Doolen
Middle School
School
Council
Revised
May 14, 2010
Constitution and By-Laws
ARTICLE I: MISSION STATEMENT
The Doolen Global Studies Academy is committed to an engaging, rigorous comprehensive education with a special focus on international issues, cultures, geography, citizenship and languages. The curriculum will ensure all students achieve academic success and are prepared for the 21st century world.
ARTICLE II: PURPOSE
The purpose of the School Council shall be:
A. To fulfill the duties prescribed in Article XI of the Arizona Constitution, Title 15 of the Arizona
Revised Statutes and the Rules of the State Board of Education.
B. To fulfill the mission of Doolen Middle School as approved by the School Council and ratified by all constituency groups.
C. To confirm the belief in the efficacy of shared decision making at the school site; that decisions should be made by persons who both work in and are served by the school.
ARTICLE III: SCHOOL COUNCIL
A. Membership
1. Pursuant to Arizona State Statutes, a School Council must have an equal number of teachers and parents of pupils who attend the school and who are not employees of the school district. State Statutes also require that the teacher and parent groups together must comprise a majority of the School Council.. In order to comply with these guidelines, a good-faith effort will be made to select members at all grade levels; members who teach Core subjects, exceptional education and elective areas; as well as members who represent the ethnic diversity of the Doolen Community:
2. The membership of the School Council shall be selected from the following constituent groups:
i. Parent Representatives
The Doolen Middle School Parent Group shall select five (5) parents of pupils who attend Doolen Middle School and who are not employees of the school district to serve as members of the School Council. Election procedures shall be the responsibility of the School Council. Parent representatives shall be elected from the parent/teacher organization by members of that organization. If no parent/teacher organizations exists, then the Principal shall recruit candidates during registration and then put those names out for election by mail. The mail ballot goes to all parents. Returned ballots shall be counted and the top 5 vote getters shall fill the available seats and the 6th and 7th top vote getters would be alternates who could be called to attend and vote at any meeting in which a parent member is absent. Parent members must have a child at Doolen Middle School to be eligible for a School Council position. A list of parent members shall be presented to the School Council prior to the first week of each term of service to duly confirm the D.M.S. Parent Group representatives.
ii. Certified Representatives
The Doolen Middle School certified faculty shall select five (5) certified members for the School Council. There will be one representative from each grade level and one representative elected from the faculty-at-large. If none of the grade-level representatives are an ethnic minority, the at-large representative position must be filled by an ethnic minority. Elections will be conducted as follows:
A list will be presented to the faculty, in alphabetical order, of all candidates who have self-nominated and self-designated themselves with respect to a single 6th, 7th, 8th grade level designation.
The top vote-getter will automatically be elected. Next, each grade-level’s (6th, 7th, 8th) highest vote-getter is elected (total of three). Finally, if one of the elected members is an ethnic minority, the highest vote-getter not yet selected is elected regardless of minority status. If none of the elected members is an ethnic/racial minority, the final seat goes to the highest vote-getter who is an ethnic minority.
Elections shall be arranged and conducted by the School council during the first two weeks of a given school year.
iii. Administrative Representatives
The principal shall serve as a member of the School Council.
iv. Classified Representatives
The Doolen Middle School classified staff shall select three (3) at-large Doolen Middle School classified representatives.
v. Community Representative
The membership of the School Council shall include one or more members of the community. The representative shall be selected by the site principal in cooperation with the School Council.
vi. All voting members, as duly elected representatives of their respective constituent groups, shall have the same rights and responsibilities on the School Council.
vii. No person may be selected from more than one of the aforementioned constituent groups for purposes of membership on the School Council.
B. Duties and Powers
The School Council shall be responsible for the control and management of the affairs, property and interests of the school in accordance with this council’s designated operating level and as outlined in the applicable Phase Standards for Accrediting School Councils.
C. Period of Service and Officers
Terms of service for all members of the School Council shall be two years with a one- year extension if approved by the school council. The School Council shall determine the date in which the term of service begins. Except as otherwise provided by appropriate laws and this Constitution and By-laws, the members of the School Council shall assume office the first week of each term of service. The categories for the selection of School Council members shall be those designated in Article III. A. on Membership.
The School Council shall select from its membership a Facilitator and other officers as the Council may deem advisable. The School Council shall develop job descriptions for the School Council officers. The facilitator will ensure that minutes of the meeting are recorded.
D. Individual Voting Power
At all meetings of the School Council, each member present in person shall have one vote.
E. Vacancies
Vacancies occurring by reason of death, removal, resignation, or inability to act, shall be filled from the categories designated in Article III A. Membership. As a means to fill the unexpired portion of the term of any vacancy, that constituent group shall select a representative to fill that position. The School Council will determine the criteria for expectations for service and procedure for removal of a School Council member.
F. Resignation
Any School Council member may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Facilitator. Unless otherwise specified in such written notice, the resignation shall take effect upon receipt of the notice by the School Council. The acceptance of the resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.
G. Committees
The School Council by resolution adopted by the majority of the entire School Council may, from time to time, establish various standing committees. The council has the authority to abolish said committee(s) when the work of the committee(s) is accomplished. Standing committees may include, but are not be limited to Agenda, Budget, Curriculum, Discipline, Staff Recruitment, Scheduling, and Student Advisory in accordance with the applicable Phase Standards for the level at which the council currently operates. Members of the Doolen community may be invited to participate in any committee except the Agenda Committee.
H. School Administration
The Doolen Middle School Site Administration shall faithfully implement the policies, resolutions, and decisions of the School Council. The School Site administration shall provide requisite information, in a timely fashion and in accordance with the applicable Phase Standards for the level at which the council currently operates, but not limited to school budgetary and personnel issues, to the School Council so that the School Council may fulfill its purpose as stated in Article II of this Constitution and By-laws.
ARTICLE IV - MEETINGS
A. Authority to Act
1. Legislative Power
The legislative authority of Doolen Middle School shall be vested in the School Council. The School Council shall make policy for Doolen Middle School, but shall defer to the faculty, staff, and administration on the day-to-day operations of the school. However, the School Council shall retain such supervisory powers to insure that its policies, resolutions, and decisions are implemented in accordance with the applicable Phase Standards for the level at which the council currently operates.
2. Referendum
For any action, the School Council may refer final decision making authority to any or all constituent groups. The School Council shall determine the procedures for the referendum vote.
B. Conduct
Meetings shall be conducted in accordance with the Arizona Open Meeting Law and all other applicable state laws
C. Facilitator
At all meetings of the School Council, the Facilitator shall preside. The Facilitator and the other officers shall be elected by a majority of the entire School Council at the first meeting of each term of service.
D. Quorum
A majority of all members of the School Council must be present in person to constitute a quorum for official business. A member of the School Council may request a quorum count at any time during a meeting. If the number of members present in person at the time of the quorum count is less than a majority, the School Council meeting may follow the agenda, but no action may be taken.
E. Voting
To pass a resolution, a simple majority of the voting member of the School Council, present in person, at the meeting shall be required. The Facilitator may vote on all resolutions placed before the School Council. In special circumstances, the Facilitator may request an email vote provided that a majority of the council has email access. In this case, a majority of the Council must return a vote.
F. Agenda
The development of the agenda for regular or special meetings shall conform to the following:
1. Development of the agenda for the School Council is the responsibility of the Agenda Committee. The Facilitator of the School Council shall also be the Chair of the Agenda Committee. The agenda shall be posted one (1) working day prior to the time of the scheduled meeting.
2. All agenda items shall be in writing and must be submitted to the Chairperson of the Agenda Committee or any other member of the School Council at least two (2) working days prior to the meeting. Agenda items may be submitted by any member of the School Council or any member of the administration, faculty, staff, and parent and student groups.
G. Description of Board Action
The following items shall be used for purposes indicated to the exclusion of other items of similar meaning:
1. Adopt: To accept; to make one’s own that which was not so originally; to consent to and put into effective operation.
* Purpose: To indicate passage of amendments, by-laws, policies, recommendations, etc., thus making the term so approved an official pronouncement of the School Council.
2. Prescribe: To lay down authority as a guide, direction, or rule; to dictate.
*Purpose: To indicate imposition of an official policy or guideline of the School Council.
3. Receive: To take into possession and control; to accept custody of.
* Purpose: To acknowledge the submission of reports, recommendations, etc., to the School Council without conferring approval of a substantive material within.
4. Approve: To officially confirm, ratify, or sanction.
* Purpose: To indicate official acceptance of a motion or proposal of a Committee member during the course of a duly called meeting of the School Council.
H. Schedule
The School Council may hold special meetings as it may determine and shall hold regular meetings at least once a month, except for such months that may be excluded from the School Council’s calendar of meetings that shall be formulated prior to the beginning of each term of service. The date, hour, and place for each regular meeting shall be fixed annually by resolution of the School Council. At least two days before a regular meeting, the Facilitator of the School Council shall announce and post the date, site, and time of that scheduled meeting.
I. Permanent Committee Records Maintained
The School Council endorses full and ready access to the records of its actions and the actions of any of its Committees. Towards that end, Doolen Middle School shall compile and maintain the following records:
1. Minutes of all official action on each agenda.
2. All current Standing Committees with memberships and resolution, which mandates scope of service.
3. All current Advisory Committees with memberships and resolution, which mandates scope of service.
4. A roster of current School Council members.
5. An updated School Policy Document with the date of passage of each policy by the School Council.
6. An updated record of accreditation and other management related documentation.
7. Annual reports on student performance.
8. Such other records as required by subsequent action of the School Council or other official acts.
J. School Council Communication
It is the responsibility of the School Council to communicate changes in school policy and resolutions and all other matters that affect the instructional environment of Doolen Middle School to all constituency groups in a regular and timely manner, and to ensure that authorized Committees also communicate information in a regular and timely manner.
ARTICLE V- AMENDMENTS
Except as otherwise provided by this Constitution and By-laws, statute or rules, all of the Constitution and By-laws of Doolen Middle School shall be subject to alteration or repeal, and amendments may be proposed, by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the School Council members present in person provided that the notice of the meeting and the proposed changes are set forth in full. The School Council must refer for ratification any proposed amendments to any constituent group deemed appropriate. The School Council shall determine the procedures for the ratification vote.
ARTICLE VI- RATIFICATION
The ratification of this Constitution and By-laws of Doolen Middle School shall be effective upon a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the entire classified and certificated staff. In addition, 2/3 vote of the parent members of the School Council shall be required for ratification.