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    Constitution of The Spring Parent-Teacher Organization of Spring Avenue School
    LaGrange, Illinois
     
     
    Article I –Name
     
    The name of this organization is the Spring Parent-Teacher Organization of LaGrange, Illinois. The organization will be known as SPTO.
     
    Article II – Mission and Objectives
     
    Section 1. Mission: The mission of the Spring Parent-Teacher Organization is to support the mission and vision of Spring Avenue School by working in cooperation with parents, administration, faculty, and the community.
     
    Section 2. Objectives:  The purpose of the Spring Parent-Teacher Organization is four-fold:
     
    a. Build a strong school community by engaging in communication which brings the home, school, and the larger district community into a closer relationship.
     
    b. Enrich each student’s educational experience by providing supplemental services, goods, equipment and/or funding that will enhance the student’s academic, social, behavioral, and/or emotional development.
     
    c. Sponsor school community activities that will foster family and community outreach and growth.
     
    d. Facilitate various fundraising activities to support our mission and objective.  
     
    Section 3. This is a tax exempt organization that will operate exclusively for charitable purposes. It shall be noncommercial, non-sectarian, and non-political.
     
    Article III – Membership
     
    Section 1. The SPTO shall conduct an annual enrollment of members. The membership term shall be from the date of school registration (August) until the following school year's registration day.
     
    Section 2. Membership shall be open to the administration staff, teachers, parents, and families/guardians who are associated with Spring Avenue School.
     
    Section 3. All members of the SPTO shall be entitled to participate in its business meetings, to vote, and to serve within any of its elective or appointive positions.
     
    Article IV - Election of Officers
     
    Section 1. The officers of the SPTO shall be a President, 1st Vice-President, Vice-President of Ways and Means, Vice-President of Programs, Secretary, and Treasurer.
     
    Section 2. The nominating committee shall present the proposed slate of new officers to the SPTO Board at its March or April meeting.
     
    Section 3. Only those who have consented to serve shall be eligible for nominations.
     
    Section 4. The annual election of officers in April shall be determined by a majority vote cast by ballot. Each voting member of the SPTO shall be entitled to one vote. It is recommended that the nominees should have previously been active in SPTO activities.
     
    Section 5. Newly elected officers shall assume their official duties at the close of the regular board meeting in May and shall serve for one membership term. A person shall not be eligible to serve more than two consecutive terms in the same officeexcept in the event that the nominating committee cannot find a volunteer to fill an officer's position. In such an event a board member, if willing, may extend his/her term, with the permission of the current board and a majority vote in the annual election, for a maximum of two additional membership terms.
     
    Section 6. A vacancy occurring in any office during a membership term, except the office of President, shall be filled until the next annual election by a majority vote. In the case of a permanent vacancy in the office of the President, the 1st Vice-President will be the successor until the next annual election.
     
    Article V - Duties of the Officers
     
    Section 1. The President is the principal officer of the SPTO and shall conduct its meetings, the executive committee meetings, and act as the chairperson for the budget committee. The President is responsible for monitoring the SPTO business affairs in accordance with the SPTO Constitution and in line with the direction of its members. The President will attend any district PTO Presidents' meetings and any other meetings where required and assist chairperson(s) when necessary.
     
    Section 2. The 1st Vice-President shall act as an aide to the President and serve in the absence or inability of that officer to serve. The 1st Vice-President is the President Elect, accepting the nomination for the presidency the following year. The 1st Vice-President will serve as a member of the budget and gift committees and will work with and report on the operating committees and their activities. The operating committees consist of but are not limited to the following: caucus 105, directory/handbook, library learning center, parent/community network, publicity, room parents, safety, school pictures, school supplies, social friendship and yearbook.
     
    Section 3. The Vice-President of Ways and Means will work with the committees to insure that all SPTO approved events are planned and executed each year and will serve as a member on the budget committee. The Ways and Means committees consist of but are not confined to the following committees which earn money for the organization: book fair, fun fair, plant sale, and seasonal promotions.
     
    Section 4. The Vice-President of Programs will work with the program committees to ensure that all of the SPTO approved programs or events are planned and executed each year. The program committees consist of but are not limited to the following: after-three enrichment, art awareness, community service, cultural arts, family entertainment, foreign language, pizza/McDonalds days, school spirit, and variety show.
     
    Section 5. The Secretary is responsible for issuing all notices of the SPTO meetings to members, keeping the minutes of these meetings, and distribution of the minutes. The Secretary will be responsible for the custody of SPTO files, meeting records, and the routing of the incoming SPTO mail.
     
    Section 6. The Treasurer shall prepare a proposed annual budget, with the advice of a budget committee, keep record of all income and expenses, pay all necessary bills, and present a written monthly financial report consisting of a year-to-date budget statement and a recap of monthly transactions at each monthly meeting. Additionally, the Treasurer shall serve as a member of the gift committee. The Treasurer must submit a copy of the monthly bank statement and the financial report to the President prior to each monthly meeting for review. The Treasurer will route the budgetary input forms to the existing committee chairpersons in April for completion in May
     
    Article VI - Executive Committee
     
    Section 1. The Executive Committee shall consist of the officers of the SPTO. The principal of the school shall be an ex-officio member. A quorum of the Executive Committee shall consist of no less than three members.
     
    Section 2. The Executive Committee shall:
     
    a Transact all necessary business which will arise in the intervals between regular meetings.
     
    b. Create such committees as it may deem necessary to promote the objectives of the SPTO.
     
    c. Update job descriptions of the duties of each officer's responsibilities by the April meeting.
     
    d. Maintain accurate job descriptions for all operating, program, and ways and means committees (by the April meeting).
     
    e. Institute any changes deemed necessary by the SPTO.
     
    Article VII – Committees
     
    Section 1. Each operating, program, or ways and means committee shall:
     
    a. Consist of at least one chairperson; however, if there is more than one chairperson for the committee, the Executive Committee will appoint a lead chair person who will be responsible to coordinate and report on the committee's activities and finances.
     
    b. The chairperson(s), with Executive Committee approval and the aid of the SPTO members, will fulfill committee objectives for one membership term; however, the chairperson(s) can serve for a rnaximum of two membership term unless reappointed by the Executive Committee
     
    c. The committees may be created or dissolved with the approval of the Executive Committee.
     
    d. The chairperson will orally report the committee's activities to the respective Vice-President; additionally, the chairperson will orally report the committee’s activities at the SPTO meeting. If the chairperson is absent, the Vice-President will report.
     
    e. The committee chairperson(s) has the authority to submit routine expenditures within budgetary guidelines to the Treasurer.
     
    Section 2. The gift committee shall be appointed by the Executive Committee at the September SPTO meeting. The committee will consist of a minimum of seven members, to include the Treasurer, the 1st Vice-President, the Principal, one faculty member, and three members of the SPTO membership. The committee will meet quarterly or as necessary. At its initial meeting the committee will identify needs and fundraising goals which can be modified as necessary and will publish these goals and the progress made toward them to the general membership. All expenditures must be approved by the SPTO. A final gift summary must be presented to the SPTO at the September meeting.
     
    Section 3. The budget committee shall be appointed in May. It shall be a committee of five members, to include the newly elected President, Treasurer, Vice-President of Ways and Means and two members of the general SPTO membership. The chairperson shall be the newly elected President. A majority of the members of the committee must be present to constitute a quorum for the transactions of business.
     
    Section 4. The nominating committee and its chairperson will be appointed by the Executive Committee in January. It will consist of five to seven members, of whom at least two must be from the general membership. No person shall serve two consecutive years on the nominating committee. A majority of the members of the committee must be present to constitute a quorum for the transactions of the business.
     
    Article VIII – Meetings
     
    Section 1. Regular meetings of the SPTO shall be held monthly during the school year. Meetings will be held at the Spring Avenue School Multi-Purpose room at 8:45 am, on the second Wednesday of the month unless otherwise posted in The Link or the school calendar.
     
    Section 2. Attendance and participation are encouraged for all members.
     
    Section 3. Five percent of the total membership, including at least three officers, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the SPTO.
     
    Article IX - Amendments
     
    Section 1. This constitution may be amended at any regular meeting of the SPTO by a two-thirds vote of the members present and voting, provided that notice of the proposed amendment shall have been given at the previous SPTO meeting and published for all members prior to voting.
     
    Section 2. A Constitution Review Committee may be convened for the purpose of revising the Constitution. The committee shall consist of five members, including the 1st Vice-President (chairperson) and the President. The requirements for adoption of the revised constitution shall be the same as an amendment to the Constitution referenced in Section 1.
     
    Article X – Miscellaneous
     
    Section 1. The Fiscal Year of the SPTO shall be August 1 through July 31.
     
    Section 2. The annual budget of the estimated income and expenditures should be approved by the organization at the September SPTO meeting. No committee expenses may be incurred which exceed of the total budgetary appropriations without prior approval of the SPTO Board.
     
    Section 3. The Treasurer's financial records should be reviewed annually at fiscal year end by an individual not active in the SPTO whose qualifications have been approved by the executive committee.
     
    Article XI - Collection of Cash
     
    Section 1. At an event where cash over $250 is collected, two people must tend the cash box at all times. Likewise two people must be on hand to count the cash and cash receipts at the end of the event. This can be the chairperson of the event, and the Treasurer. If these two are not available, it is the responsibility of the chairperson to designate someone. Both parties should sign off on the Fund Submittal Form. The cash should go home with the Treasurer, or be locked in the school safe if possible.
     
    Section 2. When any money is collected, a Fund Submittal Form must be filled out. Use paper receipts for cash transactions. In an event with multiple small money transactions, just a tally of each sale can be kept which should match the total at the end of the night.
     
    Section 3. After the event, the chairperson must sign off on the Transaction Detail by Account Form. Cash receipts should be deposited as soon as they are counted, verified and turned over to the treasurer. A report of earnings will be presented by the chairperson at the next PTO meeting. The chairperson will also verify deposit amount with Treasurer.
    March 2015