Paramus High School PTA

Standing Rules

PTA Executive Committee:

The Executive Committee consists of the President, the 1st and 2nd vice presidents, the secretary and the treasurer. The committee will use email and text messages to exchange information and conduct business and will meet on an as needed basis. The following is a list of the responsibilities of each position:

President:

1. Call meetings to order on time and proceed with the business.

2. Maintain a fair and impartial position at all times.

3. Prepare an agenda for each meeting.

4. Have a copy of the current NJPTA-approved, Local PTA Bylaws with him/her at every meeting.

5. File his/her signature at the bank at which the funds are deposited.

6. Sign all checks with the treasurer.

7. Appoint chairs of standing committees, or have agenda time to do so at executive meeting.

8. Coordinate the work of officers and committees so that the goals of the PTA are realized.

9. Prepare a calendar for the year with the executive committee.

10. Sign all contracts for the association as President.

11. Any other responsibilitites as outlined in the PHS PTA bylaws.

1st/ 2nd vice presidents:

1. Act in the capacity of an aide to the president.

2. Preside at all meetings when the president is unable to attend.

3. Attend all county or state meetings if the president is unable to do so.

4. Not be ex-officio on committees in the absence of the president.

5. If a vacancy occurs in the office of president, in the designated order, until election takes place, assume duties for the remaining term according to the Bylaws.

6. Any other responsibilitites as outlined in the PHS PTA bylaws.

Secretary:

1. Have minutes submitted to president

2. Keep minutes in bound book or folder.

3. Maintain a permanent file of minutes, committee reports, membership lists, and other records of the association. (These are official documents; minutes can be subpoenaed in a court of law.)

Treasurer:

  1. Approve and sign all checks with the president.
  2. Include the following information in the report given at all meetings:

a. Balance on hand in all accounts at the beginning of the period covered by the report.

b. Receipts and disbursements in all accounts.

c. Total balance on hand in all accounts at the end of the period covered by the report.

3. Send payment for insurance and other agency payments by the required filing dates.

4. Prepare and file the 990/990-EZ/990N and Charities Registration forms when required.

5 Immediately following a PTA event, deposit all funds received into the PTA account

6. Have books, records, and receipts prepared for the audit at least two weeks prior to the meeting in which the audit report is due.

7. Prepare a report for the annual meeting.

8. Pay county council dues when required.

9. Submit a copy of the Annual Audit Report to the NJPTA office immediately following the completion of the audit.

10. Any other responsibilitites as outlined in the PHS PTA bylaws.

The executive committee shall:

1. Attend NJPTA or county PTA leadership training programs for training as needed.

2. Appoint chairs of standing committees in cooperation with the president and the Local PTA Bylaws.

3. Make recommendations to the Board of Directors for programs, calendar, and other actions deemed necessary.

4. Meet at the call of the president or a majority of the members of the executive committee.

5. Prepare the calendar with the president.

6. Review and revise the PTA Standing Rules as necessary.

7. Prepare and present Standing Rules and amendments to Board of Directors for approval, by a majority vote (half plus one of those present).

Board of Directors:

The Board of Directors shall consist of the executive committee, the principal or school representative (optional) and 1 chair member from each special and standing committee. The Board of Directions will use email and text messages to exchange information and conduct business and will meet 3 times a year or on an as needed basis.

Board of Directors members shall:

1. Attend all PTA meetings.

2. Notify the president when unable to attend meetings.

3. Be prepared to report at Board of Directors meetings and general membership meetings when necessary.

4. Perform other assigned duties.

The Board of Directors shall:

Hold an organization meeting to:

  1. Acquaint each officer and chair with their responsibilities
  2. Set dates for Board of Directors and general meetings
  3. Plan programs with the appropriate chairs
  4. Present a report of activities conducted since the last meeting of theBoardof Directors
  5. Appoint an audit committee, according to the provisions of the Bylaws

PTA Standing and Special Committees:

The following are deemed Standing Committees: PTA Membership and each of the 3 Project Graduations.

PTA Membership, Project Graduationchairs shall:

1. Undertake NO work without prior approval

2. Obtain prior approval for all expenditures and submit receipts of all expenditures to the PG treasurer

3. Notify the president of all committee meetings to be held, in advance of the meeting date

4. NOT sign any contracts

5. Determine what budget, if any, your committee has and stay within its limits

Project Graduation Committee:

Project Graduation is a standing committee of the High School PTA and, as such, is required to adhere to standing committee bylaws as stated in the NJ/Paramus HS PTA Bylaws. These bylaws are high level, and the Paramus HS PTA is expected to provide standing rules and guidelines to further clarify committee requirements.

Committee Guidelines:

  • The committees for Project Graduation are not and do not operate as a separate board of directors. They are a committee, and committees do not have officers but can have roles or titles with specific responsibilities
  • The committee shall consist of a named Committee Chair, a named Co-Chair and named Finance Chair and as many additional committee members as necessary and as willing to join, in order to complete the objectives of Project Graduation committee.
  • The president of the PTA is, automatically, a member ex-officio on all committees of the PTA, and therefore, a core member of the Project Graduation committees as well (Art. X, Sec5).
  • The treasurer of the PTA is responsible for financial audit and financial reporting for IRS 990 forms (Art. VII, Sec5.b) and therefore, can be a supporting member of the Project Graduation committees. Their involvement is outlined in Fiscal Guidelines.
  • The specified graduating year committee is formed towards the end of freshman year. The committee must be formed with PTA members in good standing and elected by the Executive Committee (Art. X, Sec2).
  • There will be 3 (three) rolling year Project Graduation committees.
  • PTA members who wish to join the committee after the committee is formed shall be entitled to do so, with the understandingand expectation that they will contribute to better the objectives of the committee.
  • If the Committee Chair or other members of the Project Graduation committee do not demonstrate cooperation, good faith effort to the objectives of the purpose of the committee and adherence to the bylaws and standing rules, they may be replaced as determined, when necessary, by the Executive Committee.
  • Committee Chairs and Co-chairs must be reappointed every year, as per the bylaws (Art. X, Sec2).

Fiscal Guidelines:

  • A separate Bank Account is requiredto be established and maintained because of the large sums ofmonies received and disbursed, and the need to restrict these funds for project graduation.
  • A separate budget is to be presented and adopted and amended, as needed, by the PTA executive committee. An example of this budget is listed in Appendix A.
  • The bylaw of the local PTA (Art. VII, Sec5, Art. XII, Sec2) specify the PTA treasurer as being responsible for the maintenance of such books and, therefore, is required to be the signature along with the Finance Chair.
  • The Finance Chair and one additional committee member must be present while cash is being counted and both individuals must sign off to verify receipt of such monies. Procedures shall be established to adequately account for all funds received and/ordisbursed.
  • At the close of the Project Graduation, the remaining funds and the existing bank account shall be turned over to the newly appointed Project Graduation team, established at the end of the freshman year, no later than September 30th of the Graduating year. For example, Project Graduation 2017 must turnover bank account and remaining funds to newly formed Project Graduation 2020 by September 30th, 2017.

Reporting Guidelines:

  • The project graduation committees shall provide to the PTA board, at the end November, February and May: a written report of activities conducted during the prior months. The committees shall also be allowed time during PTA board meetings to give a verbal report on such activities. Said report shall become a part of the board meeting minutes of the PTA.
  • The project graduation committees shall provide to the PTA treasurer, at the end November, February and May; written financial reports of funds received and disbursed during the prior months, and provide allnecessary documentation to substantiate said report. A sample monthly financial report is provided in National PTA’s “Money Matters” handbook.
  • In June of Junior year, or sooner, but no later than before the last full week of school, the PTA Executive Committee shall review the budget and plans and venue and approve for the coming senior year (Art. VIII, Sec2.b, Art. X, Sec3). The Committee Chair of that year shall organize in advance this special meeting.
  • Record Retention - At the conclusion of the project graduation event, ALL records, financial and otherwise, shall be turned over the PTA treasurer for retention and safekeeping. This includes, but is not limited to, all original source documents, meeting minutes, check registers & stubs, bank statements, financial statements, invoices, duplicate bank deposit slips and attached remittance advices, paid bills, lists of contributors, letters of contributions, etc.

Appendix A – Designated Fundraising

  • Sophomore Year: Fundraiser is an Adult Social (ie. Paint and Pour). Approximately $3000.00 profit.
  • Junior Year: Fundraiser is Craft Fair in March and Flower Sales for the current graduating class at Graduation in June. The Craft Fair raises approximately $5000.00 profit.
  • The craft fair is sponsored by Pat Tita from PJ’s Promotions. Project Graduation makes the admission fee, food and raffle profit. Project Graduation needs volunteers, PJ’s Promotions sets up the craft fair
  • Senior Year: Craft Fair in November. Approximately $7000.00 profit.
  • Same requirements as Junior Craft Fair
  • Senior Year: Senior Mania approximately March/April, TBD. Approximately $10,000 profit.
  • School sets rules
  • AdditionalIncome– Traditionally parent’s contribution is approximately $150 or more, depending on budget and funds (this is typically determined end of Sophomore or beginning of Junior year)
  • Senior Year (February): Committee must reach out to Board of Education to see if they will provide Buses for the event. They have in past but each year it must be evaluated against their budget and plans.

Additional optional fundraisers can be planned but must be raised in an email to all the Board of Directors and voted on at the next Board of Directors meeting. There 3 concurrent running Project Graduations as well as numerous High School organizations raising monies for their objectives (Music, Sports, Student Gov’ts for the Classes, Scholarship, and more) therefore it is important not to conflict or overload parents with these events, otherwise they will become less effective.

Appendix B – The PTA Organization

Version 1.65

May 2017Page 1