Bylaws

AMENDED AND RESTATED BY-LAWS OF THE UNDERWOOD SCHOOL PARENT-TEACHER ORGANIZATION, INC.

101 Vernon Street
Newton, MA 02458
June 2011 (Updated in 2015)

Article I
NAME
This organization shall be called the Underwood School Parent-Teacher Organization, Inc. It shall be an affiliate of the Newton Council of Parent-Teacher Organization.

Article II
MISSION STATEMENT
The Organization shall be charged to:

  1. promote the Core Values of the Underwood School;
  2. support the efforts of the Underwood School staff in providing optimal educational, emotional, social and physical growth for students;
  3. encourage involvement of parents in the life of Underwood School;
  4. encourage cooperation, collaboration and communication between staff and parents;
  5. generate interest in and understanding of Underwood School in the broader Newton community;
  6. work collaboratively with the Underwood School Council.

Article III
MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. The parents and guardians of the students of Underwood School, together with the staff of Underwood School, automatically shall be members of the Organization.
Section 2. Dues will not be required as a condition of membership.

Article IV
POLICIES
The policies of this Organization shall be non-commercial, non-sectarian, and non-partisan; its name shall not be used in connection with any political party or candidate.

Article V
AMENDMENTS
The By-Laws of this Organization may be amended at any regular meeting of the Organization by a vote of two thirds of the members present and voting, provided that written notice of the proposed amendment has been posted at Underwood School and provided to the members of the Organization at least two weeks in advance of the meeting.

Article VI
BUDGET and EXPENDITURES
Section 1. Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the organization shall be from July 1 -June 30.
Section 2. Budget. The proposed budget with line item narrative shall be prepared by the treasurer and vice president, with the advice of the Finance Advisory committee, and be presented for approval to the members of the Organization at a regular meeting of the Organization on or before October 31. Written notice of this meeting shall be provided to the members of the Organization at least two weeks in advance of the meeting. The treasurer shall make her/his final report on the prior fiscal year to the members at that meeting. Any proposed expenditure in excess of any line item of the budget must be approved by the vice president, who may seek the advice of the Finance Advisory Committee at her/his discretion.
Section 3. Signatures. The treasurer and co-presidents are the authorized signatories for all expenditures, but only one signature is required.

Article VII
OFFICERS
Section 1. Enumeration. The Organization shall have two co-presidents, a treasurer, a secretary, and such other officer positions, including assistant treasurer and assistant secretary, as may be created by the Steering Committee from time to time. If the Steering Committee creates a new officer position, that position may be filled by a person appointed by the co-presidents, subject to the ratification by the members at the next meeting of the members of the Organization.
Section 2. Co-Presidents. The co-presidents shall be the Chief Executive Officers of the Organization and shall preside at all meetings of the Organization and the Steering Committee. The co-presidents shall be members ex-officio of all committees and of the School Council. The co-presidents may appoint ad hoc committees and liaison persons throughout the year when necessary and shall perform all other duties pertaining to the office. The co-presidents shall serve as liaisons of the Organization to the principal; to the community and to the Newton PTO Council. Each president will serve a tenure of two years, but their terms shall be staggered, so that one co-president will be in the second year of her/his term, while the other co-president is in the: first year of her/his term. In the event that the Nominating Committee proposes only one person to serve as president for a given year, then the Organization may elect one person to serve, as president and all powers and duties of co- presidents shall be vested in that president.
Section 3. Vice President. The vice-president shall act as an assistant to the co-presidents and perform all the duties of the co-presidents in the absence of those officers. The vice president shall also serve as chair of the Finance Advisory Committee, shall prepare the Organization’s annual budget in conjunction with the treasurer, and shall review requests for additional expenditures. In the event that two persons are elected to the office of vice president, then one shall be designated by the Nominating Committee to carry out the duties stipulated in sentence two of this Section.
Section 4. Treasurer. The treasurer shall be the chief fiscal officer of the Organization and shall receive all monies of the Organization and shall make authorized disbursements. The treasurer shall keep an accurate account of the funds of the Organization and shall present a statement of account upon request of the co-presidents. The treasurer shall assist the vice president in the preparation of the annual budget.
Section 5. Secretary. The secretary shall cause to be kept a true record of all meetings of the Organization. The notes of each meeting shall be provided to the members. The secretary shall also handle all correspondence of the Organization and assist other officers with communications, and perform all other duties usually pertaining to this office.
Section 6. Term. Except for co-presidents, the officers shall hold office for one year. The officers and committee chairs shall assume office on July 1. The co-presidents may not hold the same office for more than one two-year term. Officers except the co-presidents may not hold the same office for more than five (5) consecutive one-year terms.
Section 7. Joint Tenure of Offices of Treasurer and Secretary. Two people may be jointly elected to be treasurer or secretary and shall thereafter be known as co-holders of the respective office.

Article VIII
STANDING COMMITTEES
Section 1. Types. The Standing Committees of the Organization shall be a Steering Committee, a Finance Advisory Committee and a Nominating Committee.
Section 2. Steering Committee. The Steering Committee of the Organization, also known as the PTO Board, shall consist of its officers. All corporate power shall be exercised by or under the authority of, and the business and affairs of the Organization shall be managed under the direction of, the Steering Committee, subject to the provisions of these Bylaws and applicable law. The Committee may consult with past presidents of the Organization as needed. The duties of the Steering Committee shall be to advise the co-presidents and to transact necessary business between meetings of the Organization and such other business as may be referred to it by the Organization.
Section 3. Finance Advisory Committee. The Finance Committee shall consist of the co-presidents, treasurer, vice president and chairs of the Organization’s ad hoc fund-raising Committees. The vice president may convene meetings of the Finance Advisory Committee and shall serve as its chair.
Section 4. Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee shall consist of a chair and at least two other regular members. The co-presidents shall nominate the chair of the Nominating Committee for election by the membership. The chair of this Committee may not serve two terms as chair. At least two other regular members shall be nominated and elected in accord with Article IX.

Article IX
NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS
Section 1. Nominations. Nominations shall be solicited by the Nominating Committee, which shall give notice to the Organization’s membership of its proposed slate of officers, of members of the Nominating Committee, and of ad hoc Committee chairs at least two weeks before presenting the same for approval at the last regular meeting of the Organization in each school year.
Section 2. Elections. Election of officers, members of the Nominating Committee and ad hoc Committee chairs shall be held at the last regular meeting of the Organization in each school year. Nominations may also be made from the floor with the prior consent of the nominee. At any election, a plurality of votes cast shall be necessary to elect.
Section 3. Vacancies. Candidates to fill vacancies in any elected office shall be appointed for the unexpired term by the co-presidents with the advice of the Nominating Committee. The candidate will be submitted for ratification by the membership at the next regular meeting of the Organization.

Article X
MEMBER MEETINGS; NOTICES
Section 1. Meetings. There shall be no less than three regular meetings of the members of Organization during the school year at times determined by the co-presidents. Any special meetings of the Organization may be called by the co-presidents. The annual meeting of the Organization shall be the last regular meeting of the Organization of a school year.
Section 2. Notices. Notice of each meeting of the Organization shall be posted at Underwood School and be provided to the membership either by the school newsletter or by distribution to the students.

Article XI
RULES OF ORDER
The Rules contained in the current editions of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern this Organization in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these By-Laws or any special rules of order the Organization may adopt.