The Agnes Irwin School
Parents’ Council By-Laws
I. Name
The name of the organization shall be The Agnes Irwin School Parents’
Council (PC).
II. Purpose
The purpose of The Agnes Irwin School Parents’ Council is to foster a
positive spirit within the Agnes Irwin community and to provide financial
support for educational facilities, opportunities, and enrichment. Parents’
Council communicates with the School’s administration to ensure that all
activities and financial contributions support the School’s mission and
create the best possible environment for all Agnes Irwin students to grow
and thrive.
III. Members
All parents/guardians of students currently enrolled at The Agnes Irwin
School shall be members of the PC.
Each member of the PC is entitled to one vote. Voting by proxy is not
permitted.
IV.
Executive Committee of the Parents’ Council
The Executive Committee (EC) will consist of the following members:
• President
• Events Coordinator
• Secretary
• New Parent Coordinator
• Treasurer
• Upper School Coordinator
• Middle School Coordinator
• Lower School Coordinator
• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Coordinator
• Member-at-Large
V. Duties and Terms of The Agnes Irwin School Parents’ Council
Executive Committee
A. The President shall serve a one year term and preside at all meetings
of the Parents’ Council and Executive Committee, maintain order
during the transaction of business, put motions to a vote and
perform all other duties deemed necessary.
B. If the President is unable to fulfill his/her term, the Executive
Committee shall elect his/her successor from among them or any
past member of the EC. Any other vacancy may be filled by the
President with the approval of the EC for the unexpired portion of
the term.
C. The term of office for each EC member begins July 1st, coinciding
with the Fiscal year of the School.
D. Each member is limited to a maximum of two consecutive years in
any given position except for the position of Treasurer. The term of
Treasurer can run from 1 year to a maximum of 3 years.
E. Vacancies during the year will be filled by appointment of the
President with majority approval of the Executive Committee. A
person with a leadership position can be removed from his/her role
only with a majority approval of the Executive Committee.
VI. The Nominating Committee and Elections
Nomination Procedure for PC President, EC Positions, Event Chairs and
Class Parents
A. A Nominating Committee (NC) will be appointed by the Executive
Committee (EC) and will consist of: a Chair, appointed by the EC,
three additional members of the EC and one parent representative
from each division, as chosen by the EC.
B. Responsibilities of the NC include:
• Compiling and reviewing a list of candidates for President, EC
positions, Class Parent positions, and Event Chair positions
• Matching prospective candidates to appropriate positions that
are consistent with each candidate’s interest and skill set
• Seeking approval of each candidate from the Administration
and EC
• Determining the interest level of the candidate, following the
approval process, and asking the candidate to serve in the
approved position
C. Process
1. Nominations will be gathered from and submitted by members
of the AIS parent community.
2. PC President
a. Nominations for President will be closed by January
15th.
b. The EC will submit nominations for PC President to the
NC. The nominated candidates for PC President should
have prior EC experience.
c. The NC will submit a list of the candidates for PC
President to the Head of School for approval.
d. The NC will prepare and submit the PC President ballot
to the EC for approval.
e. The NC will nominate the PC President from the list of
candidates.
f. The EC will present a nominee for President to PC at a
PC meeting for election by March 31st.
3. PC Leadership roles (EC, Event Chairs and Class Parents)
a. Nominations for all roles other than President will be
closed one week following the announcement of
President.
b. The NC will prepare and submit a list of names of
potential PC Leadership candidates first to the EC for
approval.
c. The NC will then submit the updated list of potential PC
Leadership candidates to Administration for approval.
d. The NC will prepare and submit a “preliminary ballot” to
the EC for final approval.
e. The NC will vote for the leadership positions from the
approved ballot. Only candidates who have agreed to
serve if elected will be included on the ballot
f. After candidates consent and positions are filled, a slate
will be recorded and submitted to the members of the
parent body at the penultimate Parents’ Council meeting,
or via AIS-ON.
g. The slate will be voted on at the final Parents’ Council
meeting by a majority vote of those present.
4. If a candidate resigns or if a position is vacated, the balance of
the term will be filled by a candidate approved by the NC,
Executive Committee and Administration.
VII. Other Committees
In addition to the Executive Committee and Nominating Committee, the
Parent’s Council shall have such other committees as may be necessary or
appropriate to promote the objectives and interests of the PC. The
President may from time to time authorize the creation, elimination or
modification of committees to assist in supporting the goals of The Agnes
Irwin School PC.
A. All Committee Chairmen shall keep a notebook that describes the
nature and requirements of his/her committee.
B. A Committee Report is to be completed by each Chairman in
duplicate and handed in, along with the Committee Notebook, to the
President before the end of the school year.
C. All Committee Chairmen must consult with the PC Treasurer
regarding all financial matters; i.e. inventory control, record keeping,
receipts and disbursement procedures.
The following standing committees will assist PC in fulfilling its stated
purposes:
▪ The Agnes Irwin Cup (golf tournament)
▪ RenAISsance Sale (used uniform/clothing sale)
▪ Spirit Fest (formerly Hay Fair)
▪ OWLidays
▪ LS & MS/US Staff Appreciation Luncheons
▪ RaisE
▪ Spring Market
▪ May Fair
▪ Commencement Reception
VIII. Meetings
A. Meetings and Membership
General meetings of PC and meetings of the EC shall be held as
frequently as the President deems necessary with no fewer than six
(6) per academic year.
1. At all meetings, motions shall be passed by a simple majority of
the voting members attending.
2. The general meetings of PC are open to all members of PC.
3. The meetings of EC are open to all members of the EC. Other
members of PC may be invited to attend as deemed appropriate
by the President.
B. Rule of Procedure for Meetings
The conduct of any meeting should follow rules of reasonable
discourse and order as established by the chair of the meeting, with
the aim of courteous interaction. The chair of any meeting may call
the meeting to order, establish fair guidelines for the conduct of the
meeting, call for suspension of debate, and make any other
reasonable rulings for the conduct of the meeting.
1. There shall be one class of membership and it shall be comprised
of all parents and guardians of currently enrolled students of The
Agnes Irwin School.
2. Each member shall be entitled to one vote at the meetings of PC,
but without the right to vote or act by proxy.
3. No member shall have any proprietary or beneficial interest in the
property or assets of the PC, nor shall any member be entitled to
receive any distribution of surplus funds.
4. Three quarters of the members of the EC shall constitute a
quorum for the purposes of any voting action at any meeting.
IX. Fundraising/Fiscal Year/Earnings
A. Fundraising
The Executive Committee has the authority to initiate, continue
or discontinue any projects it deems appropriate for the benefit
of The Agnes Irwin School
B. Fiscal and Organizational Year
For purposes of these Bylaws, and in conjunction with the
operations of the School, a fiscal and organizational year
commences on July 1st and concludes on June 30th.
C. Earnings
1. The Parents’ Council shall be have the authority to maintain an
account, the balance of which shall, at the beginning of the fiscal
year, be budgeted to finance the PC’s activities on behalf of The
Agnes Irwin School.
2. The account of the PC must be held in a financial institution
approved by the School.
3. The net earnings of the Parents’ Council, acquired from fundraising activities, shall be used for the benefit of The Agnes Irwin
School for such purposes as the Executive Committee, in
consultation with the Head of School, shall deem appropriate and
necessary.
4. At the end of each fiscal year, The Executive Committee of the
Parents’ Council shall define the amount to be gifted to the school,
taking into consideration net funds raised during the year as well as
future needs of the Parents’ Council. The Executive Committee
shall gift this amount to the School with recommendations for
allocation that are endorsed by the Head of School and consistent
with the missions, goals, purposes and programs of The Agnes
Irwin School.
5. All financial records of The Agnes Irwin School Parents’ Council
will be submitted at the end of each fiscal year to the accountant of
The Agnes Irwin School for tax preparation and financial audit.
6. At the end of the fiscal year, or as requested by The Agnes Irwin
School, the Parents’ Council will submit a financial report to The
Agnes Irwin School in order to insure that The Council’s assets are
most advantageously employed and that the Council has not
engaged in any activity which would give rise to any federal tax
liability.
7. Discretionary purchases up to $500.00 may be made for the benefit
of Parents’ Council when consistent with the mission, goals,
purposes, and programs of the School upon approval of the
Treasurer and President. Purchases in excess of $500.00 require
approval of the EC.
8. Any Agnes Irwin Parents’ Council check written in the amount of
$3,000 or more shall have two signatures. Those signatures must be
on file with the bank affiliated with the checking account. Those
two signatures can be any combination of: the Parents’ Council
Treasurer; co-treasurer; Parents’ Council President; or the Director
of Parent Special Events.
X. Amendments
A. Amendments to the By-Laws shall be presented at a regularly
scheduled meeting of the Executive Committee. Upon majority
approval, the proposed amendment shall be voted upon at the next
regular meeting of the Parents’ Council provided that the proposed
amendment is submitted to The Parents’ Council in writing at least
fourteen (14) days prior to such meeting. The amendment shall
become part of the By-Laws with a majority vote of those present.
B. At the first meeting of Parents’ Council, upon the start of each new
fiscal year, the By-Laws will be voted upon and approved with a
majority vote of those present.
XI. Miscellaneous
A. Dissolution
Upon dissolution of the Parents’ Council, the Executive Committee
shall, after payment of all liabilities, dispose of all the assets of the
Parents’ Council to The Agnes Irwin School or its appointee,
provided that the recipient is organized and operated for educational
purposes, and, at the time of distribution, qualifies for exemption
under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
B. Organization
As with any organization in association with the School, the Parents’
Council is subject to the authority of the Board of Trustees of The
Agnes Irwin School.