board

Each member of the Executive Board shall be entitled to one vote, and decision-making will be made by a majority vote. In the event of a tie, the PA President has the deciding vote.

Section 4: Quorum – Executive Board

A majority (51%) of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum, allowing for official business of the executive board to be transacted.

Section 5: General Membership Meetings

1. The general membership (i.e. the entire parent body) meetings of the PA shall be held every other month during the period from September through July on the first Saturday when the children attend school, at (to be determined), unless such day falls on a legal or religious holiday. In such instances, the meeting shall be held on the following Saturday when the children attend school as determined by the Executive Board. A calendar of meeting dates and location(s) will be provided to all constituent PA and to others upon reasonable request. A ten calendar day notice prior to the scheduled meeting is required. The date of distribution shall appear on all notices.

1.1 All eligible members may attend and participate during general membership meetings, and may speak to agenda items subject to restriction in these bylaws.

2. Parent association members may attend and participate at PA meetings, subject to the restrictions in these bylaws.

3. Observers may speak and otherwise participate, if acknowledged by the chair.

Section 6: Order of Business

The order of business at meetings of the PA, unless changed by the Executive Board shall be:

A. Call to order E. Committee Reports
B. Reading & Approval of minutes F. Old Business
C. President’s Report/Update G. New Business
D. Treasurer’s Report H. Adjournment


Section 7: Quorum – General Membership Meetings

Quorum of ten members of the PA shall be required to conduct official business, and a majority vote is needed to ensure decision-making.

Section 8: Minutes

Minutes of the previous general or special membership meeting shall be available in written form and read for approval at the next general membership meeting, unless a formal motion has been made and accepted not to read them. The minutes must be made available upon request to any member or parent. Copies of the minutes shall be forwarded to the Principal or his/her designee, the parent coordinator, and the RGA Board of Trustees, at the discretion of the executive Board.

Section 9: Special Membership Meetings

A special membership meeting shall be called to deal with a matter(s) of importance that cannot be postponed until the next PA membership meeting. The president may call a special membership meeting with a minimum of forty-eight (48) hours written notice to parents stating precisely what the topic of the meeting will be.

In addition, upon receipt of a written request from ten (10) PA members, the president must call a special membership meeting within five working days of the request and with forty-eight (48) hours written notice to parents.


Section 10: Parliamentary Authority

All procedural questions not covered by these bylaws shall be governed by a brief introduction explaining the ground rules at the onset of the meeting, provided they are not inconsistent with law, policy, regulation and these bylaws.



Article VII – Committees

Section 1: Standing Committees

The president will appoint standing committee chairpersons with the approval of the executive board, and these committees will officially become active when formally designated as such by the executive board. Ad-hoc committees shall be established by executive board approval. All committees shall provide regular reports at each meeting of the PA. The standing committees of the PA are the following:

Communications and Membership: The communications and membership committee will provide ongoing support to the Secretary in his/her functions, and help to disseminate relevant information to the RGA community. This committee shall also be responsible for encouraging member participation and outreach. The committee shall also prepare a newsletter for all members, which should include messages from the Principal, list of PA executive board members, all PA meeting dates, and any other material deemed appropriate by the council. Lastly, the committee shall also be responsible for maintaining a current list of members, which shall be available without home addresses at every membership meeting.

Budget: The budget committee shall be responsible for drafting 1) a proposed budget each spring for approval by the membership, and 2) a written review of the prior year’s budget, both of which must be presented for vote at the May membership meeting and 3) presenting the budget process. (See Article VIII, Section 3).

Audit: The audit committee shall prepare an audit of all financial affairs of the organization. The treasurer shall make all books and records available to them. The audit committee shall prepare a written report to be presented to the membership at its May meeting or upon completion of their review and investigation, as applicable.

Curriculum: The curriculum committee will provide an interface between the parent body, the teachers, and the executive board of the PA on matters related to the curriculum to help ensure a well-rounded and balanced experience in line with the RGA mission.

Fund raising: The fund raising committee is responsible for organizing fund raising activities in order to achieve goals set by the PA.

Diversity: The diversity committee will work to help ensure understanding and respect for diverse cultures and life styles at RGA. They will address these issues as they relate to staffing, the curriculum, and the interaction between all members of the RGA community.

Premises: The premises committee, in cooperation with the fund raising commitee, will provide support to all issues related to the selection, maintenance and improvement of the RGA premises. In particular, the committee will actively assist the Board of Trustees in space planning and in the negotiations to help secure the requisite space needed in support for the school’s ongoing growth requirements.



Article VIII – Financial Affairs

Section 1: Fiscal Year

The fiscal year of the PA shall run from July 1 through June 30, and a final report for the fiscal year will be represented to the Executive Board two (2) weeks after the close of the fiscal year.

Section 2: Signatories

The president or designated co-president, vice-president and treasurer, shall be authorized to sign checks. All checks require at least two signatures. Joint signatories shall not be related by blood or marriage, members of the same family, or members that reside in the same household.

Section 3: Budget

• The budget committee shall consist of three (3) to five (5) persons and be chaired by the treasurer. The committee shall be responsible for:


a) The development of the budget process which includes:

The outgoing executive board must review the current budget, annual financial status, accounting, expenditures and outstanding bills and prepare a proposed budget for the next school year. The proposed budget must be presented to and approved by the membership no later than the June meeting.

The incoming executive board must review the proposed budget in September for presentation and discussion during the September meeting. Budget amendments may be proposed at this time.

The counting and handling of any funds received must involve at least two authorized PA members. All funds shall be deposited in the bank account by authorized board members within 48 business hours of receipt. No funds shall be kept at a private residence. Funds will be taken to the bank for deposit by at least one authorized board member.

Documentation related to every transaction must be maintained at the school, in a space allocated to the PA by the Principal (i.e., cancelled checks, deposit receipts, purchase orders, PA minutes related to the expenditure, etc.).

b) Presenting the budget process for membership approval, which must be voted on by no later than the October meeting.

c) A written review of the prior year’s budget for discussion at the June membership meeting.

d) Preparing a proposal budget for adoption by the membership at the June membership meeting.

• The budget may be amended by vote of the general membership at any membership meeting.

• All expenditures not included in the budget at the time of its adoption must be approved by resolution of the membership.

• Minimal expenditures of the executive board shall not exceed the amount of $150.00 per month. These expenditures shall be reported to the general membership at the next PA meeting in writing by the treasurer. Allowable expenditures for reimbursement are meeting refreshments and office supplies.

• All funds are to be used by the PA towards its approved goals.

Section 4: Audit

1 The president shall request volunteers to form an audit committee of three to five (3-5) persons. Executive board members, if they are not check signatories, may serve. The majority of the committee should be comprised from the PA membership.

2 The audit committee shall prepare an audit of all financial affairs of the organization with the help of the treasurer who shall make all books and records available to them.

3 Additional duties of the audit committee may include the examination of all relevant financial statements, records of disbursements, verification of all association equipment and ensuring that bylaw provisions for the expenditure of funds were complied with.

4 The audit committee shall prepare a written report to be presented to the membership at its June meeting or upon completion of their review and investigation, as applicable.

Section 5: Financial Accounting


1. The treasurer shall be responsible for all monies of the PA and shall keep accurate records in a form consistent with these bylaws and applicable accounting principles. The treasurer, secretary and at least one other PA officer, and additional persons as needed shall be designated and approved by the PA executive board to collect, count, tally and record all orders and payments. The treasurer shall make all authorized disbursements and shall, within the next two (2) banking days thereof, deposit all monies of the PA in a responsible banking institution selected by the PA. All records of the PA including checkbooks, ledgers, cancelled checks, invoices, receipts etc., shall be maintained and secured on school premises as allocated for use of the PA by the Principal.

2. All collected monies for next day bank deposit must be secured in the space allocated for use of the PA by the Principal.


Article IX - Rights and Responsibilities

Section 1: Rights and Responsibilities

The PA is responsible for its own actions and for the conduct of its affairs. It is not to be run by the Principal or other school officials.

The PA is entitled to freedom from interference with their internal affairs or supervision of their activities. It has the right to set its own policies and choose its own representatives, as long as they comply with these bylaws.

The PA has rights to full and factual information relating to student achievement and the operations of the school. It has rights to meaningful consultation with school officials as appropriate on a variety of matters affecting the school including the monitoring process of the Charter and the application for renewal of the Charter.

The PA and its members must be allowed to exercise their rights freely and without fear or reprisal. They have the right to be treated fairly by Association and school officials, and to file a grievance for enforcement of their rights.


Section 2: Distribution of Literature

The PA has the right to distribute literature through the school. It can distribute bulletins, newsletters, flyers and notices to the home through the children of the school. The principal must cooperate in distributing PA notices. The PA may request assistance from the principal to facilitate a mailing to parents, provided there is no cost or undue hardship.

The PA is expected to exercise reasonable judgment when it comes to the appropriateness of material placed in children’s hands. All material to be distributed through children must be shown to the principal.

The principal may not approve or disapprove the contents of PA material nor shall it be edited or assessed by the principal. The principal’s signature shall not be affixed to PA material.


Section 3: Use of School Facilities

The PA has the right to use school facilities for meetings and fund raising activities.

The PA is entitled to free use of school buildings for a minimum of eight hours per month outside of school hours and shall determine the hours, and whether the time will be over one or several days. These hours apply 12 months a year.

Section 4: PA Fund Raising

The PA can charge admission fees or receive donations, contributions, or collections for programs they sponsor in the school. A PA fundraiser should not be an end in itself but be tied to the goals of the PA including parent education and workshops, and school-related purposes.

The PA must prepare and give to the principal and the parents of children who have been involved in any fund raising activity, a brief statement showing the total amount of money raised, expenses and net proceeds.

The PA must report to the membership, giving a brief statement showing the total amount of money raised, expenses and net proceeds.

Section 5: Participation in Planning and Decision Making

The PA has the right and responsibility to elect parent representatives to their Executive Board team and to have those representatives participate as full members of the team.


Article X – Amendments

These bylaws may be amended (including the possibility of forming a PTA at a later date) at any regular membership meeting of the PA by a two-thirds vote of the members present, provided the amendment has been presented in writing to the membership at a previous meeting, and appears in the notice of the meeting at which it is to be amended. Amendments are effective immediately unless otherwise stated in the motion. A thorough and formal review of these bylaws shall be conducted every three (3) years.