Pistor Middle School Constitution and By Laws   Mission Statement:   Pistor’s mission is to provide a safe learning environment in which students learn and grow in the area of academic achievement, social responsibility and emotional maturity.  Parents, staff and community work together to develop and promote individuals who are confident, competent and caring.    Vision Statement:   Tucson Unified School District is a professional learning community that ensures every student learns, exceeds all expected performance standards, graduates, and is able to compete and succeed in a global society.   Student Achievement   *Shared Decision Making and Parent Involvement *Professional Development for Faculty and Staff *Teacher Recruitment and Retention *Resource Development     1.      PREAMBLE   Our “Pistor Community” refers to all Pistor Middle School students, parents, staff, and those community members and businesses within the Pistor attendance area.  Our school site Leadership Team shall be called the Pistor Middle School Site Council which can also be known as School Council.  The Site Council is one and the same with the Principal and serves as the decision-making authority for our school.   2.      PURPOSE   2.1    To promote decisions and improvements consistent with our mission. 2.2    To fulfill the duties prescribed in ARS, Title 15-351, the rules of the State Board of Education, and TUSD Board Policies. 2.3    To promote mutual planning amongst parents, teachers, staff, students, and others in the Pistor Community; and to assist in the development of the School Accountability Plan, including the 301 Goals, and the Professional Development Plan. 2.4    To ensure that the Site Council policies and their implementation are in accordance with Federal Laws, State Statutes, and TUSD Board Policies. 2.5    To serve as described in the Standards for Site Councils. 2.6    To provide a mechanism for representing and addressing the concerns for all members of the Pistor School Community.   3.      MEMBERS   3.1    Membership The Site Council members will be elected by their own constituencies.  There must be an equal number of certified staff and parents on the council and they must constitute a majority of the council membership.  Our Site Council must make every attempt to reflect the diversity in our school community and will be made up of the following members listed below.  If a member misses three consecutive meetings, a letter will be sent from the facilitator to the stakeholder group and the stakeholder representative stating three meetings have been missed and to effectively represent this group a new member must be chosen as per bylaw.  The stakeholder group may be asked to select a new member to ensure that the stakeholder group is represented.   3.1.a    Principal 3.1.b    Four certified faculty 3.1.c    Four parents or guardians of enrolled students 3.1.d   One educational support staff member (office staff, custodian, food service              personnel, campus monitor, etc.) 3.1.e   One neighborhood or business representative 3.1.f    The Site Council will include a member facilitator 3.1.g   The Site Council will include a member secretary   4.      SELECTION PROCESS AND TERMS OF OFFICE   4.1    The Principal shall serve as a permanent member of the Site Council. 4.2    All certified and classified members will be elected by their constituents per their established procedures and serve for a period of two years.  Elections should be held by the second week in May for the following year. 4.3     The Parent Organization of Pistor Middle School shall elect representatives per their established procedures and the representatives shall serve for a period of up to two years. 4.4    The Site Council shall select amongst its membership two offices:  the facilitator and secretary.  The facilitator will serve for a period of two years; however, a facilitator can be removed by a two-thirds vote of the entire Site Council. 4.5    If a seat remains vacant by the first week of November, the Council will issue a letter to the stakeholder group to indicate that their stakeholder group is not being represented. 4.6    Representatives must be members of the group they represent.   5.      RESPONSIBILITIES   5.1    Members have the responsibility to represent; and their elected constituency. To that end, representatives should meet with their constituency within two weeks after each Council meeting to discuss the decisions and suggestions made by Site Council; introduce ideas and suggestion decided upon by their membership and strive to focus on student achievement and safety and not personal agendas. 5.2    Regular attendance or notification of absence is required.  Non-attendance for three (3) consecutive meetings may imply an inability to serve. 5.3    Members may vote by proxy.  The proxy shall be limited to delivering the vote and prohibited from deliberation. 5.4    The Facilitator will preside over council meetings.  In the event that the Facilitator cannot be present, he/she will appoint an alternate. 5.5    Any member may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Site Council Facilitator.   Unless otherwise specified in such written notice, the resignation shall take effect upon receipt of the notice.  The acceptance of the resignation notice shall not be necessary to make it effective. 5.6    Members unable to fulfill their responsibility may be asked to resign by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of their constituency.   6.      OPERATION   6.1    Conduct   6.1.a    Meetings shall be conducted in accordance with Arizona Open Meeting Law             and all other applicable laws. 6.1.b    Meetings will be governed by procedures decided on by the Site Council and             may not be suspended except by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of those present. 6.1.c   A quorum of at least half (1/2) of the Site Council members must be present to            conduct business.  The Site Council shall then proceed with the agenda items.             In the event that not all items are addressed in the time allotted an item may be            postponed.  No items shall be postponed for more than three (3) meetings. 6.1.d  The Site Council shall strive for consensus decision.  However, in the event           that a consensus cannot be reached, a vote will be taken with all members using           the method of a show of hands.  Passage on an issue decided by a vote shall           require a simple majority.   6.2    Consensus   6.2.a    Definition of Consensus Consensus occurs when a group reaches a conclusion, which has blended the best ideas into a decision that everyone in the group can support. 6.2.b    Operation of Consensus A.  If consensus is met, the issue passes. B.     If consensus is not met, the issue will be referred back to the originating sub committee for revisions and/or consideration. C.     If an individual continues to “block” the consensus, she/he may choose to step aside and allow the issue to go forward, or she/he may continue to “block” the consensus and the issue will not pass.   6.2.c    Use of Consensus All committees, the Site Council, Standing Committees, and Ad Hoc Committees will reach decisions by consensus.   6.3    Majority Vote   6.3.a    Upon consensus of Site Council, an issue may be forwarded to the entire            Pistor Middle School Shared Decision-Making Community or any constituent            body of the Pistor Middle School Decision-Making Community, as            appropriate, for a vote by written secret ballot.  Issues will be passed by a            majority affirmative vote of the ballots cast. 6.3.b   Two Site Council members will count written ballots.   6.4    Schedule   6.4.a    The Site Council will hold regular meetings at least once a month.  All             meetings will be announced and an agenda will be posted 24 hours in             advance. 6.4.b   A calendar of meetings shall be formulated at the beginning of the school year            (an agenda item for the first meeting of the school year).  The date, time, and            place for each regular meeting shall be fixed annually by resolution of the Site            Council. 6.4.c    Notification of special meetings will be made when necessary.   6.5    Agenda/Minutes   6.5.a    The Facilitator and the Principal will create, post and forward an a tentative             agenda one week prior to the meeting.  Any member of the School             Community may request to put an item on the agenda prior to the posting of             the agenda. 6.5.b    Agendas will be posted in the teacher’s lounge, on the community bulletin             board and in the front office window. 6.5.c    The Site Council secretary will record the minutes.  The minutes shall include             attendance, topics discussed or tabled, and decisions made.  Minutes will be             posted in the teachers’ lounge and on the community bulletin board.   6.6     Relationship of Site Administrator and Site Council   6.6.a      The School Administrator will attend and participate in Site Council                  meetings. 6.6.b     The School Administration will implement policies approved by the School              Council in accordance to and with all appropriate State Statutes and Board              Policies. 6.6.c     The Site Council and School Administration will collaborate to develop Site                Council meeting agendas. 6.6.d     The Site Council and School Administration will collaborate to communicate                actions of the Site Council to constituency groups. 6.6.e    The Site Council and School Administration review the school’s budget and             curriculum policies, determines how those policies have improved student             performance, and delivers and annual written report to the Joint Committee. 6.6.f    The School Administration informs the Site Council of budgetary expenditures            though an updated financial report. 6.6.g   The School Administration informs the Site Council of vacancies in the                faculty/staff. 6.6.h    The Site Council’s hiring procedures and personnel job descriptions are             employed when filled vacancies in faculty/staff positions.   6.7    Official Record of School Policy   6.7.a    The school maintains an updated written policy document, which includes the             test of school policies and the date of Site Council approval. 6.7.b    The school maintains an updated School Accountability Plan with the dates of             Site Council approval. 6.7.c    The Site Council may create and distribute supplemental surveys to gather            additional information for the School Accountability Plan.   6.8    Subcommittees   6.8.a    The Site Council, by resolution adopted by the majority of the entire Council,             may from time to time, designate from among its members various standing            Committees, and may also designate from its members and non-members,            which shall include students, parents, staff, and faculty such other committees            as the Site Council may deem desirable. 6.8.b   Standing Committees may include, but not limited to:                   -Safe School Committee                                                -Social Studies -504 Compliance Committee                                          -Language Arts -Student Retention and                                                  -Science  Success Committee                                                            -Technology Committee                                                -Health & PE -Discipline and Student Review                                      -6th Grade  Committee -Compliance Committee/LAT Team                                 -7th Grade -Professional Development and                                       -8th Grade  Mentoring Committee -Social Committee                                                         -Fine Arts -Attendance Committee                                                 -Mathematics -Pyramid of Interventions Committee                                -Parental Involvement/Communications                            -Articulation  Committee                                                                    Committee                           The chairperson of each committee shall provide artifacts of the committee                   decision.   6.9    Amendments and Ratification   6.9.a     Any member of the Pistor School Community can propose amendments to              this constitution.  Amendments must be presented in writing at a regularly             scheduled meeting of the Site Council.  Amendments will then be posted for             comment for a reasonable amount of time, not to exceed 60 days. 6.9.b    Except as otherwise provided by this Constitution/By Laws, statute, or rules,             all of the Constitution/By Laws of Pistor Middle School shall be subject to             alteration or repeal, and amendments may be proposed, by a two-thirds (2/3)             vote of the entire Site Council, present in person that are entitled to vote,             provided that the notice of the meeting and the proposed changes are set forth            in full.  The Site Council must refer for ratification any proposed amendments            to any constituent group deemed appropriate.  The Site Council shall           determine the procedures for the ratification vote.   6.9.c    The ratification of this constitution and any other amendments shall be            effective upon a two-thirds (2/3) votes cast of the Pistor School Community.   THE________________________SCHOOL STAFF AND PARENTS RATIFIED THIS CONSTITUTION/BY LAWS ON _______________.                                                                                   (Month, Day, Year) 6.9.d     Appeal Process                    PROCEDURE FOR APPEAL BY THE __________________________             COMMUNITY.                        A council decision may be appealed according to the established procedures.   THE PROCEDURES FOR APPEALING A COUNCIL DECISION INCLUDE: a.       All appeals must be submitted in writing. b.      Appeals must have 75% approval of the constituency. c.       The council will act on the appeal in a timely manner. d.      Successful appeal will require 75% of the council.