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GAPA Standing Rules

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GREENWICH ACADEMY PARENTS ASSOCIATION STANDING RULES April 9, 2008 I. BOARD MEMBERSHIP AND DUTIES A. In accordance with the By Laws the Board shall consist of the Officers (President, Vice President, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, and Treasurer), the Assistant Treasurer, the Chairperson of the Nominating Committee, the three Division Representatives, not more than four Members at Large, and the Chairpersons of Standing Committees. All Board Members shall attend Board meetings and shall be prepared to report at meetings if called upon by the President. Board members are encouraged to attend Academy programs and functions. In the event that the Chairperson of a Standing Committee is unable to attend a Board meeting, and that Committee has a Vice Chairperson or Co-Chairperson(s), it is expected that the Vice Chairperson or any Co-Chairperson(s) of that Committee shall attend the meeting and shall make any committee reports. In addition, the Vice Chairperson or CoChairpersons shall be encouraged to attend all Board meetings but the Vice Chairperson or one and only one Co-Chairperson shall vote for the Committee only in the absence of the Chairperson. All Committees shall work within a budget established by the Association. No member of the Board shall commit the Association to any expenditure not covered in a budget or included in a program approved by the Board except as provided in Article IX of these Standing Rules. B. C. D. II. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE A. The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, Vice President, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, the three Division Representatives and any not more than one Member-at-Large who shall serve only at the request of the President of the Association in accordance with the By Laws. The President, who shall be Chairperson of the Executive Committee, may invite any other member(s) of the Board to an Executive Committee meeting, but the guest(s) shall not vote on any Executive Committee action. B. III. NOMINATING COMMITTEE A. In accordance with the By Laws, the Committee shall consist of a Chairperson, the President, the Vice President, the three Division Representatives, and not more than two Members at Large who shall serve only upon request of the Vice President. B. This Committee shall prepare an election slate of members of the Board, which shall be presented to the Head of School for prior approval. The slate shall consist of all Officers, Members at Large, Division Representatives and the Standing Committee Chairpersons and Vice Chairpersons. The slate shall be presented to the Association and voted on at the Annual Meeting. IV. ASSISTANT TREASURER A. The Treasurer shall be assisted by an Assistant Treasurer who shall support the Treasurer in all aspects of that office’s fiduciary responsibilities. The Assistant Treasurer shall proceed to the office of Treasurer for the next consecutive term provided he or she is willing and able to serve. B. V. DIVISION REPRESENTATIVES A. The Division Representatives shall assist the Division Heads with establishing and advising the Class Representatives and shall act as liaisons to the Division Heads. The Division Representatives shall assist the Vice President with implementation and monitoring of the Buddy Family Program. The Division Representatives shall assist Committee Chairpersons for special events such as Open House, Annual Dinner, holiday decorating and Faculty and Staff Breakfast, when requested. The Division Representatives shall serve on the Nominating Committee. B. C. D. VI. MEMBERS AT LARGE A. There shall be no more than four Members at Large, which shall consist of a former member of the Executive Committee and, as needed, former Board Members. All Members at Large must have a daughter currently enrolled at the Academy. Each Member at Large shall be a voting member of the Board. Each Member at Large shall act in an advisory capacity and shall be available for special projects at the request of the President. No more than one Member-at-Large shall serve on the Executive Committee at the request of the President. No more than two Members at Large shall serve on the Nominating Committee at the request of the Vice President. B. C. D. E. VII. STANDING COMMITTEES A. The Standing Committees shall be as follows: Assemblies, Athletics, Benefit, Book Fair, Book Store, Clothing Nook, Community Service, Faculty and Staff Appreciation, FridayAfters, GA Cares, Hospitality, Library Volunteer Coordinator, Nominating, Parents Together, Performing Arts, Publicity, Student Enrichment Programs and Ways and Means. The Board shall also have the power to create or dissolve any other Standing Committee, in accordance with the By Laws. B. The offices and duties of the Standing Committees shall be as follows: 1. Assemblies a. This Committee shall have a Chairperson and Vice Chairperson. b. The Chairperson shall be responsible for scheduling and booking programs for each school division. In the spring, the Chairperson shall consult with the Head of School and the Division Heads as to the selection of cultural enrichment programs and shall coordinate programs with Brunswick, as appropriate. Athletics a. The Committee shall have a Chairperson. b. The Chairperson shall act as liaison for the Board with the Director of the Academy’s Athletic Program and shall provide assistance in any way possible, including but not limited to helping with the annual Athletic Banquet. c. The Chairperson shall work with the Student Athletic Board to directly support its endeavors. d. The Chairperson shall assist the Publicity Committee by providing information regarding athletic events, teams and accomplishments. e. The Chairperson shall act as liaison to the Student Enrichment Programs Chairperson to ensure that pre season and camp information is fully disseminated and available to students and parents. f. The Chairperson shall take such action as appropriate for the goal of promoting school spirit and excellence through athletics. Benefit a. This Committee shall have a Chairperson who may either select up to three Co-Chairpersons or may designate himself or herself as a Co-Chairperson and select up to three additional Co-Chairpersons. b. This Committee shall be responsible for special fundraising activities approved by the Board. c. The Chairperson shall appoint a Benefit Treasurer. d. The Benefit Treasurer shall be responsible for the preparation of the final accounting of the Benefit in coordination with the Business Office. Book Fair a. This Committee shall have a Chairperson and a Vic Chairperson. b. This Committee shall be responsible for organizing a Book Fair to be held in the spring of each year. 2. 3. 4. c. The Chairperson shall appoint a Book Fair Treasurer who will be responsible for the preparation of the final accounting of the Book Fair. 5. School Book Store a. This Committee shall have a Chairperson. b. The Book Store Chairperson shall prepare and organize a volunteer staff to work at the Academy Book Store. c. The Book Store Chairperson shall hold this office for two consecutive terms. Clothing Nook a. This Committee shall have a Chairperson. b. This Committee shall be responsible for the collection and merchandising of used uniforms and athletic equipment in the Clothing Nook and the financial accounting of the proceeds. c. This Committee shall help, as needed, to administer student items placed in the respective "Lost and Found" bins for each of the Upper School, Middle School and Lower School divisions of the Academy. Community Service a. This Committee shall have a Chairperson for each of the Upper School, the Middle School and the Lower School divisions of the Academy. b. The respective Chairperson for each division shall work with the faculty Community Service Representative to plan and implement community service programs through which Academy students can participate. c. The Chairpersons of the Middle School and of the Upper School divisions shall work with the Student Community Service Board to directly support all its endeavors. Faculty and Staff Appreciation a. This Committee shall have a Chairperson. b. This Committee shall purchase or appropriate, via parent donations, gifts and services to be distributed throughout the school year to faculty and staff by random selection. c. This Committee shall be responsible for Faculty and Staff Appreciation Day, assisted by the Vice President and the Division Representatives. Friday-Afters a. The Committee shall have a Chairperson and a Vice Chairperson. b. The Chairperson shall be responsible for organizing and administering an after school program for students, including hiring appropriate instructors, coordinating arrival and departure for the students, and coordinating bookkeeping with the Business Office. GA Cares a. This Committee shall have a Chairperson. b. This Committee shall support families within the GA community who are experiencing hardship. c. This Committee shall work closely with the President to ensure each family their desired level of confidentiality. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. d. In certain cases, this Committee shall coordinate with the Brunswick “Bear Hugs” Committee. 11. Hospitality a. This Committee shall have a Chairperson and a Vice Chairperson. b. This Committee shall be responsible for the Annual Dinner held in the early fall. c. This Committee shall be responsible for Holiday Decorations throughout the school facilities. d. This Committee shall organize a winter supper and or luncheon. Library Volunteer Coordinator a. This Committee shall have a Chairperson. b. The Chairperson shall organize, schedule and maintain a volunteer staff to assist in the Academy libraries and for special library functions. c. The Chairperson shall be responsible for cataloguing, maintaining and expanding the Parent Resource Collection. Nominating a. This Committee shall have a Chairperson. b. This Committee shall act in accordance with the By Laws and with Article III of these Standing Rules. Parents Together a. This Committee shall have a Chairperson and a Vice Chairperson. b. This Committee shall consult with the Head of School and the appropriate Division Heads to organize programs to help promote parenting skills and to provide information and education to help support a healthy environment for children. Programs shall be coordinated with Brunswick and other schools when appropriate. c. This Committee shall represent the school on the Greenwich Committee of Parents Together. Performing Arts a. This Committee shall have a Chairperson and a Vice Chairperson. b. This Committee shall work to promote the performing arts at the Academy in any way possible, including but not limited to acting as liaison to the performing arts department, assisting the Student Arts Board, organizing volunteers to help with performances, and assisting with fundraising events. c. This Committee shall assist the Publicity Committee by providing information regarding performing arts events and achievements. d. This Committee shall liase with the Student Enrichment Programs Chairperson to ensure that information regarding all performing arts camp and program opportunities are publicized to Academy students and parents. Publicity a. This Committee shall have a Chairperson. b. The Chairperson shall be responsible for public relations and publicity concerning GAPA-related events and activities. Student Enrichment Programs 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. a. This Committee shall have a Chairperson. b. This Committee shall be responsible for providing information to Academy families regarding opportunities, camps and programs, including but not limited to updating the Student Enrichment Opportunities website with new information produced from regular surveys taken within the Greenwich Academy Community. 18. Ways and Means a. This Committee shall have a Chairperson and a Vice Chairperson. b. This Committee shall oversee any ongoing mini-fundraisers and research new fund raising opportunities. The Chairperson shall consult with the Head of School, President and Vice President and present the Committee's recommendations for any benefit or project to the Board for the succeeding year. VIII. TERMS OF SUCCESSION A. Terms of Officers shall be as specified by the By Laws. Terms of all other Board members shall be one year to commence at the close of the school year except as where otherwise specified. It is expected that the Chairperson will be succeeded by the Vice Chairperson, if any. However, not any one of the Benefit Co-Chairpersons shall automatically succeed the Chairperson, if any. B. IX. COMMITTEE FINANCES A. The Treasurer shall prepare the Annual Budget after consultation with the Executive Committee and Committee Chairpersons. Committee expenditures above the amount in the approved budget must be reviewed by the Treasurer and funded at the discretion of the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee may approve such additional expenditures not to exceed $500.00 at a meeting of the Executive Committee with the affirmative vote of a majority of those present. Each fiscal year, the Board will consider proposals to expend Parents Association funds for gifts to the school. Board members, the Head of School or the Trustees may generate proposals. The Board will vote on proposals at a subsequent duly called meeting. Proposals are approved with an affirmative vote of a majority of the Members present. Gifts to the school shall be at the Board’s discretion and are not necessarily made annually. In addition to gifts to the School, the Board may consider other requests for expenditure of funds exceeding $500.00. In this event, the Executive Committee should consider the proposal and make its recommendation to the Board. The request may be funded with the affirmative vote of approval of a majority of those Members present at a duly called meeting of the Board. B. C. D. E. The collection or expenditure of any money shall be reported in writing to the Board Treasurer. The Treasurer shall coordinate the accounting of all funds with the Business Office. The GAPA Treasurer shall provide regular financial reporting to the Executive Committee, detailed summary of expenses for Committee Chairs and full reports to the Board on a regular basis. The GAPA Treasurer shall ensure the proper accounting of all funds through the respective Greenwich Academy fiscal year. F. G. X. VACANCY Any vacancy shall be filled for the unexpired term by appointment of the President in consultation with the Head of School, except as otherwise specified in the By Laws. XI. AMENDMENT The Standing Rules may be amended by a majority of votes cast at any Board meeting provided that any proposed amendments shall be distributed to each Board member not less than 15 days prior to the meeting at which the vote is to be taken.