PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION BYLAWS

Article I.  Name, Membership, Mission and Role.

Section 1.  Name.  The name of Parents’ Association shall be “The Parents’ Association of Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley (“PA”).

Section 2.  Membership.  The PA shall consist of all parents, guardians or persons standing in loco parentis of students enrolled in Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley (“EB”).

Section 3.  Mission.  The mission of the PA is to support EB and EB’s mission as may be requested by the administration, the Board of Trustees and EB’s strategic and operations goals, and to represent the parents’ voice.

Section 4. Role.  The role of the PA is to help build positive school spirit, nurture communication among parents and between the parents and the administration, and the parents and the Board of Trustees.  Specific activities are specified in Article V below.  The PA shall take no action that is inconsistent with the mission of EB or the written policies of the Board of Trustees or the administration.

Article II.  Officers.

Section 1.  The officers of the PA shall consist of: a) a Francophone Co-President; b) an Anglophone Co-President; c) a Francophone Vice President; d) an Anglophone Vice President; and e) a Volunteer Coordinator.

Section 2.  Duties of the Co-Presidents.  The Co-Presidents shall: a) preside over PA meetings; b) enforce the bylaws and all such regulations as may be adopted by the membership; c) call all meetings; d) represent the PA on the Board of Trustees with full rights; e) represent the PA on the Conseil d’Establissment with full rights; f) attend regular monthly meetings with the Head of School and any additional meetings as may be determined necessary; and g) facilitate communication and cooperation between parents, trustees and administration.

Section 3.  Duties of the Vice Presidents.  The Vice Presidents shall each: a) assume duties of the Co-Presidents whey they are absent; b) represent the PA in one or more of the major EB events listed in Article V below; and c) assume the role of Secretary or Treasurer of the PA.

Section 4.  Duties of the Volunteer Coordinator.  The Volunteer Coordinator shall, with the assistance of the PA, find volunteers as needed for various EB events.  Additionally, the administration shall collect data from parents expressing their interest and abilities.  The data will be entered into an administration database to allow the Volunteer Coordinator to extract leads for volunteer opportunities. 

Section 5.  Duties of Secretary.  The Vice President who assumes the role of Secretary shall: a) keep and preserve all records and minutes of all PA meetings, open or closed; b) conduct all correspondence of the PA; and c) give notice of all meetings.

Section 6.  Duties of Treasurer.  The Vice President who assumes the role of Treasurer shall: a) review and reconcile the school’s accounting of the PA funds with EB’s Business Manager or appointee; and b) make available an accounting of PA funds.

Section 7.  Conseil d’Etablissement.  The PA officers shall designate one PA officer other than the Co-Presidents and one Room Rep Coordinator to be representatives of the PA at the Conseil d’Etablissement with full rights. 

Article III.  Nominations, Elections, Terms and Vacancies.

Section 1. Nominations.  PA officer candidates will inform the nominating committee of their interest.  The nominating committee shall consist of the Director of Development, the current PA Co-Presidents, and one or more of the EB event chairs.  The nominating committee will select PA officer candidates that they feel best able to represent the PA.

Section 2.  Elections and Voting.  The election for the next school’s year PA officers will take place at end of the school year at the annual volunteer recognition event or as otherwise announced.  Special elections shall be held to fill vacancies as needed.  Each parent attending the meeting will have one vote.  Votes will be cast in writing, by a show of hands or a show of voices.  A majority of votes will elect each officer. 

Section 3.  All PA officers shall be elected to one-year terms and may be re-elected.

Section 4. Resignations.  A PA officer may resign at any time upon written notice to the Head of School.  Such resignation shall take effect upon receipt or as specified in such letter.

Section 5.  Removal of Officers.  PA officers may be removed for cause due to: a) behavior in violation of the PA by-laws; or b) participation in an illegal activity.  An officer may be removed by majority vote of the PA officers.

Article IV.  Meetings.

Section 1.  Regular Open Meetings.  The Co-Presidents shall endeavor to hold regular open meetings throughout the annual school year, with a minimum of two meetings per year, one in the fall and one in the spring.  These meetings shall be open to all PA members.  The PA officers shall announce these meetings in EB’s regular publication and shall endeavor to promote these meetings by reasonable means such as email notices and distribution of leaflets.  The Co-Presidents will endeavor to follow a stated agenda at each meeting and respect the time limits stated for each meeting. 

Section 2.  Closed Meetings.  The PA officers may hold closed meetings at any time to discuss matters that are inappropriate to open meetings. 

Section 3.  Agenda.  The PA officers will compile agenda items for open meetings from: a) PA member suggestions; b) administration suggestions; c) Trustee suggestions; and d) areas of interest to PA members.

Article V.  PA Activities. 

Section 1.  Assignment of activities:  At the first Closed Meeting, the PA officers shall allocate responsibility for the activities and events throughout the year.

Section 2.  Activities and Events.  The PA officers, in collaboration with the administration as appropriate, shall perform the following tasks and actions throughout the year:

• Organize and welcome parents to the annual All-School Picnic.  Such picnic will be held within the first two months of the school year.
• Organize and implement a “buddy system” in collaboration with the Director of Admissions.  Existing EB families, the “buddies,” will welcome and answer questions from new EB families.
• Present a minimum of three evening events on topics of interest to the EB community.  Topics, times and dates of these events will be determined in collaboration with the administration.
• Communicate calls for volunteers and event information via room rep coordinators.
• Sell EB logo clothing at the All-School Picnic, Grandparents Day, World Celebrations Event and the Marché as appropriate. 
• Sell used books, DVDs, CDs and videos at the Marché.
• Assist Director of Development and event chairs in finding volunteers.
• Support EB initiatives.
• Collaborate with the Director of Development to find chair, co-chair and vice-chair positions, as appropriate for the following positions:
• Room Rep Coordinator Maternelle
• Room Rep Coordinator Lower School
• Room Rep Coordinator Middle School
• Library support
• Picture Day
• Faculty and Staff appreciation breakfast
• Faculty and Staff appreciation lunch
• E-scrip program
• Auction
• Silent Auction
• Marché
• Raffle
• World Celebrations
• Solicitation Chair
• Database Coordinator
• Organize PA elections at the end–of-the-year annual volunteer recognition event.
• Organize a calendar of events at the beginning of the school year with the Director of Development.
• Write regular articles for the EB publication on topics that include but are not limited to: a) topics of interest to parents; b) upcoming PA events; c) volunteer needs; d) meeting agendas; and e) meeting summaries.
• Participate in Information Night for prospective parents in collaboration with the Director of Admissions.
• Organize a welcome event on the first day of school in collaboration with the administration.
• Assist the administration in writing and updating the Parent Handbook and various school forms.

Article VI.  Funds and Allocation of Funds.

Section 1.  Acquisition of Funds.  The PA will receive funds from: a) sales of used books, DVDs, and CDs sold at the Marché; b) sales of EB logo clothing throughout the year; and c) 1/3 of Marché revenue.

Section 2.  Wish List.  The PA funds will be allocated to a teacher “Wish List” approved by the administration.  The Wish List is intended for the acquisition of items outside regularly budgeted items provided by the administration for teachers at each grade level and for overall improvements at EB. 

Section 3. Distribution of Miscellaneous Funds.  The PA funds will be used to support PA activities described herein.

Section 4.  Approval of Expenditures.  All expenditures must be approved in writing by the Co Vice-President/Treasurer and one other PA officer.

Section 5.  Excess Annual Funds.  At the end of the school year, after all funds have been allocated for expenditures and to provide a reasonable operating budget for the following school year, the PA officers may allocate funds to further assist EB.  Such assistance will be discussed with and approved by the Head of School.

Article VII.  Miscellaneous.