PTO/SIC

Article 1
NAME OF ORGANIZATION
The name of the organization is the Jackson Creek Elementary School Improvement Council.

Article 2
PURPOSE
 
(A) The purpose of the Jackson Creek Elementary School Improvement Council is to:
 
(1)  assist in the development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the five-year School Improvement Plan (also known as the "School Renewal Plan" or "Strategic Plan");
 
(2)  assist in the preparation of yearly Plan updates;  
 
(3)  assist the school in the development and implementation of the School Reading Plan as required by the Read to Succeed Act;
 
(4)  write the annual SIC Report to the Parents, which is to be distributed no later than April 30 of each year;
 
(5)  prepare, together with the Principal, the annual narrative for the SC School Report Card;
 
(6)  provide advice on the use of school incentive award expenditures (if allocated by the legislature and awarded to the school);
 
(7)  provide other assistance as requested by the Principal or local school board.
 
(B)  The Council will not have the powers and duties reserved by law or regulation to the local school board.

Article 3
NUMBER AND TYPE OF SIC MEMBERS
 
(A)  The SIC will be made up of the following representatives:
 
(1) Three parents elected by parents of students enrolled in the school.
 
(2) Three teachers elected by teachers assigned to the school.
 
(3) Three members of the local community appointed by the Principal.  The Principal will make these appointments from the non-parent portion of the community and will
 
strive to make appointments that reflect the diversity of the student body and local community.
 
(4) The Principal as an ex-officio member of the SIC. 
 
(5)  Two ex-officio members in addition to the Principal:  the current Teacher of the Year and the current PTA/PTO Chairperson.  If an individual holding an ex-officio position is unable to serve on the SIC for any reason, an appropriate substitute shall be named by the organization that individual represents. 
 
(B)  The SIC shall at all times be made up of a total of twice as many elected members as appointed members as required by state law.  Ex-officio members are not counted in this calculation. 
 
(C)  Each elected and appointed member of the SIC shall have one vote.  The Principal as an ex-officio member shall also have one vote.
 
(D)  Ex-officio positions in addition to the Principal may only be created by the SIC through a properly adopted amendment to these bylaws.  These additional ex-officio members have a voice but shall not be voting members of the SIC.   
 
(E)  No SIC member may vote by absentee ballot or proxy. 

Article 4
NOMINATION AND ELECTION AND APPOINTMENT PROCEDURES
 
(A)  Nominations and elections for SIC parent and teacher representatives will be held each year no later than August 31.  The specific date, time, and location that SIC nominations and elections are to be held will be determined by the SIC from year to year and publicized in advance within the school community.  The Principal will appoint community member representatives, in consultation with elected SIC members, no later than September 15 of each year.  Council members will assume their responsibilities immediately upon their election or appointment.
 
(B)  The SIC, in consultation with the Principal, will develop and approve procedures for parent nominations and elections that are fair and encourage participation by all parents.  The SIC and school will communicate information about SIC parent nomination and election schedules and procedures to all parents who are eligible to vote in a timely manner using the most effective methods of communication reasonably available.
 
(C)  Teachers will nominate and elect their representatives to the SIC during a regularly scheduled faculty meeting. 
 
(D)  The SIC will keep the results of SIC parent and teacher elections on file, including the vote totals for all candidates, for a period of at least two years. 
 
(E)  In order to comply with state law reporting requirements, the Principal or his/her designee will enter the names and contact information for the current school year's SIC members into the online SC-SIC Member Network no later than November 15.  
 
(F)  The SIC Chairperson will ensure that the names of all SIC members for the current school year are posted on the school website and/or published in the school newsletter. 

TERMS OF OFFICE
 
(A)  The term of office for all elected and appointed SIC members is two (2) years.  Terms will be staggered so that the terms of office of half of all SIC elected and appointed positions expire at the end of each year.  
 
(B) The term of office for an ex-officio member of the SIC will continue for as long as that individual holds the position or office that is represented on the SIC.                       
 
(C)  There is no limit on the number of terms that an SIC member may serve.

SIC OFFICERS
(A) The officers of the Jackson Creek Elementary School Improvement Council will consist of a Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, and Secretary.  The SIC will elect these officers from among its elected and appointed members.  Officer elections will be held during the first regular meeting after the SIC has completed its elections and appointments for the year.  The term of office for SIC officers is one year.
 
(B) Any elected or appointed SIC member is eligible to run for SIC office except that all three officer positions may not be held at the same time by the same type of elected representative.  Ex-officio members, including the Principal, are not eligible to serve as, or vote in the election of, SIC officers. 

Article 7
DUTIES OF OFFICERS
 
(A)  The Chairperson will preside at all meetings and have general supervision of the activities of the SIC.  The Chairperson will work in partnership with the Principal in planning and directing the activities of the Council. 
 
The Chairperson, in consultation with the Principal, will prepare the agenda for all SIC meetings and ensure that the agenda is sent to all Council members and posted publicly in a timely manner, but no later than 24 hours prior to the meeting.  The Chairperson retains the right to modify the agenda if it is determined to be in the best interest of the Council and direct the pace of the meeting as best accomplishes the agenda.  The Chairperson will appoint members to standing and temporary committees as needed and serve as an ex-officio member of all committees.
 
(B) The Vice Chairperson will preside at meetings in the absence of the Chairperson and assist the Chairperson as requested.
 
(C)  The Secretary is responsible for:
 
(1)  Keeping a full and accurate account of the proceedings and actions of all SIC meetings (minutes) and ensuring that each Council member receives this information in a timely fashion following each meeting;
 
(2)  Preparing any official correspondence that the Chairperson may request;
 
(3)  Ensuring that the SIC maintains a file in the school's administrative offices that contains copies of past meeting agendas, minutes, sign-in sheets, Council correspondence, SIC Reports to the Parents and the SIC bylaws.
 
(4)  Maintaining a contact list of all SIC members that includes current telephone numbers, addresses and, whenever available, e-mail addresses

Article 8
SIC COMMITTEES
 
(A)  The SIC may establish, by a majority vote recorded in the meeting minutes, one or more standing committees as needed to assist in the efficient and effective operation of the Council. 
 
(B)  The SIC may also establish, by a majority vote recorded in the meeting minutes, one or more temporary committees made up of teachers, parents, business leaders, and other citizens to study specific issues and make recommendations to the Council.  An individual need not be an SIC member in order to serve as a temporary committee chairperson or member; however, each temporary committee shall include at least one SIC member. 
 
(C)  The SIC Chairperson will appoint the members of standing and temporary SIC committees and designate committee chairpersons.
 
(D)  Such standing and temporary committees shall regularly report and remain accountable to the full SIC and their scope of work shall be limited to that assigned to them by the full SIC.

MEMBERSHIP TERMINATION AND VACANCIES
 
(A)  SIC membership shall terminate immediately upon the following: 
 
(1)  a parent representative no longer has a child enrolled in the school;
 
(2)  a teacher representative no longer holds a teaching position at the school;
 
(3)  an elected or appointed member misses three consecutive scheduled meetings without proper notice to the Chairperson;
 
(4)  an elected or appointed member submits a letter of resignation to the Chairperson;
 
(5)  an elected or appointed member is elected to the district school board.
 
(B)  In the event that an elected parent or teacher representative's membership terminates before the end of his/her term, the individual who received the next highest number of votes in the most recent election shall fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term.  If for any reason such an individual cannot be identified or is unwilling to serve, the SIC Chairperson, in consultation with the Principal and full SIC, shall appoint another eligible parent or teacher as appropriate to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term.   
 
(C)  In the event that an appointed community member representative's membership terminates before the end of his/her term, the Principal shall appoint another eligible community member to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term.

Article 10
MEETINGS
 
(A) The first regular SIC meeting of the school year will be held no later than September 30.   
 
(B)  During the first meeting, the SIC will set a regular meeting schedule for the remainder of the school year.  The schedule will be posted on the school website, included in the monthly school calendar, and/or otherwise posted in a prominent location in the school.   The SIC will strive to schedule regular SIC meetings on days and times that meet the needs and preferences of parents and community members as well as teachers and administrators.     
 
(C)  The SIC will meet monthly during the school year, except that the SIC may choose not to schedule a meeting in December.  The SIC Chairperson or Principal may call additional special meetings so long as all Council members are notified of the meeting at least 24 hours in advance.  The SIC Chairperson, Principal, or committee chairperson may schedule committee meetings as needed so long as reasonable advance notice is provided to all committee members.   
 
(D) All SIC meetings are open to the public and anyone showing an interest in the SIC and its activities will be encouraged to attend.  Persons who wish to be placed on the agenda must submit a request to the SIC Chairperson or Principal at least five (5) days before the meeting date.   The Chairperson will time the agenda to ensure that Council business is properly conducted and that persons scheduled to speak have the opportunity to do so.  The Chairperson has the option to schedule a segment of the agenda for open comments from the public as needed and as time permits.

(E)  The Principal or his/her designee will be scheduled on the agenda of every regular SIC meeting to share information on school activities, successes and concerns.  Committees will provide reports as scheduled.

SIC DECISION MAKING
 
(A)  Whenever possible, the SIC will make decisions by consensus.  If voting is necessary, a simple majority vote will be sufficient to constitute an action of the SIC.  A simple majority of the voting members of the Council will constitute a quorum so long as at least one parent and one teacher representative are present.   

Article 12
TRAINING
 
(A)  At the beginning of each school year, the SIC will ensure that members have access to information about their roles and responsibilities as well as information on school and local district policies and procedures.  SIC members will be encouraged to attend School Improvement Council training workshops sponsored by the district office and/or the SC School Improvement Council (SC-SIC). 

Article 13
BYLAW AMENDMENTS
 
(A)  These bylaws may be amended at any regular SIC meeting by a two-thirds vote of those present provided that (1) the amendments were previously introduced at a regularly scheduled meeting held within the last three months, (2) were included in the minutes of that meeting and distributed to all members, and (3) are listed as an agenda item for the current meeting.