As a reminder, we dissolved the PTA in the spring and will start the new school year as a PTO. It is time to join and have a voice at Ram Nation. Please visit www.waltriphspto.org to see the various memberships and perks available. The first 100 to join will be entered into a drawing to win a $25 gift certificate (there will be 3 winners).

Our first PTO meeting on September 6 @ 5:30 pm will hold elections for the new slate of candidates to serve for the 2022-2023 school year. Since we are a "new" organization, all positions are available. If you are interested in being part of the board or join a committee, please reach out to president@waltriphspto.org.

Executive Board Officer Positions:

  • President

  • Vice President

  • Treasurer

  • Secretary

  • Parliamentarian

Executive Board Committee Positions:

  • Community Outreach

  • Communication Outreach

  • Educational Support

  • Events

  • Membership

  • School Store

  • Staff Appreciation

WALTRIP HIGH SCHOOL

PARENT TEACHER ORGANIZATION BYLAWS

ARTICLE I

Name and Purpose

1.01 Name. The name of this non-profit organization shall be the Waltrip High School Parent Teacher Organization, Inc. (PTO), Houston, Texas located at 1900 West 34th Street, 77018.

1.02  Objective.  The objective or objectives of the Waltrip High School PTO are:

    1. To promote the welfare of students in home, school, and throughout the community;

    2. To promote the collaboration and engagement of families and educators in the education of students;

    3. To enhance and support the educational experience at Waltrip High School;

    4. To develop a closer connection between school and home by encouraging parent involvement; and

    5. To improve the environment at Waltrip High School through volunteer and financial support.

1.03 Awareness. The purposes of the Waltrip High School PTO are promoted through advocacy and education in collaboration with parents, families, teachers, educators, students and the public, developed through committees, projects and programs; and governed by the basic policies set forth in Article II.

1.04 Federal Status. The Waltrip High School PTO is organized exclusively for the charitable, scientific, literary, or educational purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or corresponding section of any future Federal Tax Code (hereinafter referred to as “Internal Revenue Code”).

ARTICLE II

Basic Policies

The following are basic policies of the Waltrip High School PTO:

  1. The organization shall be non-commercial, non-sectarian, and non-partisan;

  2. The organization shall work to engage students, families and educators within Waltrip High School and communities to provide quality education for all students;

  3. The organization shall be commitment to inclusiveness and equality;

  4. The organization shall work to promote the health and welfare of the students, and shall seek to promote collaboration among parents and the community at large;

  5. No part of the net earnings of the organization shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to, its members, directors, trustees, officers, or other private persons except that the organization shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered, and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth in Article II hereof;

  6. Notwithstanding any other provisions of these articles, the organization shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on (i) by an organization exempt from Federal Income Tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or (ii) by an organization, contributions to which are deductible under Section 170(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code;

  7. Upon the dissolution of this association, after paying or adequately providing for the debts and obligations of the association, the remaining assets shall be distributed to one (1) or more nonprofit funds, foundations or organizations which have established their tax exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

  8. The organization or members in their official capacities 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 pubic office, or devote more than an insubstantial part of its activities to attempting to influence legislation by propaganda or otherwise.

ARTICLE III

Membership and Dues

3.01 Members.

  1. Membership in the Waltrip High School Parent Teacher Organization is on an annual basis and shall be open, without discrimination, to anyone who believes in and supports the Purpose of the organization;

  2. Every individual who is a member of the Waltrip High School PTO is entitled to all the benefits of such membership;

  3. The members of the Waltrip High School PTO shall be the individual members who have paid dues for the current membership year;

  4. The membership year shall be July 1st – June 30th;

  5. Only members of the Waltrip High School PTO who have been admitted to membership for the current membership year may participate in the business of the PTO and be eligible to serve in any elected or appointed position;

  6. The Waltrip High School PTO may admit individuals to membership at any time.

3.02  Dues.

Annual dues will be established by the Executive Board for the fiscal year July 1st – June 30th

Article IV

Officers and Elections

4.01  Eligibility. Individuals are eligible to serve as officers if they are members of the Waltrip High School PTO and are a parent or guardian of a current Waltrip High School Student student, a faculty member or staff member. Exceptions may be recommended by the nominating committee and approved by a 2/3 vote of the Executive Board. Faculty and staff members must comply with HISD policies.

4.02 Officers. The officers shall be a President, a Vice President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and a Parliamentarian. Office positions cannot be shared.

4.03 Terms of Office. Officers shall assume their official duties following the close of the fiscal year and shall serve a term of one (1) year. The elected officers shall serve no more than two (2) consecutive terms in the same office, with the exception of the Treasurer. The number of terms that a Treasurer may serve is not limited, but must be elected for each term pursuant to the regular nomination and election process. An officer who has served more than one-half of a term shall be credited with having served that term. Officers shall assume their official duties on July 1 and hold office through the following June 30, except when those dates are changed by a majority vote of the then-acting Executive Board. During the period between election and start of term, officers will assume the role of President-elect, Treasurer-elect, etc.

4.04 Vacancies in Office.  All officer positions not filled by election become vacant.  If there is a vacancy in the office of president, the Vice President will serve as president for the remainder of the term.

If there is a vacancy in any office other than the president shall be filled by an affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining members of the Executive Board.  In the interim, the executive board shall assume duties of any vacancy.

4.05  Duties of Officers. The officers shall perform the duties as prescribed for the office in these bylaws, by the executive board in applicable Texas statutes, and in the parliamentary authority.

  1. President. The President shall:

    1. Coordinate the work of the officers and committees of the Waltrip High School PTO in order that the Purposes may be promoted;

    2. Serve as the primary contact and coordinator for communication with the Principal of Waltrip High School for all activities involving the school, including but not limited to all scheduling matters;

    3. Serve as the spokesperson for the Waltrip High School PTO;

    4. Confirm that a quorum is present at all meetings of the Waltrip High School PTO before conducting business;

    5. Preside at all meetings of the Waltrip High School PTO;

    6. Appoint the chair of each standing committee and special committee, subject to the approval of the Executive Board, unless otherwise provided in these bylaws;

    7. Be authorized to sign on bank accounts, unless prohibited by terms of employment;

    8. Be authorized to sign contracts approved by the Executive Board;

    9. Be listed as the principal officer and be authorized to sign tax documents, unless prohibited by terms of employment;

    10. Appoint a member, subject to the approval of the Executive Board, who is not authorized to sign on the bank account to open, review, initial and date each bank statement;

    11. Appoint the financial reconciliation committee, subject to the approval of the Executive Board;

    12. Serve as an ex-officio member of all committees except the nominating and financial reconciliation committees; and

    13. Within thirty (30) days after being elected after the election meeting, call a meeting of the newly elected officers to:

    14. Appoint a parliamentarian, subject to the approval of the newly-elected officers;

    15. Appoint standing committee chairs, subject to approval of the newly-elected officers; and

    16. Conduct any other business as shall become necessary.

  1. Vice President. The vice president shall:

    1. Serve as aide-to-the-president;

    2. Be in charge of aide to the president;

    3. Preside in the absence of the president;

    4. Participate in executive board meetings and provide input for decisions;

    5. Serve as a bylaws expert;

    6. Oversee all standing committee chairs and ensure each committee has a clear scope of work and budget plan for the fiscal year of August 1 - July 31;

    7. Authorized to sign on bank accounts; and

    8. Be an ambassador for the PTO and the school

  1. Secretary. The Secretary shall:

    1. Attend executive board meetings and participate in discussions and decision making

    2. Record and maintain the minutes of executive board meetings and general meetings;

    3. Prepare agendas for general meetings, as developed in the executive board meetings

    4. Send, or cause to be sent, notice of meetings of the members and of the Executive Board;

    5. Collect chair reports and deliver to the Executive Board;

    6. Be responsible for correspondence;

    7. Supply a copy of the most recent meetings and distribute them in a timely manner;

    8. Collect and preserve documents relating to the history of the Waltrip High School PTO;

    9. Present a written report to the organization as the official history to be adopted;

    10. Have a current copy of the bylaws;

    11. Maintain the required documents of the association to include that all members on the Executive Board have adopted and signed ethics/code of interest policy

    12. Keep a list of the membership of the Waltrip High School PTO (not to be released to outside interests); and

    13. Not be a member of the financial reconciliation committee.

  1. Treasurer. The Treasurer shall:

    1. Attend executive board meetings and participate in discussions and decision making

    2. Have custody of all the funds of the organization;

    3. Serve as the Chair of the Budget and Finance Committee;

    4. Present a monthly written financial report at Executive Board and PTO general meetings and as requested by the Executive Board or the organization;

    5. Maintain books of account and records including bank statements, receipts, budgets, invoices, paid receipts and canceled checks in accordance with the records retention policy;

    6. Post all financial transactions to our financial system as they occur throughout the month

    7. Make disbursements in accordance with the budget adopted by the organization;

    8. Be authorized to sign on bank accounts;

    9. Be authorized to sign tax documents, if the president is prohibited by terms of employment;

    10. Present a preliminary annual report (i.e., budget to actual) at the last meeting of the school year of the Waltrip High School PTO;

    11. Complete and file all necessary tax documents quarterly, annually, or as needed; and

    12. Present books of account and records to the financial reconciliation committee.

  1. Parliamentarian. The Parliamentarian shall:

    1. Advise the presiding officer on questions of parliamentary procedure when asked;

    2. Vote only when the vote is by ballot;

    3. Keep order and ensure that proper procedures are followed at each meeting

    4. Should have complete knowledge and understanding of the articles and bylaws of the organization

    5. Responsible for setting up and drafting a casual rule of order for the PTO based loosely on the Robert's Rule of Order.

ARTICLE V

Nominations and Elections

5.01   Nominating Committee.

  1. Composition. the nominating committee shall consist of three (3) members and one (1) alternate members. No individual shall serve as a member of the nominating committee for two (2) consecutive terms. The President of the organization shall not serve as a member of the committee, nor appoint any member of this committee.

  2. Election of Committee. The members of the organization shall elect the members of the nominating committee at a regular meeting prior to the election meeting. The election shall be by plurality of the vote. A vacancy on the nominating committee shall be filled by the alternate with the next greatest number of votes. The chair of the nominating committee shall be elected by the nominating committee.

  3. Duties. The nominating committee:

    1. Shall consider all candidates for elected positions whose submissions meet the requirements set forth by these bylaws and who have signified their consent to serve if elected;

    2. may consider additional candidates during its deliberations; and

    3. shall submit only one (1) name for each position to be filled.

  4. Report of the Nominating Committee. The report of the nominating committee shall be published to the membership through regular publicity channels at least seven (7) days before the election meeting.

5.02 Nominations from the Floor.  Nominees from the floor shall be accepted at the election meeting.

5.03 Elections.  Officers, with the exception of the parliamentarian, shall be elected by ballot in the month of May.  However, if there is but one (1) nominee for an office, election for that office may be by voice vote.

ARTICLE VI

Meetings

6.01 Regular Meetings.  The organization shall hold a minimum of four (4) meetings a year.

  1. Meetings of the organization shall be held in the months of September, November, February, and May, at a minimum, with the time and date to be established by the Executive Board. Five (5) days’ notice shall be given if change of date is needed. The membership shall be notified through regular publicity channels of the date and time of all meetings following the first meeting of the Executive Board, at which time this schedule is determined;

  2. Meetings shall be open to the public;

  3. Meetings may be conducted in person or virtually by Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or any other virtual platform that is decided upon by the Executive Board;

  4. The organization meeting held in May shall be the election meeting;

  5. The annual organization meeting in May shall be for the purpose of receiving reports of officers and chairs and for any other necessary business.

6.02 Special Meetings. Special meetings may be called by the president, any two (2) members of the executive board, or five (5) general members submitting a written request to the secretary. The secretary will notify the members of the special meeting at least three (3) days prior to the meeting. No other business may be conducted.

6.03 Quorum. The quorum for the transaction of business in any organization meeting shall be Ten (10) members.

6.04  Proxy Voting.  There shall be no proxy voting.

ARTICLE VII

Executive Board

7.01 Composition. The Executive Board shall consist of:

  1. The Officers of the Waltrip High School PTO;

  2. The principal of Waltrip High School or the principal’s representative appointed by the principal; and

  3. The chairs of standing committees.

7.02  Eligibility Executive Board Members shall:

    1. Subscribe to, believe in and support the mission and purposes and policies of the organization;

    2. Agree to join the organization promptly, if not a current member at the time of election of appointment;

    3. Receive no compensation from association except reimbursement for reasonable expenses as set forth in the organizations policies and procedures;

    4. Have served no more than two (2) consecutive terms in the same position; and

    5. Only serve in one (1) capacity.

7.03 Board Duties. The duties of the Executive Board shall be:

  1. To transact necessary business between meetings in preparation for the general meeting;

  2. Present a report at the general meeting;

  3. Develop all objectives and strategies for the year;

  4. Approve the plan of work for each officer and committee chairpersons;

  5. Approve by majority vote of the board un-budgeted expenditures of no more than $500, the purpose of which is clearly documented in the board minutes and coned by the members at the following meeting;

  6. Create standing rules and policies;

  7. Create standing and special committees;

  8. Prepare and submit a budget to the membership for the annual fiscal year;

  9. Approve routine bills, prepare reports and recommendations to the membership;

  10. Comply with the legal filing requirements of state and federal government agencies as needed; and

  11. Fill vacancies of officers and chairpersons.

7.04 Board Member Duties.  The duties of each executive board members shall be to:

  1. Agree to joining the organization promptly, if not a current member at the time of election of appointment;

  2. Have a copy of the current bylaws;

  3. Submit a written Plan of Work to the executive board for approval;

  4. Delivery to successor or the president all official material within fifteen (15) days following the date on which the successor assumes responsibilities;

  5. Attend all meetings of the organization;

  6. Sign the ethic/conflict of interest policy, as adopted; and

  7. Perform the duties outlined in the bylaws, govern documents and those assigned by the president.

7.05  Meetings.

  1. Board Meetings. Regular meetings of the executive board shall be held monthly, prior to each meeting of the organization.

  2. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the executive board may be called by the President or by a majority of the members of the executive board with notice given in writing, including electronic email, to each executive board member at least three (3) days before the meeting.

  3. Proxy Voting. There shall be no proxy voting.

  4. Quorum. A majority of the members of the executive board shall constitute a quorum.

  5. Emergency Voting. In an emergency situation, the executive Board may vote by phone, email or other electronics means if authorized by the President. Members shall have at least twenty-four (24) hours to cast their votes. A two-thirds (2/3) vote of the entire executive board is required for adoption, and the vote shall be recorded in the minutes of the next regular meeting of the executive board.

7.06 Term of Office. Any Executive Board member whose term is not otherwise specified in these bylaws shall serve a term of one year, beginning on July 1, and hold office through the following June 30, except when those dates are changed by a majority vote of the then-acting executive board.

7.07 Removal From Office. Any executive board member may be removed from office by two-thirds (2/3) vote of the executive board for failure to perform duties, missing three consecutive meetings, criminal misconduct or unethical behavior in PTO business. At least 24 hours written notice of the executive board meeting where the vote will take place is required.

ARTICLE VIII

Committees

8.01 Committees.  The executive board may create such standing and special committees as it may deem necessary to promote the Purposes.  The President shall be an ex-officio member of all committees except the financial reconciliation committee and nominating committee.

8.02  Term.  Committee Chairs shall

  1. Agree to joining the organization promptly, if not a current member at the time of election of appointment;

  2. Assume their official duties following the close of the fiscal year and shall serve a term of one (1) year.

  3. Only one (1) person shall be appointed to serve in any one (1) chair position.

  4. No chair shall serve in the same office for more than two (2) consecutive terms. One who has served more than one-half (1/2) of a term shoaled be credited with having served that term.

8.03 Standing Committee Chairs.  All Standing Committee Chairs shall:

  1. Deliver to their successors or the President all official materials;

  2. Present a written Plan of Work to the executive board for approval;

  3. Have a current copy of the bylaws;

  1. Sign the ethic/conflict of interest policy, as adopted; and

  1. Perform other duties as assigned by the President.

8.04 Standing Committees. The standing committees shall perform the duties as prescribed for the office in these bylaws, by the executive board in applicable Texas statutes, and in the parliamentary authority.

  1. Community Outreach Committee The Community Outreach committee shall be responsible for corporate sponsorship opportunities, such as underwriters, corporate matching gifts, amazon-smiles and others, and school night events at local restaurants.

  2. Communication Outreach Committee The Communications Committee shall be responsible for maintaining the Waltrip High School PTO social media, including but not limited to Facebook, Class Social Media Pages, Instagram, and Twitter pages, as well as distributed a weekly newsletter. The Communications Committee shall be responsible for notifying the membership of all upcoming events sponsored by the organization.

  3. Educational Support Committee The Educational Support Committee shall bridge the gap between parents and teachers, focusing on grant opportunities and write grants as well as recruit teachers and parents from various departments.

  4. Events Committee The Events Committee shall coordinate at least two (2) sponsored fundraising events as determined by the executive board.

  5. Membership Committee. The Membership Committee shall conduct an annual membership drive at the start of each school year, maintain a current database of members, and supply a current membership list to the Secretary on a monthly basis.

  6. School Store Committee The School Store Committee shall run the weekly merch store; review inventory; and purchase new inventory as needed

  7. Staff Appreciation Committee The Staff Appreciation Committee shall organize events throughout the year for staff and teachers.

8.05  Proxy Voting. There shall be no proxy voting.

8.06  Quorum. The quorum of any committee shall be a majority of its members.

8.07. Additional Committees. The Executive Board may appoint additional committees as needed.

ARTICLE IX

Fiscal Accountability

9.01  Fiscal Year.  The fiscal year of the organization shall begin July 1 and end on the following June 30.

9.02  Signers.  Signers on the bank account shall not be related by blood or marriage and shall not reside in the same household.

9.03. Financial Reconciliation.

  1. A financial reconciliation shall be performed:

    1. At the end of the fiscal year;

    2. When authorized check signer is added or deleted on any bank account; and

    3. At any time deemed necessary by the President or three (3) or more members.

  2. The President shall appoint, subject to the approval of the executive board, a financial reconciliation committee consisting of not less than three (3) members, who are not authorized signers. Members of the financial reconciliation committee shall not be the incoming Treasurer or be related by blood or marriage and shall not reside in the same household as the authorized signers.

  3. For the financial reconciliation required at the end of the fiscal year, the President shall appoint the financial reconciliation committee at least thirty (30) days before the last meeting of the year.

  4. The financial reconciliation committee report shall be adopted by a majority vote of the organization at the first regular meeting following the financial reconciliation.

9.04 Funds Collection. The counting and handling of any cash, checks, or money orders received by the organization must be completed by at least two organization members. The organization members cannot be related by blood or marriage. Funds must be counted on the day of receipt. A deposit record must be turned in to the Treasurer.

9.05 Account Statements. The President shall appoint a member to open and review bank statements who is not the Secretary, an authorized signer of the organization, not related by blood or marriage to an authorized signer on the accounts.

9.06 Ending Balance. The organization shall leave a minimum of $500.00 in the treasury at the end of each fiscal year.

9.07 Contracts Contract signing authority is limited to the President or the President’s designee

ARTICLE X

Budget

10.01 A tentative budget shall be drafted in the fall for each school year and approved by a majority vote of the members present at the first meeting of the school year.

10.02 The treasurer shall keep accurate records of any disbursements, income, and bank account information.

10.03 The board shall approve all expenses of the organization.

10.04 Two authorized signatures shall be required on each check. Authorized signers shall be the president and treasurer.

10.05 The President shall appoint an audit committee, that shall consist of a minimum of three committee members, one Executive Board member and two members at large, and shall meet twice a year to review the financial report and records. The first review shall occur midway through the fiscal year, and the second review shall occur at the conclusion of the fiscal year. The treasurer and president cannot serve on the committee, but shall be available to answer questions that may arise. The committee shall report its findings to the Executive Board; the president shall take any appropriate action and report the findings to the members at the next regular meeting.

10.06 The treasurer shall prepare a financial statement at the end of the year, to be reviewed by the Audit Committee.

10.07 Upon the dissolution of the organization, any remaining funds should be used to pay any outstanding bills and, with the membership's approval, spent for the benefit of the school.

10.08. The fiscal year shall begin on July 1 and end on the following June 30.

ARTICLE XI

Parliamentary Authority

The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern this this organization in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws.

ARTICLE XII

Amendment of Bylaws

Upon adoption of the bylaws, the bylaws may be amended at any meeting of the association, provided a quorum is present, by two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members present and voting. Notice of each proposed amendment shall be provided to the membership through regular publicity channels thirty (30) days prior to the meeting at which the amendment is voted upon or at the previous regular meeting.

ARTICLE XIII

Dissolution

The organization may be dissolved at any regular or special meeting, providing that previous notice was given in writing at the prior meeting and then sent to all members of the organization by the secretary.  Notice may be given through publicity channels thirty (30) days prior meeting.  A two-thirds (2/3) vote of those present at the meeting (assuming a quorum) is required for dissolution.