Election Results for 2010-2011 School Year

On Wednesday, May 26, 2010 the Parent Council elected the slate of candidates.  Congratulations to our incoming Officers, Program Chair and Site Council Representative:

Co-Chairs: Helen Beardsworth and Rebecca Kovach

Treasurer:  Kathy Barnes

Recording Secretary: Maggie Moore

Communications Secretary: Michelle Pellitier

Programs Committee Chair: Jen Wyld

Site Council Representative: Cary Hancock

New by-laws were also approved at the meeting.  These by-laws call for Representatives from each grade at South.  Representatives attend one meeting a month, usually on the first Wednesday from 6:30 to 7:30pm.

If you are interested in applying to become a representative for your student's grade, please email Helen Beardsworth, hbeardswo@gmail.com.

Attend the Parent Council Meeting & Program Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Program and Agenda for May 26, 2010

Time Schedule (note change):

7:00-8:00 pm            Regular Parent Council Meeting

8:00-8:30 pm            Presentation of School Improvement Plan by Randy Bernstein

SEHS Parent Council

Meeting Agenda for 5/26/10

1. Call to Order (3 min.)

2. Approval of Minutes  (3 mins.)

3. Treasurer’s Report (3 mins.)

4. Principal’s Report (3 mins.)

5. Old Business

·      By-Laws – Cary Hancock & Rebecca Kovach   (15 mins.)

·      Voting for PC Officers – Cindy Wright             (5 mins.)

·      School Athletic Fields -Rebecca Kovach (10 mins.)

·      Spring Gala - Helen Beardsworth & Paige Clark (5 minutes)

6. New Business

·      Fall Programs-discussion (5 mins.)

7. Agenda Items for Next Meeting (2 mins)

8. Adjourn

Lend Your Ear and Voice to SEHS

Program and Agenda for May 26, 2010

Time Schedule:

7:00 pm            School Improvement Plan-Randy Bernstein

7:30-8:30          Regular Parent Council Meeting

SEHS Parent Council

Meeting Agenda for 5/26/10

1. Call to Order (3 min.)

2. Approval of Minutes  (3 mins.)

3. Treasurer’s Report (3 mins.)

4. Principal’s Report (3 mins.)

5. Old Business

·      By-Laws – Cary Hancock & Rebecca Kovach   (15 mins.)

·      Voting for PC Officers – Cindy Wright             (5 mins.)

·      School Athletic Fields -Rebecca Kovach (10 mins.)

·      Spring Gala - Helen Beardsworth & Paige Clark (5 minutes)

6. New Business

7. Agenda Items for Next Meeting (2 mins)

8. Adjourn

Draft By-Laws that will be introduced at the Meeting:

South Eugene High School 

Parent Council By-Laws (draft 5/19/10)

ARTICLE I: NAME, DESCRIPTION & PURPOSE

Section 1:  NAME- The name of the organization shall be South Eugene High School Parent Council (“Parent Council”).  The Parent Council is located at South Eugene High School, 400 E.19th Avenue, Eugene, Oregon.

Section 2: PURPOSE – The South Eugene High School Parent Council keeps parents involved and informed and acts as a conduit between the parents, the South Site Council, and the school administrators. Traditionally we plan and organize school events including fundraising, social events and parent education. Parent Council’s purpose is to improve the environment at South Eugene High School through volunteer and financial support.

ARTICLE II: MEMBERSHIP

Membership shall be automatically granted to all parents or guardians of students at South Eugene High School and the principal of South Eugene High School. All Members have voting privileges except the principal. Staff and students may attend general meetings of the Parent Council but may not vote, unless they are also the parent or guardian of a student.

ARTICLE III: STEERING COMMITTEE

Section 1: STEERING COMMITTEE:  The Steering Committee shall consist of the following officers: Chair, Recording Secretary, Communications Secretary and Treasurer.  Officers’ positions may be shared.  All Standing Committee chairs, including the two parent representatives to Site Council, are also members of the Steering Committee. The school Principal, or his/her designee, is a non-voting, ex facto member of the Steering Committee. 

Section 2:  TERM OF OFFICE – The term of office for all officers is one year, beginning July 1 and ending June 30 of the following year. Officers may serve for more than one term when the Council membership so approves.  Officers positions may be shared, preferably staggered so that an experienced officer would be one of the candidates for the shared position each year.

Section 3: QUALIFICATIONS – Any Parent Council member in good standing may become an Officer of the Parent Council.  The Parent Council member must be the parent or guardian of a student.

Section 4: DUTIES

Steering Committee: Develops the Parent Council’s annual budget, makes preliminary recommendations on policies or positions, establishes and oversees committees to conduct and manage the work of the Parent Council and establishes fundraising programs.

Chair - Convenes Parent Council meetings and will prepare agendas that include items agreed upon at previous meetings, standing reports, and additional items requested by Council members.  The Chair must either post the agenda or make the agenda available to the Communications Secretary at least 24 hours before Parent Council meetings. Equal participation by Council members will be encouraged and facilitated. The Chair serves as the official representative of the Parent Council. Authority to sign contracts is limited to the Chair or the Chair’s designee.

Recording Secretary: The Recording Secretary will record minutes for all Steering Committee meetings and general Parent Council meetings and will hold historical records for the Parent Council, including agendas and minutes.  The Recording Secretary will submit copies of the minutes to all Steering Committee members and make copies available online or in hard copy so all members of Parent Council will have access to a copy. 

Communications Secretary: The Communications Secretary will manage communications for the Parent Council, including but not limited to the Parent Council eNews, email broadcasts, website, blogs, bulletin boards, etc. The Communications Secretary will post communications authorized by Parent Council. The Communications Secretary is also responsible for distributing the agenda according to the notice requirements below.
Treasurer: The Treasurer shall monitor Parent Council finances, prepare deposits and disbursements, reconcile bank accounts, compile monthly reports, oversee the budgetary process, and maintain all financial records in accordance with Parent Council and Eugene School district 4J policies. The Treasurer serves as chair for any Budget Committee meetings.

Section 5: STEERING COMMITTEE MEETINGS – The Steering Committee shall meet monthly during the school year or at the discretion of a majority of the Steering Committee. A separate Steering Committee meeting is not necessary in months when a regular Parent Council meeting is held. A majority of the members of the Steering Committee must be present to constitute a quorum when their meeting is not held during a Parent Council meeting.




ARTICLE IV: APPOINTMENT OF OFFICERS AND REPRESENTATIVES

Section 1: NOMINATIONS - In the spring of each year, the Parent Council will notify members of the election for the next school year and open nominations.  The Steering Committee will propose a slate of nominees for all Officers  Notice of the Election and slate must be given at least 2 weeks before the election takes place and must be provided to the membership through eNews and any other means likely to notify the membership of the slate, the candidates, the voting method and date.

Section 2: ELECTIONS – The nominees for officers will be presented to the membership for approval no later than the May meeting. All members of the Parent Council may vote. The Officers will be elected by a majority vote of the Parent Council members either present at the May meeting or submitting written or online ballots, whichever method of voting is selected by the Steering Committee.  At any time, the Steering Committee may appoint a member of the Parent Council to any position not filled by the spring election or any position vacated prematurely by an officer.

Section 3: REMOVAL: An Officer can be removed from office for failure to fulfill his/her duties, after reasonable notice, by a majority vote of the Parent Council members either present at a regular Parent Council meeting or submitting written or online ballots, whichever method of voting is selected by the Steering Committee.


ARTICLE V: OTHER COMMITTEES

Section 1: STANDING COMMITTEES - There are three standing committees:

PARENT EDUCATION COMMITTEE:  This committee plans and organizes a parent education series at South Eugene High School. The chair of this committee shall be nominated by the Steering Committee and approved or removed by a Parent Council Vote.

FUNDRAISING/SCRIP COMMITTEE:  This committee oversees all parent council fundraising activities including all scrip sales.  Its members have a duty to communicate regularly with the Treasurer of Parent Council.  The chair of this committee shall be nominated by the Steering Committee and approved or removed by a Parent Council Vote.

SITE COUNCIL PARENT REPRESENTATIVES COMMITTEE:  This committee consists of two representatives and one alternative representative.  They shall be selected from Parent Council members and shall be nominated and elected in the same manner as the officers. At any time the Steering Committee may appoint a Parent Council member to fill any position on the committee not filled by the spring elections or vacated prematurely by a Site Council Representative.  Site Council Representatives shall serve no more than two years without being re-elected, except they may serve an additional year if their first year was as an alternative representative. Site Council Representatives have a duty to represent the views of and act on the behalf of the Parent Council members at large.  Site Council Representatives are subject to removal in the same manner as officers in Article IV above.

Section 2: AD HOC COMMITTEES – Additional committees and task forces will be established as needed to do the work of the Parent Council. The Steering Committee will appoint a Chair who will present reports or updates to the Steering Committee and the Parent Council.  Any Ad Hoc committee may include interested parents, students and community members. 

Section 4: DUTIES – Each committee will regularly report to Parent Council and will maintain archives of the committee and give them to the Recording Secretary at the end of each year.


ARTICLE VI: MEETINGS

Section 1: MEETINGS –Parent Council meetings shall be held to conduct the business of the Parent Council.  Meetings shall be held monthly during the school year or at the discretion of the Steering Committee.

Section 2: VOTING - Each member in attendance at a Parent Council meeting is eligible to vote.  In some instances, the Steering Committee may authorize a vote by mail or online in which case all Members of Parent Council are eligible to vote.

Section 3: NOTICE: The Communications Secretary must disseminate the agenda for Parent Council Meeting 24 hours before any vote may be taken.  Notice may be disseminated via email, by posting the agenda at South near the main office, or by distributing written copies of the agenda. .

Section 4: QUORUM – A quorum is necessary to approve the budget, elect officers and  vote on any significant parent council matter, including By-Laws amendments. Ten members of Parent Council shall constitute a quorum of Parent Council.

Section 5: DECISION-MAKING –  A majority vote of Parent Council members present is required for a decision.

ARTICLE VII: FINANCIAL POLICIES

Section 1: FISCAL YEAR- The fiscal year of the Parent Council begins July 1 and ends June 30 of the following year.

Section 2:  BANKING- Parent Council funds shall be maintained in appropriate financial accounts approved by the Steering Committee.  Parent council shall use the Eugene School District 4J Federal Tax I.D. for all such accounts. Authorized signers on all accounts shall include the Parent Council Chair, the Principal, Eugene School District 4J Finance Officer and at least two other members of the Steering Committee and/or SEHS administration.  Other authorized signers may be added as needed with the approval of the Steering Committee.  The Treasurer shall not be a signer on any Parent Council account.

Section 3:  REPORTS AND RECORDKEEPING – The Treasurer shall be responsible for reconciling bank accounts on a monthly basis, as well as preparing monthly Parent Council Financial Reports and Eugene School District 4J reports.  A financial update shall be presented by the Treasurer at all regular Parent Council meetings.  Parent Council financial records shall be audited in accordance with the Eugene School District 4J’s auditing schedule.  Historical Parent Council financial records shall be maintained by the Treasurer for a period of five years.

Section 4:  RESERVES – Parent Council shall maintain appropriate reserve funds in excess of budgeted expenditures.  Reserve fund amounts shall be set by the Treasurer with the approval of the Steering Committee.

Section 5:  BUDGET – The Treasurer shall oversee the annual budgetary process, as well as monitor compliance with the budget on an ongoing basis.  Parent Council funds raised in any given fiscal year shall be the basis for expenditures for the following fiscal year.  In the spring of each year, a proposed budget for the following fiscal year shall be presented at a regular Parent Council meeting for approval by the general membership present at the meeting.


ARTICLE VIII: BYLAWS AMENDMENTS

Any Parent Council member may propose amendments to the bylaws.  Amendments presented at a Parent Council meeting shall be considered for voting at a subsequent meeting.  Two-thirds (2/3) approval of all members present and voting is required to adopt an amendment to the bylaws.


ARTICLE IX: DISSOLUTION
In the event of dissolution of the Parent Council, any funds remaining shall be donated to South Eugene High School.


ARTICLE X: PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
The authority for this organization shall be Robert’s Rules of Order.

        These bylaws were adopted on [date]

Parent Council News and What's Happening This Week

Order your tickets in the theater box office or the South Office.
Order tickets online at: http://southeugenetheater.org/

South Athletic Fields Issue

Parent Feedback Wanted! The SEHS Parent Council is in the process of creating a letter to the 4j Board regarding the sale of the Civic Stadium property and its impact on the South school community.  Several issues are being discussed such as impact on our neighborhood in terms of development, loss of athletic practice fields and compensation for upgrades and  prioritization of recreation goals in the sale of the property.  Please give us your thoughts and ideas by sending them to: Rebecca Kovach, rebeccacoko@comcast.net.  We are trying to be proactive in expressing our concerns and priorities so please send us your feedback!