MOUNT KISCO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ASSOCIATION, INC.

(MKESA) CONSTITUTION

 

ARTICLE I

NAME:

The name of this Association shall be The Mount Kisco Elementary School Association.

(Hereinafter referred to as MKESA)

 

ARTICLE II

PURPOSE:

1.   MKESA is a service organization designed to form a close relationship between the parents, guardians, other community members and faculty in Mount Kisco Elementary School.

 

2.   To carry out activities, in cooperation with the administration and faculty of the school, for the enhancement of the school program and facilities.

     

3.   To develop an understanding of educational theory and techniques as applied to the school curriculum.

 

4.   To acquire and foster an awareness of the developments in the Bedford Central School District.

 

5.   To cooperate with other community groups for the best interests of the students.

 

ARTICLE III

POLICIES:

1.   MKESA shall not seek to direct the administrative activities of the school or to control the school policies.

 

2.   Should MKESA see fit to stand on relevant issues, it may do so under the following procedure:

-          Matters for consideration must be approved by a 2/3 vote of the Steering Committee.  A specific statement describing the stand will be presented to the general membership at least two days before the meeting.

-          A majority vote of members present at the general meeting will be required to make the stand the official statement of MKESA.

-          Should any member(s) abstain from voting on a particular issue, it shall be recorded in the minutes as a matter of record. 

 

3.   The annual MKESA budget must be approved by a majority vote of Steerting Committee members prior to the first general meeting of the school year.  A majority vote by the members present at the general meeting or a special meeting called by the Steering Committee will be required to approve any and all non-budgeted expenditures over $500.

 

4.   MKESA shall be non-sectarian, non-commercial and non-partisan.  MKESA will enter into no commercial enterprises or endorsements.  No substantial part of the activities of MKESA shall be carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation (except as otherwise provided by Internal Revenue Code Section 501 (h) or participating in, or intervening in (including the publication of distribution of statements), any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office.

5.   The rules in Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern this MKESA.

 

 

ARTICLE IV

OFFICERS AND ELECTIONS:

1.      Terms of office:

The terms for the offices listed below shall be one year (July 1 through June 30) except as follows:

-          Each Co-Chairperson will serve for two years, each vacating the office on alternating years to provide continuity.

-          Persons are permitted to run for the same office in succeeding years.  After serving one year in the office, the same officer has the option to extend his/her term by another year.  After two consecutive terms, the same office will open for election.

-          Should one or both the Co-Chairs have to vacate the office for any reason, the succeeding Co-Chair should be chosen from among the Steering Committee to complete the remainder of the term.

 

2.   Elections:

Nominations for offices will be solicited every year to encourage a broader participation by parents/guardians.  Nomination forms with descriptions of each office for which elections are to be held shall be sent home to each family one-month prior to the election via advertisement in MKESA news or similar publication.  The general election shall be held at the May Meeting.  Notice of election shall also be communicated in same manner as open positions.  Should a Steering Committee member vacate their seat during the school year, a new member must be voted in by a majority vote of Steering Committee members.

 

3.   The officers of MKESA and their duties will be as follows:

A.  CO-CHAIRPERSONS:  These officers shall be parents/guardians who will organize and conduct the business meetings of MKESA and its Steering Committee.  They will appoint all committees and chairpersons of said committees.  They will provide an annual calendar of MKESA sponsored activities, turn in use of school permits, develop agenda of meetings, and provide information to the Communications Coordinator for weekly notices.  They will attend Presidents’ meetings, and act as liaison between Administration and parents, and will oversee the activities of the other voting officers of the Steering Committee.  Each Co-Chair shall be responsible for serving as liaison to four specific Steering Committee positions.

 

B.  TREASURER:  This officer will be responsible for receiving dues, all MKESA receipts, tracking all such receipts and expenses, keeping records of all transactions, and maintaining the MKESA accounts.  The Treasurer will pay all expenditures of MKESA at the direction of the Co-Chairpeople.  An annual report of receipts, expenditures and balances will be made by this office at the first meeting of each school year, in addition to the usual reports at the regular meetings.

 

            C.  COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR:  This officer  working with a subcommittee will be responsible for all communications including preparing weekly notices for the dissemination of information to the Mount Kisco Elementary School community based on information provided to them by other officers, creating the school directory, and will be responsible for, along with the Co-Chairs, general MKESA correspondence.  They will also create and monitor the MKESA brand to be displayed in all communications. 

 In addition, this officer, working with a subcommittee, will be responsible for providing information to external and internal news sources for the purposes of disseminating information and public relations promotion (including newspapers, radio, etc.).  Again, this is based on information and photographs provided by other Steering Committee positions.

 

E. FIFTH GRADE COORDINATOR:  This officer will act as a liaison for the purposes of communication of issues related to the special needs of the fifth grade and will oversee specific projects (which have their own chairpersons) which relate to the fifth grade.  This office is appointed by the Fifth Grade Parents Committee and not elected by the general membership.

 

F. IMMEDIATE PAST CO-CHAIRPERSON:  For the purposes of continuity, this person will sit on the Steering Committee in the year immediately following the end of their two year term.

 

G. TEACHER REPRESENTATIVES (2):  There will be two representatives from the teaching staff, preferably divided as follows, one from grades K-2, and one from grades 3-5.  These representatives will act as a liaison between MKESA and the teaching staff for the purposes of sharing information and promoting the overall well being of the Mount Kisco Elementary School community.

 

H. FUND-RAISING COORDINATOR:  This officer’s responsibility will be to oversee the projects of MKESA that are for fund-raising purposes.  While each individual project will have its own co-chairs, the coordinator will work with the co-chairs and serve the following functions:

-          Overseeing a timeline for each project

-          Overseeing the publicity for each project including the approval of any fliers through the principal’s office and the Communications Coordinator

-          Overseeing the budget for each project

-          Coordinate and provide assistance to the co-chairs when needed

-          Act as liaison to the Steering Committee for the projects which the officer is coordinating, to communicate problems, concerns and status

 

I. EDUCATIONAL SERVICES COORDINATOR:  This officer will be responsible for overseeing the activities of MKESA which are educational in nature (e.g. After School Activities, Enrichment, Publishing Center).  Like the Fund-Raising Coordinator, this officer will oversee a timeline for these projects, publicity, budgeting and will act as a liaison to the Steering Committee and provide assistance to the individual project co-chairs as needed.  This Coordinator will work with the Communications Coordinator on the consistency of messaging to the community.

 

J. COMMUNITY EVENTS COORDINATOR:  This officer will be responsible for overseeing the activities of MKESA which are primarily social and community events (e.g. Family Fun Night, Open House, Newcomers’ Night, etc.).  Like the coordinators above, this office will oversee a timeline for these activities, publicity, budgeting and will act as a liaison to the Steering Committee and provide assistance to the individual project co-chairs as needed.  This Coordinator will work with the Communications Coordinator on the consistency of messaging to the community.

 

K. PARENT OUTREACH COORDINATOR:  This officer will be responsible for overseeing the parent outreach activities of MKESA.  This includes coordinating the Baking Volunteers, Class Parent Program, Translation Volunteers, Kindergarten Coffees, new parent outreach and other activities that would logically fall under the scope of Parent Outreach.   As with the other activity coordinators, this office will oversee the timeline, publicity and budgeting for these activities and will act as a liaison to the Steering Committee and provide assistance to the individual project co-chairs as needed.

 

Each Steering Committee position will be asked to take the minutes of a single Committee meeting during each year and then be responsible for preparing a typed copy of these minutes for the next such meeting.

 

L.   Building Administrator.  The Building Administrator will act as a liaison between MKESA, the teaching staff, and the District Administration for the purposes of sharing information and promoting the overall well being of the Mount Kisco Elementary School community.

 

ARTICLE V

STEERING COMMITTEE:

1.      The Steering Committee will consist of the following:

a.       Co-Chairperson

b.      Treasurer

c.       Communications Coordinator (Formerly Secretary and Publicity/Community Liaison)

 

d.      Fifth Grade Coordinator

e.       Immediate Past Co-Chairperson

f.       Fund-Raising Coordinator

g.      Educational Services Coordinator

h.      Community Events Coordinator

i.        Parent Outreach Coordinator

 

2.      The Steering Committee shall meet as deemed necessary.

 

3.      All Steering Committee members are expected to attend the bi-monthly Steering Committee meetings.  Attendance is expected by a majority of Steering members at the four annual community meetings as well as MKESA sponsored events.

 

4.      Each position, even if co-occupied is entitled to one vote.  In event of tie, Building Administrator, normally not a voting position, shall be given right of vote.

 

 

ARTICLE VI

MEETINGS:

1.   There will be at least four general meetings of MKESA during each school year.

 

2.   The building administrator is invited to attend all meetings.

 

ARTICLE VII

MEMBERSHIP:

Membership will be open to all parents, guardians, teachers, staff and any interested member of the Mount Kisco Elementary School community.

 

ARTICLE VIII

DUES:

Dues for MKESA shall be determined annually by a majority vote of the Steering Committee.

 

ARTICLE IX

AMENDMENTS:

This constitution may be amended as follows:

1.   The Co-Presidents may appoint a committee to study proposed amendments.

 

2.   Proposed amendments shall be presented at a regular business meeting and shall be voted upon at the next regular meeting.

 

3.   All members shall be advised of the proposed amendment and pending vote, in writing two weeks before the meeting.

 

4.   An amendment must receive a majority affirmative vote of the membership present at the meeting.

 

 

REVISIONS TO DOCUMENT DATED JUNE 12, 1995

REVISIONS TO DOCUMENT DATED APRIL 11, 2000

Revisions to be adopted June 11, 2002

Revisions to document dated May 31, 2012

Revisions to document dated February 11, 2014