TPTO Bylaws

Tokeneke Parent Teacher Organization

Bylaws

March 2022

ARTICLE I: NAME

The name of the organization shall be the Tokeneke Parent Teacher Organization (TPTO). 

ARTICLE II: PURPOSE

The purposes of the TPTO shall be:

1. To promote understanding and effective cooperation between the home and school;

2. To act as a medium through which the parents, the teachers, the administrative staff and the students may communicate with each other;

3. To provide or assist in providing funds for such items as may contribute to furthering the education or welfare of the children, the staff or the school as a  whole;

4. To increase the awareness of parents and teachers about issues and trends which affect the quality of education in Darien.

ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP

The following are members of the TPTO and may participate in its activities:

1. All parents and guardians of children attending the school 

2. All members of the professional staff of the school.

ARTICLE IV:  POLICIES

1. This TPTO shall be non-commercial, non-sectarian, and non-partisan.   Neither any commercial enterprise nor candidate shall be endorsed by it. Neither the name of the organization nor the names of its officers in their official capacities shall be used in any connection with any commercial concern, any partisan interest or any purpose other than the regular work of the TPTO.

2. This TPTO shall not seek to direct the administrative activities of the school nor its policies.

3. This TPTO shall approve all fundraising activities and shall administer and allocate all TPTO revenues. Accurate and complete records shall be maintained of all receipts and disbursements.

4. The annual expenditures of the TPTO will be targeted to stay within the guidelines set forth by the Council of Darien School Parents (CDSP) for all elementary schools.

5. This TPTO is a not-for-profit organization that intends to conform to and operate in accordance with the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of the United States applicable to tax exempt organizations.

ARTICLE V:  MEETINGS AND VOTING REQUIREMENTS

1. Regular meetings of the TPTO shall be held approximately four times  during the school year, the dates to be selected by the co-chairs. 

2. The Steering Committee may call additional meetings as necessary.

3. Prior notice of TPTO meetings will be placed in the school newsletter and/or newswire whenever possible.

4. All members of the TPTO are encouraged to attend.  They shall have a vote in matters that are submitted for a vote of members, in accordance with these by-laws.

5. Quorum: Those TPTO members present at a properly called TPTO meeting shall be designated as a quorum and shall be entitled to take action on behalf of the organization.

6. Voting:   A majority vote of the TPTO members present at any meeting or participating in an electronic vote shall be required for all action to be taken by the organization

7. Newly elected TPTO officers and board members shall assume their duties on the last day of the school year or as otherwise deemed necessary.

ARTICLE VI:   STEERING COMMITTEE

Section I:  Composition of the Committee

Members of the Steering Committee shall be the co-chairs, the co-vice chairs, the treasurer and the secretary. Regular meetings of the Steering Committee shall be held at least every other month during the school year.

Section 2:  Duties

1. To present reports at the regular meetings of the Steering Committee and/or TPTO meetings.

2. To supervise the progress of the committees of the TPTO.

3. To meet, if necessary, to transact business in the intervals between the regular meetings.

4. To appoint Ad Hoc Committees if necessary.

5. To recommend to the TPTO the allocation of the TPTO funds.

6. To meet with the principal periodically to facilitate communication between the school and the parents and for other TPTO purposes.

ARTICLE VII:  NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS

Section 1:  Composition of the Nominating Committee:

The Nominating Committee shall consist of: a Nominating chair or co-chairs, and the TPTO Steering Committee.

Section 2: Duties:

The Nominating Committee shall formulate a slate for the following year of all Steering Committee members and all TPTO committee members, as well as representatives to community organizations as  required.

Section 3:  Election Rules:

1. The Nominating Committee shall publish a notice in the school newsletter and/or newswire that the nomination process has begun for the upcoming school year.

2. The proposed slate shall be communicated to  TPTO members via the school newsletter for at least two weeks before the scheduled vote each Spring,  The slate will then be voted on via an electronic vote communicated through the school newsletter.  The vote shall be open for a minimum of one week

3. Immediately following the election, it shall be the responsibility of the outgoing officers and committee chairs to ensure an effective transition of their duties to the newly elected officers and committee members by the end of the current school year.

4. A person shall not be eligible to serve more than two consecutive years in the same position on the TPTO Board unless no interested party steps forward to take the position.

5. The Nominating Committee will present to the TPTO for its approval a nominee to fill any vacancy on the Steering Committee, the TPTO committees or the community organizations that shall occur during the school year.

ARTICLE VIII:  RULES OF ORDER:

Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern all cases in which they are applicable. 

ARTICLE IX:  JOB DESCRIPTION

Section 1: Co-chairs:

There shall be two co-chairs of the TPTO. The duties of the co-chairs shall be:

1. To preside at all TPTO and Steering Committee meetings;

2. To plan with the principal all TPTO and Steering Committee meetings;

3. To communicate with the parents, teachers and principal on appropriate matters;

4. To keep informed about the work of the TPTO Steering Committee and its sub committees;

5. To serve as representatives of Tokeneke School on the Executive Board of the CDSP;

6. To keep informed about the pertinent town and state issues and to apprise the TPTO of all matters that might be relevant to Tokeneke School;

7. To attend selected meetings of the CDSP, the Board Of Education and its committees and public hearings. This responsibility will be shared with the co-vice chairs, so that Tokeneke has consistent representation;

8. To designate one co-chair to be an authorized signatory on the TPTO bank accounts in the absence of the treasurer.

Section 2: Co-vice chairs:

There shall be one or more co-vice chairs of the TPTO.   The duties of the vice chairs shall be:

1. To attend TPTO and Steering Committee meetings and to preside at such meetings in the absence of the co-chairs;

2. To assist the co-chairs in their duties for the purpose of supporting and facilitating as well as in preparation for assuming the co-chair positions the following year;

3. To serve as liaisons between the TPTO board and the room parent coordinators;

4. To attend selected meetings of the CDSP, the Board of Education and its committees, and public hearings. This responsibility will be shared with the co-chairs, so that Tokeneke has consistent representation.

Section 3: Treasurer:

There shall be one treasurer of the TPTO. The duties of the treasurer shall be:

1. To attend TPTO and Steering Committee meetings;

2. To receive and pay out funds, as provided for in the TPTO budget, for financing TPTO sponsored activities during the fiscal year, which runs from July 1st to June 30th.

3. To advise the Steering Committee of unapproved expenses in excess of $200.00;

4. To maintain all TPTO bank accounts and reconcile all bank statements;

5. To reconcile all financial activity from fundraisers (with the assistance of the event treasurer- see Article X, Section 3);

6. To open and close bank accounts with approval of Steering Committee and update authorized signors as required;

7. To prepare financial reports for presentation at Steering Committee and TPTO meetings and as part of TPTO records;

8. To prepare the upcoming year’s TPTO budget for review and revision by the steering committee. After approval by the Steering Committee, present the budget to the full TPTO for comments and questions in the Spring. The budget will then be voted on via an electronic vote communicated through the school newsletter.  The vote shall be open for a minimum of one week. ;

9. To assist committee chairs with financial matters as needed;

10. To prepare tax information for the CDSP. 

Section 4: Secretary:

There shall be one secretary of the TPTO. The duties of the secretary shall be:

1. To attend TPTO and steering committee meetings and record and distribute the minutes of such meetings;

2. To make available those minutes should any parent request to see a copy;

3. To maintain TPTO files.

ARTICLE X: COMMITTEES:

Section 1: Formation:

1. The number of committees may vary with the activities of the TPTO from year to year. Committees may be created or dissolved by the approval of the TPTO Steering Committee;

2. Newly elected committee members shall assume their duties on the last day of the school year or as deemed necessary.

Section 2: Committee Chairs:

Each committee shall have one or more chairs.  The duties of the chair(s) shall be as follows:

To keep the TPTO co-chairs informed throughout the year of their committee’s progress and 

  attend steering meetings as necessary;

At the end of the event or school year, to present a summary of all the committee’s activities, expenditures and recommendations, specifically including any proposed changes for the estimated budget for the next school year. This report shall be submitted to the co-chairs and to the treasurer. The file from each committee shall be forwarded to the incoming committee chair for the following year to ensure continuity in activities;

To perform such additional duties as may be assigned by the Steering Committee.

Section 4: Representatives to the Council of Darien School Parents (CDSP):

TPTO’s three voting members of the CDSP will be represented by any combination of the TPTO co-chairs and the co-vice chairs.

ARTICLE XI: PUBLISH:

These bylaws will be on the PTO website and available to anyone who wishes to see them.

ARTICLE XII: AMENDMENTS:

These bylaws may be amended at any regular or special meeting of the TPTO or by an electronic vote communicated via the school newsletter provided that: the proposed amendments to the bylaws have been approved by the TPTO Steering Committee and that notice to the TPTO Board members has been given at least two weeks in advance of the proposed vote.  An electronic vote shall be open for a minimum of one week.

These bylaws shall be reviewed/updated every three to five years by the Steering Committee.