SOLANA HIGHLANDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

SCHOOL SITE COUNCIL
BYLAWS

ARTICLE I           

The name of this committee shall be the Solana Highlands School site Council

ARTICLE II          

Develop and recommend the school improvement plan.

Have ongoing responsibility to review with the principal, teachers and other school personnel the implementation of the school improvement and to assess periodically the effectiveness of the program.

ARTICLE III         

Section 1. Composition

The council shall be composed of the principal and representatives of: teachers elected by teachers at the school; other school personnel elected by other school personnel at the school; and non-district employee parents of pupils attending the school elected by such parents.

The council shall be constituted to ensure parity between (a) the principal, classroom teachers, and other school personnel; and (b) parents or other community members selected by parents.

Classroom teachers shall comprise the majority of those persons representing school staff. Council members representing parents, or other community members, shall not be employees of the school district.

All interested persons, including but not limited to principals, teachers, other school personnel and parents shall meet in public to establish membership in school’s site councils.

The notice of such meetings shall be in writing, shall state the day, hour, and location of the meeting and shall be delivered either personally by mail to teachers, other school personnel and parents not less than 48 hours or more than two weeks prior to the dates of such meeting. Additional notice of the meeting shall be posted at the school site.

Resignations will be accepted only upon written notice to the school site council chairperson.

By a 2/3 vote of the council, a member may be discharged for:

Failure to assure pro-rata share of responsibilities for activities; or

Lack of cooperation or interest.

Members will serve for a term of two years and may be re-elected for two-year terms thereafter. Parent members must have a child enrolled in Solana Highlands School during their term of membership. For the election in the first year of operation, there will be from each category of membership, one-half the members elected for a one-year term and one-half the members elected for a two-year term. In subsequent years, replacements for expiring memberships will be elected for two-year terms.

At the regular May meeting the results of the ballot shall be made known and the results shall be distributed to site council members, teachers, staff, parents and community, and any other person as the site council may deem appropriate. Those elected will have been notified immediately and encouraged to attend the May and June meetings.

The term of membership shall be from the first day of July to the last day of June of each calendar year.

Each member shall be entitled to one vote and may cast that vote on each matter submitted to a vote of the council. Absentee ballots shall not be permitted.

A member shall no longer hold membership should he or she cease to be a resident of the area or no longer meets the membership requirements under which they were selected, e.g., a parent becomes employed by the district.

Membership in the school site council is transferable or assignable.

Any vacancy on the council shall be filled for the remainder of the school year by appointment by the chairperson. If the unexpired term is for another full year thereafter, the term for that year shall be filled by the regular selection process.

Responsibilities of council members shall include the following:

Members shall have voting privileges.

ARTICLE IV       

Special meetings may be called by the chairperson or my majority vote of the school site council.

The school site council shall hold its regular monthly meetings and its special meetings in a facility provided by the school and readily accessible by all members of the public, including handicapped persons.

Public notice shall be given of regular meetings at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting. Any change in the established date, time, or location must be given special notice. All meetings shall be publicized. Any required notice shall be in writing; shall be delivered either personally or by mail to each member no less than 48 hours or more than two weeks prior to the date of such meeting..

All decisions of the school site council shall be made only after a vote of a majority of its members in attendance, provided a quorum is in attendance.

The presence of 51 percent of the total membership shall be required in order to constitute a quorum necessary for the transaction of the business of the school site council. No decision of the school site council shall be valid unless a majority of the members concur therein by their vote.

All regular and special meetings of the school site council shall be conducted in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order or in accordance with an appropriate adaptation thereof.

All regular and special meetings of the school site council and of its standing or special committees shall be open at all times to the public.

ARTICLE V       

Section 1. Composition

The officers of the school site council shall be a chairperson, vice-chairperson, secretary, and such other officers as the council may deem desirable.

Officers shall be elected by majority voite of the school site council.

Election of officers shall be held at the regular May meeting.

Members may be elected to the same office for two consecutive years only.

Employees and School Board members of the school district shall be exempt from holding the office of chairperson.

A vacancy in any office because of death, resignation, removal (by 2/3 vote), disqualification, or otherwise shall by special election, be filled by the school site council for the unexpired portion of the term.

The chairperson shall preside at all meetings of the school site council and may sign all letters, reports and other communications of the school site council. In addition, the chairperson shall perform all duties incident to the office of the chairperson and such other duties as may be prescribed by the school site council from time to time.

The duties of the vice-chairperson shall be to represent the chairperson in assigned duties and to substitute for the chairperson during his or her absence, and the vice-chairperson shall perform such other duties as from time to time may be assigned by the chairperson or by the school site council.

The secretary shall keep the minutes of the meetings, both regular and special, of the school site council and shall provide copies to each of the members, to the Superintendent, and to such other persons as the school site council may deem appropriate; see that all notices are duly given in accordance with the provisions of these bylaws; be custodian of the school site council records; keep a register of the address and telephone number of each member of the school site council which shall be furnished to the secretary by such members; and, in general, perform all duties incident to the office of secretary and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to the office by the chairperson or by the school site council.

ARTICLE VI       

Unless otherwise determined by the school site council in its decision to establish a committee, the chairperson of the school site council shall appoint members of the various committees.

Each member of a committee shall continue as such for the term of his or her appointment until his or her successor is appointed, unless the committee shall be sooner terminated or abolished, or unless such member shall cease to qualify as a member thereof.

Each committee may adopt rules for its own government not inconsistent with these bylaws or with rules adopted by the school site council or with policies of the Governing Board.

Unless otherwise provided in the decision of the school site council designating committee, a majority of the committee shall constitute a quorum, and the act of a majority of the members present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the committee.

A vacancy in the membership of any committee may be filled by an appointment made in the same manner as provided in the case of the original appointment.

ARTICLE VI       

Amendments must be presented to any school site council at any regular meeting at least one month prior to voting. A 2/3 majority of all council members shall be required to vote to adopt a request for amendment.

The school site council chairperson shall present the proposed amendment to the other district school site councils at least one month prior to a vote. A 2/3 majority vote of the member of each school site council shall be required to vote to adopt a request for amendment.

The School District Board of Trustees shall grant or deny the school site council request for amendment by majority vote.