School Council Bylaws
Article I - General
The name of this organization shall be the Mary Rowlandson Elementary School Council (hereafter called the Council). The Council is a committee composed of the principal, parents, staff, and representatives of business and community.
Article II - Purpose
The Council was established pursuant to MGL Chapter 71 of the Acts of 1993, Section 53 (Massachusetts Educational Reform Law). Its purpose is to assist the principal in identifying goals for the school and identifying students' educational needs. With input from various committees/cadres made up of staff and parents, the Council is also responsible for reviewing and monitoring the building budget, monitoring the current School Improvement Plan, and preparing a School Improvement Plan for the next school year.
Article III - Powers and Responsibilities
The Council will submit a budget and an annual School Improvement Plan to the Nashoba Regional School Committee once annually at a date to be determined by the School Committee.
The Council provides advice, counsel and/or support on issues brought forth by committees/cadres, staff and/or parents.
The Council may appoint sub-committees/cadres, which can include members other than those on the Council to carry out study and planning for school improvement plans.
Limitations: The Council is an advisory body and is not involved in the day-to-day administration or operation of the school. The Council has no authority over matters that are subject to Chapter 150E of the MGL. (Chapter 150E is the collective bargaining statute. It provides for employees to organize and bargain collectively with the School Committee on questions of wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment.) Likewise, the Council has no authority over hiring, firing, or any other personnel issue.
Article IV - Procedures
Agendas
A new agenda will be created by the Council at the end of each meeting, and finalized with any changes by the co-chairs.
Items can be added to the agenda by school or community members by a written request to the co-chairs at least a week before the next meeting date.
Meetings
The Secretary will post all meeting dates in the school and Town Clerk's office at least forty-eight hours in advance in accordance with Massachusetts Open Meeting Law. Agendas will also be mailed or faxed to the local newspaper.
The Council will meet at least monthly, with the first meeting to be held not more than 40 days after the opening of school.
Meetings will be held in the school, with the meeting place posted on the door, unless a vote is taken by the Council at a previous meeting to change the location for a special meeting.
At the first meeting of the school year, members will set a consistent meeting date and time for the year.
Meetings will be scheduled to last not more than two hours. The council may vote by a majority to extend the meeting time beyond the two-hour limit.
A quorum will be considered to be a majority plus one. Meetings will not be held without a quorum unless posted as a subcommittee meeting.
No action may be taken on any item that is not included on the agenda unless a majority of the members present vote to do so. Final action will not occur until the next meeting, when the item must appear on the agenda.
A meeting date can be changed at any time during the year if desired by a majority vote of the quorum.
The council will seek consensus on all its decisions but if, after a reasonable discussion, consensus cannot be reached, then a majority vote of the quorum present will constitute a majority decision.
Each member has one vote.
Time will be set aside at the beginning of each meeting (five - ten minutes) for public comment or questions.
Special meetings can be called by a joint decision of the co-chair or at the request of a majority of the Council members.
Minutes
Minutes of all meetings will be maintained and available to the public in the school within two weeks of each meeting. The minutes shall include date, members present and absent, and any actions taken.
The minutes will be supplied to each member within two weeks of the meeting.
Article V - Membership
The Council membership (not to exceed fifteen members) is composed of:
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the principal, who is Co-chair,
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two teachers from Mary Rowlandson Elementary School
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two support staff from Mary Rowlandson Elementary School .
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two parents whose children are in Mary Rowlandson Elementary School
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one business representative
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one community representatives (who is not a parent of a child at Mary Rowlandson Elementary School)
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one or two members from each working cadre/committee
Parents or guardians of children who will be enrolled at Mary Rowlandson Elementary School are not eligible for parent slots on the Council if they are members of the Nashoba Regional School Committee or are regularly employed and paid members of the school staff.
Each member will serve not more than two consecutive two-year terms. In the case where an incumbent who has served four years leaves a position vacant due to a lack of nominees, then the same person may be appointed again at the discretion of the principal provided all other membership provisions (such as a parent must have a child in the school) are fulfilled.
The membership period follows the fiscal year, July 1 to June 30.
Any Council member who is absent for two consecutive meetings without notification to one of the CO-chairs shall be replaced on the Council by an appointee of the Principal. Notification of inability to attend a scheduled meeting is requested in advance to one of the CO-chairs Any member who misses three consecutive meetings for any reason will be replaced on the Council by an appointee of the principal.
VOTING OR APPOINTING NEW MEMBERS
Parent nominations for any unfilled slots shall be sought in May via a letter sent. The CO-chairs, or their designee, shall contact all nominees to determine if a position on the Council is desired. The names of the candidates will be placed on a secret ballot the last week of May or first week of June, and all ballots will be sent home. Ballots will be returned to school for a count.
Teacher and support staff nominations for any unfilled slots shall also be sought in May via a memo or announcement at a staff meeting. The CO-chairs, or their designee, shall contact all nominees to determine if a position on the Council is desired. Council members will be voted via a secret ballot.
Each cadre will be represented by one or two members to be selected by the cadre membership. (These members may change as a cadre’s work is completed and new cadres are formed.)
The Steering Council members shall appoint one business and one community representative.
The Steering Council members shall fill a teacher slot with a support person or vice versa if no candidates can be located. Likewise, if no other candidates can be found after a reasonable search, a business member may also be a parent. No other substitutions may be made.
If any member should resign, the Council shall appoint a replacement to serve out that person's term.
The Council may appoint subcommittees/cadres that include non-Council members as well as Council members.
Article VI - Officers
The principal is one of two CO-chairs of the Council. The other CO-chair is elected by a quorum at the first regularly scheduled meeting of the school year. The CO-chair other than the principal shall conduct the meetings. In the event of this co-chair's absence, the principal shall conduct the meeting.
A recording secretary is also elected by a quorum at the first school year's meeting.
Article VII - Amendments
These by-laws may be amended at a regular meeting of the Council by a majority vote of a quorum of the Council. Such amendments must be presented to the members for a first reading, but may not be adopted by the membership until a subsequent meeting.
JOB DESCRIPTIONS
CHAIRPERSONS
1. Conducts meetings according to the bylaws.
2. Calls special meetings of the Council as necessary.
3. Is responsible for the orderly conduct of all Steering Council meetings.
4. Appoints subcommittees/cadres subject to Council approval.
THE PRESIDING CHAIR SHALL
1. Call the meeting to order at the appointed time.
2. Announce the business to come before the Council in its proper order.
3. Enforce the Council's policies relating to the order of business and the conduct of meetings.
4. Recognize persons who desire to speak, and protect the speaker who has the floor from disturbance or interference.
5. Use Robert's Rules of Order.
6. Restrict discussion to the question when a motion is before the Council.
7. Put motions to a vote, stating definitely and clearly the vote that results.
The chair shall have the right, as other Council members have, to offer resolutions, discuss questions, and to vote.
DUTIES OF THE RECORDING SECRETARY
1. To keep minutes of all regular meetings.
2. To take roll and indicate the members attending and absent.
3. To correct the minutes of the previous meeting(s) if necessary.
4. To record what is voted not the debate.
5. To note the name(s) of the member(s) who introduced a motion, as well as who seconded it.
6. To submit minutes to be typed and distributed by the designated School Secretary within a week of the meeting date.
7. To maintain records of minutes, copies of proposals put before the Council and other papers that document the work of the Council.
8. In the absence of both co-chairpersons, to call the meeting to order and to preside until the election of a chairperson pro-tem, which should take place at once.
DUTIES OF SCHOOL COUNCIL MEMBERS
1. To familiarize themselves with pertinent state school laws, regulations of the State Department of Education, and local policies, rules, and regulations provided by the Principal.
2. To take advantage of the various training opportunities which are offered for Council members.
3. To have general knowledge of the educational aims and objectives of the school.
4. To work harmoniously with other Council members without trying either to dominate the Council or neglect one's share of work and to observe the “group rule” as voted by the Steering Council.
5. To vote and act in the Council meetings impartially for the good of the Mary Rowlandson Elementary School students.
6. To accept the will of the majority votes in all cases and give whole hearted support to the resulting action.
7. To represent the Council to the communities in such a way as to promote both interest and support.
8. To refer all suggestions and complaints to the CO-chair and Council and to abstain from individual counsel and action.
