FURMAN HIGH
School Site Council
Bylaws
Approved
FURMAN HIGH
SCHOOL SITE COUNCIL BYLAWS
ARTICLE I
Name of Council
The name of this council shall be the Furman High Site Council.
ARTICLE II
Role of Council
The school improvement plan, including a budget, shall be developed and recommended by the School Site Council. The School Site Council, following approval of a school improvement plan by the school district governing board, shall have ongoing responsibility to review with the principal, teachers, other school personnel, and pupils the implementation of the school improvement program and to assess periodically the effectiveness of such a program. Modifications or any improvement to the plan or budget shall be developed, recommended, and approved or disapproved in the same manner. The Council shall carry out all other duties and responsibilities assigned to it in the Education code of the State of California.
ARTICLE III
Members
Section 1- Size and Composition
The School Site Council shall be composed of 12 members.
Representation on the Council shall be: the Principal, classroom teachers selected by teachers at the school, other school personnel selected by the school personnel at the school, parents of pupils attending the school selected by such parents, and pupils selected by pupils attending the school. The Council shall be constituted to ensure parity between (a) the Principal, classroom teacher, and other school personnel; and (b) equal numbers of parent and pupils.
Classroom teachers shall constitute the majority of those persons representing school staff.
Section 2- Term of Office
All members of the Council shall serve for a two-year term. However, in order to achieve staggered membership, one-half or the nearest approximation thereof, of the members representing parents or community members and one-half, or the nearest approximation thereof, of the members representing teacher and other school personnel (except the Principal) shall serve for a one-year term only during the first year of the Council’s existence. After the first regular meeting of the council, chance method shall be used to determine which members shall serve one-year terms. At the conclusion of a member’s term, at least one year shall elapse before such member may be selected to a new term. The Principal will serve each year the School Site Council is in operation.
Section 3- Voting Rights
Each member shall be entitled to one vote and may cast that vote on each matter submitted to a vote of the Council.
Section 4- Termination of Membership
A member shall no longer hold membership should he or she cease to be a resident of the area or no longer meets the membership requirements under which he or she was selected: e.g., a parent becomes employed by the district at Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School or should his or her child no longer attend Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School.
Membership shall automatically terminate for any member who is absent from 3 consecutive meetings.
The School Site Council, by affirmative vote of two-thirds of all the members, can suspend or expel a member.
Section 5- Transfer of Membership
Membership of the School Site Council is not transferable or assignable.
Section 6- Resignation
Any member may resign by filing a written resignation to the Principal.
Section 7- Vacancy
Any vacancy of the Council shall be filled for the remainder of the school year by appointment by the Principal. If the unexpired term is for another full year thereafter, the term for that year shall be filled by the regular selection process.
ARTICLE IV
OFFICERS
Section 1- Officers
The officers of the School Site Council shall be a Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Secretary, and such other officers as the Council deem desirable.
Section 2- Election and Term of Office
The officers of the School Site Council shall be elected annually and shall serve for one year or until each successor has been elected.
Section 3- Removal
Any officer may be removed by a two-thirds vote of all members sitting on the School Site Council whenever, in the judgment of the council, the best interests of the Council would be served thereby.
Section 4- Vacancy
A vacancy in any office because of death, resignation, removal, disqualification or otherwise shall by special election, be filled by the School Site Council for the unexpired portion of the term.
Section 5- Chairperson
The Chairperson shall preside at all meetings of the School Site Council and may, along with the Principal, sign all letters, reports, and other communications of the School Site Council. In addition, the Chairperson shall perform all duties incident to the office of Chairperson and such other duties as may be prescribed by the School Site Council from time to time.
Section 6- Vice Chairperson
The duties of the vice-chairperson shall be to represent the chairperson in assigned duties and to substitute for the chairperson during his or her absence. The vice-chairperson shall perform such other duties from time to time that may be assigned by the chairperson or by the School Site Council.
Section 7- Secretary
The secretary shall keep the minutes of the meeting, both regular and special, of the School Site Council. He or she shall promptly transmit to each of the members, to the school district, and to such other persons as the School Site Council may deem true and correct copies of the minutes. He or she shall see that all notices are duly given in accordance with the provisions of these bylaws, be a custodian of the School Site Council records, keep a register of the address and telephone number of each member of the School Site Council which shall be furnished to the secretary by such member. The secretary, in general, performs all of the duties incident to the office of secretary and such other duties from time to time that may be assigned to the office by the chairperson or by the School Site Council. By a majority vote, the School Site Council may appoint to terminate a Recording Secretary that assists the Secretary with the recording of the minutes. The Recording Secretary is a non-voting position that serves the council at the direction of the chairperson. This individual may be compensated at the rate to be decided upon by the majority vote of the School Site Council.
ARTICLE V
Committees
Section 1- Stand and Special Committees
The School Site Council may from time to time establish and abolish such standing or special committees as it may desire. No standing or special committee may exercise the authority of the School Site Council.
Section 2- Membership
Unless otherwise determined by the School Site Council in its decision to establish a committee, the chairperson of the School Site Council shall appoint members to the various committees.
Section 3- Term of Office
Each member of a committee shall continue as such for the term of his or her appointment and until his or her successor is appointed, unless the committee shall be sooner terminated or abolished, or unless such member shall cease to qualify as a member thereof.
Section 4- Rules
Each committee may adopt rules for its own government consistent with these bylaws or with rules adopted by the School Site Council or with policies of the governing board.
Section 5- Quorum
Unless otherwise provided in the decision of the School Site Council designating a committee, a majority of the committee shall constitute a quorum and the act of a majority of the members present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the committee.
Section 6- Vacancy
A Vacancy in the membership of any committee may be filled by an appointment made in the same manner as provided in the case of the original appointment.
ARTICLE VI
Meetings of the School Site Council
Section 1- Regular Meetings
The School Site Council shall meet a minimum of 4 times during the school year. Dates and times are to be determined by the School Site Council members.
Section 2- Special Meetings
Special meetings may be called by the chairperson or Principal.
Section 3- Place of Meetings
The School Site Council shall hold its regular meetings and its special meetings in a facility provided by the school and readily accessible by all members of the public including handicapped person.
Section 4- Notice of Meetings
Public notice shall be given of regular meetings at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting. Any change in the established date, time or location must be given special notice. All special meetings shall be publicized. Any required notice shall be in writing and shall state the day, hour and location of the meeting, and shall be delivered wither personally or by mail or electronic means to each member not less than 72 hours or more than two weeks prior to the date of such meeting.
Section 5- Decisions of the School Site Council
All decisions of the School Site Council shall be made only after an affirmative vote of a majority of its members in attendance, provided a quorum is in attendance.
Section 6- Quorum
The presence of 51 percent of the total membership shall be required in order to constitute a quorum necessary for the transaction of the business of the School Site Council. No decisions of the School Site Council shall be valid unless a majority of the members present concur therein by their votes with a minimum of 50 percent pupil/community members present.
Section 7- Conduct of Meetings
All regular and special meetings of the School Site Council shall be conducted in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order or in accordance with an appropriate adaptation thereof.
Section 8- Meetings Open to the Public
All regular and special meetings of the School Site Council and of its standing or special committees shall be open at all times to the public.
