ABINGTON SCHOOL DISTRICT ABINGTON, PENNSYLVANIA SUPERINTENDENT S ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE REGARDING: Parent Involvement in Athletic Booster Clubs Section: Community Relations Effective Date: May 28, 2014 Reissued: 9/18/15, 1/24/17 See Also: Related Board Policy Definitions For purposes of this Superintendent s Administrative Procedure ( SAP ), booster club means a group formed to contribute money or in-kind contributions to an associated club or sports team. By-laws Each booster club shall forward a copy of its current by-laws to the Athletic Director by October 1. New booster clubs shall submit by-laws with their application for approval. By-laws shall be distributed to all members or otherwise made available to all members on the booster club website with notice to all members. In the event that the by-laws of a booster club are amended, a copy of the new version of same shall be forwarded to the booster club s applicable Abington High School Athletic Director ( Athletic Director ) within 30 days of amendment. Since booster clubs are required to have by-laws, the administration provides Attachment A as an example of an acceptable by-law. All provisions contained in bold in Attachment A must be included in any booster club s by-laws. The Superintendent or designee shall review by-laws and amendments to ensure compliance with District Policy and SAP. The Athletic Director shall provide annual updates to the Superintendent or designee regarding the status of the booster club s by-laws.
Officers and Booster Club Liaisons Each officer of a booster club shall acknowledge in writing that they have read and agreed to the District s Policy Parent Involvement and Organizations and the SAP regarding Parent Involvement in Athletic Booster Clubs. See Attachment B. Each booster club shall appoint a liaison ( booster club appointed liaison ) to communicate with the Athletic Director and other designated school officials. This person may be but does not have to be a booster club officer. The Superintendent or designee shall ensure the establishment and maintenance of a contact list of booster club officers. The list is to be used for the following purposes: a. communicating booster club activities; b. receiving information from the District administration and c. ensuring an effective communication network between booster clubs and the school administration. Each booster club appointed liaison shall inform the applicable District Athletic Director as well as the applicable athletic coach or teacher activity sponsor/advisor of the booster club s meeting dates and times. Athletic coaches and teacher activity sponsors/advisors serve in a non-voting capacity when they attend booster club meetings. Each booster club appointed liaison must send, regularly, copies of meeting minutes to the appropriate District Athletic Director. Budget The Treasurer of all booster clubs shall be responsible for the following: Helping the booster club create and adopt an initial budget for each school year (Attachment C is a template budget for use as a guide); Sending the budget to the Athletic Director (who in turn will send to the District s Business Manager); Communicating with the District s Business Manager for establishment of an accounting procedures; Communicating with the District s Business Manager to establish a procedure for the internal audit process; Maintaining records of money raised during fundraising activities as well as expenditures of the booster club regarding same; Presenting a written financial report regarding the booster club s income and expenditures by June 30 of each year to the booster club s President and the Athletic Director (who in turn will send to the District s Business Manager);
Attaching a copy of the booster club s tentative goals for yearly carryover funds to the end-of-school-year financial report as mentioned in the above bullet point; Receiving prior written approval from the Principal or other Superintendent s designee for any and all purchases, donations, and/or contributions of items, equipment, materials, money etc. not reflected in the booster club budget in excess of 250.00 planned to be given by the booster club for use related to District athletics. The booster club shall submit the request for approval using the approved form (Attachment D). If the Principal or other Superintendent s designee denies the request or fails to respond within three business days of the request, the booster club may appeal to the Superintendent. The District must ensure that contributions from booster clubs do not have the effect of discriminating on the basis of gender so as to expose the District to Title IX violations. Fundraising and Communication Communication shall be made to parents/guardians explaining the fundraisers of the booster club as well as any dues of the booster club. Parents/guardians shall also be informed of the booster club s meeting dates and times, meeting locations, and when fundraising agenda items will be discussed and/or voted on for the booster club. At no time shall a booster club communicate to parents/guardians that their participation in fundraising activities is required for purposes of the child s participation in a school sport or school activity. Charging a Booster Club Fee Instead of Fundraising If a booster club fee is charged in lieu of fundraising, the following guidelines shall be established and followed by the booster club: The booster club must communicate with the parents/guardians prior to tryout or auditions if applicable and if possible, explaining any fundraiser event or the applicable dues and how the booster club utilizes the money. If the fee is to be used for an overnight trip or for off-season leagues, tournaments, or activities, the booster club can assess the parent/guardian on a per student basis to cover the booster club s entry fee or student trip costs. If a parent/guardian refuses to pay the fee, the student cannot be discriminated against for the lack of parental financial support. The student must not be treated differently in regard to banquets, gifts, awards, and/or participation. Due to the expense associated with supporting certain District sports and activities, this section shall not apply to sports that are not funded by the District.
Hardship cases shall be handled by the booster club in consultation with the Athletic Director on an individual basis and held in the strictest confidence. Recognition Functions (Banquets) In an attempt to avoid potential conflicts, a booster club planning a recognition event shall request permission of the building Principal to conduct such an event and shall clear the date of the event with both the applicable District Athletic Director and also the coach or activity sponsor/advisor. The booster club may charge parents and guardians to attend the banquet but may not charge students without the approval of the Athletic Director. No alcohol may be served at on-campus events or off-campus events to which students are invited. Printed Programs Booster clubs and parent booster clubs must screen each ad from community sponsors for appropriate content before placement in printed game or activity programs. All advertising must be cleared by the Principal. Advertising may not: advocate or campaign for a particular candidate or political party; promote or encourage hostility toward any ethnic, religious, or racial group; promote or denigrate a particular religion or religious practice in a manner that suggests that the District is endorsing a particular set of religious beliefs; be derogatory toward or incite discrimination against any group or person based upon race, color, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, or religion of the group or person promote or encourage hostility, disorder, violence, or disregard for violation of legal obligations; be libelous, or interfere with or advocate interference with the rights of any individual or the operations of the District; promote the use of tobacco products, smoking accessories, alcoholic beverages, illegal substances, or related paraphernalia; promote the use of firearms or other forms of weaponry; promote obscenity or pornography in the context of being inconsistent with prevailing standards such as adult publications or videos; use sexual content, sexual overtones, or any material that is otherwise not suitable for children;
be associated with promotion of birth control products or programs, abortion, or any other related services; conflict with Board Policy or any Superintendent s Administrative procedure; or actively promote, as a significant part of its business or other primary functions, other activities which are not in the best interest of the students, staff, or schools, in the opinion of the District in concert with established Board Policy and in consultation with the Superintendent and Solicitor or other legal counsel. Booster clubs shall send each community advertiser a follow-up letter with a thank you that can be displayed in their business indicating that they were a proud sponsor for Abington School District. Expenditures for Equipment, Supplies, Etc. Items purchased or donated other than by the District must meet criteria as defined below: The donation/purchase of goods shall be in accordance with all policies and procedures of the District. The donation/purchase of goods shall adhere to all Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association ( P.I.A.A. ) policies and guidelines. These are available through the Athletic Director. The donation/purchase of goods shall have the written approval of the Principal or other Superintendent s designee prior to any deliberations commencing with a potential provider. Any donation of goods may not be in conflict with any District-level sponsorships that may be in effect. The Athletic Director shall advise the booster club of any such sponsorship. Any agreement or contract proposed shall be reviewed by the District Solicitor and the Superintendent or designee. Donations shall follow existing Board Policy regarding Gifts and Bequests. 2. If the booster club wants to qualify for tax-free purchases on a regular basis, the treasurer is responsible for handling the application with the Bureau of Charitable Booster clubs, Department of State, to register the booster club as a charitable booster club. The treasurer must gain approval from the Athletic Director before submitting the application. Booster clubs may not use the District Identification Number for exemption from Pennsylvania sales tax under any circumstances.
Improvements to the District Buildings and Grounds Proposed improvements to the District buildings and grounds being made by the booster club must have the approval of the Superintendent. Paid consultants to the boosters clubs or parent booster clubs for various projects, including but not limited to construction, shall not be engaged without Board approval. Requests to the Board for approval must be made in a timely manner so as to ensure that the Board will have adequate time to review prior to making a decision at a public Board meeting. All such requests shall be submitted to the Business Manager at least 30 days prior to the date of the next regular business meeting of the Board. Use of District Name and Logos Booster clubs and parent organizations are not permitted to use the District s name or logo without license or express permission granted in writing by the Superintendent. If an organization desires to use a logo other than the designated District logo for use by the club or organization on merchandise or for any other reason, such use must be approved in writing by the Superintendent. Compliance As outlined in the Athletic Booster Club: List of Responsibilities, (Attachment D), is tasks to be completed by the athletic booster club s officers or appropriate member. Should any issues of compliance regarding this or other District Policy or SAP emerge between a booster club and the District, the following procedure shall be followed: The Athletic Director shall provide to the Superintendent a report that includes the specific nature of the issue, brief statement of relevant facts, and the Athletic Director s recommended disposition. Should the matter not be resolved by the Superintendent, or if the matter is beyond his/her authority and requires Board action, the Superintendent shall provide the Board with a complete report. After reviewing all information relative to the issue, the Board shall provide the affected parties and the Superintendent with a written decision. The Board, at its sole discretion, may grant a hearing before the Board or a committee of the Board.
Attachment A By-Laws of Booster Club 1. Name: 2. Purpose: The [INSERT BOOSTER CLUB NAME] (hereinafter the Board or the booster club ) does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, or religion. 3. Members Section 1. Membership is limited to parents or adults responsible for the child involved in the activity. The following classifications of individuals are specifically not eligible for membership in the booster clubs: a. Students eligible to participate in the sport or activity; b. District employees unless they are the parent/guardian of a student participating in the sport or activity; and c. Head and assistant coaches of the sport in question, whether paid or volunteer. Section 2. Dues, if any, will be established by the Executive Board. If dues are charged, a member must have paid his or her dues at least 14 calendar days before the meeting to be considered a member in good standing with voting rights. Section 3. By-laws shall be distributed to all members or otherwise made available to all members on the booster club website with notice to all members. 4. Officers and Elections Section 1. Officers. The officers shall be a president, vice president, secretary and treasurer. a. President. The president shall preside over meetings of the booster club and executive board, serve as the primary contact for the Principal, represent the booster club at meetings outside the booster club, serve as a member of all committees except the nominating committee, and coordinate the work of all the officers and committees so that the purpose of the booster club is served.
b. Vice President. The vice president shall assist the president and carry out the president's duties in his or her absence or inability to serve. c. Secretary. The secretary shall keep all records of the booster club, take and record minutes, prepare the agenda, handle correspondence, and send notices of meetings to the membership. The secretary also keeps a copy of the minute book, by-laws, rules, membership list, and any other necessary supplies, and brings them to meetings. d. Treasurer. The treasurer shall receive all funds of the booster club; keep an accurate record of receipts and expenditures, and payout funds in accordance with the approval of the Executive Board. He or she will present a financial statement at every meeting and at other times of the year when requested by the Executive Board, and make a full report at the end of the year. The treasurer will follow the District s rules as promulgated in the Superintendent s Administrative Procedure for Parent Involvement in Athletic Booster Clubs. Section 2. Nominations and Elections. Elections will be held at the meeting of the school year. The nominating committee shall select a candidate for each office and present the slate at a meeting held one month prior to the election. At that meeting, nominations may also be made from the floor. Voting shall be by voice vote if a slate is presented. If more than one person is running for an office, a ballot vote shall be taken. Each booster club shall yearly submit a listing of its officers to the appropriate District Athletic Director after the annual meeting of the booster club. Section 3. Eligibility. Members are eligible for office if they are members in good standing at least 14 calendar days before the nominating committee presents its slate. Section 4. Terms of Office. Officers are elected for one year and may serve no more than consecutive term(s) in the same office. Each person elected shall hold only one office at a time. Section 5. Vacancies. If there is a vacancy in the office of president, the vice president will become the president. At the next regularly scheduled meeting, a new vice president will be elected. If there is a vacancy in any other office, members will fill the vacancy through an election at the next regular meeting. Section 6. Removal from Office. Officers can be removed from office with or without cause by a two-thirds vote of those present (assuming a quorum) at a regular meeting where previous notice has been given. 5. Liaison to the District At least once a year, the booster club shall designate a liaison for purposes of communications with the Athletic Director. This appointed liaison may be, but is not required to be, the booster club s President or Treasurer.
6. Meetings Section 1. Regular Meetings. The regular meeting of the booster club shall be on the first [INSERT DAY] of each month during the school year at [INSERT TIME], or at a time and place determined by the Executive Board at least one month before the meeting. The annual meeting will be held at the regular meeting. The annual meeting is for receiving reports, electing officers, and conducting other business that may arise. The secretary will notify the members of the meetings by email (or by mail for those members without email) at least one week prior to the meeting. Section 2. Special Meetings. Special meetings may be called by the president, any two members of the Executive Board, or five general members submitting a written request to the secretary. Notice of the special meeting shall be sent to the members at least 10 days prior to the meeting, by email and through phone calls. Section 3. Quorum. The quorum shall be [INSERT NUMBER] members of the booster club (hereinafter the Board ). Section 4. Minutes. Minutes of each regular and special meeting shall be created and distributed to each member. 7. Executive Board Section 1. Membership. The Executive Board shall consist of the officers, Principal and standing committee chairs. Section 2. Duties. The duties of the Executive Board shall be to transact business between meetings in preparation for the general meeting, create standing rules and policies, create standing and temporary committees, prepare and submit a budget to the membership, approve routine bills, and prepare reports and recommendations to the membership. Section 3. Meetings. Regular meetings shall be held monthly, on the same day and at the same time each month, to be determined by the Board. Special meetings may be called by any two Board members, with 24 hours notice. Section 4. Quorum. Half the number of Board members plus one constitutes a quorum. 8. Committees Section 1. Membership. Committees may consist of members and Board members, with the president acting as an ex-officio member of all committees. Section 2. Standing Committees. The following committees shall be held by the booster club: Fundraising, Nominating, and Auditing. Section 3. Additional Committees. The Board may appoint additional committees as needed.
9. Finances Section 1. A tentative budget shall be drafted by for each school year in accordance with District Superintendent s Administrative Procedure and approved by a majority vote of the members present. The budget shall be distributed to each member after approval. Section 2. The treasurer shall keep accurate records of any disbursements, income, and bank account information. Section 3. The Board shall approve all expenses of the booster club. Section 4. Two authorized signatures shall be required on each check over the amount of. Authorized signers shall be the president and treasurer. Section 5. The treasurer shall prepare a financial statement at the end of the year to be reviewed by the Audit Committee. Section 6. Upon the dissolution of the booster club, all monies remaining in the booster club s account after payment of any outstanding bills must be turned over to the District for use in connection with the team or activity which the booster club had supported to the extent permitted by law, with any residual amount going to support District athletics or other student activities generally. 10. Dissolution A booster club or parent booster club may disband on its own accord by submitting a written request to the designated Athletic Director. The booster club may be dissolved with previous notice (14 calendar days) and a two-thirds vote of those present at the meeting. 11. Amendments These bylaws may be amended at any regular or special meeting, providing that previous notice was given in writing at the prior meeting and then sent to all members of the booster club by the secretary. Notice may be given by postal mail, e-mail, or fax. Amendments will be approved by a two-thirds vote of those present, assuming a quorum. In the event that the by-laws are amended, a copy of the new version of same shall be forwarded to the booster club s applicable District Athletic Director within 30 days of amendment 12. Additional Required Conditions [Name of Booster club] recognizes and accepts that it is prohibited from imposing conditions of membership which serve to exclude students from participation in District athletic programs [Name of Booster club] recognizes and accepts that it is prohibited from using the District s name or logo without a license or express permission granted in writing by the Superintendent. [Name of Booster club] recognizes and accepts that any logos created by booster clubs and parent booster clubs for use by the club or booster club for use on merchandise or for any other reason must be approved by the Superintendent.
Attachment B Booster Club Officer Affirmation I (Officer s Name) have read the District s Policy Parent Involvement and Organizations and the SAP regarding Parent Involvement in Athletic Booster Clubs. I agree to abide by the terms and conditions of both the Policy and also the Superintendent s Administrative Procedure in their entirety. Officer s Signature Date
TEMPLATE BUDGET Attachment C Sample Budget BEGINNING BALANCE (A) Add: Revenue Fundraisers Parent Fees Interest Earnings Other Revenue TOTAL REVENUE (B) Less: Expenses Fundraising Costs Materials for Students Banquets or Celebrations Other Expenses TOTAL EXPENSES (C) ENDING BALANCE (A + B C)
APPROVAL FORM FOR UNBUDGETED* PURCHASES, DONATIONS, AND/OR CONTRIBUTIONS OF ITEMS, EQUIPMENT, MATERIALS, MONEY IN EXCESS OF [ ] Booster Club Name: Nature of purchase, donation, and/or contributions of items, equipment, materials, money: Purpose of purchase, donation, and/or contributions of items, equipment, materials, money: Source of funds for purchase, donation, and/or contributions:
Submitted by: Date: cc: District Athletic Director Approved/Denied (circle one) by Building Principal/Other Superintendent Designee**: Date: (If appealed to Superintendent): Approved/Denied (circle one) by Superintendent: Date: *Unbudgeted means not reflected in the booster club budget submitted to the District Athletic Director. **If the building Principal or other Superintendent s designee denies the request or fails to respond within three business days of the request, the booster club may appeal to the Superintendent.
Attachment D Athletic Booster Club: List of Responsibilities 1. Create/send a copy of your club s by-laws to the Athletic Director, if not previously done. I will send you a reminder if your club has not done that. A sample by-law is attached to the SAP. 2. If a club amends its by-laws, a copy must be sent to the Athletic Director within 30 days of the amendment. 3. Send the Athletic Director annual updates regarding the status of the club s bylaws. 4. Distribute and/or make available a copy of the club s by-laws to all members on the club s website or by other means with notice to all members. 5. Agree in writing with the Policy/SAP (Attachment B to SAP: Parent Involvement in Athletic Booster Clubs). I will send you an email about this; you simply need to reply and send. 6. Send the Athletic Director an updated list (including emails) of club officers and who my contact person should be. 7. Request permission of the building Principal for all recognition events, including banquets. The date of the event must be cleared with the Athletic Director and the coach or activity sponsor/advisor. If the date is known of the following year s recognition event, it can be placed on the District Activities Calendar. Parents/guardians may be charged to attend the recognition event, but students may not be charged without Athletic Director approval. 8. Complete an Application for Use of Facilities Form (Available through the ) if you wish to use any school facility for meetings, fundraising, socials, banquets, and other activities. 9. Communicate the purpose of your club and the desired voluntary commitment to your members before the start of the team season or the beginning of the activity. 10. Inform the parents/guardians of student team members, meeting dates and times, meeting locations, and meetings when fundraising will be discussed and/or voted on. 11. Hold at least one meeting per year to elect President, Treasurer and any other officers. 12. Inform the coach or activity sponsor/advisor and the Athletic Director of all club meeting dates and times.
13. Send copies of meeting minutes to the Athletic Director. 14. Seek approval from the Athletic Director for all printed game or activity programs. 15. Send all community advertisers a thank you letter indicating that they were a proud sponsor for Abington School District that they can display in their businesses. 16. The treasurer of each club must do the following: Assist the club in creating and send the Athletic Director your proposed budget (Attachment C to SAP: Parent Involvement in Athletic Booster Clubs is a template budget). Establish accounting procedures (with the assistance of the District s Business Manager). Establish a procedure for the internal audit process (with the assistance of the District s Business Manager). Maintain records of money raised and expenditures during fundraising activities. By June 30 - Present a written financial report of the club s income and expenditures to the club s President and the Athletic Director. A copy of the club s tentative goals for yearly carryover funds must be attached to the financial report. Obtain prior written approval from the building Principal for any and all purchases, donations, and/or contributions of items, equipment, materials, money, etc., not already reflected in the club s budget, in excess of 250.00, which the club plans to use for District athletics or related activities (Attachment D to SAP: Parent Involvement in Athletic Booster Clubs is the applicable request form). If the club wants to qualify for tax-free purchases, the treasurer must send the application to the Bureau of Charitable Organizations, Department of State, to register the club as a charitable organization. Before doing so, the Athletic Director must approve the application. 17. Explain to parents/guardians prior to tryouts or auditions what the club s fundraisers and dues are. Also explain to parents/guardians how the money obtained from the dues (if dues are collected) will be utilized. 18. If the dues are to be used for overnight trips or off-season leagues, tournaments, or activities, the club may assess the parent/guardian a per student basis to cover the club s entry fee or student trip costs.
19. If the club wishes to use a logo other than the designated District logo, such use must be approved in writing by the Superintendent (Attachment A to SAP: Parent Involvement in Athletic Booster Clubs contains the designated District logos). 20. If the club wants to improve District buildings or grounds, the Superintendent must approve the improvements. 21. If a club wishes to hire paid consultants for improvements to District buildings or grounds, the School Board must approve of these consultants before they are engaged; these requests must be made to the School Board Secretary at least two (2) weeks prior to the date of the next regular business meeting of the School Board. Prohibitions for Clubs 1. The following individuals cannot be officers of any club: a) students; b) District employees unless they are the parents/guardians of a student participating in the activity; or c) head and assistant coaches of the sport, whether paid or volunteer. 2. No club may require mandatory fundraisers. 3. No club may serve alcohol at on-campus events or off-campus events to which students are invited. 4. Contributions from clubs cannot have the effect of discriminating on the basis of gender. 5. No club may allow District students under the age of 18 to participate or be a party of any activity that involves games of chance as defined by Pennsylvania law. 6. No club may use the District s tax-free number for purchases. 7. No club may require parents/guardians participation in fundraising for the purpose of their child participating in the sport or activity. 8. No club may discriminate against on the basis of his or her parents/guardians lack of financial support for the club. The club cannot treat the student differently in regard to banquets, gifts, awards, and/or participation (this prohibition does not apply to sports that are not funded by the District; also, if the fee is for off-season activities, the student may be excluded). 9. No club may deny students access to District athletic, extracurricular, or club activities. 10. No club may charge fees for services, which are already available for free to District students.
11. No club may use the District s name or logo without license or express permission from the Superintendent. District Responsibilities 1. The District will purchase all game uniforms for interscholastic sports. 2. The District will review any amendments to a club s by-laws to ensure compliance with District Policy and SAP. 3. The District will publicize through its email distribution list the clubs meeting dates (including the meeting to elect officers) if the Athletic Director receives reasonable notice of these dates. 4. The building Principal or other designee must respond within three (3) days of a club s request for approval of a purchase, donation, and/or contribution in excess of 250.00. If the District fails to respond, the club may appeal to the Superintendent. 5. The District shall approve or deny a club s submission of a request for a printed game/activity program within two (2) days of receipt. 6. If any issues should arise with regard to compliance with the Policy: Parent Involvement and Organizations or the SAP: Parent Involvement in Athletic Booster Clubs, the following procedure must be followed: The Athletic Director must provide a written report to the Superintendent that includes the specific nature of the issue, statement of the relevant facts, and my recommended disposition. If the Superintendent does not resolve the issue, the Superintendent shall provide a report to the School Board. The School Board will review all the information and provide a written decision to all affected parties. Attachment: SAP Parent Involvement in Athletic Booster Clubs