Bylaws of the Atlanta International School Parent Organization

Effective: March 15, 2007

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Article I: Name

The name of the organization shall be the Atlanta International School Parent Organization (hereby referred to as "Parent Organization").

Article II: Objectives and Policies

Section 1. The purposes of the Parent Organization include the following:

To promote the Atlanta International School ("AIS" or "School") through the organized efforts and activities of the parent body;
To facilitate the success of the School's mission statement;
To interact with the faculty and leadership of the School on behalf of the parents and students;
To enhance communication and close cooperation between the parents, teachers, students, administration and Board of Trustees of the School;
To build a strong sense of community;
To support the goals and community principles of the School and the families it serves, in order to achieve optimal intellectual, physical, emotional and social education and well-being for the students of the School; and
To serve the School by means of programs, projects, activities and financial support.

Section 2. The Parent Organization shall be non-commercial, non-sectarian, and non-partisan. No commercial enterprise and no political candidate shall be endorsed by it. Neither the name of the Organization nor the name of its officers in their official capacities shall be used in connection with any commercial concern, nor with any partisan interest, or for any purpose other than the regular work of the Parent Organization.

Article III: : Membership and Voting Privileges

Section 1. The family of an AIS student is a Parent Organization member with full voting privileges. Each parent, step-parent, or legal guardian residing in the United States is a member and has one vote. Such membership shall cease if the student leaves the School for any reason, if the member asks to withdraw, or if the membership is suspended or terminated by the Parent Organization.

Section 2. The payment of dues shall be required of each family of an AIS student as a condition of membership in the Parent Organization. The amount and manner of payment of such dues shall be determined, from time to time, in the discretion of the PO Council.

Section 3. Each family membership has a maximum of two votes. Each active individual member is eligible to cast one vote in governing or determining matters coming before the Parent Organization.

Section 4. Only members of the Parent Organization shall be eligible to participate in business meetings, unless otherwise invited by the Parent Organization, or to serve in any of its elective or appointed positions. All active members are eligible for election to office in the Parent Organization. Each such member may nominate himself, herself or other member for any office or committee within the Parent Organization.

Section 5. No person may have more than one vote while serving on the Executive Board. No person holding a position on the Board of Trustees or of employment with the School may hold a position on the Parent Organization Council ("PO Council");, except as a non-voting member.

Article IV: Organizational Structure

Section 1. The AIS Parent Organization shall be composed of:

General parent/guardian membership of the School;
PO Council;
Executive Board.

Section 2. PO Council

The PO Council shall be composed of:

President;
President Elect;
Past President;
Treasurer;
Secretary;
Kindergarten Representative(s);
Lower School Representative(s);
Middle School Representative(s);
Upper School Representative(s);
Representatives of each Committee;
Representatives of Cultural Clubs;
Administration Representative (Advisor);
Board of Trustees Representative (Advisor).

It shall be the responsibility of each member of the PO Council to attend every meeting of the general membership of the Parent Organization and of the PO Council. In the event a member is unable attend a meeting, such member shall be responsible for making arrangements for the appointment of a substitute representative to attend in that members absence, as provided in Article VII, Section 5 of the Bylaws.

Section 3. Executive Board

The affairs of the AIS Parent Organization shall be governed and supervised by the Executive Board. The following representatives of the PO Council shall constitute the Executive Board:

President
President Elect;
Treasurer;
Secretary

Section 3.01. The Executive Board shall carry out the objectives and policies of the Parent Organization. They shall have full power to take such action and to make such rules and regulations consistent with the Parent Organization Bylaws as they may deem necessary and in the best interest of the Organization. It is the responsibility of the Officers of the Executive Board to attend all general membership, Executive Board and PO Council meetings.

Section 3.02. An accurate Executive Board membership roll will be kept for purposes of determining quorum and voting privileges.

Section 4. Election, Appointment and Terms of Office

The President Elect, Treasurer and Secretary of the Executive Board shall be nominated and elected annually by a ballot vote of the general Members of the Parent Organization, as provided in Article VI of these Bylaws. Those officers must be voting members of the Organization, unless specifically approved by a vote of the PO Council. Elections shall be completed by the end of the academic year. The candidates elected shall be the nominees receiving the highest number of votes for that position.
The non-officer members of the PO Council shall be appointed or elected by the groups each member represents, as provided in these Bylaws.
The terms of office for all officers and non-officer members of the Executive Board and the PO Council shall be no more than one year, commencing at the end of the academic year in which each candidate is elected or appointed to such office and terminating at the end of the following academic year.
A vacancy occurring in any office shall be filled for the unexpired term by a person:

in the case of an officer, elected by the requisite number of ballot votes of the remaining members of the Executive Board, at an election duly called after notice of such election has been given; and
in the case of a non-officer member, elected or appointed by the group represented by the vacant position.

Section 5. All positions of the Parent Organization shall be non-paid and voluntary.

Section 6. Duties of Parent Organization Executive Board

President: The President shall:

exercise general supervision over all of the interests and welfare of the entire Parent Organization;
preside at all general membership, PO Council and Executive Board meetings, executing and implementing the agenda;
be a member ex-officio of all committees of the Parent Organization;
oversee the chairpersons who head non-fundraising Standing Committees and Special Committees;
at the discretion and request of the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, attend and act as advisor at all Board of Trustees meetings and on select Board of Trustees committees;
meet on a regular basis with the Headmaster of the School;
manage the operating budget of the Parent Organization, with the Treasurer;
be authorized to co-sign financial instruments and transactions when necessary;
submit a calendar of Parent Organization activities for the following year, in coordination with the President Elect;
supervise the election of Executive Board Officers for the following year;
mentor the President Elect for the role of President;
call a meeting at the end of the school year of outgoing and incoming Officers of the Executive Board to ensure continuity of the programs and plan the next School year's work;
delegate and ensure that the responsibilities of the other Officers and committees are carried out;
deliver to the President Elect all books, papers and correspondence pertaining to the office of President.

President Elect: The President Elect shall;

serve as President Elect for one year, during which time he or she shall liaise with the President and become familiar with the duties of that office;
assume the role of President for the following year;
perform the duties of President in the event of the President's absence;
be authorized to co-sign financial instruments and transactions when necessary;
meet on a regular basis with the Headmaster of the School;
at the discretion and request of the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, attend and act as advisor at all Board of Trustees meetings and on select Board of Trustees committees;
play a definitive role with active committees of the Organization and gain exposure to the activities and functions of the Parent Organization Council;
participate in developing a calendar of events and in the coordination of events between clubs and members within the Parent Organization.

Past President: The Past President shall be called upon as necessary;
Treasurer: The Treasurer shall:

prepare and submit for approval by the Executive Board an annual operating budget and financial plan for the Organization for the following year;
manage the operating budget with the President;
receive, account for and deposit in a bank all funds of the Organization in a timely manner;
disburse the funds of the Organization only in accordance with a budget approved by the Members or pursuant to an authorization especially made by the Executive Board.
maintain appropriate financial records that shall be subject to audit by the School;
prepare and submit financial statements and reports that may be requested by law, regulation, or the PO Council;
provide a current financial statement to the Organization members at each Organization meeting;
ensure that all requests for funds and reimbursements are processed through this office, are properly documented and receipts are intact;
arrange for insurance as deemed necessary by the Organization;
oversee the chairpersons who head the fundraising Standing Committees;
the Treasurer shall not serve on the Audit Committee.

Secretary: The Secretary shall:

maintain the written records of the Parent Organization, PO Council and Executive Board;
maintain a current list of all active committees included in the PO Council;
notify all PO Council members of meetings and post notices to announce Parent Organization meetings;
communicate the date, time, and location for general Parent Organization membership meetings, special Parent Organization membership meetings, and Executive Board meetings to the Membership within guidelines determined by the Executive Board;
coordinate with the School in posting the highlights of, and any actions taken during such meetings using all appropriate modes of communication;
create and maintain a resource file containing the Parent Organization Bylaws, policies, procedures, committee descriptions and approved/unapproved meeting minutes;
act as calendar keeper for all Parent Organization events;
coordinate committee communication.

School Representatives: The School Representatives shall:

be appointed by the Executive Board to the PO Council;
meet on a regular basis with their relevant Heads of School to discuss ways in which the Parent Organization can support the School;
meet regularly with Room Parents to facilitate communication and coordination of Parent Organization and School activities;
act as a liaison between the School, PO Council, and parents;
encourage all parents to follow appropriate channels of communication by informing teachers directly regarding any matters related to their child;
organize, in conjunction with faculty, informational meetings for parents;
appoint, coordinate and oversee the work of the Room Parents and act as their representatives.

Section 7. Duties Of Other Council Members

Committees: The various Committees shall:

appoint or elect a representative to the PO Council;
submit a description of its role and activities to the Secretary and update this document as and when deemed necessary by the President, Secretary or PO Council;
diligently and timely perform the tasks, roles and activities assigned to or assumed by the committee;
submit annually a budget proposal for the following year and keep accurate financial records;
submit periodically and upon request by the President or Treasurer an accounting of expenses and funds raised;
communicate their schedule of events to the Secretary, as well as all public written announcements;
maintain documents and records for future reference. Annual reports and records of all committee activities shall be submitted to the President Elect at the end of the School year;
be added or removed as deemed necessary by the Executive Board with the consent of the Headmaster.

Cultural Clubs: Cultural Clubs shall:

appoint or elect a regular representative and designate a substitute representative to the PO Council;
meet at least twice annually with the Executive Board to discuss Club plans and coordination of activities;
submit all financial plans, operating statements and related financial material to the President or Executive Board periodically and as requested;
submit a financial operating summary to the School business office one to two times per year and at other times upon request of the business office or Executive Board;
submit all fundraising proposals to the Executive Board for prior approval;
after approval, coordinate any fundraising activities with the Executive Board and the Development Office;
promptly thereafter provide the President or Executive Board with an accurate accounting of each fundraising activity and forward all monies raised to the Treasurer;
participate in developing a calendar of events and cooperate in the coordination of events with those of other clubs and members of the Parent Organization;
no membership fees shall be collected for club membership unless specified by legal or governmental requirements.

Formation and Operation

Cultural Clubs exist because they have identified specific needs and their members are uniquely qualified to address those needs;
Cultural Clubs shall operate according to their established bylaws or mission statements and the Bylaws, policies and procedures of the Parent Organization;
proposed Cultural Clubs shall submit written mission statements of purpose to the Headmaster and to the general membership of the Parent Organization to ensure that their missions are in accordance with the mission of the Parent Organization, its policies and these Bylaws.

Article V: Standing and Special Committees

Section 1. There will be Standing Committees as required to carry out the objectives of the Parent Organization. These committees, their functions and chairpersons will be established by the Executive Board. In addition to committee responsibilities, Standing Committee chairpersons may also choose to serve as an Executive Board member in lieu of an appointed or elected representative.

Section 2. Any person requesting permission to form a Standing Committee must submit a written proposal to the Executive Board. A majority vote of the Executive Board is necessary to approve the formation of a Standing Committee.

Section 3. For purposes of reporting, Standing Committees will be designated as either fundraising or non-fundraising.

Section 4. Special Committees may be established as deemed necessary by the Executive Board. Special Committee chairpersons are not given the option to serve on the Board.

Section 5. Standing Committees, Special Committees, and chairpersons of both may be dismissed by a majority vote of the Executive Board with the consent of the Headmaster.

Section 6. The job of all committee chairpersons or committee members shall be a non-paid, voluntary position.

Article VI: Nominations, Elections, Installation, Vacancies, Removals

Section 1. In order to be nominated for an elected position a person must be a voting member of the Parent Organization.

Section 2. There shall be a Nominating Committee of three members. The nominating Committee shall be a standing committee. The President shall appoint the members of the Nominating Committee annually.

Section 3. A letter or email from the Nominating Committee shall be sent to all Members to determine interested persons to be considered for the elected positions of President, Secretary, and Treasurer. Interested members must indicate their interest to be considered or nominate another member for a position in writing or by return email to the Nominating Committee, within two weeks from the date of the letter or email. Only those members who so respond or are so nominated within the stated time are to be considered. The Nominating Committee shall be responsible for the determination of the slate of officers (Slate).

Section 4. The Nominating Committee shall select a person for each position. The candidate shall have given verbal and/or written consent to be named on the Slate. The Slate is to be complete by March first or by an alternate date established by the Executive Board.

Section 5. Candidates' names shall be published in the official School publication and/or sent to the Membership by the Nominating Committee within two weeks of the completion of the Slate.

Section 6. The Membership shall be given an opportunity to nominate candidates. Written petitions of twenty-five (25) names or more and the signature of the nominee shall be submitted to the Nominating Committee Chairperson within two weeks of the announcement of the proposed Slate. When one or more petitions are received, the names of the candidates so submitted shall be added by the Nominating Committee to the final Slate. The final Slate of Candidates' names shall be published in the Offical School publication and/or sent to the Membership by the Nominating Committee within two weeks of the completion of the final Slate.

Section 7. The final Slate of candidates shall be voted upon as a whole at a regular meeting of the general membership in the spring of each school year. In the event there is more than one candidate for any office, a separate vote shall be held at the meeting for each such office. The winner will be determined by majority vote. The results of the vote will be published in the official School publication and/or sent to the Membership by the Nominating Committee within two weeks after the ballots have been received. Ballots shall be retained for three months. Numerical results shall be released upon request.

Section 8. Installation of the newly elected officers shall take place at the last Parent Organization, Executive Board or General Membership meeting of the school year, following the approval of the minutes and Treasurer's report. Incoming elected officers shall assume office with installation and act in the new capacity for the remainder of this meeting.

Section 9. A vacancy occurring in an office shall be filled by a majority vote of the Executive Board. Due notice of such an election must be given at least one week prior to election. In the case of vacancy in the office of President, the President Elect shall fill the vacancy, thus creating a vacancy for President Elect. A successor President Elect shall be elected to fill the vacancy at the next regular member meeting or a special meeting of the general membership called for this purpose.

Section 10. An officer or member of the PO Council may be removed at any time, without cause, either at a general membership meeting or at a special membership meeting by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members present and voting, or by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Executive Board present and voting at an Executive Board Meeting.

Article VII: Membership Meetings, Quorums, Voting

Section 1. General Membership Meetings

General membership meetings shall be held as determined by the Executive Board. There shall be at least two general membership meetings annually, with one to be held in the Fall and the other one held in the Spring. General membership meetings are intended for and are open to all Members of the Parent Organization. The Membership shall be advised of the exact meeting dates and locations at least one week in advance.

Section 2. Special Membership Meetings

Special meetings of the Membership may be called by the President, the Executive Board or a written request to the Board by twenty voting Members of the Organization, provided, in any event, that the number of signatures required shall never exceed ten percent (10%) of the total voting Membership. Such meetings will be scheduled no more than four weeks following the date of the above mentioned vote or receipt of written request. The Membership shall be advised of the date, location, and purpose of such meetings at least one week in advance.

Only business pertaining to the purpose of the special membership meeting may be conducted at said meeting.

Section 3. Executive Board Meetings

Parent Organization Executive Board Meetings shall be held routinely in order to conduct Organization business.

Section 4. PO Council Meetings

PO Council Meetings shall be held a minimum of four (4) times a year. A schedule of all PO Council Meetings shall be determined before the start of each school year and published in the School Calendar.

Section 5. Quorums

In order for a general membership meeting or special membership meeting to be considered a valid meeting, a quorum of the Membership must be present. The lesser of the following - twenty (20) voting Members or ten (10) percent of the total voting Membership - shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
In order for a PO Council meeting to be considered a valid meeting, a quorum of the members of the council must be present. A majority of the members of the PO Council shall constitute a quorum and must actually be present for the transaction of business, and no voting by proxy is allowed. Schools, committees and Cultural Clubs may designate a substitute representative to attend any meeting where the regular representative is unable to attend. However, the substitute may not vote unless the substitute was present at the immediately preceding meeting.
In order for an Executive Board meeting to be considered a valid meeting, a quorum of the officers and representatives must be present. A majority of the members of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum and must be present in order to conduct business. When calculating the quorum, a board position shared by two or more co-chairs of a Standing Committee shall count as one member. Schools or the President may designate a substitute representative to attend any meeting where the regular representative is unable to attend. However, the substitute may not vote unless the substitute was present at the immediately preceding meeting.

Section 6. Voting at Executive Board Meetings

Each member of the Executive Board is entitled to one vote.
A majority vote of those members of the Executive Board present and qualified to vote shall be required for the passage of any motion made at an Executive Board Meeting and no voting by proxy is allowed.

Section 7. Voting at PO Council Meetings

Each member or representative of the PO Council is entitled to one vote, excluding advisors.
A majority vote of those members of the PO Council present and qualified to vote shall be required for the passage of any motion made at a PO Council Meeting, and no voting by proxy is allowed.

Section 8. Voting at General or Special Membership Meetings

Voting at the general or special membership meetings shall be performed by a show of hands. Only voting Organization Members may vote. A majority vote of the general members present shall be required for passage of any motion at a general or special membership meeting.

Section 9. Removal and Suspension

In the event any member of the Executive Board or of the PO Council fails to discharge his or her duties in a timely or proper manner, any member of the Parent Organization can make a motion for his or her removal from the Executive Board or the PO Council and such person shall be so removed upon a majority vote of the PO Council.
In the event that any Cultural Club fails to operate according to their established mission statements, the provisions of these Bylaws or the policies of the School, any member of the Parent Organization can make a motion for the suspension or removal of such Cultural Club from the PO Council and/or from the Parent Organization, and such Cultural Club shall be so suspended or removed upon a majority vote of the PO Council.

Article VIII: Room Parents

Room Parents shall act as a liaison between grade level faculty, parents and the School Representatives. They shall meet regularly with the teachers to discuss ways in which the parents can support the classroom activities and organize volunteers accordingly. They shall act as key facilitators of communication between the School Representatives and the parents to support the Parent Organization and School goals. They shall promote the School communication channels by encouraging all parents to communicate directly with their child's teacher. The Room Parents shall play an active role in building a strong sense of community at all grade levels.

Article IX: Fiscal Policies

Section 1. Fiscal Year

The fiscal year of this Organization shall run from July 1 to June 30.

Section 2. Authority of the Executive Board

It shall be within the power and discretion of the Executive Board to determine the disbursement of all funds generated through fund raising events or donations. The primary mechanism for doing so is the budget of the Parent Organization.

Section 3. Disbursement of Funds

All budgeted expenditures may be disbursed without Executive Board approval if in accordance with the current approved budget and approved by the Treasurer. Un-budgeted items, which exceed One Hundred Dollars ($100.00), may only be disbursed after receiving approval of the Executive Board. Over-budget items, which exceed the budgeted amount by more than One Hundred Dollars ($100.00), may only be disbursed after receiving approval of the Executive Board.

Section 4. Budget

The Executive Board will draw up a budget as early as possible within the Fall semester. The budget becomes valid only after being approved by a majority of the general membership present at the fall meeting called for such purpose.

Article X: Review and Amendment to Bylaws

Copies of the Bylaws shall be made available to any member on request.

These Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the PO Council present and voting at any scheduled PO Council meeting, or at a Special PO Council meeting called for such purpose, provided at least seven (7) days notice of the meeting and of the proposed amendments has been given to all members of the PO Council. All proposed amendments are subject to review by the AIS Board of Trustees and the Headmaster of the School. These Bylaws shall not be amended more frequently than once every three (3) years.

Article XI: Procedure

Robert's Rules of Order, Revised shall govern the Parent Organization in all proceedings and cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the Bylaws of this Organization.

Atlanta International School