BY-LAWS OF THE CHARLOTTE A. DUNNING PARENT – TEACHER ORGANIZATION (PTO)

ARTICLE I: Name
The name of the association shall be the Charlotte A. Dunning Parent Teacher Organization. (PTO)

ARTICLE II Objectives
The objectives are to promote the welfare of children in the home, the school, and the community and to bring into closer relation the home and the school so that the parents and teachers may cooperate intelligently in aiding the development of the child.

ARTICLE III: Purpose and Policy
Section I
The purpose of the organization shall be to work for common goals in the Charlotte A. Dunning School Community through the cooperative efforts of parents and teachers.

Section II
This organization shall be non-commercial, non-sectarian, and non-partisan. Neither the name of the organization, nor the names of its officers in their official capacities, shall be used in connection with a commercial concern or for any partisan interest.

ARTICLE IV: Membership
Membership shall be open to all adult residents of the Charlotte A. Dunning School Community, parents and guardians of Charlotte A. Dunning students and all members of the Charlotte A. Dunning School faculty and staff.

ARTICLE V: Officers and their Election
Section I
The officers of this organization shall consist of a President, Vice President, Second Vice President, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, and Treasurer. The position of Second Vice President shall be filled by the immediate past President or any Executive Board member in good standing from the previous two years.

Each officer shall be elected for a term of one (1) year (elected in May, assume position in June, with term running through the following May) with an option of serving a second one-year term, if duly elected. In the event that no one steps up for nomination in a given position, the officer currently assigned to that role may elect to run for a third term as an Interim, if he/she is in good standing, and is duly elected. Each officer agrees to remain available for the month of September of the year following his or her term to orient the incoming officer. Any office position may be job shared by two people.

Section II
There shall be an Executive Committee to be made up of the duly elected officers of this organization, the Principal of the Charlotte A. Dunning School, and two (2) teacher representatives. The Executive Committee shall act as a policy making board and shall have general supervision of the organization. The Executive Committee shall have power to approve budgets, review policy recommendations presented by Standing Committees, and discuss the general business of the organization. The Executive Committee shall have the power to remove any Executive Committee member (except the Principal and teacher reps), and appoint a replacement for the unexpired term, on two-thirds (2/3) vote of the entire Executive Committee. A quorum shall be a majority of the entire Executive Committee. When deemed necessary by the President, a majority of the Executive Committee shall have the power between general meetings to make decisions relative to any emergency situation that may occur.

Section III
The consent of each candidate must be obtained before his or her name is placed in nomination. Each member present shall be entitled to one (1) vote. The vote shall be by show of hands unless the nominee requests the President to register the votes by ballot. If such a request is made, the vote shall be by ballot with the President appointing tellers as may be needed to collect and count said ballots. Elections shall be held at the PTO Meeting prior to the last PTO meeting of the academic year.

Section IV
A vacancy occurring in an office shall be filled for the remainder of the term. The Executive Committee shall appoint a person to fill such a vacancy for the unexpired term.

Section V
No elected officer shall serve for more the two (2) consecutive years in the same position with a minimum of one-year layoff period. (See Article V, Section I, for more detailed information.)

ARTICLE VI: Duties of Officers
Section I
The President shall preside at all meetings of the Executive Committee, and the general membership; shall be a member ex-officio of all Standing Committees; supervise all Committee Chairs; have access to the Treasurer’s books and be authorized to disburse funds in the absence of the Treasurer; supervise and maintain the PTO calendar; schedule the events and fundraisers; and perform all other duties pertaining to the office. The President will designate an Executive Board member to coordinate the presentation of the Maureen DeFrancesco award in accordance with the award’s guidelines. The President may assign duties to other Executive Board members as needed.

Section II
The Vice President shall act as aide to the President, and perform the duties of the President in the absence of that officer. The Vice President shall meet monthly with the Treasurer to go over the account and budget. The Vice President will obtain building permits for events held outside normal school hours. 

Section III
The Corresponding Secretary shall keep all members accurately informed of all activities including the copying and dissemination of all flyers to the school, will send out group emails to the Dunning PTO members as needed, and will perform such other activities as shall be delegated to the office by the President.

Section IV
The Recording Secretary shall keep a record of all meetings of this organization and of the Executive Committee. The Recording Secretary will take attendance at all PTO and Executive Board meetings and include them in all meeting minutes. Following approval from the President and Principal, the meeting minutes will then be submitted to the Bear Facts (monthly newsletter). The Recording Secretary will perform other duties as shall be delegated to the office by the President.

Section V
The Treasurer shall receive all monies of this organization, shall keep an accurate record of receipts and expenditures, and shall pay out funds only as authorized by the Executive Committee. The Treasurer shall also present a statement of account at each general meeting, and at other times when requested by the Executive Committee. The responsibilities of the Treasurer will include the planning and coordination of accounting and budgeting, asset management, assisting all Officers and Standing Committee Chairperson(s) with any project that includes financial activities, and the preparation of monthly financial statements for the organization and its officers. An auditor appointed by the Executive Committee may examine the Treasurer’s account. The treasurer will follow all practices and procedures in accordance with the requirements of a non-profit organization.

Section VI
The Second Vice President shall organize the Pre-Kindergarten get-togethers for the parents of incoming kindergartners and welcome new Dunning families throughout the year as needed. The Second Vice President shall also act as advisor and committee member of the 5th Grade Activities Standing Committee. The Second Vice President shall act as an ex-officio officer of the Executive Committee and perform other duties as may be requested by the President.

ARTICLE VII: Standing Committees and their Duties
Section I
Each Standing Committee will select a member to act as chairperson. Each Standing Committee will prepare and submit a budget for its proposed activities for presentation to the Treasurer at the next to last meeting of the PTO for the following academic school year. Each committee chair will meet with the Executive Board to review plans at the first board meeting of the year. Each committee shall have a representative prepared to report at each general PTO meeting.

Before any money is spent by a committee, it must be first approved by the President. Any reimbursements given must have proper documentation submitted to the Treasurer, including a receipt for what was purchased. 

Section II
There shall be a Hospitality Committee whose duties shall be to arrange for refreshments at meetings and special functions such as Teacher Appreciation Week, and present gifts and/or acknowledgments as directed by the Executive Committee.

Section III
There shall be a PTO Council Representatives Committee whose duties shall be to Town-Wide PTO meetings to present the viewpoint of the Charlotte A. Dunning PTO, and report their findings to the organization. A minimum of two members is required.

Section IV
There shall be a Library Committee whose duties shall be to work with the Charlotte A. Dunning librarians, and to coordinate volunteers for the Charlotte A. Dunning School library.

Section V
There shall be a Newsletter Committee whose duties shall be to gather information for and publish our school newsletter, the "Bear Facts", monthly or as directed by the Executive Committee.

Section VI
There shall be a Creative Arts Committee whose duties shall be to attend scheduled meetings of the Creative Arts Council, and to propose and implement programs as approved by the Executive Committee.

Section VII
There shall be a Playground Committee whose duties shall be to oversee the maintenance and development of the Charlotte A. Dunning playground and equipment.

Section VIII
There shall be a Room Parent Committee whose duties shall be to contact parents as needed, develop a core of volunteers, and coordinate their services as needed throughout the academic school year. Chairperson(s) of this committee shall hold an orientation meeting for and/or send out an orientation letter to all Room Parents at the beginning of the year.

Section IX
There shall be a Community Outreach Committee whose purpose shall be to help the Charlotte A. Dunning community as well as the Framingham community-at-large. Said committee shall organize activities depending on the needs of the school and community.

Section X
There shall be a 5th Grade Activities Committee to assist staff and children in the planning and coordination of specific 5th Grade functions. This committee will hold a parent meeting, gain approval from the Executive Board for all dedicated fundraisers, communicate plans to parents and staff, and aid the children in fundraising activities designed to defray the cost of these activities. All fundraising should be complete by April 1 of the 5th Grade year. There should be a transition meeting with fourth grade parents prior to the end of the year in preparation for the next fifth grade class.

Section XI
Committees shall be formed to oversee annual fund-raisers to benefit the general PTO fund, which could include Directory/Calendar, Wrapping Paper, School Pictures, Pasta Dinner, Book Fair and/or other fundraisers as approved by the Executive Board.

ARTICLE VIII: Meetings

Section I

General membership meetings shall be held at the discretion of the Executive Committee, but no less than five times per school year.

Section II
An additional general membership meeting shall be called by the Recording Secretary at the request of the Executive Committee, providing that the request is received two (2) weeks prior to the call date. 

Section III
An additional general membership meeting must be called by the President upon the written petition of ten (10) members of the organization, or at the written request of three (3) members of the Board. The call date should be no later than two (2) weeks after such a petition is presented to the President.

Section IV
The Executive Committee shall meet at the request of the President or at the request of two (2) members of the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE IX Amendments
The By-laws may be amended at any general meeting of this organization by two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members present provided the proposed amendment has been presented in writing to this organization at least ten (10) days before the vote is taken.

ARTICLE X Parliamentary Procedure
On any points of procedure not specifically covered by these By-laws, Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern.

ARTICLE XI Review of By-laws
Each time a new President is elected, these by-laws will be reviewed by a committee consisting of the newly-elected President, the Recording Secretary, the Principal, the Second Vice President or Vice President, and one other member of the Executive Board.

By-laws adopted spring, 1965: revised June 1971;
Rewritten September, 1982; revised May 1985;
Revised May, 1981; proposed re-write May 24, 1990;
Revised June, 1991; revised September, 1991;
By-laws revised by committee July, 1998;
By-laws revised by committee March 2004;
Revised March 2012