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Bylaws

BYLAWS OF THE VALENCIA HIGH SCHOOL

PARENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE (PAC)

 

MISSION STATEMENT:

The mission of the Valencia High School Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) is to develop and promote a strong unity between our students, our school, and our community. Our goal is to improve communication and understanding between VHS Staff and the school community, provide functional and financial support to our VHS Students and Staff, and afford the VHS community an opportunity to address issues directly impacting our school and surrounding community.  In addition to providing funding for essential school needs or special programs and projects, VHS PAC encourages parental and community support and participation in school-related activities.

 

POLICIES:

    • The PAC shall operate with the cooperation of the school staff and within the policies and procedures of the William S. Hart Union High School District
    • The PAC shall not become a policy-making body or manage or direct the school administration. It is assumed, however, that through improved communication and understanding, the school administration will be in a position to reflect the demonstrated needs and desires of the PAC membership
    • Matters for consideration by the PAC may be initiated by the request of the school administration or members of the council itself
    • The PAC shall be non-sectarian, non-commercial, and politically non-partisan

 

RESPONSIBILITIES:

    • Advise the school staff on matters related to educational needs and problems, and suggest priorities that involve the school as a whole
    • Advise the school administration regarding opinions, attitudes, or significant issues of the council, parents, or other citizens of the community
    • Matters that involve the district shall be referred to the District Advisory Committee (DAC) through the DAC Representative
    • Provide assistance in evaluating existing programs through parental and community participation
    • Assist in establishing and strengthening communication between the school and community by providing a forum for discussion
    • Consider requests presented by school staff for special programs or projects
    • Review and amend as needed the bylaws and internal operating policies and procedures

 

MEMBERSHIP:

    • Membership shall be open to parents or guardians of students attending Valencia High School, staff members, and other interested community persons
    • Members shall pay annual dues of $25.00 per family
    • Voting privileges will be restricted to parents or guardians of students whose dues are paid
    • All membership documents will remain on file for a period of 1 school year

ELECTED OFFICERS OF THIS PAC SHALL BE:

President

Vice President, Membership

Secretary

Treasurer

Auditor

 

APPOINTED OFFICERS OF THIS PAC SHALL BE:

Parliamentarian

Parent Communications Council (PCC) Representatives

District Advisory Council (DAC) Representatives

Volunteer Coordinator

Social Media Communication Coordinator

Staff Appreciation Coordinator

Parent Representatives - 1 per Grade Level

 

OFFICERS SHALL:

    • ALL officers are deemed the PAC Executive Board
    • Attend all PAC meetings and notify the President regarding any perceived absence
    • Be elected annually with the exception of positions appointed by the President and subject to ratification of the executive board
    • Serve for a term of two years and no officer shall be eligible to hold the same office for more than two consecutive terms or hold more than one elected office
    • Assume their duties on July 1st through June 30th annually
    • Be members whose dues are paid for the current year

 

DUTIES OF OFFICERS:

President shall:

    • Preside over the PAC Executive Board
    • Prepare and distribute an agenda prior to each meeting
    • Assure that the meetings are conducted in a timely manner
    • May represent the VHS PAC at District PCC meetings
    • Be authorized to sign checks with the Treasurer and VP Membership
    • Be a member ex officio of all committees except the nominating committee
    • Be authorized to sign checks and not be related by blood or marriage or reside in the same household as the other authorized signers for the PAC’s financial accounts
    • Perform such other duties as may be prescribed in these bylaws or assigned by the committee

 

Vice President, Membership shall:

    • Serve as Membership Chairperson and preside over membership drive efforts
    • Coordinate efforts with Valencia High School Associated Student Body (ASB) to solicit PAC membership
    • Maintain file of paid members for period of 1 school year
    • Maintain roster of paid Senior Members for consideration of scholarship funds
    • Be responsible for submitting all monies to the Treasurer
    • Be authorized to sign checks with the President or Treasurer

 

Treasurer shall:

    • Be the authorized custodian with oversight of all funds of the PAC, in accordance with the PAC financial policies
    • Maintain, document and record all financial activities related to PAC including: financial reports, check book, bank statements, deposit slips, cash verification forms, documents regarding transactions, IRS forms
    • Ensure all funds are received and spent in accordance with the PAC’s tax-exempt purpose, bylaws and budget
    • Prepare an annual budget for review and approval by the Budget Committee and general membership
    • Ensure that all funds are deposited in a timely manner in the PAC’s authorized bank accounts
    • Ensure that payments and disbursements are authorized by approve budget or an amendment to the budget
    • Present written financial reports (including income and expenditure, budget vs. actual) at each general membership meeting and at other times as requested by the executive board
    • Maintain an account with a commercial bank for collecting all monies and paying PAC bills
    • Provide financial support to all PAC committees
    • Present PAC financial reports at meetings of the general membership or as otherwise requested by PAC officers or committee chairpersons
    • Provide annual financial reports for audit no later than July 31st
    • Be authorized to sign checks with the President or VP Membership

 

Secretary shall:

    • Keep an accurate and permanent record of the proceedings of all PAC meetings stored in a binder or cloud-based software which is the legal record of PAC and provide to incoming Secretary upon completion of term
    • Take minutes of all meetings and have them prepared in a legible form to be presented at the following meeting or when called upon by the President
    • Be prepared to refer to minutes of previous meetings
    • Provide minutes for the general membership
    • Record all income and expenditures in the minutes
    • Keep a current signed original set of the Bylaws

 

Auditor shall:

    • Complete Audit Form to certify the accuracy of the financial records as provided by the PAC Treasurer
    • Return complete Audit and all financial records to Treasurer by August 30th
    • Present audit results to the general membership at the first regular meeting in September
    • Maintain copy of final annual audit report in binder or cloud-based software

 

Parliamentarian shall:

    • Attend all meetings of the general membership, help maintain proper meeting protocols, and give necessary advice in parliamentary procedure when requested
    • Invoke Robert’s Rules of Order to bring meeting to order if necessary
    • Keep a current set of Bylaws on file
    • Assist the President in reviewing Bylaws and internal operating policies and procedures if requested
    • Preside over the first meeting of the Nominating Committee, conduct election of a chairman and give instructions in procedure, and may be contacted for additional information if needed
    • Attend meetings of the nominating committee only if elected to serve as a member of the committee

 

PCC/DAC Representatives shall:

    • Be responsible for attending monthly District PCC/DAC meetings and sharing information disseminated at the meeting to the general membership at the VHS PAC meetings
    • If representative cannot attend the district PCC/DAC meeting, the PAC President can attend on their behalf or attend in addition to the appointed representative

 

 

Volunteer Coordinator shall: 

    • Work with the PAC President to solicit and provide volunteers for various tasks throughout the school year
    • Create and send Signup Genius volunteer requests to President when requested

 

Social Media Communications Coordinator shall:

    • Maintain the VHS PAC social media pages by posting all relevant information at the request of the President or other executive board member

 

Staff Appreciation Coordinator shall:

    • Organize various Staff Appreciation activities during the school year including: Back to School, Teacher Appreciation Week, Holiday Breakfast, End of Year Luncheon, etc.

 

NOMINATING COMMITTEE:

    • Members shall be selected at the January PAC meeting
    • Committee will consist of 3 people and 1 alternate and serve for a term of 1 year
    • No person may serve consecutive terms on Nominating Committee
    • The Parliamentarian will preside over the 1st meeting of the committee in January at a date and time convenient for the committee members
    • The PAC President cannot serve on the Nominating Committee or attend meetings
    • Nominating Committee shall report recommendations for office at the March PAC meeting

 

MEETINGS:

    • Membership meetings shall be held Monthly with the time and date to be decided by the Executive Board and School Principal
    • Meeting date and time will be posted on school website and PAC social media platforms at least 1 week in advance
    • The Executive Board, committee chairpersons, and other interested members will convene in July to set goals and establish the budget for the coming school year
    • The goals and budget will be presented for approval at the first general membership meeting of the school year in September
    • Special meetings may be called by the President and/or Principal
    • The regular meeting in May shall be the annual election meeting at which time officers shall be elected
    • All meetings shall be conducted according to the agenda and with due accord for proper parliamentary procedure
    • A Valencia High School Associated Student Body (ASB) representative will be invited to share items of mutual concern at general meetings

 

ELECTIONS, TERMS, AND VACANCIES:

    • Nominating Committee shall report recommendations for office at the March meeting
    • At the annual election meeting in May, additional nominations may be made from the floor
    • Elections shall be held annually at the PAC meeting in May - by Ballot if there is more than 1 nominee for an office or by Voice Vote if ONLY 1 nominee for the office
    • The President shall appoint persons to fill offices not filled by election or which become vacant
    • Appointments shall be confirmed by vote at the next meeting of the general membership
    • If an elected or appointed officer fails to attend multiple meetings without adequate excuse or when an officer is not fulfilling the responsibilities of the office as prescribed in the Bylaws or engages in conduct which the President and Executive Board determines to be injurious to PAC or its purposes, at the discretion of the President, the Executive Board may take such action as it determines appropriate, which may include asking for the resignation of the officer

 

BYLAW AMENDMENTS:

    • President and appointed executive board members may convene to amend PAC Bylaws
    • Bylaws will be reviewed by committee and Parliamentarian prior to presentation at a general meeting
    • The PAC Bylaws may be amended by a majority vote of those attending a meeting of the general membership
    • Secretary shall keep a signed copy of current bylaws on file
    • Parliamentarian & President shall keep an additional copy of current bylaws on file

 

DISSOLUTION:

Upon dissolution of this organization, assets shall be distributed to Valencia High School Associated Student Body (ASB) for purposes within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or to a state or local government for a public purpose.

  

These bylaws have been accepted by the PAC membership as of  2/11/2021