Thank you; you are asking all the questions we are. We have filled the positions and then come to find out that after telling us we didn't need to file any tax forms on the money earned throughout the year. Which I have now found out is wrong. We also have been operating our group under the schools tax ID number and that is wrong also. We are also supposed to buy insurance and we don't have any the administrators said we were covered through theirs. Which is not true. We have rollerskating fundraisers and we didn't know that if a child falls and gets hurt the school isn't responsible we are. We are thinking we need to disban and change and restart over with all the proper paperwork and doing the right things. If we have to start over again we will have to have concise by-laws to follow. And yes the principal as of right now has complete authority over whatever any teachers or class group wants. He can say yeah or nay before they even bring it to us. We didn't even know that we were supposed to have excecutive meeting at the beginning of the year to establish a budget. We have been working on if you want it and we have the money will buy it.
Thank you for your input and we are starting to educate ourselves. That is the greatest power. I am tired and ready to quit though and it looks like he'll win because most of the parents are tired. Thanks!
Hi Nat,
I don't know if my 2 cents are any help to you, but to me, an advisor is just that---someone who imparts information. It would be up to you whether or not to accept that advice.
Do your by laws have anything about board members leaving? When we put ours together, I know we kept them fairly loose. I would think that perhaps there needs to be a meeting with all members. Explain that you are down to 2 board members and you must have the correct number in order to conduct business. Then I would guess that nominations to fill the vacancies and an election would be in order.
I would say, no, you're NOT operating without by laws---your standing by laws would still be in effect. I'd read, read, read. As for the part that states" all requests for funds must go through the advisors" sounds to me as if the teachers are to make their requests to the advisors, who would then present those requests to your board. NOT that the advisors would make the decision as to whether the request is granted.
I'd like to know who wrote your by laws---why would the principals of BOTH the middle and elementary schools be involved?? If the ones that left your board for the other school started their own, why should they have ANYthing to do with your school?? Yes, this is very confusing.
Hopefully, there will be more people out there to respond to your question.
I live in CA and was wondering if anyone could help me.We are having a power problem with the new principal. He thinks he can tell us all what we can and can not do. We have a board and he and the superintendent are the advisors. It states that in our by-laws. How much power does he have over us and as an advisor does that mean we have to accept what he says as law without putting it to a vote. Also are our by-laws legal if I and another woman were were left by ourselves because all of the ex-officials went to the other district. They started there own group with in the same district. The other school in the district is the middle school we are the elementary school. Where could I find this out as well? And are we currently operating without any by-laws. Did we establish our own group.I am the current PTC pres. and we are getting tired of being shoved around. We bought the book Robert's rules of Order because our by-laws say those are our basic laws, but it's hard to tell what is going on. We don't pay dues our member are stated as being open to all staff and parents or guardians of our school district and other friends of the schools and district. We are trying to amend a by-law. The by-law is the section about advisors. It says that the district superintendent and principals of both schools will act as advisors to the club. Then this is the part we are trying to amend."All requests for expenditures from staff will come through advisors. We were advised that administration doesn't want to change this. We feel with the right wording about a head staff member representing each grade level could approach us during a meeting already called to order with a set limit for each grade level. I know this is long but we are really confused. If someone could point us in the right direction please let us know.
