Area 15 PTA Rules
Amended June 7, 2006
I. These rules belong to and are adopted by the Area 15 PTA board of directors. They may be suspended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the board.
II. Officers
The officers of Area 15 shall be a president, a vice president, a secretary, a treasurer, two (2) field service representatives, an appointed historian, and an appointed Parliamentarian.
III. Composition of Board
The composition of this Area PTA board of directors shall include the president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, parliamentarian, historian, the two (2) field service representatives, standing committee chairmen and Council PTA presidents.
IV. Finances
In addition to the Area treasurer, the Area PTA president, the Area vice president, and a representative from Texas PTA shall be authorized signers on the bank account. Only two of the four signatures are required.
V. Nominating Committee:
A. Composition
1. The Area PTA board of directors shall elect a nominating committeecomposed of five (5) members and two (2) alternates. The members of thiscommittee shall reflect the geographic boundaries of this Area PTA.No two (2) members shall be from the same Council PTA.
2. The committee shall elect its own chairman and alternate chairman immediately following the meeting.
B. Duties
1. The chairman of the nominating committee shall select a date and a place at least sixty (60) days before the election and shall notify all committee members.
2. Members have a duty to attend the committee meeting. Any member who cannot attend the meeting shall notify the chairman at the earliest possible time. The chairman will notify the alternate and that alternate shall remain in member status until the committee’s work is completed.
3. The committee shall solicit suggested nominees for each office from Council PTAs, Local PTAs, and individuals. A statement of qualifications shall accompany any name submitted as a suggested nominee. The names shall be submitted to the committee chairman in an envelope marked “Suggested Nominees” at least five (5) days before the date of the meeting and shall not be opened until the committee meets.
4. The committee shall consider the qualifications of each suggested nominee and may also propose nominees for any elected office.
5. A list of nominees shall be attached to the Call for the Election.
6. The nominating committee shall make its report at the election ,eeting. Additional nominations may be made from the floor provided the consent of the nominee has been secured.
VI. Elections
Officers shall be elected by ballot at the election meeting. The parliamentarian and historian shall be appointed by the president, subject to approval by the executive committee. However, if there is but one (1) nominee for any office, the election for that officer shall be by voice vote or that nominee shall be declared elected.
VII. Board Meetings
There shall be a minimum of three (3) meetings of the board of directors during the year. The first meeting of the newly elected officers shall be held within sixty (60) days of the Annual Meeting.
VIII. Qualifications and Duties
The duties for the president, vice president and secretary for Area PTAs are listed in the Texas PTA Handbook. Additional duties are as follows:
A. The president shall:
1. have served as a Local or Council PTA president;
2. coordinate and promote Texas PTA Leadership Course Training;
3. ensure that newly formed PTAs receive appropriate training;
4. assist Council PTAs with training as needed;
5. receive and distribute procedure books;
6. be authorized to sign on bank account (two of four authorized signatures shall be required on all checks); and
7. assign portfolios to board members as needed.
B. The vice president (aide to the president) shall:
1. be an authorized signer on the bank account;
2. serve as Annual Meeting Chairman, including securing a facility as well as coordinating all aspects of the Annual Meeting as assigned by the board of directors; and
3. assume responsibility of the administrative details delegated by the president.
C. The secretary shall:
1. record the proceedings of all meetings of the Area PTA;
2. send a copy of the minutes of these proceedings to the appropriate body, the state president and the state office within thirty (30) days after such a meeting; and
3. keep accurate records of attendance at all board meetings and the names and addresses of the board members.
D. The Field Service Representatives shall:
1. be elected at the Annual Meeting;
2. reside within the geographic boundaries of Area A and Area B; however, if there is no qualified member residing within the geographic boundaries of Area A or B, any Area 15 PTA member may be selected;
3. promote the work of the Area PTA; and
4. carry out the work as assigned by the Area PTA president.
Geographic Boundaries for Field Service Representatives
Field Service Representative A shall service Allen, McKinney, Wylie and Richardson Councils.
Field Service Representative B shall service Frisco, Plano, Grayson County Councils and Independents.
E. The treasurer shall:
1. have custody of all funds of the Area;
2. be responsible for the maintenance of a book of accounts and financial records;
3. make disbursements in accordance with the budget;\4. be authorized to sign on bank account (two of four authorized signatures shall be required on all checks. A representative of Texas PTA shall be one of the four signers on the account);
5. keep books of account and records including bank statements, cash receipts, budgets,
invoices, paid receipts and canceled checks for five (5) years;
6. make monthly financial reports (due on the 20th of each month) to Texas PTA; and
7. work with the Texas PTA office to maintain financial integrity of the Area and
meet their financial requirements..
F. The historian shall:
1. be appointed by the newly elected Area president with the approval of the newly elected officers;
2. collect and preserve documents relating to the history of the Area PTA; and
3. prepare an annual report to be presented to the conference.
G. The parliamentarian shall:
1. be appointed by the newly elected Area president with the approval of the newly elected officers;
2. advise the presiding officer on questions of parliamentary procedure; and
3. vote only when the vote is by ballot.
All officers shall be a certified course trainer of the Texas PTA Leader Orientation or become a certified trainer within six (6) months after election.
IX. Executive Committee
1. The executive committee shall be composed of the officers of Area 15 PTA.
2. The executive committee shall be empowered to transact such business as is referred to it by the board of directors and act in emergencies which do not affect the general policies of the organization. The executive committee shall act as the program committee for the meetings of the Area PTA.
3. Two (2) weeks notice shall be given for any regular meeting and three (3) days notice of special meetings.
4. A special meeting may be called by the Area PTA president at the request of three (3) members of the Executive Committee. Notification may be made by fax, telephone or e-mail.
X. Standing and Special Committees
Qualifications: The president of the Area PTA shall create such standing committees as are necessary to promote the purposes and carry on the work of the Area PTA.
Duties:
· Each chairman shall have prior experience at a Local or Council PTA.
· Each chairman shall be a member of a Local PTA for at least one (1) year prior to appointment.
· No chairman shall be eligible to serve for more than two (2) consecutive terms in the same chairmanship.
· One who has served more than one half (1/2) of a term shall be credited with having served that term.
· Each chairman shall present a Plan of Work to the board of directors for approval.
· No committee work shall be undertaken without this approval.
· The president shall be ex-officio member of all committees except the nominating committee.
A. Advocacy Chairman shall:
1. act as liaison between parents, teachers, students, administration and other youth organizations to promote youth protection, safety & health activities;
2. determine the needs in the community and develop or promote programs to protect youth. The concerns of this committee might include child abuse, juvenile delinquency, guns, drugs, alcohol, tobacco and other substance abuse, conflict resolution, health and safety related issues; and
3. inform and encourage involvement in the legislative process of issues pertaining to children and youth.
B. Arts in Education Chairman shall:
1. promote the National PTA Reflections Program;
2. promote cultural arts throughout the Area PTA; and
3. plan and implement an Area PTA Reflections Awards Reception.
C. Awards Chairman shall coordinate all awards given at the Area level.
D. Communications Chairman shall:
1. publish a minimum of three (3) Area 15 PTA newsletters or by direction of the Area Board assist in maintaining and updating an electronic newsletter;
2. maintain and update the Area 15 PTA web site;
3. maintain and update the electronic mailing list: and
4. create forwarders and e-mail addresses for Area 15 PTA board.
E. Directory Chairman shall:
1. keep an accurate roster of the Area Board and distribute the information to the councils and local units for publication in their directories;
2. assist councils and local units with directory guidelines; and
3. coordinate and conduct the directory judging at the Spring Conference including distribution of awards.
F. Environmental/Beautification Chairman shall:
1. promote and encourage participation in National PTA and Texas PTA environmental and beautification programs;
2. provide information to councils and local PTAs pertaining to any approved environmental and beautification contest supported by PTA; and
3. coordinate the PTA Environmental Contest at Area level;
G. Leadership Chairman shall:
1. coordinate leadership orientations for the Area;
2. coordinate leadership training for non-council units;
3. keep accurate records on leadership training dates and locations, trainers, book ordering, and finances pertaining to Texas PTA Leadership Orientation Training; and
4. be a certified LOT trainer.
H. Legislative Chairman shall:
1. coordinate, with Texas PTA Legislative Action Chairman, the distribution of information
pertaining to legislation impacting children; and
2. actively participate in promoting PTA positions with legislative bodies, councils and local PTA units.
I. Membership/Parent Involvement/Volunteers Chairman shall:
1. assist Council and Local PTAs in promoting PTA membership;
2 promote and encourage inclusiveness, parent involvement and volunteer programs through PTA; and
3. assist Council and Local PTAs in planning programs related to these areas.
J. Programs/ Parent Education/SAGE Chairman shall:
1. assist and promote council and local PTAs in promoting PTA programs;
2. assist councils and local PTAs in promoting parent education through parent education programs;
3. encourage and support councils and local PTAs in planning programs, and activities for parents with children having exceptional needs including developing informational resources.
K. Special Committees – The Area PTA president may create such special committees as deemed necessary. The president shall appoint the chairman of a special committee.
XI. Council Presidents shall:
1. have the option of serving as an Area PTA officer or chairman (with the exception of the Area PTA president) and send their approved representative (with the approval of the Area PTA president) in their place;
2. send their approved representative (with approval of the Area PTA president) in their absence;
3. provide copies of the Council PTA goals for the year instead of a Plan of Work; and
4. submit dates to the Newsletter chairman for their Council PTA training events.
XII. Council of Areas Representation
The representative to the Council of Areas shall be the Area 15 PTA president.
XIII. Parliamentary Authority
The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised (10th Edition) shall govern this Area PTA in all cases in which they are applicable and in which they are not in conflict with the bylaws of the Texas or National PTAs or the Articles of Incorporation.
****Upon adoption or amending, these rules must be submitted to the Texas PTA Board of Directors for approval. ****
Area 15
Texas PTA
Organized June 1, 2006
Organizational Adoption April 8, 2006
Amended June 7, 2006