PTSS Mission

Article I. Mission    

The Parent Teacher Student Society, Inc., (PTSS) has been organized to support and enhance the unique educational program of  SSAS and the academic, social, and personal growth of its students.    This organization is organized and operated exclusively for charitable purposes within the meaning of section 501 (c)(3) Internal Revenue Code.    

Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, PTSS, shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on by an organization exempt from Federal income tax under section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 196 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law)or (b) by an organization contributions to which are deductible under section 170 (c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of  1986 (or corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law).    

The PTSS will assist in fundraising to promote SSAS’s educational program, give guidance and support in academic and administrative areas, enrich student life and lend moral support to the job of educating SSAS students.    

The PTSS will also serve as the liaison among parents, administration, and the governing board of SSAS.       

Article II    

Membership shall consist of parents and or guardians of  all students enrolled in SSAS and the faculty and staff of SSAS.    No dues shall be required for membership and any donation to the society shall be used for the purposes as stated in Article 1.  In addition each member at a general PTSS meeting shall have one vote.  

Article III    

The following are basic policies of the SSAS PTSS:               

A.    The society shall be non-commercial, nonsectarian and nonpartisan.                

B.     The society shall not, directly or indirectly, participate or intervene in any way in any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office.                        

C.    The PTSS shall work with the school to provide quality education for all children and youth and shall seek to participate in the decision making process establishing school policy, recognizing that the legal responsibility to make decisions has been delegated to the Board of Directors of SSAS.       

D.    The PTSS may cooperate with any other organizations active in child welfare, such as conference groups or coordinating councils          

E.    In the event of the dissolution of the organization, any assets shall be distributed for one or more of the exempt purposes specified in Section 501 (c)3 of the IRS code of 1954 as from time to time amended.                    

Article IV 

Meeting of the Members    

During the school year at least five general mandatory membership meetings of the PTSS shall be held on the dates designated by the leadership team. 

A parent or guardian of each student at SSA+S must attend a minimum of five PTSS meetings per school year. 

The purpose of the general and annual meetings shall be to discuss matters, which are in common interest to members, and to suggest courses of action to be considered by the leadership team.  

Notice of the general and annual meetings shall be given by the secretary, to the membership at large, with notice of not less than two weeks and special meetings not less than four days before the meeting.  

Those members present shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. 

Article V 

Leadership Team    

Section 1.   

Number and term of Leadership Team    

The leadership team composed of five parents and one faculty member shall manage the business and affairs of the PTSS.  

Each leadership team member shall hold office until his or her successor is elected.  

The term shall be one year starting on May first through April Thirtieth. 

Leadership team members may be elected for  consecutive terms.    

Section 2.  

Duties of the Leadership Team    

The leadership team shall be the governing body of the society.  It shall determine the policies and fiscal matters and, in general, assume responsibility for the transaction of  necessary business as my be referred to it by the PTSS.  It shall approve the plans of work of the standing committees and present a report at the general meetings of the corporation. Additionally, each member shall, at the close of school year, present an oral     or written report and may make any recommendations.    

Section 3.  

Leadership Team Meetings    

The leadership team shall hold monthly meetings or more frequently as deemed necessary.  At such meetings each team member shall have one vote.  All meetings shall be open to the general membership. 

Section 4.

Vacancies    

Any vacancy occurring in the leadership team shall be slated by any member of the society and confirmed by a majority vote of the remaining team members.  The interim team member thus chose shall hold office until the end of the unexpired term to which appointed.    

Section 5.  

Resignation or Removal    

Any team member may resign office at any time.  Such resignation to be made in writing and to take effect immediately without acceptance.  In the event that an team member misses three meetings during the school year, the third missed meeting shall be considered as their resignation, as approved by the Committee. Misfeasance, malfeasance or disability of a Committee member shall constitute cause for removal from office.       

Section 6.  

Power to Appoint an Auditor    

The leadership team shall have the power to appoint an auditor to review the checking  account of the PTSS at any time as well as two weeks prior to the end of the school year.    

Section 7.  

Annual Reports    

The leadership team members shall present the Parent Teacher Student Society  (PTSS), at their annual meeting, their respective written reports of the operation of the society for the preceding year.            

Article VI. 

General Membership Meetings    

Section 1.  

Annual Meeting    

The annual meeting of the society shall be held in Sarasota County, Florida  during the month of April of each year.       

Section 2.  Order of Business    

Order of business at annual meeting will be as follows:    

A.    Reading of  Notice of Meeting    

B.    Reading of Minutes of Previous Meeting    

C.    Reports of Team Members    

D.    Reports of Committees    

E.    Election of New Officers    

F.    Other Business    

G.    Adjournment                      

Section 3.  

Annual Report    

At the annual meeting the team shall report on the activities and matters considered by the society for the year ending April 30th.    

Section 4. Frequency of Meetings    

General meeting of the PTSS shall be held at least four times yearly with the final meeting to be held in  April that deemed the annual meeting.  Each leadership team of the PTSS will call meetings in the frequency they deem necessary to run the business of the PTSS.    

Section 5. 

Quorum    

A majority of the total number of members present shall constitute a quorum.  The act of a majority of members present at the meeting at which a quorum is present shall be considered the act of the leadership team, unless otherwise specified in these bylaws.                

Article VII.  

Leadership Team    

Section 1.  

Team Members    

The leadership team shall consist of five parents, chosen from the PTSS and one faculty member (appointed by the school director) or the School Director.  A school director may be appointed only at the discretion of the leadership team members in majority vote.      Each team member shall hold office for one year starting May 1st. through April 30th. of the following year.  The five parent team members shall consist of one governing board member, a representative of the school management team, (community facilitator) a     committee liaison, secretary, treasurer, and ancillary participant.      

Section 2.  

Election of Team Members    

Any parent or guardian may submit their name as a candidate for the leadership team.      Elections shall be conducted at the annual meeting in April.    

Section 3.  

Vacancies    

Any vacancies occurring  in the leadership team shall be filled by members of PTSS and voted on by the remaining team members    

Section 4.  

Board Member    

This person will serve on the Board of Directors and represent the PTSS on the Board. (President)  This person will be a secondary signer to the funds account    

Section 5.  

School Management Team    

This person will report to the PTSS team on school issues and events (Vice-president).      This person will be a secondary signer to the funds account.                       

Section 6.  

School Business Management    

This person will report PTSS business to the members in regards to the treasury of the PTSS. (Treasurer).  This person will be primary signer to the funds account    

Section 7.  

Committee Liaison    

All committee chairs will report to this person.  This position will help guide the committees and act as an intermediary between the committees and the PTSS.    

Section 8.  

Secretary    

This person will be responsible for documenting the PTSS business.    

Article VIII. 

Committees    

The leadership team shall create committees as deemed necessary to promote the objectives and carry on the work of the PTSS.    Each committee shall meet  and will report to the leadership team.  The committees shall be as follows but not limited to:                    

All  Fundraising                

Newsletter/ Web Site                

Year Book                

Staff Appreciation                

Hospitality                

Room Parents                

School Store                

E-mail Chain                

Beautification                

Attendance and Volunteer Hour Coordinator                

Publicity    

Article IX.  

Fiscal Year    

The fiscal year of the PTSS shall end at the same time as the Sarasota School of Arts and Sciences. 

Article X.    

“Roberts Rules of Order Newly Revised” shall be the parliamentary authority for all matters of procedure not specifically covered by these bylaws.    

Article XI.  

Books and Records       

The PTSS shall keep correct and  complete books and records of account and shall keep minutes of the proceedings of  the leadership team.    

Article XII.  

Disbursement of Funds  

The PTSS will have a general vote for the disbursement of earned funds by the members during PTSS general meetings.  A majority vote will equate with a disbursement for the said amount.  If there is an immediate need of funds before the next scheduled PTSS meeting, in the sum of $500 or less, there can be a vote by the PTSS leadership team to release this amount with a majority vote of three. 

Article XIII 

Indemnification    

Section 1.  

Conditions.  

The corporation shall indemnify any past or present board member or committee member, officer, employee or agent of the society, and any person who may have served or who serves at its request a fiduciary, against.

 (a) Any expenses and costs, including but not limited to legal and accounting fees, including cost of appeal, incurred in connection with any  claim asserted against him/her by reason of being or having been such board or committee member, officer, employee, agent, of fiduciary or in connections with any civil or criminal action, suit, or proceeding which is instituted before any court or administrative body and to which he/she is made a party by reason of being or having been such a  board member or committee member, officer , employee, agent or fiduciary. 

(b) Any amounts paid in settlement of any  such claim or any such action, suit or proceeding. 

(c).  Any amounts paid on any judgments rendered in any such action. suit or proceedings; provided that he/she acted in good faith and in a manner he/she reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the society and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his/her conduct was unlawful; provided further that, if he/she is adjudged in any action or suit by or in the right of the society to be liable for negligence or misconduct in the performance of his/her duty to the society, indemnification shall be made only to the extent that the court in which such action or suit is brought determines  he/she is fairly and reasonably entitled.  In no event, however, shall indemnification be made for gross negligence of willful misconduct.

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