BYLAWS OF THE ASSOCIATION OF FFCA SCHOOL COUNCILS

Transcription

1 BYLAWS OF THE ASSOCIATION OF FFCA SCHOOL COUNCILS Calgary, Alberta June 4, 2009

2 BYLAWS OF THE ASSOCIATION OF FFCA SCHOOL COUNCILS TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE DEFINITIONS 1 INTERPRETATIONS 1 ARTICLE I GENERAL 2 Section 1 Name 2 Section 2 Mandate 2 Section 3 Term of Office 2 ARTICLE II MEMBERSHIP 2 Section 1 Conditions of Membership 2 Section 2 Voting Privileges 2 Section 3 Responsibilities 2 ARTICLE III MEETINGS OF THE ASC 3 Section 1 Frequency 3 Section 2 Attendance 3 Section 3 Quorum 3 Section 4 Agendas 3 Section 5 Minutes 3 ARTICE IV OFFICERS OF THE ASC 3 Section 1 Positions 3 Section 2 Chair or Co-Chairs 3 Section 3 Vice-Chair 3 Section 4 Secretary 4 ARTICLE V COMMITTEES 4 Section 1 Composition 4 Section 2 Committee Powers and Prerogatives 4 Section 3 Meetings 4 Section 4 Minutes 4 Section 5 Dissolution 4 ARTICLE VI CHAMPIONS 4 Section 1 Selection 4 Section 2 Responsibilities 4 Section 3 Topics 4

3 PAGE ARTICLE VII CHARACTER FUND 5 Section 1 Definition 5 Section 2 Criteria 5 Section 3 Application Process 5 ARTICLE VIII RECORDS 5 Section 1 Storage 5 ARTICLE IX PROCEDURE TO AMEND THE ASC BYLAWS 5

4 BYLAWS OF THE ASSOCIATION OF FFCA SCHOOL COUNCILS DEFINITIONS In these Bylaws: a) FFCA refers to Foundations for the Future Charter Academy. b) School Council means the organization of stakeholders as defined in the School Act (Preamble). c) ASC refers to the Association of FFCA School Councils. d) Member refers to the Chair or Vice-Chair of each FFCA Campus School Council. e) Ex-officio refers to a member of the ASC who may participate in meetings but who is not permitted to vote. f) School Act means the Revised Statutes of Alberta, 2000, Chapter S-3 amended and any regulations there under. g) Champion refers to an individual who volunteers or is appointed to be the promoter and supporter of one or more areas of interest to the ASC for a given membership term. h) Quorum refers to the minimum number of Members required to be present at a meeting before it can validly proceed to transact business. i) Board or Board of Directors refers to the Board of the FFCA Charter School Society. INTERPRETATIONS The masculine gender, where appearing in these Bylaws, will be deemed to include the feminine gender and the singular will be deemed to include the plural unless the context clearly indicates to the contrary and references to persons will include firms and Society(s). Headings are for convenience only. These Bylaws should be interpreted broadly and generously.

5 ARTICLE I GENERAL SECTION 1. NAME The name of the Association will be The Association of FFCA School Councils (ASC). SECTION 2. MANDATE The ASC will act in accordance with these Bylaws and any resolutions passed at any ASC meeting to manage the business of the ASC, and may assign or delegate any of its responsibilities and duties at its discretion. The ASC will foster a sense of community throughout FFCA by facilitating: A forum for the sharing of activities and exchanging of ideas. The discussion of common key issues identified by the seven FFCA Campus School Councils. A Resource Center for School Councils by providing access to collected documentation that may assist School Council members in their day-to-day operations. The management of the Character Fund (see Article 10 Fundraising of The Bylaws for FFCA School Councils). SECTION 3. TERM OF OFFICE The term of office for ASC Members begins on the first day of October and ends on the 31 st day of May of each school year. ARTICLE II MEMBERSHIP SECTION 1. CONDITIONS OF MEMBERSHIP The Members of the ASC will be the Chairs and Vice-Chairs of the seven FFCA campus School Councils. The Superintendent (or delegate) and the Board Chair (or delegate) will be considered ex-officio members. SECTION 2. VOTING PRIVILEGES Each FFCA School Council has equal voting privileges of one vote per campus. SECTION 3. RESPONSIBILITIES ASC Members will: advise and support campus School Councils with regard to their mandates and activities advise and support the Superintendent on systems operations advise and support the Board on matters of governance help facilitate the relationship between the Board, campus School Councils and families. appoint representatives (on a rotational basis) to attend meetings of the Board of Directors commit to attend at least one Board meeting throughout the school year. The schedule of attendance will be agreed upon at the first ASC meeting of each school year. If unable to attend their scheduled Board meeting, it is the members responsibility to arrange a replacement.

6 ARTICLE III MEETINGS OF THE ASC SECTION 1. FREQUENCY The ASC shall meet at least 5 times during the ASC year. Emergent items may result in additional meetings as determined by general consensus of the membership. SECTION 2. ATTENDANCE All School Council Chairs and Vice-Chairs from the previous year will be encouraged to attend the first ASC meeting of each year to facilitate the transition of information and the goals of the ASC. All current ASC members for the ASC year are expected to attend each meeting. ASC meetings are open to any FFCA parent/guardian who wishes to attend. SECTION 3. QUORUM For ASC Meetings, a quorum will consist of a majority of Members. SECTION 4. AGENDAS The annual topics and issues will be agreed to at the beginning of each ASC year; however, prior to the distribution of the agenda, any Member may request the inclusion of an item provided that the ASC Members agree that the subject matter reasonably pertains to the business ordinarily transacted by the ASC. An agenda for each regularly scheduled ASC meeting will be made available to Members at least 48 hours prior to the meeting. SECTION 5. MINUTES The minutes of all meetings of the ASC and any ASC committees will include the names of those in attendance, as well as a summary of all business conducted at the meeting, including any recommendations and resolutions. The minutes will be signed by the ASC Chair upon approval at the next regular meeting and will be available within fourteen (14) days after they have been approved. ARTICLE IV OFFICERS OF THE ASC SECTION 1. POSITIONS The ASC shall annually select a Chair or Co-Chairs, Vice-Chair and Secretary. SECTION 2. CHAIR OR CO-CHAIRS The Chair or Co-Chairs will be the executive officer(s) of the ASC and will preside at all meetings. The Chair or Co-Chairs will supervise ASC business and affairs as directed by the Members at the ASC meetings and will see that all orders and resolutions of the ASC are carried into effect. In the absence of the Chair or Co-Chairs, the Vice-Chair will preside, and in the absence of both, a Chair may be elected by the Members. The Chair or Co-Chairs (or delegate) will represent ASC matters to the Board as required. SECTION 3. VICE-CHAIR The Vice-Chair will have all the powers and perform all the duties of the Chair or Co-Chairs in the absence or disability of the Chair or Co-Chairs. The Vice-Chair will perform such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him by the Chair or Co-Chairs or by the ASC.

7 SECTION 4. SECRETARY The Secretary will attend all meetings of the ASC and cause minutes to be kept, recording all the acts and votes undertaken. In the absence of the Secretary, his duties will be discharged by such Officer as may be appointed by the ASC. The Secretary will also keep a record of all Members of the ASC and their contact information. ARTICLE V COMMITTEES SECTION 1. COMPOSITION Each Committee will be chaired by a Member, or someone approved by the ASC, and will consist of other Members. Persons from the community, staff or Board Members may also be invited by the ASC to sit on the Committee in an advisory (non-voting) capacity. SECTION 2. COMMITTEE POWERS AND PREROGATIVES Committees will research and make recommendations to ASC regarding the issues related to the Committee as directed by ASC. Committees may not make decisions on behalf of the ASC unless authorized by the ASC to do so. SECTION 3. MEETINGS The Chair of any Committee established by the ASC will call meetings of the Committee, set the agenda, and ensure that minutes and other records are kept and distributed to the ASC. SECTION 4. MINUTES Committee Chairs will assign a Secretary to keep minutes of Committee Meetings. When the Committee is dissolved, all minutes will be forwarded to the Secretary of the ASC for keeping. SECTION 5. DISSOLUTION The ASC will have the power to dissolve any Committee at any time. ARTICLE VI CHAMPIONS SECTION 1. SELECTION The ASC will select from among its members a Champion for each of the topics of interest and initiatives established at the beginning of the ASC year. SECTION 2. RESPONSIBILITIES Each Champion will initiate meetings with the various Committee Coordinators of each School Council for the purpose of coordinating activities. SECTION 3. TOPICS Champions may be selected to cover areas including, but not limited to: i) Fundraising ii) Volunteering iii) Community Service iv) English Language Learning (ELL)

8 ARTICLE VII CHARACTER FUND SECTION 1. DESCRIPTION AND PURPOSE In accordance with Section 10 of the FFCA School Council Bylaws, the Character Fund is comprised of 20% of all eligible fundraised monies collected by each FFCA School Council. The Character Fund is used to assist newly-created FFCA School Councils, create unity among all campuses, and enhance the education of FFCA students by promoting the development of good character. SECTION 2. CRITERIA All Character Fund applications must meet Points a) AND b) and either Point c) OR d) of the following criteria: a) Support the character development of FFCA students - Responsibility - Self-Discipline - Respect - Integrity - Compassion b) Have the potential to enhance the best practices within FFCA - Teaching Process - Demonstration of Character Virtues c) Address a significant need in an individual campus d) Be of benefit to the whole FFCA Community - Lasting - Tangible - Structural SECTION 3. APPLICATION PROCESS Applications for Character Fund monies will follow the process established in the document Foundations for the Future Charter Academy Character Fund. The ASC will evaluate all Character Fund applications, and determine allocations on the basis of consensus decisionmaking. ARTICLE VIII RECORDS SECTION 1. STORAGE ASC information (records, minutes, contact information for all members, etc.) will be safely and securely stored at FFCA Central Office. ARTICLE IX PROCEDURE TO AMEND THE ASC BYLAWS Proposed amendments to the ASC Bylaws may be brought forward to the ASC by any FFCA School Council. Draft amendments will be circulated to all FFCA School Councils for feedback, which may or may not be incorporated at the discretion of the ASC.