Standing Rules

Note: Local PTA standing rules may not conflict with the WSPTA Uniform Bylaws or with National PTA Bylaws.

Standing Rules for Beacon Hill International PTA 6.15.42

Name and Identity

The name of this PTA is Beacon Hill PTA.  It was chartered on April 5, 1991. Its National PTA number is 6.15.42.

PTA Purpose and Community

This PTA serves the children in the Beacon Hill International School community, which includes the residences and businesses in the Beacon Hill International School enrollment area.

Incorporation

This PTA was incorporated on June 21, 1995 and assigned UBI 601 643 576. The treasurer is responsible for filing the annual corporation report by May 31st. The registered agent for this corporation is Washington State PTA. The Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 91-1486400.

Charitable Solicitations

This PTA is registered under the Charitable Solicitations Act, registration number 1100392. The treasurer is responsible for filing the annual registration by May 31 to avoid penalties. 

Tax-exempt Status

This PTA was granted tax exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code on August 1, 2000. A copy of the letter confirming this determination is filed in the legal document notebooks maintained by the president and secretary.

IRS Filing

The treasurer is responsible for filing the appropriate federal informational return prior to November 15 and providing a copy to the board of directors no later than December 1. Copies of the current and past years’ returns are kept in the legal document notebooks maintained by the president and secretary.

Registered Agent

This PTA has designated Washington State PTA as its registered agent with the Washington Secretary of State’s office, the Washington Department of Revenue, and the Internal Revenue Service. Copies of the signed documents making such designation are available in the legal document notebooks maintained by the president and secretary.

Standards of Affiliation

Per the Washington State PTA Uniform Bylaws, this PTA will annually complete the Washington State PTA Standards of Affiliation agreement in its entirety, and we agree to abide by all requirements and to uphold the ethics, policies, and principles of PTA.

Membership

Membership in BHIS PTA shall be open to all people without discrimination. Membership is open to all parents, teachers, staff, grandparents, guardians, students, community members, and any other persons that support and encourage the purposes of PTA.

Membership Dues and Council Fees

The dues for BHIS PTA shall not exceed $13 per individual adult membership, $13 per staff membership, and $10 per student membership. Membership subsidies may be used from the Beacon Hill general fund. A member can indicate the request of a subsidized membership on the Beacon Hill PTA membership form. All members may make motions, participate in debate, and vote at PTA membership meetings.

Membership Meetings and Quorum 

Adoption of the budget, adoption of standing rules, election of the nominating committee, report of the financial review committee, and election of officers shall take place at membership meetings. A calendar of membership meetings adequate to accomplish the business of the association shall be determined by the board of directors.

Each member will receive notice of the place, date, and time of the meetings not less than ten nor more than fifty days prior to the date of the meeting. A quorum of at least 5 members must be present to conduct business.

Board of Director Meetings

The Executive Committee, which is composed of the President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurers, shall set a calendar of regular board meeting dates and times. Special meetings of the board of directors may be called by the president or upon written request of the majority of members of the board of directors. Notification of place, date, time, and purpose of the meeting shall be delivered to each member of the board of directors via email at least five days prior to the special meeting. Quorum for board meetings is a majority of the sitting board.

The right to make proposals, motions, participate in debate, and vote at PTA board of directors’ meetings shall be limited to members of the board of directors, unless a motion to suspend the rules is approved by a two-thirds vote.

The BHIS PTA board of directors strives to reach consensus on decisions. Proposals must be shared with the board at least 24 hours prior to a meeting. All Board members may ask clarifying questions, put forward suggested changes, make an amended proposal, agree fully, agree with reservations, disagree without blocking, or block a decision. A person blocking a decision must put forward a feasible alternative proposal.

In the case of time-sensitive, emergency, or high-conflict decisions, the board may suspend consensus decision-making with two-thirds approval and move to majority vote using Robert’s Rules of Order.

Elected officers, co-officers, standards of affiliation, and training requirements

The elected officers of this PTA shall be: President or Co-President, Vice President or Co-Vice President, Secretary or Co-Secretary, Treasurer or Co-Treasurer, and Board Member at Large.

Any elected position may be held jointly by two or more people. Each co-position holder shall be entitled to make motions, participate in debate, and vote at a meeting of the executive committee or board of directors. In the event of co-treasurers, one of the treasurers may not be a signer on the bank account.

This PTA will review the WSPTA Standards of Affiliation yearly. The secretary is responsible for filing required documentation.

This PTA will ensure that each executive committee member attends a minimum of one WSPTA-approved training during the fiscal year. At least one member of the executive committee will attend PTA and the Law during the fiscal year.

Board of Directors

The Board of Directors of this PTA shall consist of the elected officers and the appointed chairs of the following standing committees: Advocacy, After School, Black Family Council, Chinese Family Council, Communication, Family Engagement and Community Events, Family Liaison, Fundraising, Latino Family Council, Membership, and Pod Parent. This group is the oversight body of the PTA, and no decisions may be made for the PTA without a quorum of those individuals voting. No single officer or board member has any authority to make decisions or commitments on behalf of the PTA.

Each member of the board of directors must be a member of the BHIS PTA.

Officer Election Process

Voting for officers or nominating committee members may take place at a meeting, by mail, or by electronic transmission. If voting takes place by mail or electronic transmission the BHIS PTA election policy and procedure will be followed.

Committees

The Executive Committee shall establish committees. Committee chairpersons shall be appointed by the president and approved by the executive committee for a term of one year.  Committee chairs shall be appointed annually. A committee chair may be removed from their position by a vote of the board of directors. All committee chairs must be current members of this PTA.

Committees for BHIS PTA may include but are not limited to:

  • Advocacy Committee
  • After School Planning Committee
  • Budget Committee
  • Communications Committee
  • Family Support Committee
  • Financial Review Committee
  • Fundraising Committee
  • Move-a-thon Committee
  • Nominating Committee
  • Read-a-thon Committee
  • Pod Parent Committee
  • Teacher and Staff Appreciation Committee
  • Volunteer Support and Awards Committee
  • Yearbook Committee
  • 5th Grade Graduation Committee

Awards

    Golden Acorn, Outstanding Advocate, Outstanding Student Advocate, and Outstanding Educator Award(s) may be awarded annually. The president may appoint the awards committee, with the approval of the executive committee. The awards committee will determine the number of award recipients and whether other awards will be considered on an annual basis, based on the yearly awards budget.

    Fundraising Income 

    All fundraising income will be considered unrestricted, unless a restricted gift is made, or a fundraiser is identified in the approved FY budget as going towards a specific line item.

    Regardless of if income is restricted or unrestricted, all fundraising income will have a percentage withheld for the SESSFA give-back, based on the current year’s SESSFA MOU.

    Budget and Monthly Financial Reports

    This PTA shall approve an annual operating budget in the spring of each year. The board of directors has the authority to reallocate funds budgeted for one purpose to another purpose. 

    The treasurer will submit a monthly financial report to the board of directors.

    Legal Documents

    The PTA shall maintain a safe deposit box at the bank where its checking account is maintained. The original copy of any legal document shall be kept in the safe deposit box. Digital copies are to be maintained for the president and secretary and kept in shared storage. All elected officers shall have access to the contents of the safe deposit box.

    Financial Review

    A financial review committee with a minimum of three members appointed by the president will review the financial records of this PTA twice a year. The report of the committee will be presented at the regularly scheduled membership meeting immediately following the review.

    Members of this committee shall not include the treasurer, or any person authorized to sign on the PTA bank accounts for the period that is being reviewed, or any individuals living in their households.

    Bank Account

    This PTA shall establish one or more accounts in financial institutions as determined by the board of directors. Any such account shall require the signatures of at least two elected officers to make a withdrawal.

    Bank Account Signers

    The board of directors shall determine which officers shall have signing authority on the PTA bank account. Unless specified otherwise by the board of directors, the President, Vice President, and Treasurer will have signing authority.

    In the event of co-treasurers, one will be a signer on the account and the other will have access to online banking for review. If there is one treasurer, another board member that is not a signer may be assigned to do the online banking review.

    Independent Review of Bank Statements

    The PTA’s monthly bank account statements shall be provided to a person appointed by the board of directors. The reviewer shall promptly report to the executive committee any concerns or discrepancies identified in the review. If no concerns or discrepancies are seen, the reviewer shall initial and date the account statements and provide them to the treasurer.

    Payments and Reimbursements

    All payment and reimbursement requests shall include an invoice or a receipt and should be submitted to the treasurer within 60 days of expenditure. Any requests for reimbursement not submitted prior to the date determined by the treasurer prior to the end of the school year, will be considered a donation to the general fund of this PTA.

    No authorized signer will sign a check to her or himself. Two authorized signers must sign all PTA checks.

    The PTA is authorized to remit payments or reimbursements via EFT/ACH, Direct Bill Pay, or Check, with the following consideration(s):

    1. Cash may be used in select circumstances, but a signed receipt must be requested from the recipient.

    PTA Contractors

      Any person providing services on behalf of the PTA on an ongoing basis will be considered independent contractors and will be asked to sign a standard agreement and provide the PTA with a completed W9. For any person receiving more than $600 in a calendar year from the PTA for services provided (this excludes reimbursements), a 1099 will be issued at the end of the calendar year.

      Voting Delegates- Washington State PTA

      This PTA may send as many voting delegates to the WSPTA Convention as allowed by the WSPTA Uniform Bylaws. All delegates shall be selected by the executive committee.

      Policy Review

      This PTA shall maintain policies for board standards of conduct, money handling, conflict of interest, online banking, password transition and electronic voting. These policies shall be reviewed and approved yearly by the board of directors. These policies shall reside with the secretary.

      Collaboration with Other Organizations

      This PTA may collaborate with other PTA and non-PTA organizations. The PTA will handle only PTA funds and will have in place a signed contract with the other organization to clearly establish whether it is a PTA activity or the other organization’s activity.

      Standing Rules

      The standing rules of this PTA shall be adopted annually by majority vote at the first membership meeting of the school year. The standing rules may be amended at a membership meeting by majority vote if previous notice of the meeting was given. If no previous notice was given, then a two-thirds vote is required.