Untitled Document

ST. LUKE SCHOOL PARENT-TEACHER ORGANIZATION
MCLEAN, VIRGINIA
CONSTITUTION

ARTICLE I – NAME
The name of this organization shall be the St. Luke Parent-Teacher Organization (hereinafter
“PTO”)

ARTICLE II – OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the PTO shall be:

To promote the general welfare and safety of students at St. Luke School by establishing close working relationships among the parents, faculty, administration and students;
To support and promote quality Catholic education;
To identify and promote a mutual understanding of educational responsibilities and expectations of parents, teachers, and students;
To identify and utilize the services and talents of the school families and Parish in school related spiritual, educational, social, and fundraising activities;
To encourage and promote the enrollment of school age children of the Parish and surrounding areas in St. Luke School;
To inform parents of current legislative issues affecting Catholic education and to encourage advocacy of those issues;
To encourage Catholic standards of family life by reinforcing those values among parents, faculty, administration and students; and,
To respect the school policies established by the Principal and the Pastor.

ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP
All parents or legal guardians of student enrolled at St. Luke School, the members of the faculty
and the Principal are members of the PTO.

ARTICLE IV – OPERATIONS AND ACTIVITY OF THE PTO
The PTO will operate and engage in activities pursuant to the Objectives stated in Article II. All
actions will be determined by a PTO Board empowered to conduct the affairs of the PTO,
including financial management of PTO accounts.
The PTO shall not operate as a profit-making organization and no activity will be undertaken to
financially benefit any individual member.
The PTO Board will oversee all financial accounts of the PTO. All donations received and all funds
raised shall be used to support and benefit St. Luke School and its community. No PTO funds
shall be committed and disbursed to specific programs unless approved by a simple majority vote
of the PTO Board.
PTO Board action requires approval by a simple majority vote of the elected member parents at
any regular or special meeting of the board. Any PTO member shall have the right to present any
matter the PTO Board at any scheduled meeting for consideration or action as appropriate. PTO
members shall notify the President of the intent to present a matter before the board prior to the
scheduled board meeting. The PTO Board will reserve the right to refer any matter before it to the
appropriate authority.

ARTICLE V – PTO BOARD AND ELECTIONS
The PTO Board shall consist of ten (10) member parents or guardians elected by the membership,
the Principal, the Pastor, and no more than two Faculty Representatives selected by the faculty.
All PTO members are eligible to serve, if elected by the membership.
Parent/guardian members shall have a two-year term of office, beginning in June of the year
elected. Five members shall be elected each year. In the event of any member is unable to serve
his/her term, the PTO Board may 1) appoint another member to serve the remainder of the two
year term; or 2) request an election for the remainder of the unfilled term. PTO Board members
must attend at least three quarters of the regularly scheduled meetings in order to remain a
member of the board. In the event that a board member is unable to fulfill the attendance
requirement, the PTO Board will replace the member with the procedure described above.
The PTO Board shall solicit and nominate sufficient candidates to fill all vacancies for any
election and may nominate more candidates than the minimum required. Any PTO member shall
have the right to stand for election regardless of PTO Board nominations. Nominations must be
published and available to the membership at least 30 days prior to the elections.
The PTO Board shall establish election procedures that will provide the entire membership an
opportunity to elect board members. The procedures shall be published and publicized to all
members at least 60 days prior to any election. The member receiving the greatest number of
votes shall be elected to the first vacancy, the second most to the second, and so forth until all
vacancies are filled without regard for any minimum number of votes.

ARTICLE VI – OFFICERS
The PTO shall be administered by Officers elected the PTO Board. Specific officer positions are
stipulated in the by-laws. Officers shall be elected by the returning and incoming PTO Board
members at the first Board meeting in June or by the incumbent Board in the event of a vacancy.
Officers shall serve for a period of one year; however, no officer shall hold the same office for
more than two consecutive terms.

ARTICLE VII – MEETINGS
The PTO Board shall hold a general membership meeting at least once a year, or more frequently
if necessary. The PTO Board shall meet at least six times during the year; one of the six meetings
shall be conducted within 30 days of the annual election to determine officers. A schedule for
meetings shall be determined and published with the official school calendar. PTO Board
meetings shall be open to all members of the PTO.
Any action by the PTO Board requires a simple majority vote of the board members provided a
quorum is present at the meeting. Special meetings of the PTO Board may be convened as
needed.

ARTICLE VIII – RATIFICATION AND AMENDMENT
This Constitution and associated by-laws shall be in force when ratified by a simple majority of
the PTO membership.
Amendments to the Constitution require a simple majority vote of the PTO membership. The bylaws
can be amended by a 2/3’s vote of the PTO Board.
Ratification can occur by vote at a general membership meeting or by written instrument after
proposed changes are publicized to the membership, provided the proper number of votes is
obtained.