Policy Manual / 400 GOVERNANCE
451 Parents Club Constitution / School Council:
November 2001, May 2002
Information: 0260761566 / DEECD Schools Reference Guide: 2.7, 4.13 & 4.14 / Revised: June 2014
Manager: Club President / Associated Processes: Accountability, Fundraising / Issue No: 1.3
PARENTS CLUB CONSTITUTION
NAME
The organisation formed under this constitution shall be known as Corryong College Parents Club hereinafter referred to as “the Club”
1.AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
a]To provide an opportunity for all parents of students of the school to discuss issues concerned with the welfare and the general education policy of the school and to assist in the development of a shared parent view.
b]To promote the welfare of school community members and to assist the school council in stimulating interest in the school.
c]To assist in the coordination of school activities and to liaise with other state bodies organised to promote the welfare of all state schools.
d]To nominate members of the Parents Club, other than members of the staff of the school, to school council where a co-option is offered/invited.
e]To convey issues/concerns/suggestions and other matters to School Council
f]To receive funds and with the approval of School Council, raise funds and expend funds for the benefit of the school/students
g]To provide training programs and information sessions for parents to extend their understanding of school issues.
h]To conduct meetings in accordance with democratic procedures which will enable the participation of all parents of the school.
2.MEMBERSHIP
Membership shall be open to any parent or guardian of a student attending the school.
Only financial members shall be eligible to vote at any meeting. The amount of the subscription for the following year shall be determined by a majority vote of members present at the Annual Meeting providing that notice of such intention is circulated beforehand to all members.
The Club secretary shall maintain a register of financial Club members and their addresses and provide an attendance book for members to sign at each meeting they are in attendance.
No member of the Club will receive any payment for their services as an office bearer or member.
3.OFFICE BEARERS
The following Office Bearers shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting: President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Assistant Secretary/Treasurer. The President, Secretary and Treasurer to hold office for not more than two years at any one time unless circumstances necessitate one further year.
All positions shall be declared vacant at the Annual General Meeting and open to any financial member.
Office Bearers will be elected to office for a period of 12 months or until the next Annual General Meeting.
Whenever possible elections shall be conducted by an independent person.
Voting shall be by secret ballot.
All members who accept nomination must be present or have indicated their intention in writing to the meeting.
Only members attending the meeting shall be eligible to vote.
A casual vacancy caused by the resignation, removal or death of an Office Bearer shall be filled at the next meeting of the Club, and notice of this must be provided to all financial members of the Club at least seven days prior to the meeting at which the election shall be held.
An Office Bearer of the Club may be removed from Office [but not from membership of the Club] by a resolution carried by a majority vote of members present at a general meeting.
Notice of intention to move a resolution that an office bearer be removed from office shall be included in the notice summoning the meeting at which the resolution will be moved. Such notice must be circulated to all financial members and the office bearer/bearers in question must be provided with a written copy of the claim to be made against him/her/them.
An Office Bearer shall forfeit the position if absent for more than three consecutive meetings without adequate apology. Any vacancies occurring for those reasons or because of resignation or death shall be filled at a general meeting [as per filling a casual vacancy] unless such vacancy occurs one month before the Annual General Meeting in which case it shall be held over to the Annual Meeting.
4.MEETINGS
QUORUM – The quorum for a meeting of the Corryong College Parents Club shall be 5 members including two executive members.
VOTING – Only financial members present shall be entitled to vote. Vote shall be by a show of hands unless a majority of those present request a secret ballot.
5.GENERAL MEETINGS
Meetings will be held regularly with a minimum of seven meetings per year. Proposed dates will be set at the Annual General Meeting for the following year. A notice of meeting shall be forwarded to all members.
These meetings are open to all parents and guardians and any other person invited to attend by the association.
The secretary will keep a written record of each meeting, which will be validated at the following meeting. This will detail the time and place of the meeting, who attended and the decisions taken at the meeting.
The only decisions that are binding on the Club are those taken at a meeting constituted in accordance with this constitution.
6.ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held during the month of November unless a majority of Members present at an Annual General Meeting vote, after proper notice of motion, to change the date.
The business of the meeting will include:
-Any proposed changes to the constitution
-A report on the Club’s activities for the previous year, a copy of which will be sent to School Council
-A financial report for the year which will be presented to the meeting.
-The election of Office Bearers for the following year
-The amount of the membership fee to apply for the following year
-The proposed dates for meetings for the following year.
7.SPECIAL MEETINGS [Extraordinary Meetings]
An extraordinary meeting of the Club can be called upon request to the President or Secretary by three financial members, providing that all financial members are notified in writing of the time, date, place and object of the meeting, no less than four school days in advance of the meeting, or at any time decided by a general meeting of the Club, providing that all financial members are notified of the time, date, place and object of the meeting at least four days prior.
8.CLUB RECORDS
All records of the Club including minute books, correspondence, audited statements and expenditure vouchers remain the property of the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, and will be made available to authorised representatives of the Secretary to the Department of Education of Education and Early Childhood Development if requested.
9.FINANCE
The Club shall not commit itself to any expenditure unless the Treasurer of the Club submits evidence that it is able to meet in full any liability accepted.
The Club will operate its finances according to:
OPTION A: A discrete program on Chart Level 4 within the School Council Official Account – recorded on CASES. All transactions must be entered on CASES as they happen, and receipted by the Business Manager.
Expenses that have been incurred with the approval of a general meeting may be reimbursed on production of a receipt, in accordance with the school’s procedures.
The association’s finances will be audited along with those of the school. A copy of the audit statement will be forwarded to the School Council as soon as practicable and tabled at the following General Meeting.
OR
OPTION B: Designated Parent Club Accounts
The Club will have a Fundraising Account for holding funds raised for the benefit of the school. All cheques from this account are to be signed by the Secretary or Treasurer and countersigned by the Principal. The association will also hold a Domestic Account to be used for administrative purposes of the Club. These funds will be made up solely of membership contributions. This account will be operated by any two of the President, Secretary or Treasurer. The total amount shall not exceed $250.
Immediately prior to the Annual General Meeting, the Club will arrange an audit of its accounts by an independent auditor for presentation to that meeting, and shall forward a copy to School Council.
A monthly statement listing all transactions must be given to the Business Manager to enter on CASES.
No member of the Club will receive any payment for their services as an office bearer or as a member.
10.FUNDRAISING
Parents Club may undertake activities to raise funds for the benefit of the school with the prior approval of School Council of the purpose to which the funds will be put and the proposed fundraising activity.
11.ALTERATION OF CONSTITUTION
Proposals for changes to the Club’s constitution may only be made at the Club’s Annual General Meeting and should be the first agenda item at that meeting. Notice to add to, amend or delete any part of the constitution shall be given in writing to the secretary, who shall circulate such notice of motion, in writing, to all financial members at least one month prior to the Annual General Meeting. Such amendments must be voted in the form in which they are circulated.
After endorsement by the Annual General Meeting, all amendments to the Constitution must be forwarded to the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development for approval by the Minister. Amendments become part of the constitution on approval of the Minister [or his nominee].
12.COMPLIANCE WITH EDUCATION REGULATIONS [E.R] 9&10
The Club constitution must not contravene any part of E.R 9&10. Should changes occur to Education Regulations between Annual Meetings of the Club, compliance with E.R. 9&10 takes precedence over compliance with the Club Constitution.
13.AFFILIATION
The Club may pay an affiliation to the State Parent Club Organisation. The Club shall elect delegates to attend conferences and shall vote as directed by the Club.
14.REPRESENTATION ON SCHOOL COUNCIL
Where the School Council invites the Parents Club to nominate a member to fill a position on School Council, the Parents Club shall elect a member, other than an employee of the Education Department and Early Childhood Development, as the Parents Club nominee.
One such person shall be responsible for furnishing the Club with a written account of Council proceedings and for conveying decisions of the Club meeting to the Council. [The number of Parent Club representatives on Council is determined by School Council]
15.DISSOLUTION
The Club can only be dissolved by a two-thirds majority vote of financial members present at a meeting called expressly for that purpose. A notice of any such meeting and of the motion must be circulated not less than fourteen days to all financial members and all reasonable steps must be taken to inform all members of the school community.
In the instance of the dissolution of the Club, procedures described in 9.6 of the Education Regulations [also described in 2.7.2.9 of the Schools of the Future Reference Guide] will be followed.
Reference:
Draft constitutions for approval should be sent to:
Senior Policy Officer
Schools, Communities and Networks Unit
Students and Communities Division
Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
33 St Andrews Place
GPO Box 4367
Melbourne 3001
Website: SOFWeb at:
Contact
Senior Policy Officer
Schools, Communities and Networks Unit
Students and Communities Division
Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
Telephone: 9637 2349
451 Parents Club ConstitutionPage 1 of 321/12/2005