Site Based Decision Making Council
By-Laws
Johnson Elementary School
ARTICLE I. PURPOSE
The Johnson Elementary School Based Decision Making Council is formed for the purpose of addressing the needs, concerns, and programs of Johnson Elementary School using a shared decision making process in order to set school policy to enhance student achievement, and to help the school meet the goals established by the council consistent with those in Kentucky state law. It is created in order to assess, monitor, evaluate, and plan programs that meet the needs and concerns of Johnson Elementary School.
ARTICLE II. MISSION & VISION
A. Mission
The mission of Johnson Elementary School is to provide a safe, orderly, and nurturing environment where students are guaranteed varied and thorough academic instruction, emotional support and encouragement, opportunities to build strong bonds of friendship, a wide range of cultural activities, and inspiration to set and achieve goals.
B. Vision
Johnson Elementary School is committed to developing a partnership among students, staff members, families, and community members to ensure academic proficiency, positive character development, personal initiative and motivation, respect for the diversity of people, and strong work ethics for all children that we serve. Our commitment will build the foundation for our students to succeed in school, in careers, and in their personal lives.
ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP
A. COMPOSISITON
The Council shall consist of two parents, three teachers, and the principal of the school.
B. QUALIFICATIONS FOR MEMBERSHIP
1. ALL MEMBERS:
No one who has a legal conflict of interest as defined by KRS 45A.340 may serve on the council. Current and past council members who continue to meet the other requirements of this section are eligible to be elected to additional terms unless they are removed from office under the provisions stated below in Section E. REMOVAL OF MEMBERS.
2. TEACHER MEMBERS:
To serve as a teacher member of the council, one must hold a position at their assigned school that requires a state certificate, and one must not hold the position of principal. Itinerant teachers may serve on the council at their home school.
3. PARENT MEMBERS:
To serve as a parent member of the council, one must be the parent or legal guardian of a child enrolled at the school during one’s term of office. One shall not be an employee or a relative of an employee of the school in which that parent serves, nor shall the parent representative be an employee or a relative of an employee in the district administrative offices. A parent representative shall not be a local board member or a board member’s spouse. Relative is defined as father, mother, brother, sister, husband, wife, son, daughter, aunt, uncle, son-in-law, and daughter-in-law.
C. ELECTIONS
Annual elections for the following year shall be held in May of the preceding school year on a date set by the principal.
1. TEACHER MEMBERS:
a. Nomination: Candidates shall be nominated for the office of teacher member by a letter of nomination. The letter shall be signed by either a candidate nominating himself or herself, or by another teacher nominating a colleague. All letters of nomination shall be submitted to the principal no later than five days prior to the scheduled election.
b. Preparation of Sample Ballot: The principal shall ask each person nominated to submit a letter stating that he or she is willing to serve on the council if elected and that he or she meets the qualifications listed in section B Qualification For Members. All names of those nominated, willing, and eligible to serve shall then be listed alphabetically on a sample ballot form and distributed to all teachers at the school not later than four days before the election.
c. Election: The principal shall chair and oversee the election. Election of teacher members shall be held at the end of the school day on the date selected by the principal. At that time, all teachers shall convene in a room designated by the principal. Each shall be given a ballot listing the names as were found on the sample ballot and shall vote for three (3) names. The ballots shall then be collected and counted in the presence of the teachers. Any person receiving a majority on this ballot shall serve as a council member in the coming year. On the day of the election, teachers who are unable to be present during the election may vote in absentia in this first round of voting by placing their marked ballot in a sealed envelope and giving it to the principal or his/her designee. Itinerant teachers shall vote at their designated home school.
d. Procedure if fewer than three candidates receive a majority: If no candidate receives majority, all candidates EXCEPT the one receiving the lowest number of votes shall be listed on a second ballot and teachers shall mark three names. If only one or two candidates receive majorities, the remaining candidates EXCEPT the one receiving the lowest number of votes shall be listed on a second ballot and teachers shall vote for the number of candidates (one or two) necessary to complete teacher membership on the council. This process shall continue until each of the remaining teacher council members are elected by majority vote.
2. PARENT MEMBERS:
a. The principal shall provide a notice of the election of parent council members to the president of the Johnson Elementary Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) and shall work with the president of the PTO to set a time, date (during the month of May), and place for the election which is convenient for parents to attend.
b. Elections of parent members shall be conducted by the Johnson Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization (PTO).
c. In order to cast a vote in the election, parents must have a child enrolled at Johnson Elementary School when the new parent council members take office.
d. The principal and the parent council members shall assist the PTO in alerting parents to the election schedule.
e. The president of the PTO shall select three (3) teachers to tally the ballots and report the results.
f. Those present to cast votes shall vote for two (2) candidates. If two candidates are not selected on the ballot, the ballot shall be withheld from the final tally. Absentee ballots shall not be accepted and shall not be counted in the final tally. The two parents receiving the greatest number of votes shall serve as parent members of the council for the coming year. In the event of a tie, the candidate receiving the most number of votes shall be removed from the ballot and declared a winner. The remaining names will be redistributed and another vote shall occur with voters choosing only one name.
g. The president of the PTO shall notify the current council of the names of the parents who were elected.
D. STANDARDS OF CONDUCT FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS
1. ATTENDENCE:
Members of the council shall attend all council meetings unless the absence is excused. Absences may be excused by a majority of the council. A member who has three unexcused absences from the council meeting shall resign or be removed following the procedure outlines in Section E Removal of Members.
2. CONFLICT OF INTEREST:
No members shall enter into any business dealing that creates a conflict of interest under KRS Chapter 45A, and any member who discovers the existence of such a conflict of interest shall resign.
3. TEACHER DEPATURE:
A teacher member who ceases to be assigned to the school before his or her term is completed shall resign.
4. STUDENT DEPARTURE:
A parent whose child ceases to attend the Johnson Elementary School (with the exception of homebound) before his or her term is completed shall resign. Without written resignation, then the council will vote on membership at next regular scheduled meeting.
5. IMPROPER MEETING:
No combination of 4 members of the council shall meet to discuss council business unless following the procedures for scheduling meeting of the full-council listed in Article VI below.
6. CRIMINAL CONDUCT:
Any member of the council who is convicted of a felony during his or her term of office shall resign.
7. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:
The council shall determine training required to meet the needs of the council. Council members shall participate in educational activities which enhance their knowledge and skills as council members.
E. REMOVAL OF MEMBERS
A member who has violated any of the standards of conduct and who does not submit written resignation from the council shall be subject to removal using the following procedure.
1. MOTION:
A motion to remove the member shall be made by a member of the council, stating the actions that justify removal and identifying the standards of conduct violated by those actions.
2. SECOND:
If the motion is seconded, the member whose removal has been moved shall be given a chance to explain why the removal is not justified. If the motion is not seconded, no further action shall be taken.
3. DEFENSE:
The member whose removal has been recommended shall be permitted to present any type of defense he or she desires. Other persons wishing to address the issue may also speak, but the person whose removal is being considered will be allowed to speak last.
4. DECISION:
The council shall vote on whether removal is justified. If the majority of the quorum votes for removal, the member shall be removed. This provision for voting is an exception to the use of consensus called for in Article VII, Section G.
F. METHOD OF FILLING COUNCIL VACANCIES
If a member of the council resigns, or is removed from office, a replacement shall be selected in a special election held not more than one month after the vacancy occurs, using the procedure stated in Section C above. The person elected in the special elections shall serve until July 1, and be eligible for reelection to a full term.
G. TERMS
The terms of parent and teacher members shall begin on July 1, and end on June 30, of the next year. Between the date of the elections and July 1, members elect are expected to attend all council meetings to become familiar with the council procedures. Members are eligible for re-election with no limit to consecutive terms.
ARTICLE IV. DUTIES OF OFFICERS & COUNCIL MEMBERS
A. CHAIR
The principal shall be chair of the council. As the primary administrator and the instructional leader of the school, the principal shall administer the policies established by the school council and the local board. The duties of the chair include:
1. Conducting the meeting.
2. Setting and distributing the agenda.
3. Serving as official custodian of council records.
4. Stating when a consensus is reached.
5. Coordinating standing and select committees.
6. Carrying out the responsibilities specified in this by-law document.
The principal is also responsible for maintaining a file of all correspondence addressed to the council. The principal may remove items from that file, either to discard them or to file them elsewhere, only after they have been brought to two regular council meetings.
B. VICE CHAIR
The vice chair shall:
1. Be elected by the council from among its members at any meeting that the principal is unable to attend. Re-election is permitted.
2. Preside at any council meeting that the principal is unable to attend.
3. May call a meeting of the council only in the event of the sudden exit of the principal.
C. COUNCIL MEMBERS
Council members shall:
1. Address the needs, concerns, and programs of Johnson Elementary School.
2. Form standing and select committees, as needed, to study issues and report to the council.
3. Adhere to the mission, vision, and goals of Johnson Elementary School.
4. Use the shared decision making process.
5. Attend council meetings unless the absence is excused.
6. Encourage and request data and opinions from all constituencies.
7. Support, promote, and communicate decisions of the council.
8. Incorporate standing and select committee efforts into council decision making.
D. SECRETARY
Secretary shall:
1. Be elected by the council at its first meeting each year.
2. Prepare minutes for the council in accordance with the Open Meetings Law KRS 61.805.
3. Keep minutes of all council meetings and submit approved minutes to the principal by the next working day.
4. Post minutes in the foyer of the school.
ARTICLE V. FUNCTIONS
A. REQUIRED FUNCTIONS
The council shall:
1. Determine, within the parameters of the total available funds, the number of persons to be employed in each job classification at the school.
2. Determine which textbooks shall be used at the school.
3. Determine which instructional materials shall be used at the school.
4. Determine what student support services shall be provided in the school.
5. Select a new principal for the school, when that position becomes vacant, from a list of applicants submitted by the superintendent at the council’s request.
6. Consult with the principal before the principal selects a person to be hired to fill other positions at the school following the Consultation in Filling Vacancies policy.
7. Adopt policies consistent with district board policies and state law to be implemented by the principal in the following areas:
a. Determination of the curriculum, including needs assessment and curriculum development.
b. Assignment of all instructional and non instructional staff time.
c. Assignment of students to classes and programs within the school.
d. Determination of the schedule of the school day and week, subject to the beginning and ending times of the school day and school calendar year as established by the local board.
e. Determination of use of school space during the school day.
f. Planning and resolution of issues regarding instructional practices.
g. Selection and implementation of discipline and classroom management techniques, including responsibilities of the student, parent, teacher, counselor, and principal.
h. Selection of extracurricular programs and determination of policies relating to student evaluation and supervision.
i. Procedures for determining alignment with state standards, technology utilization, and program appraisal.
j. Other issues necessary to provide an environment to enhance the students’ achievement and help the school meet the goals established by KERA.
8. Determine the professional development offerings to be paid for out of the council’s allocation.
9. Adopt a policy on committees, which shall facilitate the participation of interested persons, including, but not limited to, classified employees and parents and shall include the number of committees, their jurisdiction, composition, and the process for membership selection.