Groton-Dunstable Special Education

Parent Advisory Council

By-Laws

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

1. ORGANIZATION NAME

2. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

3. MISSION STATEMENT

4. GOALS

5. COUNCIL STRUCTURE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
* MEMBERSHIP * QUALIFICATIONS
* OFFICERS * TERMS
* ELECTIONS

6. MEETINGS
* GENERAL * ANNUAL
* EVENTS/ACTIVITIES

7. AMENDMENTS

8. FUNDING
* GRANTS, DONATIONS, FUNDRAISING

9. DISSOLUTION

 

GDRSD SPEDPAC, INC.

 By-Laws

1. Organization Name

The official name of the organization is the Groton-Dunstable Regional School District Special Education Parent Advisory Council, Inc. or GDRSD Sped PAC, Inc.

2. Statement of Purpose

The GDRSD Sped PAC, Inc. was established in September, 1996 with the support of the Student Services Department of the Groton-Dunstable Regional School District as required by the Massachusetts special education law, Chapter 766 regulations, section 600.0.

3. Mission Statement

Our mission is to provide a network in which parents of children with special needs have access to relevant information, training and emotional support; and to encourage an atmosphere of effective open communication, understanding, and mutual respect among all students, parents, educators and the community-at-large.

4. Goals

· To provide information and referral to parents of children with special needs, administration, staff and other interested parties. (e.g.  SpedPAC Newsletter, Parent Handbook and Resource Guide, Video Resource Library, etc.)

· To provide regular workshops, speaker series, forums, meetings and activities to educate and train parents of children with specials needs, administration, staff and other interested parties in areas such as, but not limited to: special education programs and services, inclusion, advocacy, learning disabilities, behavior issues, Massachusetts special education laws, etc.

· To work with school officials to establish procedures related to planning, development and evaluation of special education in the school district and to participate in the Special Education Budget and Three-Year Plan process.

· To establish a network among parents and to provide outreach and support to members of our community.

· To collaborate with parent-teacher groups, school councils and other school organizations towards the betterment of education in the Groton-Dunstable Regional School District.

· To stay current on public policy issues that affect education in Massachusetts.

· To provide assistance to teachers, specialists, tutors, aides, administrators and other school personnel in regards to special education.

5. Council Structure and Responsibilities

Membership Classes

General Membership shall be open to any resident of Groton or Dunstable or any person affiliated with the Groton-Dunstable Regional School District.

Voting Membership shall be any general member who is a parent or guardian of a child with special needs, as defined by Massachusetts Chapter 766 Regulations, residing in Groton or Dunstable, with or without an Individualized Education Plan, or is a parent or guardian of a child with special needs, as defined by Massachusetts Chapter 766 Regulations, who attends the Groton-Dunstable Regional School District.

Officers are elected by the voting membership and hold office for one year. The President and Vice President positions may not hold the same office for consecutive terms except by 2/3-majority vote of the voting members present at the annual meeting. If any office becomes vacant, an election for that office shall be held immediately, with the term to expire at the next annual meeting. All positions may be shared by one or more individuals. Offices to be held include, but are not limited to: President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer.

President Responsibilities                                                                                        

Sets agenda for each general meeting.
Acts as liaison with the Director of PPS.
Co-ordinates public communications (if needed) of Organizational activities, not including communications that are the responsibility of the secretary.
Presides at all meetings of SpedPAC if possible.
Prepare periodic reports for the Director of PPS regarding SpedPAC activities and needs.
Recommend the organization and monitoring of subcommittees.
Co-ordinate all communications of the organizational activities between the GDRSD SpedPAC, Inc. and its membership.
Responsible for oversight and access to the Groton Dunstable SpedPAC website, and the power to delegate those responsibilities to another officer or PAC member.

 

Vice President Responsibilities

Assist the President setting the agenda for the general meetings.
Assist the President to act as liaison with the Director of PPS.
Presides at the meeting of the SpedPAC when the President is unable to attend.
Perform the duties of the President in the President’s absence or inability to serve.
Perform such other duties as may be provided for by these by-laws and directed by the President or the Executive Committee.

Secretary Responsibilities

Collect and review all incoming and outgoing correspondence of the GDRSD SpedPAC., Inc. Co-ordinate the recording and filing of minutes of the GDRSD Sped PAC, Inc. and subcommittees.

Treasurer Responsibilities

Co-ordinate efforts to apply for grants, donations, reimbursements or other funds for which the GDRSD SpedPAC, Inc. may be eligible.
Manage and account for funds collected/donated and spent for the GDRSD SpedPAC, Inc.
Co-ordinate fundraising activities.
File annual Internal Revenue Information Returns.

Subcommittees

Subcommittees shall be created as needed. The subcommittee chairperson shall be a volunteer or willing nominee accepted by a simple majority vote of the voting members present at a general meeting.

Elections

Elections shall be the first order of business during the annual meeting in June. Nominations will be made verbally by the voting members present at the annual meeting. All voting members are eligible to make nominations. Elections shall be decided by a single majority vote of the voting membership present. New officers shall take office immediately following their election.

 

6. Meetings

General Meetings shall be held at least every other month, from September through June. Notice of all general meeting dates shall be published in the GDRSD SpedPAC, Inc. newsletter (Focus On Learning), and/or the individual school newsletters. During the June meeting, the newly elected President and Vice President shall make recommendations for the calendar of meetings for the following school year. The calendar shall include dates and times of the meetings and projected activities for the year.

Matters which require a vote be taken of the voting membership include, but are not limited to the following items:

· Change in the Articles of Organization and/or By-laws can only be voted on at a general meeting. Simple majority rules.

· A commitment of financial resources requires a simple majority of voting members present at a general meeting.

· Elections require a vote as described in Section 5 “Elections“.

The Annual Meeting will be held each year in June. Elections of the new officers will be held at this meeting. A review of the budget (past and future) and the past and future goals will also take place at this meeting.

Minutes of all GDRSD SpedPAC, Inc. general and annual meetings shall be recorded and retained by the Secretary as a matter of public record.

Roberts Rules of Order are the default procedures for this corporation.
Other events and activities such as speaker series, workshops, discussion groups, forums, etc. will be held, for the purpose of training and education, and funded by the GDRSD SpedPAC, Inc. during the school calendar year.

7. Amendments

These By-laws may be amended by simple majority vote of the officers and voting members present at a general meeting; provided that no amendment shall authorize the officers to conduct the affairs of this corporation in any manner or for any purpose contrary to the provisions of section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue code.

 

8. Funding

Grants, Donations and Fundraising

The GDRSD SpedPAC, Inc. will actively pursue grants, donations and fundraising activities to support its mission.

9. Dissolution

Upon dissolution of the GDRSD SpedPAC, Inc., assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or shall be distributed to the federal government, or to a state or local government, for a public purpose.

 

GDRSD SPEDPAC, INC.

Revised 8/30/06

GROTON-DUNSTABLE REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT SPECIAL EDUCATION 

PARENT ADVISORY COUNCIL, INC.  (GDRSD SPEDPAC, INC.)