ARTICLE I - NAME

The name of the association shall be the Gates Chili Middle School Parent Teacher Organization, also known as GCMS PTO.

ARTICLE II - OBJECTIVES

The purpose of the Gates Chili Middle School PTO is to enhance and support the educational experience of students at Gates Chili Middle School, to develop a closer connection between school and home by encouraging parental involvement, and to promote family oriented and school sponsored activities through volunteer and financial support.

ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP

All parents or guardians, students and faculty are considered members of the Gates Chili Middle School Parent Teachers Organization (GCMS-PTO). There are no membership dues. 

ARTICLE IV - FISCAL YEAR

The fiscal year shall be from July 1 to June 30.

ARTICLE V - OFFICERS

The elected officers shall include:

1. President
2. Vice President
3. Secretary
4. Treasurer
5. Fundraising Coordinator

The non-elected officers shall include:

1. Building Principal
2. Faculty Advisor appointed by the Building Principal

In the event any current elected officer no longer has a child enrolled in or is no longer an employee of the Gates Chili Middle School, for any reason, said officer will be considered to have resigned, and that position considered vacant.  

ARTICLE VI - DUTIES OF OFFICERS

Section I:   The President shall perform all duties usually pertaining to the office and shall be a member ex-officio of all committee excepting nomination committee. These duties include monitoring PTO mail, preparing agendas for PTO meetings, speaking as an ambassador for PTO at community meetings and acting as liaison with administrators, staff and parents.

The President shall have the responsibility of executing all contracts for the organization, only after majority approval is received from the Executive Board. 

The President can authorize purchase of up to $100.00 to support a school sponsored activity.  The $100.00 limit is for a single event that is deemed by the President as necessary and timely in advance of a regularly scheduled PTO meeting.

Purchases over $100.00 must be approved by a simple majority of PTO members present at a scheduled public meeting.

Section II:  The Vice-President shall act as aide to the President and shall perform the duties of the President in the absence of that officer.

He/She shall act in an advisory capacity, overseeing all PTO committees. This person will also be in charge of presenting new members and will be timekeeper for all meetings.  Responsible for the procurement of all items needed by the organization. Will handle communication with the school and all outside organizations, when necessary

Section III:    The Recording Secretary shall record the minutes of all meetings of the Organization and of the Executive Board and keep a file of all letters, reports and records that pertain to the work of the general membership consisting of minutes.

The Secretary may provide updates to the school office for the Spartan Happenings and update PTO page on GCMS website.

Section IV:   The Treasurer shall receive all money of the Organization; shall keep an accurate record of receipts and expenditures and shall pay out funds as needed.  Prepare and present financial statements at monthly meetings.  Responsible for creating the annual budget, to be presented at the September meeting.  The President of the organization as well as the Treasurer shall have authority to sign checks. The Treasurer's accounts shall be examined annually at the close of the school year by an auditor, who satisfies that the Treasurer's annual report is correct, shall sign a statement of that fact at the end of the report. The auditor shall be appointed by the Executive Board. The audit report shall be presented at a regular meeting of the Organization in the new school year. (Members of the auditing committee cannot be members of the Executive Board)

Section V:   Fundraiser Coordinator is responsible for developing fundraising goals, strategies and identifying potential fundraiser companies to work with.  Responsible for tracking all fundraiser orders, tracking profits, and coordinating all activities pertaining to a fundraiser including reconciling orders, submitting master order to company, scheduling deliver of orders, and recruiting volunteers to assist with distribution of orders.  Upon closing of specific fundraising events, Fundraiser Coordinator must present summary of the event to the Executive Board and to all parents and the next scheduled general meeting. Specific activities the Fundraiser Coordinator is responsible for include, but are not limited to, New Student Upstander Shirt orders, School Wear orders, Fall Fundraiser, Spring Fundraiser, Box Tops for Education, and Tops in Education programs.

Section VI:   All officers shall: (A) Perform duties prescribed in the parliamentary authority in addition to those duties outlined in these by-laws and those assigned from time to time. (B) Deliver to their successors all official material with the close of the school year.

ARTICLE VII - EXECUTIVE BOARD

Section I:   The Executive Board shall consist of the officers of the Organization, a Building Principal and a Faculty Advisor.

Section II:   The duties of the Executive Board shall be: (A) To transact necessary business in the intervals between scheduled meetings and such other business as may be referred to it by the Organization. (B) To create standing committees and appoint chairperson for each committee, (C) To approve the plans of work of the standing committees. (D) To present an oral report at the regular meeting of the Organization. (E) To facilitate an annual audit of the treasurer’s records after fiscal year end. (F) To approve routine bills. (G) Prepare annual budget for membership approval. (H) Submit proposals for PTO General Meeting dates for the following year, to the principal prior to end of school year. (I) Will be present at all school activities, such as Open House, Socials, Talent Show, Award Ceremony, 6^th Grade Night Out, and Staff Appreciation Breakfast.   (J) Provide annual scholarship(s) for student(s) to continue learning during summer months. (K) Providing food baskets to school families for Thanksgiving holiday.

Section III:   Regular meetings of the Executive Board shall be held as needed prior to the regularly scheduled meetings. A majority of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum. Special meetings may be called by the President or by the majority of the members of the Executive Board.

ARTICLE VIII - ROLE OF THE PRINCIPAL

1. The Principal shall be an advisor to all members of the Executive Board.
2. The Principal shall be a member ex-officio of all committees.
3. The Principal is a voting member of the Association and the Nominating Committee.

ARTICLE IX - ROLE OF THE FACULTY ADVISOR

1. During the month of May, the Principal will ask the Teachers for volunteers to serve on the Executive Board for one year.
2. If more than one teacher volunteers, an election by the teachers will take place. Majority vote will determine the outcome. Principal will conduct the election. Teachers' group will include all full-time and part time teachers assigned to the Middle School.
3. The role of the Faculty Advisor will be to improve communications and foster positive relations between the Faculty and the Executive Board.
4. The Faculty Advisor will have the same voting rights as all other members of the Executive Board. The Faculty Advisor will be expected to attend all Executive Board meetings and be willing to participate in subcommittee tasks, etc, based on needs and interest of all concerned.

ARTICLE X - COMMITEES

Replace entire section with the following:

Committees shall be created by the Executive Board as needed to promote the purpose and interest of the organization.  The need for specific committees will be reviewed annually.

Section I: The chairpersons of each committee shall be appointed by the president and shall present their plans to the membership and a yearly report to their successors.  No committee work shall be undertaken without the approval of the Executive Board.  The chairpersons shall report on committee activities to the Vice President Monthly and at General Meetings as necessary. 

Section II: Special committees may be established by the Executive Board, or by action taken at a general membership meeting.

ARTICLE XI - ELECTIONS

Section I:   In March, the President shall appoint a Nominating committee. This committee   shall include the Building Principal and work toward filling future PTO officer vacancy. Vacancies in the Office of the President, the Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary can be filled by parents of incoming 6^th through 8^th graders.

Section II:   A vacancy occurring in an office shall be filled by a majority vote of the remaining members of the Executive Board, due notice of such vacancy having been given. In case of a vacancy occurring in the Office of the President, the Vice President shall server as President for the remainder of the year.

Section III:   The consent of each candidate must be obtained before his name is placed in nomination and the committee shall endeavor to select nominees for Vice President who will be willing to advance towards the Presidency the following year.

Section IV:   Other nominations may be made from the floor and or by the nominating oneself through ballot.

Section V:   The current and Nominated officers shall be presented and the election held during the last general meeting of the school year. A simple majority of members present shall be enough to elect an officer.

Section VI:   An officer should not serve more than three consecutive years in a position unless the position remains vacant and the officer agrees to serve again and is the best qualified person to serve.

Section VII: In the event the newly elected President has not previously served on the Gates Chili Middle School PTO Executive Board, the outgoing President will serve as a non-voting member of the Executive Board, for a period of one year, to support and provide guidance to the newly elected President.  The outgoing President should have a student in the Gates Chili Central School District, but that student does not need to be enrolled in the Gates Chili Middle School.  

ARTICLE XII - MEETINGS

Section I:   Monthly (excluding December and June) general meetings shall be held on dates prescribed by the Executive Board. Special meetings may be called whenever deemed necessary by the Executive Board. The final meeting of the school year shall be the annual meeting at which time reports shall be received and new officers installed. It is advised that a summer Organization meeting be held to orient all new officers and committee people and determine the PTO goals for the upcoming year and review needs for the PTO.

Section II:   The privilege of holding office, making motions, and voting shall be limited to the members of the Organization.

Section III:   Meeting cancellations must be made and agreed upon by 2 members of the Executive Board at the least 5 day prior to the meeting date and notification sent home through the students with the exception of school closings.

Section IV:   Parliamentary Procedures - Robert's Rule of Order Revised shall govern the Association in all cases in which they are applicable.

Section V:   All motions will be passed or denied by majority voted of all eligible voting members present. A member as defined in Article III.

ARTICLE XIII - APPROPRIATIONS

All expenses that have not been approved as part of the annual budget must be presented at a general meeting and approved prior to the funds being spent.  At no time shall funds be spent without prior approval.

ARTICLE XIV - DISSOLUTION PROVISION

In the event of dissolution, all of the remaining assets and property of the organization shall after necessary expenses thereof be distributed to the Gates Chili Middle School Student Council Government Organization or such organization as shall qualify under section 501 ( c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding provisions of any subsequent Federal Tax law, or to the Federal Government, or to a state or local government for a public purpose.

ARTICLE XV - INUREMENT PROVISION

No part of the net earnings of the organization shall inure to the benefits of any member, trustee director, officer of the organization, or any private individual (except that reasonable compensation may be paid for service rendered to or for the organization), and no members trustee, officer of the organization or any private individual shall be entitled to share in the distribution of any of the assets on dissolution of the organization.

ARTICLE XVI - RESTRICTIVE LEGISLATION PROVISION

No substantial part of the activities of the organization shall be carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation (except as otherwise provided by Internal Revenue Code section 501 (h) or participating in, or intervening in (including publications or distributions of statements) and any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office.

ARTICLE XVII - RESTRICTIVE PURPOSES AND ACTIVITIES PROVISION

Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, the organization exclusively for one or more of the following purposes. religious, charitable, scientific, testing for public safety, literary or educational purposes, or to foster national or international amateur sports competition (but only if not part of its activities involve the provision of the athletic facilities or equipment), or for the prevention of the cruelty to children or animals, as specified in section 501 ( c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, and shall not carry on any activities not permitted to be carried on by an organization exempt from Federal Income tax under section 501 ( c) (3) or corresponding provisions of any subsequent Federal Tax Laws.

ARTICLE XVIII - AMENDMENTS

Section I:   These Bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting of the Organization by the majority vote of the Membership present and voting. A committee may be appointed to submit a revised set of Bylaws as a substitute for these bylaws by a simple majority vote at a meeting of the Organization or by a two-thirds vote at a meeting of the Executive Board.

Section II:   Bylaws must be reviewed by a committee every three years, revised if necessary, and re-approved.

These Bylaws have been revised, approved and adopted on January 18, 2022.

The Executive Board: