Pikeland Parent Teacher Organization

Organizational Plan

Name of Organization

The name of the district organization shall be the Pikeland Unit 10 Parent-Teacher Organization, and may be more commonly known as the Pikeland PTO. Within this group there shall be two building-specific bodies: 1) the South School branch and 2) the Pikeland Community School (PCS) branch of the Pikeland PTO.

Purpose

The purpose of this organization shall be to facilitate parent-teacher collaboration to enhance and enrich the opportunities and experiences of Pikeland students, ranging from Pre-K to fifth grade. The primary focus of the PTO shall be to support educational activities and to work to address classroom/building needs that will serve to enhance student learning and family involvement.

Meetings

General Meetings

General meetings of the Pikeland PTO shall be held throughout the academic year (September through May) on the first Tuesday of each month at 6:30p.m. Every effort shall be made to keep meeting length no more than one hour. Annually in September, a general meeting schedule, including the designated locations, shall be set and made available to the organization's members.

Given that parents, teachers, and administrators have many other responsibilities and commitments, both the South School and PCS branches of Pikeland PTO shall convene jointly and follow the same general meeting schedule. General organizational items shall be addressed in a full-group format, South School and PCS-specific issues shall be covered in separate break-out sessions of the same meeting. Although general discussion is encouraged, meetings hall primarily serve as a work session for the organizational teams to plan and evaluate activities.

Executive Board Meetings

An Executive Board shall be comprised of the four team leaders (i.e., Special Events, Teacher Relations, Community Outreach, and Fundraising), as well as a teacher representative and administrator from each of the South School and PCS branches. The Executive Board shall meet monthly, with meetings open to the organization's membership. The purpose of the Executive Board is to ensure inter-building communication, transact necessary business between general meetings, and set agendas for the general meetings.

Special Meetings

Special meetings of the organization may be called by the officers by notifying the members at least one week in advance. The preferred method of notification will be publication in the Friday Note at both South School and PCS.

Leadership

To stream line operations and promote a team-oriented approach to governance, the Pikeland PTO shall be steered by the leaders for the organization's four standing teams. Each branch (i.e., South School and PCS), shall accept volunteers to lead the following teams and fulfill these assigned responsibilities.

• Special Events Team Leader- This position shall direct the work of the Special Events Team and delegate responsibilities and tasks to team members to ensure the delivery of school-specific annual activities. Within each branch, the Special Events Team Leader will be responsible for gathering agenda items and facilitating the general meetings of the Pikeland PTO.
• Teacher Relations Leader- This position shall direct the work of the Teacher Relations Team and delegate responsibilities and tasks to team members to ensure the completion of school-specific, teacher support initiatives. In the absence of the Special Events Team Leader, this position will gather agenda items and facilitate general meetings on behalf of their respective branch (i.e., South School of PCS).
• Community Outreach Team Leader- This position shall direct the work of the Community Relations Team and delegate responsibilities and tasks to team members to ensure regular communication with the local community and the efficient use of local resources. The Community Team Leader will be responsible for organizing membership drive activities, maintaining the minutes of the organization, producing a monthly update for publication in the Friday Note, and completing correspondence and notes of appreciation.
• Fundraising Team Leader- This position shall direct the work of the Fundraising Team and delegate responsibilities and tasks to team members to raise sufficient funds to support the delivery of PTO- sponsored activities. This Fundraising Team Leader will be responsible for maintaining the fiscal records of their respective branch organization (i.e., South School or PCS) and presenting a financial report at the monthly general meetings.

A request for volunteers to fill the four team leader vancancies shall be issued at the September general meeting. If the positions are uncontested, the membership of each PTO branch may vote to accept their respective slate of leaders by acclmation. In the event of a contested position, each candidate shall make a brief presentation outlining their interests and qualifications. The membership will then vote by secret ballot, with the results being tabulated by a building staff member and a PTO member.

Within each building, team leaders will serve for a period of one year, and may succeed themselves for one additional year, serving no more than two consecutive terms at any time. A team leader may be removed by a two-thirds majority of the Executive Board. Removal shall be voted upon by secret ballot. In the event of a vacancy, the Executive Board shall issue a call for volunteers to fill the remainder of the term and follow the process for appointment outlined above.

Standing Teams

• Special Events Team: A Special Events Team shall be formed for each building to direct all school specific activities during the academic year. The South School and PCS Teams shall work cooperatively ensure that all special events are scheduled in a coordinated manner to maximize student, parent, and staff participation, as well as the use of available resources. Annual events to be coordinated by the Special Events Teams shall include the South School Fun Fair and Reading Day, and activities established by the PCS branch during its initial year of operation.

• Teacher Relations Team: A Teacher Relations Team shall be formed for each building to handle all teacher related requests and classroom needs, including securing volunteers to support class activities. The team shall also manage the following activities: 1) Teacher Appreciation Week and recognition days, 2) teacher classroom wish lists as a suggested alternative to holiday gifts, 3) the solicitation of funding requests for consideration by the South School and PCS branches of the PTO to address student-oriented needs, and other related activities.

• Community Outreach Team: A Community Relations Team shall be formed for each building to coordinate internal and external communication. The team shall develop press releases for PTO events, prepare a monthly PTO update for publication in the South School and PCS Friday Notes, coordinate the annual fall food and back-to-school supply drives, and manage contact with local businesses.

• Fundraising Team: A Fundraising Team shall be formed for each building to raise funds to support the delivery of activities coordinated by the Special Events and Teacher Relations Teams, such as the sale of school spirit wear and concessions at building-sponsored activities. For each branch, the Fundraising Team shall oversee the fiduciary well-being of the Pikeland PTO and make recommendations on the management and disbursement of organizational funds.

Special Committees

It is recognized that from time to time, the organization may need to establish special committees. The Executive Board may appoint special committees and shall designate any duties in writing.

Annual Reports

It is the responsibility of each team to prepare and submit a brief, written report at the close of the academic year. The report shall outline the team’s activities (including successes and challenges), primary contacts, and recommendations for future plans. Reports shall be filed in a notebook and passed on to the succeeding team leader at the September general meeting.

Teacher and Building Proposals

The South School and PCS branches will entertain funding requests from teachers and administrators to support student learning activities and experiences within their respective buildings. Proposals must be submitted in writing to the Teacher Relations Team and shall include a description of the proposed activity/need, the number of students to be served, and a brief cost estimate. All funding requests will be considered by the repective branch at regulary scheduled or special meetings. The Teacher Relations Team Leader will notify the respective staff member of the PTO’s decision.

Expenditures

The South School and PCS branches shall maintain separate operating accounts and financial records. All expenditures are to be made through the use of the Approval Form (see attached Exhibit 2) Signatures of two team leaders must be secured prior to issuing payment. Receipts or proof of purchase is required for member reimbursement. From year-to-year, it is recommended that each branch carry forward a balance of at least $500.

Amendments to the Organizational Plan

The Organizational Plan shall serve as a guide for operation, but shall not serve to limit or confine the group’s decisions or actions. To support continuous quality improvement, the Organizational Plan shall be reviewed nnually by each branch (i.e., South School and PCS). Amendments must be proposed in writing at a regularly scheduled monthly meeting and will require the approval of two-thirds of voting member present.

Dissolution

Should the membership of the Pikeland PTO opt to dissolve the organization, all remaining funds shall be distributed for educational needs, specific to the respective participating facilities (i.e., South School and PCS. grades 3-5), according to the vote of the members at the final general meeting.