HSA By-Laws

ARTICLE I. Name.

ARTICLE II. Organizational Authority

1. The Association is an independent association that operates within the policies and guidelines of the Archdiocese of Washington’s Office of Catholic Education.
2. This Association is organized exclusively for charitable, literacy, or educational purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Federal Internal Revenue Code or corresponding section of any future Federal Internal Revenue Code.

ARTICLE III. Purpose

1. Promote open communication among the parents, teachers, and administration.
2. Provide parents and teachers with the information to aid in all aspects of education, growth, and development.
3. Promote good will and cooperation between and among parents, faculty, administration, Advisory Board and the parish of Our Lady Star of the Sea.
4. Direct and coordinate parental support to Our Lady Star of the Sea School through volunteer activities, social functions, and fundraisers.

ARTICLE IV. Membership and Fees

1. Membership shall consist of the parents and guardians of currently enrolled students of Our Lady Star of the Sea School and the faculty of the School.
2. The membership fees shall be determined annually by the executive committee of the Association, prior to registration for the following school year or as needed.
3. Only members who are current with their membership dues may serve on the executive committee, serve as a committee chairperson, receive a copy of the HSA directory, or vote on matters before the Association.
4. In the event a member is unable to pay dues, full membership privileges may be extended to the member at the discretion of the school principal and pastor.

ARTICLE V. Executive Committee

1. The Executive Committee shall consist of four voting officers selected from the general membership, a voting faculty representative, and an ex-officio member, being identified as the Principal of the school. The Executive Committee shall conduct the Association’s business affairs; provide general meeting programs of interest; form committees as deemed necessary and appropriate; review all committee recommendations and report on their final disposition; and review and recommend disbursements of money collected from dues, fundraising events and contributions.
2. The executive committee shall consist of the following members:
   1. Association President
   2. Association Vice President
   3. Association Secretary
   4. Association Treasurer
   5. Advisory Faculty Member
   6. Ex-officio Member
3. The duties of the officers shall be defined as follows:
   1. The President shall:
      1. Preside at and administer all Association general, special and executive committee meetings.
      2. As required, call special meetings of the Executive Committee.
      3. Serve as a non-voting member of the Parish Advisory Board and as the official spokesperson for the Association.
      4. Have co-authority with the treasurer for approval of payments of Association bills.
      5. Serve as an ex-officio member of all Association committees.
      6. Perform such duties as are incumbent of this office.
   2. The Vice President shall:
      1. Attend all general membership, special and executive committee meetings.
      2. Assume the duties of the president in his/her absence.
      3. Assist in the formation of all committees and serve as an ex-officio member.
      4. Assure that assigned committees meet their goals and report their results and recommendations to the Association.
      5. Perform additional duties as designated.
   3. The Secretary shall:
      1. Attend all general membership, special, and executive committee meetings.
      2. Record and make available to the general membership copies of the minutes of all executive committee and general meetings.
      3. Record minutes of all Executive Committee meetings.
      4. Conduct the correspondence of the Association.
      5. Maintain a current file of reports, records, and correspondence of the Association.
      6. Be responsible for recording and correcting as amended bylaws of the Association.
      7. Publicize meetings and functions in the School and the monthly Association newsletter.
      8. Assure that assigned committees meet their goals and report their results and recommendations to the Association.
      9. Perform additional duties as designated.
   4. The Treasurer shall:
      1. Attend all general membership, special, and executive committee meetings.
      2. Collect and deposit all dues and other monies received through fundraising and contributions.
      3. Be appointed to all fund raising committees as an ex-officio member to coordinate and to help prepare fundraising reports.
      4. Maintain records of all receipts and expenditures.
      5. Review and recommend payment of bills outside the scope of the approved budget to the executive committee.
      6. Have co-authority with the president for approval of payments of Association bills.
      7. Provide a written cash accounting at the general membership meetings of all income and expenditures.
      8. Submit a year end report to the Parish office by no later than June 30.
      9. Assure that assigned committees meet their goals and report their results and recommendations to the Association.
      10. Perform additional duties as designated.
   5. The Faculty Representative shall:
      1. Attend all general membership, special, and executive committee meetings.
      2. Serve as liaison between the faculty and the Association with the concurrence and approval of the school principal.
   6. The Ex-Officio member shall:
      1. Attend all general membership, special, and executive committee meetings.
      2. Identify faculty representative for the executive committee.
      3. Establish the role and function of the faculty member to the executive committee.
      4. Hold final approval authority for all matters before the Association.

ARTICLE VI. Election and Tenure of Officers.

1. All officers of the Association, except the faculty representative, shall be elected by the members present at a general meeting prior to the end of the academic school year. Where more than two candidates compete for one office, the candidate receiving the most votes shall assume the position and its responsibilities.
2. Candidates shall be solicited from the members whose dues for the current academic year have been paid. In order to prevent any actual or perceived conflicts of interest, members who are paid staff of Our Lady Star of the Sea School, are ineligible for the positions of President, Vice-President, Treasurer or Secretary of the Association. Nominations and elections will take place in the fourth quarter of the academic year.
3. All nominees shall be reviewed and approved by the ex-officio member (Principal) prior to being placed on the ballot.
4. The term for each office shall be at least one year, not to exceed two years in the same position. New officers shall assume their office at the close of the last general meeting of the academic school year. If an officer is unable to complete the term of office, the ex-officio shall appoint an individual to serve the remainder of the term.
5. Comprehensive job descriptions for each Association officer are attached as Addendum one through four, and shall be reviewed and updated on an annual basis.
6. Teachers (to include teachers who are also parents of student/s) may vote in the election provided there are at least two-thirds (2/3) more parents (parents who are not teachers) in attendance.

ARTICLE VII. Meetings

ARTICLE VIII. Committees and Functions

1. All members of the Association are eligible to be members of the committees. The executive committee of the Association shall call for volunteers for the committees at the first general membership meeting in September of each year.
2. The executive committee shall annually review and approve the Association committees, activities, and fundraisers for the academic school year.
3. Final approval of all committee chairpersons resides and the Principal.
4. The chairpersons will operate within the budget established by the executive committee unless there is approval to deviate from the existing budget.

ARTICLE IX. Budget/Fiduciary Responsibilities of the Association

1. The executive committee shall establish an annual budget. The budget shall be presented to the principal and pastor for review and approval. Upon approval this budget shall then be presented to the general membership at the initial meeting of the academic school year.
2. The budget shall reflect the projected revenues and expenditures for each committee, activity, and fundraising effort for the academic school year.
3. All revenues raised by the Association, after payment of expenditures, shall be designated to enhance the academic curricular programs and activities of the school as determined by the ex-officio member of the executive committee with consult from the faculty. These programs and activities will be announced at the initial general membership meeting of the academic school year.
4. By June 30 of each year, all monies in excess of $2,500.00, after consideration of funds designated for identified projects, shall transferred to the school operating account.
5. By June 30 of each year, all financial records shall be submitted to the Parish bookkeeper for an annual audit.
6. By June 30 all committee chairs are required to submit all records and any Association property to the executive committee who shall then review and distribute the materials to the new chairpersons.
7. All records and property in the possession of the executive committee and committee chairs shall be turned over to the new executive committee and committee chairs annually.

ARTICLE X. Amendments.