PTO ByLaws

The purpose of the Mound School PTO is to involve the parents, teachers and other interested persons to improve educational and social opportunities at Mound School, to develop between educators and the community such united efforts that we can secure for all children and youth at Mound Elementary School the highest advantages in physical, mental and social education, and to utilize funds and resources raised by this organization in order to enrich the well being of the students educationally and socially.

Bylaws of

Mound School Parent Group

*hereby referred to as “Mound School PTO“ or “Mound PTO” or “PTO”*

A California Nonprofit Organization

I.  Objectives and Purposes

The name of this organization shall be Mound School Parent Group (PTO).  The Mound School PTO is affiliated with Mound Elementary School, a part of the Ventura Unified School District, located at 455 South Hill Road, Ventura, California 93003.

The Mound School PTO is a private, independent organization operating as a 501(c)3 California nonprofit organization.  It exists for charitable, educational, and scientific purposes, including the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations unders section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code.

The objectives of this organization shall be:

A.      Involve the parents, teachers and other interested persons to improve educational and social opportunities at Mound School.

B.      Develop between educators and the community such united efforts that we can secure for all children and youth at Mound Elementary School the highest advantages in physical, mental and social education.

C.      Utilize funds and resources raised by this organization in order to enrich the well being of the students educationally and socially.

D.      This organization shall be nonprofit and nonpartisan.  No substantial part of the activities of the organization shall consist of the publication or dissemination of materials with the purpose of attempting to influence legislation.  The organization shall not participate or intervene in any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office.

E.       The organization may, without bias, explain to its members and any other interested parties in its community, any legislation that may affect the well being of Mound students.

F.       No part of the net earnings, properties, or assets of this organization, in the event of dissolution, shall inure to the benefit of any individual, or any member of this organization.  On liquidation or dissolution of this organization, its assets shall be distributed for one or more of the exempt purposes specified in the Internal Revenue Code Section 501 (c )(3).

II.  Membership

1.       Qualifications:

All parents with children currently enrolled at Mound Elementary School, all teachers currently teaching at Mound Elementary School, staff as well as the principal of Mound Elementary School, shall be eligible to become a member of the Mound PTO .  The term “parents” shall include legal guardians.  Individuals requesting to become a member are subject to a verification process to ensure they meet the qualifications of membership.

Any other interested parties not meeting the above qualifications can attend meetings but are not considered members, and do not have rights to vote.  

2.       Rights of Membership:

All members shall have the right to vote and make motions.  Each member shall be entitled to one vote. 

3.       Dues:

This organization does not require membership dues.

III.  General Meetings

This organization shall be responsible for holding at least one (1) general meeting of its membership per month, or at the discretion of the Executive Board.   

IV. Voting

Votes conducted during a scheduled, general or special meeting shall be recorded and available for review upon request of a member or officer.

A quorum will consist of a minimum of five (5) members present during the meeting for the purposes of voting.

Any member present may make motions, debate, discuss, and vote upon matters pending at a meeting of the organization.  The affirmative vote of the majority of these members at the meeting shall be the act of all members.

V.  Officers and Their Election

1.       Officers

The Officers of this organization shall be the President, Vice President, Principal, Teacher’s Representative, Secretary, Treasurer, Director of Community Outreach and Parliamentarian.  No officer may hold more than one office at a time.  The Officers shall be elected annually with the exception of the Parliamentarian, Principal and Teacher’s Representative.  The Principal will serve as an Officer and will appoint the Teacher’s Representative. The Parliamentarian shall be the immediate Past President, or if service is declined, shall be appointed by the incoming President subject to approval at a meeting of the organization.

2.       Nomination of Officers

Nominations of officers shall be made by a nominating committee, appointed at a scheduled meeting of the organization.  The Parliamentarian, who shall be one of the members, shall chair the nominating committee.  Nominations shall also be solicited from the membership at large.  The nominating committee shall report their nominations to the scheduled meeting of the organization.   Any PTO member in good standing and who have signified their consent to serve, if elected, shall be nominated for or elected to office.  The nominating committee shall serve until the conclusion of the election.

3.       Term of Office

Officers shall serve for a term of one year.  No officer shall be eligible for the same office for more than two consecutive terms, unless no other member of the organization desires to hold said office.  Officers shall assume their duties at the conclusion of the final regular PTO meeting of the year, with the exception of the Treasurer and Auditor, who shall assume their duties upon closure of the books, to coincide with the end of the fiscal year..

5.       Responsibilities of Officers and Committee Chairs

A.      President

The President shall preside at all general meetings and board meetings of the organization; shall serve as the official representative of the PTO, shall be a member ex-officio of all committees except the nominating committee and, with the ratification of the members voting at a scheduled meeting, shall appoint the chairs of the standing committees.

B.    Vice President

The Vice President shall oversee PTO committees.  In the absence of the President, the Vice President shall perform duties of the President.

C. Director of Community Outreach

The Director of Community Outreach shall be responsible for communications and marketing for PTO including but not limited to passive fundraising, PTO newsletters, email broadcasts, PTO Website, bulletin boards, and social media.

D.      Secretary

The Secretary shall keep an accurate record of the general meetings and board meetings of the organization including voting outcomes; shall be prepared to refer to minutes of the previous meetings.

E.       Treasurer

The Treasurer shall act as the custodian for PTO finances, collect revenue, pay authorized expenses, follow all financial policies of the PTO, and hold all financial records.  The Treasurer reports directly to the President.

G.      Parliamentarian

The Parliamentarian should attend all meetings of the organization, give necessary advice in parliamentary procedure and review the bylaws when requested. The Parliamentarian shall chair the nominating committee and conduct the annual election for the Officers.

H.      Committee Chairs

The Committee Chairs oversee direct volunteer efforts of the organization. They are responsible for coordinating all the efforts required of their committees. Committee Chairs report to either the President or the Vice President  per standing rules. Chairs may be jointly held.

6.       Vacancies

A.      Removal from Office

When an Officer is not fulfilling the responsibilities of the position, he or she may be removed from office, the position declared vacant, and a replacement appointed, by majority vote at a scheduled meeting.  The replacement officer shall finish the current term and may run for re-election during the next election cycle.  In the event that the President is removed, the Vice President shall serve the remainder of the term..

B.      Resignation from Office

Any officer may resign at any time by giving written notice to the President and said resignation will take effect at such date specified in that notice. In the event of the President serving a resignation, said resignation should be submitted to the Executive Board and the Vice President shall serve the remainder of the term.  The vacancy of office will be filled in the same manner as specified in above Section 6 (A).

7.       Records

Upon the expiration of term of office officers and committee chairs shall turn over to the  incoming officer or chair without delay, all records, books, funds, and other materials pertaining to the office. Annual reports and procedures shall be compiled by all officers and chairs and filed in the appropriate notebooks by the end of the  fiscal year.  In the case of resignation or removal, officers shall turn all materials over to the President, and committee chairs shall turn over materials to the Vice President.

VI.  Standing and Special Committees

There shall be appointed such standing committees and special committees as necessary to accomplish the objectives and purposes of the organization. The composition of the special committees shall be designated by the President *Move to standing rules*. These chairs may be jointly held. The term of office for each standing committee chair shall be one fiscal year or until his or her successor is appointed. The term of office for each special committee chair shall be designated by the President. The Chair of each standing committee shall present plans of work to the Vice President for approval.  The Chair of each special committee shall present plans of work to the President for approval.

VII.  Budget and Accounting

The PTO Fiscal Year begins August 1 and ends July 31.  The organization shall maintain one or more bank accounts open to inspection and subject to audit.  *Move to standing rules* Disbursements which are provided for by the approved budget may be made without further authorization on the signature of two (2) of the authorized signatures.  Undesignated expenditures/overages must be approved at a scheduled general or special meeting.

IX.  Amendments

Notice of intent to amend the bylaws must first be submitted and approved by a majority vote at any scheduled general or special meeting of the organization. If approved, the proposed amendments and explanations of the revisions will be provided to the membership. A two-thirds (2/3) vote of members present at a scheduled general or special meeting  in favor of the amendments will constitute approval. All approved amendments will become effective the first day of the following fiscal year.

The above amended Bylaws, consisting of five pages, are the bylaws of this organization as approved by vote of the members and adopted on April 19, 2022.