SEPTA By-Laws
Article I: NAME
The name of this alliance is the Springfield Elementary Parent-Teacher Alliance
(SEPTA).
It is a local organization of parents, guardians and staff.
ARTICLE II: PURPOSE
Section 1. The Objects of the Alliance are:
a) To promote the welfare of children and youth in home, school, and community.
b) To raise the standards of home life.
c) To secure adequate laws for the care and protection of children and youth.
d) To bring into closer relation the home and the school, that parents, guardians,
and staff may cooperate intelligently in the education of children and youth.
e) To develop such united efforts as will secure for all children and youth, the
highest advantages in physical, mental, and social education.
Section 2. The Objects of this alliance are promoted, through an educational
program directed toward parents, guardians, and the staff of Springfield Elementary,
and are developed through conferences, committees, projects and programs, and
are governed and qualified by the basic policies set forth in Article III.
ARTICLE III: BASIC POLICIES
The following are basic policies of this alliance:
a) The alliance shall be non-commercial, nonsectarian, and nonpartisan.
b) The name of the alliance or the names of any members in their official capacities
shall not be used in any connection with a commercial concern or with any
partisan interest or for any purpose not appropriately related to promotion of the
Objects of the alliance.
c) The alliance SHALL NOT - directly or indirectly - participate or intervene (in any
way, including the publishing or distributing of statements) in any political
campaign on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for public office, or
devote more that an insubstantial part of its activities to attempting to influence
legislation by propaganda or otherwise.
d) The alliance 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 by the people to Boards of Education.
e) The alliance may cooperate with other organizations and agencies concerned
with child welfare, but persons representing the alliance in such matters shall
make NO commitments that bind the alliance.
ARTICLE IV: ARTICLES OF ORGANIZATION
The articles of the alliance are composed of the By-laws.
ARTICLE V: MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Membership in SEPTA shall be made available to any individual with a
verifiable household connection to a current student or current staff member of
Springfield Elementary School, without regard to race, color, creed or national origin
under such rules and regulations not in conflict with the provisions of these by-laws.
Verification of connection is to be by Main Office Secretary of Springfield
Elementary School. Connection verification must be performed prior to granting of
item on agenda.
Section 2. All parents, guardians, and staff of SEPTA shall be eligible to participate in
the business meetings, or to serve in any of its elective or appointive positions (see
Article IV). For the safety of staff and students at Springfield Elementary School,
attendance at SEPTA is limited to individuals with a household connection to current
students and current employed staff members of Springfield Elementary School and
SEPTA members, unless specifically invited by the SEPTA board. Individuals who do
not meet these requirement are not eligible to attend and are therefore encouraged
to find other venues for their message.
ARTICLES VI: OFFICERS AND THEIR ELECTION
Section 1. Eligibility for Office:
a) Each executive officer of SEPTA shall be a member of SEPTA at least one year.
b) For the office of President, nominee must be an ACTIVE member for at least one
(1) year prior to election.
Section 2. Officers and their election:
a) The officers of their alliance shall consist of a president, vice-president, a
secretary and a treasurer. Co-officers may serve in the offices of president and
vice-president.
b) Officers shall be elected by a show of hands annually in the month of APRIL.
However if there is but one nominee for any office, election for that office may be
by voice vote.
c) Officers shall assume their official duties following the close of the meeting in
June and shall serve for a term of one year or until their successors are elected.
d) A person shall be eligible to serve more than two consecutive terms in the same
office.
Section 3. Nominating committee:
a) There shall be a nominating chairperson who shall be appointed by the alliance
at a regular meeting at least one month prior to the elections of officers.
b) The nominating chairperson shall present the slate of interested candidates
(including self-nominated). Majority assent of the current board is required to
attain a position on the ballot. If tiebreaker is needed, president will designate
tiebreaker; this may include school principal.
c) Only those persons who have signified their consent to serve if elected shall be
nominated for or elected to such office.
Section 4. Vacancies:
a) A vacancy occurring in any office shall be filled for the unexpired term by a
person elected by a majority vote, of the executive board, notice of such election
having been given. In case a vacancy occurs in the office of the president, the
vice-president shall take over the duties until another president is named. (See
Article VI.)
ARTICLE VII: DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS
Section 1. The president shall preside at all meetings of the alliance or the executive
board; shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed in these by-laws or
assigned to him by the alliance or by the executive board; and shall coordinate the
work of the officers and committees of the alliance in order that the Objects may be
promoted.
Section 2. The vice-president shall act as an aide to the president and shall perform
the duties of the president in the absence or inability of that officer to act.
Section 3. The secretary shall record the minutes of all meetings of the alliance and
of the executive board and shall perform such other duties as may be delegated to
him/her.
Section 4. The treasurer shall have custody of all of the funds for the alliance, shall
keep a full a accurate account of receipts and expenditures; and in accordance with
the budget adopted by the alliance shall make disbursements as authorized by the
president, executive board, or alliance. The treasurer shall present a financial
statement at every meeting of the alliance and at other times when requested by
the executive board and shall make of full report at the meeting at which new
officers officially assume their duties. The treasurer shall be responsible for the
maintenance of such books of account and records as it conforms to the
requirements of Article XII, Section 3, of these by-laws. The treasurer’s accounts shall
be examined annually by an auditor who, satisfied that the treasurer’s annual report
is correct, shall sign a statement of that fact at the end of the report. The auditor
shall be selected by the executive board at least two weeks before the meeting at
which new officers assume duties. This auditing must take place between July 1 and
September 1.
Section 5. The volunteer coordinator shall assist event chairpersons in recruitment
of volunteers. Filling of this position is subject to member interest and this role may
not be filled every year.
Section 6. All officers shall:
a) Perform the duties prescribed in the parliamentary authority in addition to those
outlined in the by-laws and those assigned from time to time.
b) Deliver to their successors all official material not later than ten days following
the meeting which new officers assume their duties.
c) Any officer shall resign their position at such time as they file or register as a
candidate for any elected public position, in order to avoid an actual or perceived
conflict of interest.
ARTICLE VIII: EXECUTIVE BOARD
Section 1. The executive board shall consist of the officers (from Article VII above) of
the alliance.
Section 2. The duties of the executive board shall be (a) to transact necessary
business in the intervals between alliance meetings and such other business as may
be referred to it by alliance; (b) to approve events and appoint event chairpersons;
(c) to approve the plans of work of the event chairpersons (d) to present a report at
the regular meeting of the alliance; (e) to select an auditor to audit the treasurer's
accounts; (f) to prepare and submit to the alliance for adoption a budget for the
year; (g) to approve routine bills within the limits of the budget; (h) maintain by-laws
by (at a minimum) annual review and approval; (i) review proposed revisions to by-
laws in a timely manner, for which revisions must be agreed upon unanimously. The
executive board reserves the right to approve emergency funds of up to $200 for
indications which must be agreed upon unanimously.
Section 3. Regular meetings of the executive board shall be held during the year, the
time to be fixed by the committee at its first meeting of the year. A majority of the
executive board members shall constitute a quorum. Special meetings of the
executive board maybe called by the president or by a majority of the members of
the committee.
ARTICLE IX: MEETINGS
Section 1. Monthly meetings of this alliance shall be held during the school year.
Date of meetings, month and day, shall be determined by the executive board and
announced at the first regular meeting of the year.
Section 2. Special meetings of the alliance may be called by the president or by a
majority of the executive board seven (7) days notice have been given.
Section 3. The election meeting shall be held in APRIL.
Section 4. Five (5) members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business
in any meeting of this alliance.
ARTICLE X: STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES
Section 1. Only members of the alliance shall be eligible to serve in any elective or
appointed positions.
Section 2. The executive board may create such events and/or appoint
chairperson(s) as it may deem necessary to promote the Objects and carry on the
work of the alliance. The term of each event chairperson shall be one (1) year or until
the selection of his/her successor.
Section 3. The event chairperson shall present a plan of work, in person or in writing,
to the executive board for approval. Event chairperson may send delegate. No
committee work shall be undertaken without the consent of the executive board.
An estimated budget must be presented in advance and approved by treasurer
before event purchases are made.
Section 4. Event chairperson should notify executive board, in a timely manner, to
add committee issues to agenda for upcoming SEPTA meetings.
GUIDELINES
Agenda
• Agenda is at the discretion of the President and is to be set in advance by the
Secretary. President may seek input of executive board.
• Members of SEPTA who wish to be on the meeting agenda must notify the
secretary of their request, via email, at a minimum of 7 days in advance of the
meeting. Members must state in advance the expected content of their
request.
• If request is granted:
o Speaking time at meeting per agenda topic (not per speaker per topic)
is limited to [5] minutes.
o Speaker agrees to abide by “Respectful, Responsible, and Kind” guiding
principle of Springfield Elementary School. Speakers that cannot abide
by these principles will be asked to end their speech and leave the
physical meeting. If meeting is held virtually, speaker will be removed
from call.
o Executive board reserves the right to terminate membership in SEPTA
for behavior or language that falls outside of these principles though
this decision must be made with unanimous vote and terminated
member must be notified in writing of decision.
• Requests for agenda made by non-members of SEPTA may not be granted.
• Behavior directed towards executive board members considered harassing,
bullying, intimidating, nuisance, or threatening will be referred to the
Superintendent of Palisades, copied to the Principal of Springfield Elementary,
with recourse ultimately lying with Springfield Township Police if necessary.
Guidelines for Hospitality and Appreciation Expenses
1. Illness – Teachers and Staff (hospital): $25.00 maximum.
2. Retirement – Principal, Teacher, Secretary, Faculty – NOT TRANSFERRING –
$5.00 per year times number of years of service at Springfield Elementary:
$100.00 maximum.
3. Death in immediate family of staff, immediate family of student:
$40.00 maximum (with discretion of executive board). If no option- “In Lieu
Of” or if a fund has not been established, a book will be donated to the
school library in memory of deceased person, including a bookplate in book
Donated in memory of___________ by SEPTA dated_____.
Food for Volunteers
Food for volunteers is paid for themselves or is negotiated by event chairperson to
be paid for by company selected to do fundraiser.
Volunteers
Volunteers should only be reimbursed for their supplies, not paid for time, because
we all are volunteering our time. Everyone's time is valuable.
Bounced Checks
Strongly recommended that all parents and guardians are notified, prior to events
(ex. Fund raiser, book fairs etc.) that returned checks and all fees incurred will be the
responsibility (paid for by person who written the check) of the writer of the check.
Auditing of the Treasurer's Books
It is strongly recommended that because of the nature of this action (selecting an
auditor), the Treasurer should abstain from voting for or against the auditor.
Handling Funds
a) Event chairperson is responsible for obtaining, reading and understanding the
Treasurer's instructions as listed in the Treasurer's book.
b) Treasurer or their designee is responsible to deposit funds.
c) Chairperson must return (to treasurer) net or deposit net funds within 5 business
days from the close of fundraising activity.
d) Disputed totals will be rectified by the bank.
e) Chairperson must include fundraising guidelines in fundraising literature.
f) Chairperson must identify student or staff member of Springfield Elementary, by
name and phone number, as the contact for all fundraising orders.
g) All personal and business checks must have a name, address and phone number
written on the check or printed.
Date of last review: April 7, 2024
SEPTA Officers/Staff at last review:
President: Erin Schubach
Vice-President: Meredith Birsner
Secretary: Melony Oestreich
Volunteer Coordinator: Katrina Laubach
Treasurer: Lynne Houser
Date of next review: April 2025