By the way, you never want to write bylaws from scratch. Get samples from other organizations that have good controls and process - and ideally ones that are already 501(c)(3). Even if you don't file for that status yourself, the bylaws will have some components required by the IRS (so a good idea, regardless).
Take the one that most fits your group and start editing. There's lots of room for customization - whether you have dues, officer terms, etc. But much of it should be boiler plate.
Are you a public school? We have a contact person at our Board of Education that can help us with our bylaws. Our bylaws have been the same for many, many years. At our next meeting, we are going to take a look at them to make sure they contain everything that we want them to. I can email you a copy if you'd like just so you can see what bylaws look like. Just give me your email address.
Form a committe to write some bylaws as soon as possible. As long as you are flying by your pants you allowing the school to dictate your direction. Call other schools in your area and get some copies of their bylaws to look at.
You need to define your purpose. Are you just a checkbook for the principal or are your members giving input into how you are spending your money?
Did you write a budget at the beginning of the year? Your budget would dictate how you will the majority of your money. Did your membership approve the budget?
JME Mom - Sorry to leave you hanging out there like that! There isn't a lot of traffic through here over the weekend....
When you say you're new at this, do you mean that your parent group is brand new or that your officers are new? I'm guessing you mean the first one since you don't have bylaws yet. This is a great place to start. Unlike what I hear about PTA's, there is no standard set of PTO bylaws. Most groups draft their own. Check out the Tools page of the PTO Today site (link at top of page). You'll find tons of help there. Until bylaws can be drafted, get your hands on a new copy of Roberts Rules of Order or the SparkNotes Spark Chart just to get a general idea of parliamentary procedure. Roberts Rules is huge and there's way more info than a PTO needs but the basics are very helpful.
Regarding your specific question about Principal/VP control. It all depends on how your group is set up. If you're a service branch of the school they have a lot more control than if you're a separate 501c3. It also depends on how the school views your role. Some parent groups are merely seen as a fundraising machine or volunteer base for the school to tap into all the way up to an independent and fully funtioning "business".
I would say that in an ideal situation the school would step back and allow this new PTO to grow and define themselves and their own role while still keeping an eye on you until basic structures are put into place. How about having a meeting with the PTO officers, the Principal and the VP to discuss your current role and your future. Two major keys to your success will be Communication and a Positive Relationship with the administration. Go into the meeting with your own ideas about how the PTO should work but with an open mind and cooperative spirit.
Good luck to you and, please, come back with any more questions you have.
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"The ultimate aim of karate lies not in victory or defeat but in the true perfection of one's character."
I'm the VP of the PTO at our school. This is my first year. Our problom is we do not have bylaws that we know of. We are having some issues with the Principal and Vic.Princ. going over the Presidents head and making decisions about the PTO and its money without the PTO'S consent. We are new at this and do not know if this is how it works and we do not know about bylaws. Please help me out. I would like to know is there general bylaws that can be adapted to your needs or do we just write our own.
