Parliamentarian

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Training

Leaders’ Welcome Packet 2024-25

Forms

  • Unit Bylaws Fillable Submittal Form
  • Unit Bylaws Fillable Form
  • Change of Status Form | guide

Term begins July 1.

BYLAWS

  • Obtain most recent copy of bylaws
  • After reviewing, discuss with President if a bylaw review committee should be established to update bylaws
  • Know what the quorum numbers are for both executive board and association meeting. If at a meeting quorum is not met, then no business can proceed. 

KEY: Bylaws should be reviewed annually, and updated every five (5) years by the bylaws committee of the association, chaired by the parliamentarian. The procedures and instructions to complete the bylaws are found inside the front cover of each set of bylaws.

Appointments 

  • Make sure President appoints and Executive Board ratifies appointments for the following
  • Parliamentarian 
  • Corresponding Secretary (if unit has)
  • Financial Reviewer (if not part of Executive Board)
  • Standing Committee chairs (per bylaws)
  • Committee Chairs 

Running Meetings 

As parliamentarian you ensure that all meetings are run smoothly

In November discuss Nominating Committee 

Review the bylaws and make a motion to create the members of the nominating committee (nomcom). NomCom elects a chair. The parliamentarian attends the first meeting to review the bylaws and answer any questions. 

    Justice, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion (JEDI)

    Nominating Committee (NomCom)
    The purpose of the Nominating Committee is to seek and identify qualified nominees who will take on leadership roles within your PTA. The members of the committee have a key role to ensure that the unit benefits from nominees with a diverse range of talents, perspectives and experiences.

    Nominating Committee Basics: 

    • The only committee NOT appointed by the president, nominating committee is ELECTED
    • Seek qualified nominees for elected leadership position (NOT chairs as those are appointed by the President)
    • Committee is elected by the association at least 2 months prior to the election (Usually in March)
    • Every elected position is open EVERY year.
    • Mix of new (from different grades, friend groups, interests, etc.) and more experienced committee/officer members
    • NomCom members MUST be paid PTA members (at least 30 days before election of NomCom)
    • President NEVER serves on the committee
    • Principal is always a member of the committee/advisor
    • Cannot serve on the committee for 2 years in a row
    • Parliamentarian may serve IF elected to NomCom
    As Parliamentarian: 
    • Create and share  list of your executive board members that will be termed out
    • Give Nominating Committee a list of paid PTA members
    • Give members a copy of the bylaws
    • Give members a job description of each elected position
    • If as Parliamentarian you were not elected to the Nominating Committee, please schedule the first meeting and make sure all members show up.  If alternates are not needed, they should be dismissed.
    • Remind NomCom to elect a chair. You can then excuse yourself from the rest of the meeting
    Timeline:
    • NOVEMBER-JANUARY – Find and elect nominating committee @ the association meeting
    • FEBRUARY – Present and post slate of nominees (MUST be posted 28 days before association election)
    • MARCH – Election Meeting
    • APRIL/MAY – Elected officers forwarded to CAPTA via myPTEZ
    STEPS:
    1. Elect nominating committee members and alternates (check your bylaws to see exact numbers of each)
    2. The parliamentarian sets up the first nominating committee meeting.  At this meeting, if all of the nominating committee members attend then the alternate members are dismissed and are NOT part of the slate search. If a member of the nominating committee did not show up to the first meeting, then an alternate is called in to replace said member.
    3. The nominating committee should elect a chair (see below for helpful links for chair use only).
    4. Prepare a slate. It is a committee activity to create a slate, it is not up to just the chair of the committee.
    5. Once a slate is final, all members of the nominating committee MUST sign the nominating committee report.  Present the slate at the association meeting, but if you don’t have one in time, then at a minimum it MUST be posted 28-days before your March election.  Use the NomCom Report form.
    Helpful Parliamentarian Guidance links:
    • Electing the Nom Com
    • Nominations and Elections – How to
    • CAPTA Toolkit
    • Nom Com Report to be posted 28 days before association election in March/early April. Posting should be done on what your PTA has established as it’s primary and official communication channel to your school community or PTA community. This might be having your principal share it out in their newsletter or ParentSquare communication, posting it on your website, sending it out via your PTA newsletter, posting it on the front office PTA public announcement bulletin board, or any combination that reaches the most families in your community.
    • Elections Script

    Helpful links for the elected chair of nominating committee (the chair may be the parliamentarian if part of nomcom and elected as chair):

    Remember, because NomCom discussions are confidential, the parliamentarian is not automatically tasked to manage any online forms that solicit for candidates. The chair should be creating/managing these forms and especially the responses. And of course, the president is NOT part of the nomcom committee, but can be used as a reference by any of the candidates for the nomcom to follow up with.  It is helpful to get feedback from the president, but by no means does the president have any control over the decisions that the nomcom makes.

    Annual Election
    FAQ

    Q. Can a vacant position on the proposed nominating committee report be filled after the report has been submitted and posted?

    A. Yes. If a nominee withdraws before the election, the committee must reconvene as soon as possible to agree upon another nominee. If an office is vacant after the election because an officer-elect resigns or because no one was elected to fill the office, it shall be considered a vacant office to be filled by the board-elect according to the bylaws.

     

    Q. How does the nominating committee handle the acceptance of the nomination for a position after the report has been submitted?

    A. If someone accepts a nomination after the report has been submitted (at least 28 days prior to the election meeting), the nominating committee chairperson will read a revised report that includes the new nominee for office to the executive board and to the membership at the annual election meeting.

    Q. What if the nominating committee doesn’t or isn’t able to do its job in time to publish the slate 28 days before the election?

    A. Then all interested candidates must run from the floor on election day.  A nominating committee should try it’s best to fill the entire slate with qualified proposed candidates. However, if not all positions are filled, it’s OK.  Any open positions at the time of elections can have candidates run from the floor (ie, if they are a PTA member for 30 days, they can participate in the election and raise their hand when it comes to a call for anybody interested in running for that position.)

    A. Then all interested candidates must run from the floor on election day.

     

    Q. If I’m a PTA member at an elementary school (for at least 30 days), do I need to be a member of the middle school PTA to be nominated for a board position at the middles school PTA? (same applies for middle school to high school transitions)

    A. No.  As long as you are a PTA member at another feeder school, then you can be nominated. However, you should become a member of that school PTA as soon as you are elected.

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